Are bicycles, either frames or built bikes, hit with US customs duty when they are ordered directly from a UK dealer and shipped directly to US residence?
I've looked on the Treasury Dept web site, but haven't been able to decipher the rules as they apply to new, used, frames, and builit bikes.
David Songer
>From: gpvb1@comcast.net
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [CR] eBay payments to UK
>Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:32:13 +0000
>
>I would tend to agree with Peter on this issue. There's really no valid
>reason why a UK- or even Europe-based seller can't have a PayPal account. I
>am more than willing to pay a 5% "transaction" fee to the seller to use
>that option. Most exchange services that I've used to get cash in other
>currencies hit you with about a 5%-below-market exchange rate anyways, plus
>a small fee, so 5% on top of PP's exchange rate isn't really so bad, plus
>it's much safer. It's just more to factor into your total landed price
>(remember that shipping is often quite pricey from the UK as well, so keep
>that in mind also). An IMO in Dollars is easy to do, but costs close to
>$4.00 to purchase, so still more fees to consider there, and it can get
>lost in the mail....
>Risk avoidance is where it's at, IMO....
>Greg Parker
>Dexter, Michigan, USA
>
>Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 13:55:45 -0500
>From: "Peter Koskinen" <peter@prkbikes.com>
>To: "'Louis Schulman'" <louiss@gate.net>,
> <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: RE: [CR]eBay payments to UK
>
>Louis,
>
>I make it a point to deal with the folks overseas only if they accept
>credit
>cards like VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, or DINERS CLUB or if they
>have a Paypal account. This way your money is traceable and you have some
>recourse in case the item you bought doesn't show up. Otherwise, I would
>tell you to keep your money in North America.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Peter Koskinen
>Chapel Hill, NC
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
>[mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Louis Schulman
>Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 12:18 PM
>To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]eBay payments to UK
>
>I have a question about making payment to UK sellers from the US who don't
>accept PayPal, personal checks or charges and require payment in pounds.
>One famous such seller says "paying is very easy" and that you can use an
>"International Money Order."
>
>Well, it isn't easy. The Post Office doesn't issue international money
>orders for the UK, or so they told me. My bank said they don't issue such
>things either. I am not sending cash. Western Union only issues money
>orders in dollars.
>
>What does everyone do in this situation?
>
>Louis Schulman
>Rainy Tampa, Florida USA