8mm Forum: Shipping Costs

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Topic: Shipping Costs

Dave Groves
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 508
From: Southend on Sea, Essex, UK
Registered: Feb 2015

posted March 14, 2018 09:16 AM

Last week, two 1600' prints arrived from the States. To get them I had to pay £48 import and clearance fee. This morning I received a 3D blu-ray that isn't being released in the U.K. and was charged £11.28, 50% of the actual cost on top. It's making buying from the states quite expensive. The postman told me they used to get perhaps two custom demands a week. Now it's over 20!! Next month my favourite film (The Maze) is being issued and I find it's locked to region A. Guess what my chipped player doesn't play? Don't I just love technology and the Border Force bandits.

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Dave

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted March 14, 2018 09:33 AM

It would have to be something special for me to buy a film from the Us that wasn't sent on Ebay via the Global Shipping Programme.

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Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted March 14, 2018 10:23 AM

I suppose these costs will apply to stuff from Europe soon possibly as well.

The £8 fee to charge you seems very steep though.

They will take a letter from one end of the country to the other for 65p from later this month.

Not quite sure hows that £8 is worked out !!!

Best Mark.

PS Dave thats postage costs, Shipping !!!! aarrggghhhh.

[ March 14, 2018, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: Mark Todd ]

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted March 14, 2018 10:47 AM

Some twenty years ago I used to import 16mm features from the USA and they always were delivered with no charges whatsoever. However, over the past few years no parcel from the states via ordinary postage has come without a fee, including the £8 Royal Mail handling charge.

The Global Shipping Program is a bit hazardous to use as the final payment is not added until you have committed yourself to buy. If you don't like the additional sudden cost I suppose you could terminate the buying, but I'm not sure of this.

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Maurice

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

posted March 14, 2018 02:06 PM

I was stung by these asswipes as well, a 50ft trailer and a fair condition 400ft film that cost a total of $40, with shipment, then a card gets put through the door, £14 charges. Thats me finished from buying from the states, luckily our 16mm scope Waterloo was via the global shipping so i knew exactly what was being charged.

Mark, i guess when we eventually get out of Europe charges for import will almost certainly be there. A price worth paying as far as im concerned [Wink]

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Bruno Heughebaert
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 219
From: Belgium
Registered: Sep 2011

posted March 14, 2018 04:13 PM

I received today a small parcel from the Us 0,6lb including 8 vacuum tubes for an amplifier. Total price including shipment was 160$.
I had to pay 30,77€ for custom taxes and 20,00€ for the belgian mail handling charges ! Yes 20! Needless to say i was happy. 😬

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David Guest
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1704
From: Lancashire, UK
Registered: Oct 2011

posted March 14, 2018 06:18 PM

the best way to but films from the states is agree with seller if you buy it send it as a gift and only insure it for $21.00 and you will have no inport duty only trouble is if it gets lost then you lose out but no import duty but I do have many friends overseas who sometimes I buy from

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted March 14, 2018 06:27 PM

I bought 4 features from the US last year, they were all Buy it Now, and the import charges were shown on the listing; of course, if it's an auction, it's a different story. What I thought odd, was that instead of coming by air to Heathrow, it went first to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, then to Heathrow.

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David Hardy
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 955
From: Johnshaven Village , Montrose, Scotland
Registered: Jan 2015

posted March 15, 2018 12:34 PM

Speaking of which I wonder what the customs charges might be here in the UK for films bought from Europe when the UK leaves the EU at last ? [Big Grin]