Page 1 of DVDSoon Infidel Card - HM Customs problem

Bought Simpsons Series 5 at Ca$31.48 post discount (£13.63). :)

Today the box arrived - marked Ca$41.98. :o

XE.com gives $41.98 as £18.18 - and guess what - I got charged £7.32 by Post Office (VAT 3.32 and Royal Mail fee £4). Total cost £20.95 post discount. >:( >:( >:(

Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do about it? :/

I believe there is a way to get a refund in this case, as the correct value of the goods was wrongly declared - you can only value an item at cost paid for - there is no intrinsic value on goods.

As long as you have proof you paid less than what was on the Customs label (an e-mail reciept in this case, as DVD soon don`t seem to `do` paper reciepts), there are methods to get yourself your hard earned £7 back. Try contacting your local HM Customs office.

It`s DVD Soon`s fault of course. They should be on the ball with Customs regulations and the difference a few quid can make. They`ve wrongly neglected to take the discount into effect, and have labeled the declaration slip wrong - this is illegal, actually. But seing as Customs come off a few pound richer, i doubt they`ll be rushing to sort `em out.

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I thought retailers were obliged to put the value of the goods (in this case CA$ 41.98) on the packet and not the price paid which is why I`ve not yet bought Simpsons Season 5. Some had had problems with CDWOW (before they became customs friendly) ordering a £19 DVD, getting £2 off with vouchers and then being hit by customs as CDWOW were putting the value of the goods at £19.

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This item was edited on Wednesday, 5th January 2005, 23:03

Value - I had certainly seen "value" as what I was prepared to buy the item at, rather than the maker`s recommended retail price or the retailers standard non-promotional pricing.


While the retailer standard price might be one comparator, the sale was made during the promotional Christmas sale for infidel card holders, and thus the value is the sale price surely?


For places like Play and Tesco in Jersey, they sell at less than RRP - which they quote - yet they don`t put the full rrp on the outside of the box, but the actual price paid. This is discordant with the helpful comment above about what retailers should put on the box.

I suspect faced with the receipt Customs will merely say they followed what was on the box and charged accordingly and that they made no error. It will be interesting to see if a refund of either VAT or the postal charge comes about.

The postal charge strikes me as a penalty - it doesn`t relate to the item at all.

Any ideas/comments?

I have ordered off DVDSOON a few times and never been charged Customs Duty or any other charge for that matter. Thought I was one of a lucky few but I spoke to my mate and he has been ordering off them for ages and he`s never been charged either.

I have had to pay Customs duty for stuff from the USA and Customs are robbing sods because they charge you 17% Import duty - then 17.5% VAT on the total amount as well !

i contacted hm customs when the boxing day sale started and they stated it is NOT the value of the goods, but rather how much you pay for them that is what the customs is charged at.

as far as getting the refund, the only amount you will get back will be the customs side of it, and not consignia/royal mail`s £4 handling fee (for putting a box on the stall, and picking it up again - posty here will no doubt get p***ed and justify it, but i can`t). the only way i think you can get this money back, is by not paying the full amount when the package is attempted to be delivered, but instead writing a letter to the guys at customs and explaining the situation. they will then contact royal mail and say they have withdrawn their charge. hopefully royal mail will think that means all charges are withdrawn and so give you the package.

hope this helps,
Saqib.