The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have just learned that American buyers who purchase an antique phonograph or music box from a European seller will be automatically charged a 10% duty. Antiques over 100 years old usually have been exempt from duties, but this may have changed in light of all the trade disputes we are now involved in.

And, of course, if one calls eBay to ask about this, nobody knows anything except that there is no recourse.

I don't know if the duty is collected on imports from other countries, such as China.

Just wanted to give everybody a heads-up on this, in case you're contemplating a big purchase abroad.

Raphael

Raphael wrote:I have just learned that American buyers who purchase an antique phonograph or music box from a European seller will be automatically charged a 10% duty. Antiques over 100 years old usually have been exempt from duties, but this may have changed in light of all the trade disputes we are now involved in.

And, of course, if one calls eBay to ask about this, nobody knows anything except that there is no recourse.

I don't know if the duty is collected on imports from other countries, such as China.

Just wanted to give everybody a heads-up on this, in case you're contemplating a big purchase abroad.

Raphael

I think those are only items that are shipped via eBay/ Pitney Bowes "Global Shipping Program". eBay and PB has been charging duty on items that are exempt since this program started. Who knows what they do with the money. Unfortunately, it seems to me sometimes that eBay itself is becoming the biggest scammer on their site.

No, this is something new. A good friend of mine in Europe recently sold a music box to a U.S. customer, and he ships via FedEx. His customer got hit with the 10% up front, just like they do with state sales taxes these days. Not to defend eBay, but they must of course remit the collected taxes to the appropriate authorities, otherwise it would be considered theft.

Raphael

Raphael,

Thanks for letting us know.

Much appreciated.

Keith

I think this is a problem with ebay's Global Shipping Programme.

Just to mention goods traveling from the US to Europe. A few years a ago I bought a 'small' speed indicator plate from a seller in the US on eBay.com. The shipping was a whopping $70 USD which I thought was a mistake but was told that was the way it was (I could have sent it from here to the US for a few pounds but that's besides the point). This was with ebay's expensive Global Shipping Program and I was made to pay all the customs fees upfront when paying for the item. When the item arrived here in Britain, you guessed it, I had to pay all the customs fees again or they would not release the item. So what happened to the fees I'd already paid? I guess they went into ebay's fat coffers. It's made worse here by the fact that the British Post Office charges you a fee to collect this money. Effectively you are now charged for being charged. This can be £12 even if the amount is only pennies on a low value item like under £20 but it's a good incentive for them to charge duty and tax on things that previously they would not bother about.

The speed plate was a very costly experience and shows how things have changed. I used to buy so much from the States. Not now sadly. I even had the Antique Trader sent over in the days before eBay.

I don't buy from anyone using the GPS and it has to be from people I know and trust to send the item correctly as being over a hundred years old etc. and won't overvalue it for insurance reasons as this will cost me.

Anyway thats my rant.

As an occasional eBay seller who never posts outside the UK, I was annoyed when eBay enrolled me into their Global Shipping Programme without consulting me first.
Needless to say I changed my Seller Preferences to withdraw from it immediately, and would not buy from any seller who used it.

I stand corrected on this entire matter. EBay is not collecting customs duties on privately arranged shipments. After further questioning my friend, it turns out it was a State Sales Tax being collected, which has been the norm for some time now.

Sorry for the false alarm.

Raphael

Raphael wrote:eBay Now Collecting Customs Duties “FALSE ALARM”

Thank you Raphael but sadly it's not a false alarm if using ebay's GSP. It's a good opportunity to warn buyers in Europe, especially Britain, about ebay's Global Shipping Program, not only will shipping probably cost much more but that they could end up paying customs charges twice and pay these charges in cases where they weren't even applicable. The eBay GSP does not appear to distinguish between items that are exempt from duty (or subject to lower duty) and items that aren't.

Jamie

Just to clarify, my original post was about shipments coming into the U.S., not the other way around.

Raphael

Raphael wrote:Just to clarify, my original post was about shipments coming into the U.S., not the other way around.

Raphael

Quite so. But As I say I was warning buyers in Europe.