Advice about importing goods to Tenerife

redarrow · 12th July 2008, 10:31

OK so I bought these IP phones from China. Priced at $53.00 each plus 60 euros carriage. By the time i'd paid for the money transfer too, the amount I'd spent was 140 euros, still 70 euros per phone, that's OK for the spec.

Unfortunately, when I got the phones yesterday, I had to pay another 28.50e. Problem is even though the import duty was only 3.50e, there's a standard handling charge of 23.70e + igic.

So if you're going to import goods, import lots.

shell · 30th August 2008, 09:01

hi everyone
does anyone know anything about import tax?
want to import some bits and the box will be about 20kg and have kiddies toys in. anyone know if this will be liable for import tax and how much it will be? are they any ways round not being charged does anyone know????

viv55 · 30th August 2008, 14:06

In the past I often had to import goods for my business. Usually spare parts for the printing presses that sort of thing, nothing that was going to be sold on. I worked out that you needed to add around 25% of the cost of the goods on for the charges you'd get this end!! Doesn't matter size, value, new or whatever.

The problem here is everything has to go through an agent. You can't just turn up at the docks/airport and take delivery of goods. Now these agents are all private companies and they literally squabble and back stab each other to try and get the job. It's them that take your money.

Now anyone who has had anything shipped I'm sure will agree with me that the actual transport isn't that expensive. It's getting the goods through customs that incur the costs.

Even the Spanish government tries to help the Canary Islands by making our IGIC (VAT) only 5% as opposed to mainland Spain being 17.5%. The government has realised that the majority of our goods have to be shipped here. So that is why our tax is lower to help ofset the transport charges.

But then we have to use these agents, and it's because of these agents that things are so costly in Tenerife. Why Iceland and the like seem expensive, they've had to pay these greedy sods to get the goods through customs.

lovethesun · 30th August 2008, 16:19

I ordered some health product suppliments from Hungary (the european office) my friend ordered hers the same day to go to UK. Her order was processed at 3pm on the Thursday and arrived at her front door 10am the following morning!!

Mine on the other hand. First they required further info from supplier, which she promptly gave them. A week later I got a phone call asking for my NIE and passport number, I gave them this. The following day I got another call asking for same details, I gave them again. 3 days later a voicemail, the parcel is stuck at customs until they receive more info. I called them back, 'what info do you require now' I ask..... Yes you guessed it, my NIE and passport number AARGH!!!

Yesterday after 3 weeks the parcel finally arrived including a charge of 43€ for import something or other.
Well I thought not only have you driven me crazy! I am certainly not paying those costs and knowing how much they love their paperwork, I decided to let them have some more and refused the parcel, Ah, sweet revenge!

I rang the supplier and told her, she sent another immediately to UK at 4.45pm and surprise surprise, it landed on my friends doorstep at 10am this morning, she is bringing it in her suitcase when she comes over in a couple of weeks.

redarrow · 30th August 2008, 17:04

Evidently, if you are importing something that is being manufactured on the island, then you will have to pay some sort of duty.

EEC codes don't apply.

shell · 30th August 2008, 17:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by redarrow

Evidently, if you are importing something that is being manufactured on the island, then you will have to pay some sort of duty.

EEC codes don't apply.

what about if its stuff you cant get on the island then?

viv55 · 31st August 2008, 08:55

If it's small enough, have it sent by mail, not courier. Products sent in the post arrive really quickly with no hassle and no extra hidden charges. As soon as you go through a courier things get stuck in Madrid, customs and again an agent sticks their bit on and you end up paying more money. And you save no time in fact they usually take longer to arrive.

I always check if I order goods over the net, how they deliver if it's by courier then I don't order.

For vitamin and health supplements I use a company in Guernsy, postage is free to UK and only 3.50 euros to here. It's a standard postage charge no matter what quantity you order. Buy vitamins online & vitamin nutritional supplements - Healthy Direct Usually takes around 10 days to arrive.

Web Designer · 31st August 2008, 11:24

Last September, one Friday we imported 75kg divided in to three boxes of our own stuff, not to sell. Cost about £290 to send from Manchester to Tenerife

We went to collect them from the freight terminal main office.

We were sent back and forth, up and down, then it was weekend and we had to wait until Monday.

Came back, and back and forth up and down.

Then we eventually found the AGENT who said we couldn't have our boxes because we had no NIE number. We only arrive on FRIDAY how flipping quick do you think we are.
After 20 minutes or so, arguing, we negotiated a deal, 70 euros fee and we could have our boxes, mmmm, sounds like we were conned in to paying it or we couldn't have our stuff, then we had to paid an admin charge at the main collection office. I was a bit ticked off by this point.

Then I got my stuff, and it looked like it had been kicked around the freight terminal.

These were our personal possessions not boxes of rubbish.

The thing that annoyed me is the people that arranged all this for us never said we would have to pay any charges at the other end, so I would not use them again, they were no help what so ever. Always ask for a full list of charges inport/export tax etc....

annette · 31st August 2008, 13:35

which company was this.we are getting our boxes picked up tomorrow and we have paid an £400 in total to have them delivered to our address in tenerife.this price includes insurance and customs charges.hope we dont get landed with any other incidentals.we have booked it with bargate international.

redarrow · 1st September 2008, 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by shell

what about if its stuff you cant get on the island then?

Then you should only have to pay for the paperwork. You shouldn't have to pay any duty.