Importing direct vs buying from UK importers

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

There has been some controversy of late on these boards about the merits, or otherwise, of the Festool plunge action circular saw and guide rail, compared to the EZ Smart Guide System. I do not wish to rehash all the old arguments, but in that thread the question arose about the sense of importing goods directly from abroad.

I now have to hand all the figures for my own import, and fees paid, together with the costs from an intending UK supplier. Although, after the controversy in the other thread, the UK supplier took their site off-line. But, since Google caches much of the web's content, a Google search revealed the costs as originally posted at http://www.eztooling.co.uk.

Buying from UK Importer (http://www.eztooling.co.uk)
EZ Smart Guide 100" package £198.58
EZ Cabinet maker £151.55
EZ Smart Table Top Kit £ 62.71
Carriage (estimated) £ 20.00
_______
TOTAL £432.84

Importing direct from Eurekazone.com
EZ Smart Guide 100" package $189.95
EZ Cabinet maker $144.00
EZ Smart Table Top Kit $ 59.95
Shipping from USA to UK $120.00

Sub Total in US Dollars $513.90

Sub Total converted to UK Pounds £260.26
Customs (VAT) and collection fee £ 38.76
_______
TOTAL £299.02

I'll leave you to decide whether the epithet 'rip-off' applies to eztooling or not.

Angela

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Angela

If there are any problems, this time around, it'll have to be locked down straight away. :roll:

Cheers
Neil

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

Hi Neil,

Oh, it should be alright, after all there's nothing contentious in my post is there? :roll:

Angela :wink:

 

[Matt_S]

Mines coming today

I would say my shipping was a less probably due to parcel size and $80.

But overall order with postage was $458, and I've just had to pay £66 duty how does that add up?!?!?

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

Hi Matt,

Hard luck!

My order was sent as two parcels and the first one arrived last week free of duty! :lol:

It's the luck of the draw. Mainly I get stuff through free. I guess customs officers just go for large parcels, and at over 50" long, the parcels are certainly that.

PS. I specially asked for mine to be sent via USPS and NOT UPS. Could that be the reason for the difference? I would always recommend asking for USPS in preference to all the rest (UPS, DHL et al). There's always a good chance of escaping duty and they are cheaper. But parcels do take longer to arrive. UPS and the rest take great glee in collecting customs duty AND their fee, of course.

Angela

 

[Matt_S]

Mine was two and went USPS even though I didn't request. Just bad luck I guess that the smaller one got caught

 

[Colin C]

Two more that have bought the EZ :shock: :wink:

I hope you both are as happy as me with it

Ps Angela

I just have to ask 8-[
Did you get the EZ because you wanted to get it anyway :wink:

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

Colin,

Did you get the EZ because you wanted to get it anyway

Naturally! Do you think I'm daft or something ... no, better not answer that!

I am not able to wo-manhandle 8x4s and had to revert to dragging boards out and then rough sizing on the lawn, and then accurately cutting to size on the table saw with a sled. But even that was proving to be a big struggle for me, especially in a small workshop. I have been looking around for an accurate solution for some while.

I've got a number of built-ins I want to do and the EZ System looked good. I hope it will do the job.

With luck, I might be able to sell the table saw! :wink: If the EZ system doesn't work out it will go on eBay instead.

Angela

 

[Colin C]

Anglea

I no longer have a table saw in my workshop and I am self employed ( the TS was not a great one ).

I too have a small workshop ( not as small as some 18'x10') but I got this made with mine and it made cutting the angles easy

I hope you enjoy using it and I could send you some metric cs bolts to fix the base on with ( so you can use an easy to get metric tap in the hole )

Ps Take your time with the set up ( I was a little off at first ), measure from the blade to the first slot at both ends.

I hope this will help

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

I could send you some metric cs bolts to fix the base on with

Colin,

That's a kind offer, thank you, but I have some CS M5x20s tucked away somewhere - stainless steel too, if I remember correctly. They will cut down nicely!

Angela

 

[Anonymous]

I have bought a loi of tools from America and in the long run one saves almost nothing on the UK cost and typically has the pleasure of waiting up to an extra month. Import duties etc. always negate any real saving

I have purchased both small and large goods and have not paid duty on only one occasion.

 

[Matt_S]

Colin,

Got mine all out and made space for saw guard and have aligned blade with base.

Haven't yet drilled holes, can you advise why tapping would be better than just using nut and bolt? Want to get it right!

thanks

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

Import duties etc. always negate any real saving

Oh right! Not quite sure I follow how you get to this conclusion, especially the 'always' bit. But I'll use Alf's technique and try and convince myself that I haven't just 'saved' £132. Should I be watching for the £132 to fly out the door or will it slowly evaporate from my bank account?

I do understand your point about waiting... but that's part of the fun isn't it?

Angela

 

[Neil]

Maybe this says more about this particular importer than about the potential savings when importing from the US in general?

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Dad]

... Should I be watching for the £132 to fly out the door or will it slowly evaporate from my bank account?...

I'd just go & blow the £132 on something else :lol:

 

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

Maybe this says more about this particular importer than about the potential savings when importing from the US in general?

I agree entirely; this particular intending importer is perhaps being a tad greedy. But savings can be made; if saving money floats your boat.

But you do have to do your sums carefully and take the worst case scenario (VAT and import fees) into account. Just before Christmas I received an imported a Rockler leather workshop apron for just under £30. It shipped by suface mail and took 7 weeks. UK price for similar item with free carriage £49. That's 163% of the US imported price.

My advice to everyone is do the maths and make up your own mind; just be aware the net is revolutionising how we buy, but if you don't want to be part of it, well, that's ok.

Angela

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Well I did OK with my set of LN chisels but I had them shipped to my brother inlaw in San Francisco so it don't really count but I paid $450 + $6 for shipping $456 = £232.65p price from APTC £337.95 delivery free, I suppose with a markup like that they can afford to deliver free. OK I got off with no import duty or vat. :lol:

I noticed a post on Woodnet about 24" K-Body Besseys at $24.00 being sold on Amazon so I tried ordering four, only to be told by amazon that this offer was not international, but the amazon site says they post world wide, like hell they do. :twisted: :evil:

 

[Alf]

I'd just go & blow the £132 on something else :lol:

I assumed that what Angela meant by Alf's technique... 8-[

 

[RogerS]

Maybe this says more about this particular importer than about the potential savings when importing from the US in general?

I agree entirely; this particular intending importer is perhaps being a tad greedy.

Not entirely convinced that it is all down to the local end. I looked into importing some US products but the landed price (including my discount) just did not make it cost effective. Basically the discount wasn't that great to begin with. Take into account the fact that you are tying up a lot of cash in stock (particularly relevant if you are paying out of earned income (ie taxed income). Then factor in loss of interest on that money. And you want to make a little bit of profit otherwise why do it? You soon get to the point where it becomes £ for $.

 

[Colin C]

Colin,

Got mine all out and made space for saw guard and have aligned blade with base.

Haven't yet drilled holes, can you advise why tapping would be better than just using nut and bolt? Want to get it right!

thanks

Hi Matt

Sorry I forgot about your question

I have tapped the holes so that I have no nut to lose and and get a good fixing with it that way