Cheap Arse Gaffer |Europe| We Need To Go Cheaper

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Not that I'm aware of, mail seems to be searched by Customs then passed directly to Royal Mail to arrange collection of any fees due. It puts me off ordering stuff from outwith the EU as the risk often makes it not worth it and it delays the item by 7-10 days.

The VAT part doesn't really bother me, I wish more online retailers would let me prepay duty at the time of purchase to avoid this. I've noticed recently that Threadless do it but I haven't seen an online video game retailer that does.

Only 7-10 days? I've had to wait for 8 weeks once because my game was 2 euros too expensive for duty free importing. :) You don't want to get your game stuck on the customs treadmill.
 

Yasawas

Member
Only 7-10 days? I've had to wait for 8 weeks once because my game was 2 euros too expensive for duty free importing. :) You don't want to get your game stuck on the customs treadmill.

Heh, am I right in thinking you live in Belgium or thereabouts? I once had a package from the US mistakenly end up there and it got to Scotland four months later covered in Belgian and Duthc postmarks. I'd forgotten I'd ordered it by then.
 
As long as it's EU to EU it will be.

Import duty is the worst, especially on something like a game that's only just over the limit. The 20% VAT isn't so bad but that £8 flat admin charge is a kick in the balls.

£8 flat admin charge, is that UK only?

TheHut ships from various locations.

More expensive items (e.g. PS3 games on release day) are often shipped from within EU, which means duty free. Never ordered a console from thehut, no idea what they do in that case. I guess from inside EU as well.

If they ship from outside EU, a console won't be duty free of course (unless you are really really really lucky).



In my country such charges are illegal and shouldn't be paid. No idea about UK. Is that charged by customs? Or by post delivery service for getting your items through customs?

Thanks for the info, I ordered the PS3 GTAV bundle so I'm optimistic it'll come without import duty. Although TheHut/Zavvi packages state the value of the merchandise with 0.00 VAT. I just noticed this, did they always do it?

There is no way to tell, as far as I know, I sometimes have to pay out of the blue. Better to think that it won't be duty free, less stress.

Strange, I never had to pay import fees on orders from the UK.
 
Heh, am I right in thinking you live in Belgium or thereabouts? I once had a package from the US mistakenly end up there and it got to Scotland four months later covered in Belgian and Duthc postmarks. I'd forgotten I'd ordered it by then.

I'm Belgian indeed. Lol. Didn't know we were notorious for being a postal black hole. :)
 

D-e-f-

Banned
Just had to go pay import duties in the UK from a WOWHD order, is this a pretty common occurrence? If so I doubt I will bother ordering from them again.

In my experience in can all be pretty random. The larger the package the more chance of being charged I find.

Was just a standard WiiU case, was surprised considering the charge was £12 on a £31 order.

Same thing happened to me. 3DS games arrived quickly and without issue in my mailbox, WiiU games (DVD case sized) take FOREVER and I'm expecting to head to the customs office again next week or so since my NSLU still hasn't arrived (preordered, shipped on release day). It's pretty annoying.
 

flowsnake

Member
Amazons prices are pretty good at the moment but there is no point getting excited about their free first day delivery service - my copy of w101 has sat at the now dispatching status for 24 hours so I'm pretty sure its not going to be popping through my letter box today.

Dammit they got me hyped for day 1 kamiya action so im going to pay the extra 12p and get it at argos instead.


Should have known that would be the case. Looks like I'll probably go with pokemon from shopto after all, I really want that as soon as possible...
 
Amazons prices are pretty good at the moment but there is no point getting excited about their free first day delivery service - my copy of w101 has sat at the now dispatching status for 24 hours so I'm pretty sure its not going to be popping through my letter box today.

Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU
 
Amazon.com are the only videogame retailer I know that lets you pre-pay customs. However, they are very fickle about what exactly they will or won't ship outside of the US (PS Vita -- totally fine, Blu-Rays -- totally fine, Nintendo game -- NO) and it only affects things sold directly by Amazon.

I've not looked into weather it is possible to arrange things direct with HM Customs (as in hold all packages sent to me until I have paid duty).

