Amazon scam?

[Loup-garou]

I look at several Amazon sites - the items available are not always the same. Clearly, if you find what you want, the site for the country you want delivery to is the first port of call but it is not necessarily the cheapest (even allowing for delivery) but beware La Post charging les douanes duty when it is completely bogus!

There are comparison sites devoted to Amazon Europe sites but, sometimes, Amazon.co can surprise you. You can try:- hagglezon.com, hoteudeals .com or amazon-price-compare in google ..................... other options are available, as they say!

[Hotrodder]

I always go to amazon.co.uk first to avoid the aggravation of translating. Wasting time to figure out what the French word for something is, and then translating the French details (which are often incomplete or cryptic) into English. I have separate accounts with amazon uk, France, and Germany (which has the option to display the site in English) which gets around the problems of availability and finding the lowest price.

[L Austin France]

Is there some reason that anyone would use Amazon UK while living in France? What am I missing? Did you know that you can enter a search in English and the Amazon AI finds what you are looking for?

I can misquote you too.

Congratulations
Brain farts get us all at some time

[Liz]

Amazon.de (Germany) is often cheaper than amazon.fr btw, and available in English

I use Amazon Uk mainly for kindle books and things delivered to uk

[exile]

.......... but beware La Post charging les douanes duty when it is completely bogus!

This is not the first time you have made that accusation. From my experience it is a misunderstanding on your part but I might well be wrong, so perhaps you could give some examples where you think La Poste is charging bogusly.

[Wilbro]

We got charged 8 € for a £15 calendar by Last Poste. Came from UK and not charged previous years.

[exile]

Yes €8 is the standard La Poste fee for collection at the door. If they can contact you be email, you can pay on line and the fee reduces to 2 or 3 euros. It does depend on whether the commercial invoice or customs declaration includes your email or not.

I am surprised you were not charged more since 20% VAT* is chargeable on the £15 purchase.

* Note VAT and not duty - a common mistake but one that causes confusion when duty is indeed payable as well as VAT.
and on the point of VAT it is important to remember that VAT is chargeable on items in France that are zero rated in the UK. So books, calendars, many foodstuffs attract a VAT charge when imported.

I sometimes get lucky and do not get charged but sometimes get charged when I did not think I would be. An example being that I am a member of a number of UK societies that send out newsletters or journals. These usually arrive without intervention but if they are declared as a book/magazine rather than documents then VAT will become chargeable. 10€ Kerching, ta very much.

[Wilbro]

The only reason our very nice Post lady came to the door was to ask, extremely apologetically, for the money. It could quite easily have gone in the letter box.

[Loup-garou]

.......... but beware La Post charging les douanes duty when it is completely bogus!

This is not the first time you have made that accusation. From my experience it is a misunderstanding on your part but I might well be wrong, so perhaps you could give some examples where you think La Poste is charging bogusly.

Indeed, you "may well be wrong", as I have never made that accusation, on here or elsewhere! In case I'm having a memory lapse, I'd welcome it if you'd guide me to earlier posts.

I have been charged duties on several small cost items, some five times: I have received refunds three times. I thought you read the Connexion, but in case I am wrong:- https://www.connexionfrance.com/article ... gn-parcels

[exile]

My apologies if I have accused you incorrectly. It must have been in another place where the same accusation was made.

I don't read Connection - too many errors and in this case the article' is over 12months old and rules change. There is no longer a "low value no VAT due" import code as the article says. (They got that one right but then go on to give an example of a woman being charged VAT on a low value item without any comment that under those new rules this is quite correct. That's why I don't read Connection.) Done a way with across the EU. The French douanne site is very clear that imports from outside the EU are to be charged VAT "from the first euro" and they do.

Do please note: These are VAT charges and not duty. Duty is a quite separate charge made by customs - which incidentally has VAT applied to it.