I’m not sure if it helps but I’ve bought lots of stuff on eBay from China and not paid import duty or VAT on any of it. I don’t think any of my orders have had a value over about £25 though.

I could not resist. I won't do it again I promise.

As of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, there were no specific restrictions on eBay purchases originating in China, but there are certain issues that buyers should be aware of.

Firstly, it is important to check the seller's feedback and ratings before making a purchase, as there have been reports of fraudulent sellers operating from China. It is also important to carefully read the product description and shipping information, as some sellers may offer lower prices but longer shipping times, and it may take several weeks for the items to arrive.

In addition, buyers should be aware of the potential for customs duties and taxes when purchasing items from overseas, including China. The amount of duties and taxes charged can vary depending on the item's value and the country of origin, and it is the responsibility of the buyer to pay these fees.

Regarding the specific issue of purchasing end mills from China, it is possible to find a wide range of end mills on eBay from Chinese sellers at various price points. However, as with any purchase, it is important to check the seller's reputation and carefully read the product description before making a purchase.

It is worth noting that the situation regarding eBay purchases originating in China can change over time, and it is always a good idea to check for any updates or changes to rules and regulations that may affect your purchase.

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Which is one of the reasons why it’s better to have ebay managing the VAT

”HMRC admitted the situation did not raise alarm bells at the tax office.” says it all really !!

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 12/04/2023 09:43:14

Bazyle,

Where would “customers dodging the VAT” come into your scenario ?

MichaelG.

That is because the ROC government pays for most of the shipping of Chinese products, so defrauding the ROC might lead to unpleasant consequences.

Not really. Just like a lot of firms, including some importers of Chinese lathes, they just leave the inspection to the customer.

JA

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I’m not sure if you really believe that, JA

… but I would say the two closing paragraphs of the referenced article make the HMRC shambles pretty clear

[quote]

Mr Davies said HMRC needed to "tighten up completely", claiming it was easier to "register a company for VAT than it is to go and get a bus pass".

HMRC said: "We are reviewing our operational processes for managing high volume address changes, including understanding any vulnerabilities in our systems associated with this behaviour."

[/quote]

MichaelG.

Well-said, Bill

MichaelG.

Edited By DiogenesII on 12/04/2023 14:42:27

I think you will find that mainland China is called the Peoples Republic Of China.

I bought a Geiger counter directly and it cost about £65 and no extra duty costs were added, maybe it slipped through the net.

you either like Chinese imports or you don't.

China has the advantage in that postal costs are cheap, bearing in mind postal costs are also subject to vat.

all the big vendors like Ebay, Aliexpress, Banggood, Hobbyking etc will apply and collect vat from you on your purchase, including postage.

An example, I recently purchased some electronic items on Aliexpress for an amount that would not even pay for postage in the UK let alone the items themselves.

Another anomoly in Chinese trading is the problem of returning faulty goods.

To post a small item costing £5 would cost between £10 and £20 depending on whether it is tracked etc so not worth returning – the Chinese suppliers know this so you have to be on the alert with who you are dealing with.

Personally, I only order expensive goods if the item is supplied from a warehouse in the UK or EU, Banggood springs to mind. Anything else I am prepared to accept the 'possible' loss as down to experience.

To date I have not been let down by any Chinese supplier and continue to benefit from low prices and cheap postage,

Choose right and the item(s) will arrive quite quickly, If I am desperate for an item I will pay the premium if necessary to get it from the UK.

Do not be fooled by some ebay vendors who advertise as being in the UK so delivery will be quick, some just pass on the order to China and give you a raft of excuses when the item is not delivered during the timeframe they have given you. I have been stung a couple of times with this – caveat emptor

But did the context actually require anyone to mention it explicitly?

Dave Halford said: "That is because the ROC government pays for most of the shipping of Chinese products, so defrauding the ROC might lead to unpleasant consequences."

And I replied "Dave, do you really mean the government of the ROC, i.e. Taiwan?"

Was that not an explicit enough approach? Should I have said "Dave, I think you will find you mean the PRC not the ROC"?

I wasn't 100% sure that he didn't mean the ROC, and I was trying to prompt him to have another think if what he really meant, as seemed probable, was the PRC.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned in believing that the best way to teach people things is often to point them in the right direction rather than to hand them the whole answer on a plate.