I'm of the understanding things from HK and China are far more likely to be checked and take far longer, too.

Same thing happened to me. 3DS games arrived quickly and without issue in my mailbox, WiiU games (DVD case sized) take FOREVER and I'm expecting to head to the customs office again next week or so since my NSLU still hasn't arrived (preordered, shipped on release day). It's pretty annoying.
Someone on hotukdeals just received an £11 invoice (£8 Royal Mail BS+actual tax).

To add some salt to this wound, Amazon has it for £25 now...this reminds me of Pokemon Silver, my first import (back when FedEx sold videogames) and I end up getting the game a week later than a friend who got gold (the price they paid was cheaper without the customs, too).

I think my verdict is avoid Wow HD for anything over £15.

£8 flat admin charge, is that UK only?
Yes, but your countries postal service (or courier who sends package) may have a similar fee.

Play-Asia have Radiant Historia (DS) for just 17,92 euros.
27p over the safe limit for UK using the PA currency conversion...(but it matters not, it is down to the $ on the day customs inspect it)
 
The LEGO Marvel Super Heroes - Iron Patriot Edition (PS3/XBOX360) is now the same price as the standard edition on Amazon.

So you'll get an extra mini toy as a preorder perk for that same £29.19.
 

Jinko

Member
Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU

Meh no worries I have FFXIV pre installed, 1 extra day in their sorting office could destroy the CE box though ;.;
 

TGMIII

Member
Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU

Well, I guess that copy of P4A I ordered 3 weeks ago that had to be resent isn't getting to me any time soon.
 
Damn you Zavvi...

10846151-1377000892-327506.jpg


http://www.zavvi.com/games/platform...usive-limited-edition-steelbook/10846151.html
 
Just saw Rayman: Legends PS3 for 25GBP on SimplyGames - has anyone any experience with them? How long did it take for your order(s) to arrive? And in what condition? I'm talking about mainland Europe, not UK, by the way.

Edit: nevermind, seems like my country isn't even on the list of those they ship to. Sorry for asking before checking, but hopefuly someone will find those deals useful (they got it for PC, Vita and 360 on the cheap too)
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
The LEGO Marvel Super Heroes - Iron Patriot Edition (PS3/XBOX360) is now the same price as the standard edition on Amazon.

So you'll get an extra mini toy as a preorder perk for that same £29.19.


does PS4 have an iron patriot edition? Not sure whether to hold off for that or just get it on PS3
 
I want to get Ni No Kuni half price from PSN, but the store won't open for me :(
error everytime.

Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU


Morons.
A company on the brink of collapse and leaking money daily, desperate to find a buyer...and it's staff go on strike?
The mail staff are truly the most greedy and ungrateful workforce out there at the moment.
 
Morons.
A company on the brink of collapse and leaking money daily, desperate to find a buyer...and it's staff go on strike?
The mail staff are truly the most greedy and ungrateful workforce out there at the moment.

Yes, those lazy bastards working for minimum wage (or near it) shouldn't be allowed to strike when over 70 post offices are being closed along with over 1500 jobs being lost because some higher ups can't manage (and are guaranteed to be keeping their jobs), and the other major thing they're striking AGAINST the privatization of the Royal Mail, which would inevitably send costs to consumers skyrocketing. You know, just like it has done for our utilities and train services.


Besides that: the uk is a democracy, they have every right to strike when being screwed, even if it's an inconvenience to you.
 
Yes, those lazy bastards working for minimum wage (or near it) shouldn't be allowed to strike when over 70 post offices are being closed along with over 1500 jobs being lost because some higher ups can't manage (and are guaranteed to be keeping their jobs), and the other major thing they're striking AGAINST the privatization of the Royal Mail, which would inevitably send costs to consumers skyrocketing. You know, just like it has done for our utilities and train services.


Besides that: the uk is a democracy, they have every right to strike when being screwed, even if it's an incontinence to you.

I agree, but why do strikes always have to take the general public, who has nothing to do with the conflict, as a hostage?
Why do they refuse to work? They could instead go to work, but for example don't charge any customer for stamps or something.
That would be a very strong signal to the higher ups too. But ofcourse they would have to go to work...

