Hi! I’m interested in a saddle on ebayUK, and my head hurts from trying to find a simple answer for figuring duty costs.
Who’s bought from a private seller in the UK? Is it worth it after shipping and customs? Probably a better question is at what price point is it worth it?
Thanks!
It depends. There are some saddles that are hard to find in the US. I’ve bought two saddles from Europe and they were priced well enough that they were still a good deal even with customs and shipping factored into the price.
Make sure you trust the seller, though. Not much you can do if have a problem when it arrives.
It can be a good deal, you just have to use common sense on that one.
I have seen Albions and Black Countrys going for STEALS on Ebay UK, since they’re so popular over here. Even with $100 to ship them over here, they were all priced well, well under what you’d be able to find them for in the US.
Whether you go through eBay or not, use Paypal, which will protect you and provide insurance on the transaction.
So does anyone know how I figure out the Customs/Duty charge? How does that get paid?
Several years ago I ordered bridles from UK company, and I don’t remember paying anything other than shipping. The bridles arrived at my house via the mail. Would the duty cost have been rolled into the shipping?
Thanks!
I bought a saddle from the UK in 2011.
The shipping after conversion was about $210. I thought that wasn’t too bad. Then I got the bill from FED EX for the duty which was $116. I don’t know how it is figured. Silly me, I thought the $200 was both as I didn’t get the bill from FED EX until about 2 months after the saddle arrived.
Susan
If you go on FedEx.com there is a thing called global trade manager that will estimate the duties and taxes for you. Your shipper should be able to use a tool like this to get you an estimate. You can also call FedEx international hotline for assistance 800-247-4747.
Thanks Kyrabee. That gives me a good idea, although I’d like to think East coast would be a bit cheaper. For sure $316 added to the price doesn’t make it worth it for me. Oh well.
What really intrigued me about the saddle was its adjustable stirrup bar, which is more common on saddleseat saddles. (This is a dressage saddle.) Because I am so short, I often find that the stirrup bar is placed too far forward for me to easily get the correct alignment. I’d love to try the adjustable bar. And yes, I know that there are a few to be had here, but I also want brown. So with every added limitation a good used fit becomes harder to find. Especially in the $1000 or under price range.
Back to the search. 
Duty is 2.8%
Tariff code is 4201.00.6000 (put it on the invoice so they charge the correct rate)
http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/1200C42.pdf
Believe it or not you’ll get the best deal by Parcel Post.
The mailman will collect ONLY the duty when he delivers, and the PO don’t charge extra for doing it, unlike UPS or Fedex.
Do you have to pay duty if the seller lists it as a gift on the custom form from the UK? I sent a saddle to Canada and listed as a gift on the custom form. The recipient did not have to pay a duty tax. I am not sure if shipping is different to Canada then Europe in regards to paying a duty tax. I have also bought other items from the Uk and Austrailia and never had to pay a duty tax.
I think you’ll find that not paying duty is against the law, as is lying on the customs form, and you risk confiscation. I doubt they’d believe you with an Ebay label on the package.
I bought a saddle from a very legitimate saddle shop in the UK last spring. They used a trackable form of British Parcel Post and shipped the saddle to me listed as a gift. I paid no duty on the saddle, and the lady at the shop said they frequently shipped saddles to a shop in the US this way and had never had a problem. As long as there is nothing on the packaging to make customs suspect the contents are not a gift, it should sail on through…however, if they were to open the package, find an invoice, and decide said shipment was not a gift you would have to pay the duty, possibly a fine, and might not see your package for six months. (Highly unlikely, but a possibility.)
In terms of price, it may indeed be worth it…it was for me!
Good luck in the saddle hunt.
[QUOTE=Equibrit;6163124]
Believe it or not you’ll get the best deal by Parcel Post.
The mailman will collect ONLY the duty when he delivers, and the PO don’t charge extra for doing it, unlike UPS or Fedex.[/QUOTE]
As an American living abroad in England for the past two years there is no way I’d use Parcel Post to send a saddle. Hate to say it, but the British mail system is notorious for losing things. I’m currently doing a stint back in the USA and my SO sent me a package of things - Parcel Post took 2x as long as they stated and even with tracking and insurance I wasn’t certain that I’d ever receive it. There is a reason most expats ship their things abroad/back via UPS or FedEx - you can be sure that you’ll get the item, on time, and in good condition.
