I am interesting in importing goods from Bali, Thailand and China to England (gifts, including wooden carvings and hand-made goods) but have no idea how to go about this, could someone please give me some idea about the best and cheapest companies to go to and any legal requirements i may need. THANKS EVERONE!!
2007-03-08 03:48:08 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
dont know of any shipping companies but do know that if you are going to import from out of the eu your items will be subjected to customs duties and vat as well if they are valued above £18. filling in a customs form falsely is illegal so if you are using a company (compared to a family or friend) it will very likely be marked as merchandise and not gift (to make it exempt). and as far is i know customs rates can vary.
call the national advice service on 0845 010 9000 or Tariff Classification Service 01702 366077.
the webpage has loads of info on imports (and exports)
hope this helps
2007-03-08 04:07:34 · answer #1 · answered by babyonlyne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cheapest companies may not provide you with efficient and effective services. Global transport companies like DHL and UPS provide more than just freight forwarding but includes logistics as among the services it offers. Importing involves tons of paperworks and expertise which the afore listed companies can provide. You should try them out first. Call their representative to discuss your ideas.
2007-03-08 21:14:46 · answer #2 · answered by BATMAN 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have some-one out there you can trust acting as your Agent, they should be able to get much better rates locally ...
If you don't have an Agent, you need to check out who you are dealing with and fully understand the local laws re: export taxes, duties & regulations
If you don't understand the local conditions, forget it. Find some-one in UK who is already doing business with these Countries and buy from them instead.
It's far too easy to discover your shipment has been impounded because you have failed to pay the appropriate 'duties' or failed to meet some obscure regulation - and not all Companies will be honest, especailly if they know you cannot persue them in the local courts.
2007-03-08 06:06:36 · answer #3 · answered by Steve B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