LorDjidane said:
FranceGAF on MicroMania website. (sorry guys I'm not sure they deliver abroad)

Lol, such a good deal... only France though, it seems.
 
Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU

The Royal Mail site itself was updated at 17:25 last night (Friday) saying that Saturday's going to be a normal service, so hopefully that'll be the case.
 
Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I was hoping my copies of SR4 and Bureau would arrive today. Fuck, guess I'll have to pick up SR4 when I go shopping.

You suck, RM.
 

blaisedell

Neo Member
I agree, but why do strikes always have to take the general public, who has nothing to do with the conflict, as a hostage?
Why do they refuse to work? They could instead go to work, but for example don't charge any customer for stamps or something.
That would be a very strong signal to the higher ups too. But ofcourse they would have to go to work...

Because that's not legal, strike action is.
 
Because that's not legal, strike action is.

Yeah, I've seen plenty of "spontaneous" strike actions in recent years over here, where the railway workers just refused to go to work for whatever reason without officially requesting a strike (which is mandatory). So that's just as 'illegal', yet there are never retributions.
 

jimi_dini

Member
I agree, but why do strikes always have to take the general public, who has nothing to do with the conflict, as a hostage?
Why do they refuse to work? They could instead go to work, but for example don't charge any customer for stamps or something.
That would be a very strong signal to the higher ups too. But ofcourse they would have to go to work...

Nowadays the whole strike thing in total seems sort of childish anyway.

"Hey you, pay me 3% more"
"Nope"
strikes for a few days
"What about now?"
"Will give you 2% more, now shut up"

They could just skip the strike thingie and just give them 2% more right away. Maybe it's some sort of psychological thing, so that people will think that they actually achieved something and feel better. Idk. It definitely makes no sense.

I really really hate it when public transport strikes in my city. It's always the same. 95% of the buses aren't available for some days. Afterwards they get their x percent plus. And the one that was late to work is me. I mean give the bus drivers more, I totally agree. But just do it and don't effectively force them to strike. I will have to pay for it anyway and I absolutely accept that, but just do it.
 
Nowadays the whole strike thing in total seems sort of childish anyway.

"Hey you, pay me 3% more"
"Nope"
strikes for a few days
"What about now?"
"Will give you 2% more, now shut up"

They could just skip the strike thingie and just give them 2% more right away. Maybe it's some sort of psychological thing, so that people will think that they actually achieved something and feel better. Idk. It definitely makes no sense.

I really really hate it when public transport strikes in my city. It's always the same. 95% of the buses aren't available for some days. Afterwards they get their x percent plus. And the one that was late to work is me. I mean give the bus drivers more, I totally agree. But just do it and don't effectively force them to strike. I will have to pay for it anyway and I absolutely accept that, but just do it.

In Belgium it's even more ridiculous. We have a system here that automatically raises people's wages, depending on the "average cost of life" (it's called 'the index'). So the unions don't have to go on strike anymore for that. Now they go on strike because they have to go to another building to get their coffee and such. I kid you not.

I'm all for the right to strike, and I don't mind your annual strike, because there's always something genuinely problematic that warrants a strike, but as you said: it's almost like a children's game sometimes.
 
FranceGAF on MicroMania website. (sorry guys I'm not sure they deliver abroad)

---

sold out already :(

In Belgium it's even more ridiculous. We have a system here that automatically raises people's wages, depending on the "average cost of life" (it's called 'the index'). So the unions don't have to go on strike anymore for that. Now they go on strike because they have to go to another building to get their coffee and such. I kid you not.

I'm all for the right to strike, and I don't mind your annual strike, because there's always something genuinely problematic that warrants a strike, but as you said: it's almost like a children's game sometimes.
*insert a French joke about Belgians*
 

wetflame

Pizza Dog
Not sure if relevant to you personally, but there is a Royal Mail strike over the Bank Holiday weekend:

Staff will strike all day:
Saturday 24th August (UK-wide)
Monday 26th August (Scotland only)
Tuesday 27th August (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)


Source: CWU

That link says it's the Post Office that's striking, not Royal Mail, deliveries will be unaffected.
 
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