squeeguk

Hi all

I was wondering if anybody can give me some pointers. I am intending to place an order with Tower Hobbies for quite a few items. I live in the UK at present and was wondering from anyone's experience what would be the better way of getting the goods over to the UK.

I have an uncle who lives in Manitoba and I have family going over to visit. I was thinking of getting the stuff shipped over to him and then get the family to bring it over with them to the UK. Would I be liable for any duties / GST sending the items from the States to Canada? If so, how much?

Would I just be better off getting the stuff shipped to the UK and taking the knock on the customs and vat?

Part of the order is a Spitfire Mk IX kit which Tower will not ship to the UK anyway, so that will definitely be going to Canada. The rest of the order is made up of retracts and various other odds and ends.

Irish R.Seer

My Feedback: (1)

To have any items sent to Canada from the US you have to pay 7% GST plus PST to Manitoba, not sure what the % is for Manitoba( Provincial Sales Tax) plus they charge you $5.00 Canadian for handling or some other obscure reason. They just recently introduced the charge for PST in Ontario, and I,m not sure if it applies to all Provinces. I hope you find this helps in your decision.LOL.
Bill.

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

i say go on to tower and put everything you need in the shopping cart, and go through the checkout process as far as it takes to get your total with all chrages for shipping. Do it for shipping to canada and see how much it costs, then re enter shipping info for the UK and see how much it costs. Compare the 2 and see what is more economical for you.

sean

siclick33

I am not entirely sure how customs works. I have made several orders from Tower Hobbies. Only 2 have ever been subject to customs charges.

My understanding is that you will still be liable for VAT and import duty when you bring the stuff back from Canada so I would get it sent direct.

Tower hobbies are great and I have saved a fortune!

squeeguk

Thanx for the input guys.

Not much wiser, I am getting the uncle to phone his local customs office in Canada and find out. What I have found out is the following, based on worse case scenario.

The total order from Tower is around the US$ 550.00. In Canada I would be charged the duties only???? Assuming 4% duties (like the UK) and 7% tax on top, it would work out to a total of US$ 632.00 inlc. delivery(delivery is only US$17.99).

Brought over to the UK, the delivery charge is US$ 47.99, the total with customs (4%) and vat (17.5%) works out to US$ 730.

That's US$100 more to get it sent direct to the UK. Unless someone else knows different?

Bringing it over from Canada is not a problem as it can then be brought over as a gift, what pretty wrapping. Also, Tower will not ship the kit over to the UK.

The whole point I was after was to find out what the extra cost involved in getting it sent to Canada over the purchase price is. I will probably have a clearer picture tomorrow and let you know.

At this point it looks like Canada is the way to go.

dr_wogz

My Feedback: (3)

Look at www.greathobbies.com as well, as they are Canadian, you might save a few pennies... they are just as complete as Tower.... (And currently have some great specials!)

squeeguk

Been to Great Hobbies, nice site, good stock but quite a bit more expensive than Tower. Thanks for that anyway, that's what my Uncle has been telling me, He would get the stuff for me over in Canada.

siclick33

Are you sure it can be brought over from Canada as a gift?

I think there may be value limits, over which you still have to pay even if it is a gift. I may well be wrong and the value of your goods may be below the limit (if there is one). The delivery charge looks very high to me. Perhaps your stuff is heavy but I have not paid much more than $15. My orders have been for radio parts though (quite small and light)

This does not solve your kit problem though.

squeeguk

There is quite a bit of stuff, some tools, like the slot machine and retracts, servos, planer, etc. So quite hefty. That's probably why it's so expensive on the shippping.

Ross Kean

I have found that Great Hobbies prices are within a few dollars of the Tower price once you convert Tower to $Cdn. Not going to save any large amount of money but it may be easier. Also have a look at [link=http://www.hobbywholesale.com]Hobby Wholesale.[/link] Similar prices as GH but a little closer to Manitoba.

Ross

CP140

I've placed orders from Tower Hobbies and with Great Hobbies. On most things, by the time you work out the conversion and add PST/GST to Tower Orders, it's about the same price as getting it through Great Hobbies(only have to add GST). On some things, however, there is quite a price difference... doesn't seem to be any logic to it.

When I place orders from Tower, I get them shipped to family in the US and then pick them up there and bring them home as part of my duty-free allowance... I'm thinking your family could probably do the same bringing it home with them to the UK(don't know what the per person duty free limit is....)

squeeguk

Hi again guys, I just checked the prices for the Canadian stores and on 26 items that were the same at Tower and Great Hobbies, there was a difference of US$ 65.00 (about 12% less) in favour of Tower.

Assuming that the order from Tower has the GST and PST added and the order from Great Hobbies only the GST, then the difference comes down to US$ 32.00 (about 5% less).

This does not also take into account anu handling charges there may be or the cost of shipping. Tower is offering US$20 off the order which covers the shipping to Canada and then some.

I have sent an email to Great Hobbies, I shall wait to see what they come back with. If they can get it close, then I will place the order with them, at the moment Tower is looking like the best bet. Will wait for my uncle to get back to me too about the Canadian customs situation.

pilotkelowna

My Feedback: (1)

Squeeguk:

If you do have an order from Tower and it has to be sent to Manitoba via UPS instead of the post office, UPS will tag you a minmum $35 extra just to pass the parcel over the counter. Ordered a small package once, value $20 - landed cost here in Canada came to over $60. I get many orders in from the US now, but never buy if UPS is the only shipping option.

lord lucan

Squeeguk...
Right ..Where to start..?... well lets go to the bottom line first ...Tower have about half a dozen kits they can ship to you...about the best is the GP" Extra 300 S .60 ".. $119.99,or some thing like that ...+ $60 odd shipping + VAT + import duty + PARCEL FORCE..!...yes [:-]...PARCEL FORCE...even though you have paid your shipping ,they will whango you for another £8.00, []There's some other GP stuff...big "Piper Cub " Type's etc ...Any other kits...Even more so ARTF's... from North America ...Forget it...Totally
Forget the Canada route too...every time you move Parcel 'X' from point 'A' to point 'B' you pay... if you move it from 'A' to 'B' THEN to 'C'...its even worse.
Dont even bother thinking about the colour of your wrapping paper, You can have goods to the value of £36 as a gift ..Then H.M customs and Excise will be all over you like a rash
However, O.S Stuff is good ..go look at the price of a .91FSII... even with shipping ,VAT, import duty ,P/Farce ...still well worth it.. I'm told ......occasionaly you get a parcel that slips through the net....wouldnt know about that your honour..
If you keep the CONTENTS of a package below the value of £18..you dont get bothered..
Regester as a "Super saver "..with Tower
R/C gear is a bit of a non starter really...bar the odd couple of servo's or other little goodies..
Do your home work before pressing Tower, or whoevers " confirm purchase " button..Dave

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I used to send some items to the UK labeled "Gift - Model airplane parts unassembled". saved a good deal on postage and apparently went straight through customs. Been some time now so I don't know if it would still work. Getting Tower to label and ship in that manner is probably impossible.