Replacement camera (1 Viewer)

[Dave Williams]

I have it on good authority Dave that Hdew also source the same way as the company I am using.

this is their fine print.

"INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. Please note that by making a purchase on this website you will be acting as the importer of the product for all purposes including all customs regulations,copyright and trademark laws.You accept that the role of HDEW Cameras is limited to sourcing products and making them them available for you to import directly from the country of origin.By purchasing a product through this website you authorise us to make arrangements for clearance of customs on your behalf for the products you have ordered."

John

I hadn't noticed that John, there again no one told me that when I ordered over the telephone either so I would pass the buck back to them....... hopefully !
Didn't happen with my camera body though.

 

[Reader]

Having never bought anything like this before via this sort of route I was not aware of the implications. Having said that I am quite prepared to pay whatever duty came my way but thankfully if there is a tax forthcoming then the insurance company will cover it.

I just hadn't read the fine print the way you have.

Regarding Kerso I was told he still imports from similar sources so is that wrong?

John

Kerso is completely different as he ships from Scotland and provides a UK invoice (I have bought most of my lenses from him).
DigiltalRev have two different price structures:- one is for stock shipped from the UK with all the proper UK taxes and duties paid. You can also buy stuff from them direct from HK which is cheaper for obvious reasons!!!

Most of the HK companies try to avoid paying UK duties and taxes by hoping the customs will not pick it up or putting things like 'Gift' on the label. Some of them say that if you do get caught for duties and taxes then let them know and they will reimburse you, others like the one you have bought from just say that it is your responsibly. At the end if the day the onus is on you as the importer to pay the correct due's - anything less and you are technically breaking the law.

I am not trying to say whether any of this is right or wrong as I know many folks do this, but most do not advertise the fact on a public website!

 

[Roy C]

Having never bought anything like this before via this sort of route I was not aware of the implications. Having said that I am quite prepared to pay whatever duty came my way but thankfully if there is a tax forthcoming then the insurance company will cover it.

I just hadn't read the fine print the way you have.

Regarding Kerso I was told he still imports from similar sources so is that wrong?

John

We all know that Kerso (Ian Kerr / Flash Cameras) imports his gear from the USA BUT because he dispatches from the UK with a UK invoice then UK sales tax (Vat) would have been paid. With Kerso's gear you can even claim Canon Europe cashback's when promotions are running. This is no different than a UK based company as their gear would be imported from the likes of Japan I suspect.

Regarding HDEW they are a UK seller and anyone buying from them are entitled to assume that the UK sales tax (Vat) has been applied the same as any other UK company. The HK company who you bought from specifically say that you are responsible for Vat. Import duties and Vat are two different things although when you import it is know as 'import vat'

It is not a case of reading the fine print as we all know that buying direct from these HK based companies is an attempt to smuggle goods into this country thus avoiding in some cases import duty and in most cases UK sales tax (vat). This has been discussed umpteen times on various web sites including BirdForum is is well known among photographers. Similarly we all know of folks that 'smuggle' goods from abroad when returning from holiday outside of the EU - my point is that:
a) They know what they are doing is wrong.
b) They do not publicise their 'smuggling' on public web sites if they have any sense.

I am not having a go at you for attempting to smuggle this gear into the UK as I know this is done on a regular basis amongst photographers (who knows I may or may not have done this myself in the past ). My whole point is if you are going to do this what do you gain by advertising it and thus risk seizure of the gear if caught.I was just offering you some friendly advise about shouting about it on a public web site that's all but you still do not seem to get it so I will leave it at that.

p.s. the probability is that you will get away with the 'smuggling' although I guess being a good citizen you will no doubt offer to pay the sales tax anyway thus avoiding doing anything wrong!

 

[john miller]

In addition to what RoyC has said a friend purchased from one of the HK companies mentioned, about a month later £1000 was taken from his credit card!! As it was a new card and this was the only purchase made it was obvious where somebody had got his number from.
My experience with a 70-100 lens was that the money was taken from my account but it took 5 weeks to deliver. I have heard that some of the companies wait until they get a number of orders for the item before shipping. Since then I have only used Kerso or WEX.
As Roy says the companies know that duty should be paid, that is why they can advertise them at a low price. Always amases me that nothing has been done by HM customs to what is a well known and well used method of avoiding duty.

John
www.kellingnature.zenfolio.com