But hurrah for nice saddles. I’ve seen quite the deals/steals over in the UK and may bring one back on my next trip.
I highly doubt it is worth buying a saddle oversease from a private seller and having it shipped here. Not only do you have to factor duties and fees into the purchase, but you have to 100% trust the seller that the saddle is as shown, etc. Do YOU want to have to ship the saddle back to the seller if you file a dispute? You have to pay the shipping charges to send it back if you do.
I have purchased breeches and chaps from a shop in the U.K., and the price + duty + shipping total was less than 50% of what the U.S. was charging for the same items (Fuller Fillies.)
I have bought multiple saddles from private individuals in the UK. Never an issue, parcel post or DHL cheaper methods for shipping. Around $200 all told
I bought one - but it didn’t fit.
I believe you may be able to have traditional stirrup bars converted to adjustable. And brown saddles here in the US are cheap. So there is a way to get what you want domestically.
Here’s the link to the saddler that can replace the bars:
http://www.schurersaddlefit.com/repairRefitting.html
I knew I saw it some where…
You can find fantastic saddles (Albion, County, Frank Baines) on eBay from the UK – my last saddle, a Baines Elegance, came from a private seller on eBay UK. It was exactly the size I needed, only cost $400 (compared to the $1200 I was seeing them for in the US!), and I think it was only about $100 or $150 to ship it here. For the life of me I don’t remember duty costs – but if I were to do it again, I would stipulate that they not use FedEx. Anything but FedEx.
After I bought that one used, I found a saddle shop in England selling NEW Baines for $1100 – a far cry from the $1800 new they were selling for in the US. So shop around. (And keep in mind the pound/dollar exchange rates.)
I’ve bought several items from overseas (the UK and France to be exact), including a saddle, and never had to pay duty or had any problem getting my items. The stuff from the UK has all been shipped by Royal Airmail and the stuff from France via Colissimo - both methods end up with the package getting transferred to the USPS for delivery upon arrival here. The longest anything has ever taken was 10 days, 7 of which were after it arrived in the US. My saddle came from France in 5 days total and shipping cost me $150 including tracking and insurance. How else could I have gotten a CWD for $1200 total? I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
trick for setting your leathers further back on stirrup bar
A trick for the stirrup bars is to take some rubber bands and put it on the stirrup bar, or even a super tiny section of small hose (like really small)
This “sets back” your leathers a little, but doesn’t put them so far back as to create a safety issue.
It’s a trick that can work, if you like everything else about your saddle except the stirrup bars feeling like they are too forward ( a common problem)
[QUOTE=cmdrcltr;6163047]
Thanks Kyrabee. That gives me a good idea, although I’d like to think East coast would be a bit cheaper. For sure $316 added to the price doesn’t make it worth it for me. Oh well.
What really intrigued me about the saddle was its adjustable stirrup bar, which is more common on saddleseat saddles. (This is a dressage saddle.) Because I am so short, I often find that the stirrup bar is placed too far forward for me to easily get the correct alignment. I’d love to try the adjustable bar. And yes, I know that there are a few to be had here, but I also want brown. So with every added limitation a good used fit becomes harder to find. Especially in the $1000 or under price range.
Back to the search. :)[/QUOTE]
Wow! Thanks for all the great replies. The saddle’s auction ended today, and I held off from bidding. I’m horribly indecisive. The estimates for shipping and duty put me off, and I had forgotten to ask about the saddle’s flap length. (The owner was away in Scotland over the weekend and unavailable to answer more questions.) The flap looked long for my short legs.
Thank you for the link for having a stirrup bar replaced; it’s a bit pricey, but I’m sure worth it if it makes an otherwise well-fitting saddle fit the rider better. I’m planning a circular trip this weekend to the nearest tack shops that have significant stock to sit my butt in a few saddles. I figure that will help me make better decisions, even if I ultimately do have to buy online to get what I need.
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