International orders - any advice?

[skibb]

Hi folks,

I live in Ireland and am looking for a diamond solitare engagement ring. My fiancee and I have identified a couple of candidate gems and opted for one that had a particularly good cut (1.3ct, G, SI1, ideal, HCA 0.4 from Bluenile). All going well it seemed but then the obstacles started to appear.

Bluenile (and many other US internet retailers it now appears) don''t do international sales. I''d have to arrange my own shipping etc. I contacted DHL, who don''t courier jewellery, many others such as TNT deal with the business market and you must have a registered account. In any event an online quote from TNT was $560!!! I''m only asking them to ship it, not trudge to Siberia and mine it.

I realise that there is a fair deal of paperwork associated with customs etc and that I''m prepared for. However I really wasn''t expecting it to be so difficult to ship and insure a small-sized, medium value item. It seems as if the web brings us into the 21st century, but bureaucracy dumps us back to the 1950''s.

Has anyone else cracked this particular nut or has any advice to give.

Thanks

Padraig,
Dublin

 

[LesleyH]

Hi Skibb:

I'm sorry you have received the runaround. I am not sure why you are facing so many obstacles. We ship loose diamonds and diamonds in settings FEDEX priority international all over the world and the shipping/insurance rates are very competitive (not $500!!!!). Our most shipped to destinations include the UK, Singapore and Australia. I was excited to make a sale to a customer in Sweden last week.

A shipment to Ireland would land in Stamstead the next day and then would take a day or 2 to clear customs. Being in the UK you would be responsible for approx. 17% import duties.

Hope this helps.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[pyramid]

I thought import duties were around 5%?

 

[LesleyH]

Hi Pyramid:

Import duties depend on the country to which the diamond is being shipped. Australia is 10% and Canada is 25%!!!Not sure where it is only 5%?

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[mdx]

Hi Lesley
Its actually not an import duty, It’s a General Sales Tax or Value Added Tax in UK and Australia.
We ship at least once a week to the UK and you are quiet right it’s no problem. Takes about two days by FedEx

Wayne
Melbourne Diamond Exchange Ltd (Australia)

 

[pyramid]

I am in the United Kingdom, so I suppose we are liable for 17.5% VAT and 5% import duty. Have other people bought rings on the internet and had them sent from USA to UK and been charged a total of 22.5%?

 

[pyramid]

Just want to clarify something here. The original poster is in Dublin which is in the Irish Republic and is not part of the United Kingdom which only consists of Northern Ireland. The Irish Republic is a separate country and one requires their passport to cross the boundary from Northern Ireland to the Irish Republic.

 

[skibb]

Thanks for all your advice, FedEx is a good option but still tracking down insurance.

Just to clear a few points.
Customs Duty (Import duty) are standardised accross the EU for imports outside the EU. Customs duty for gemstones is 0% while duty for jewellery is 2.5%.
VAT (Sales Tax) is also charged and this is not standardised accross the EU. VAT in Ireland is 21% and will vary from State to State accross the EU.

Dublin in indeed in Ireland, a seperate country from the UK. (no offence taken, but a bit like referring to Toronto as being in upstate New York!!). BTW, you don't need a passport to travel from Ireland to the UK.


The strengthening euro/dollar exchange rate makes US (and in particular US internet based) diamond rates quite competitive with European high street retail outlets where gross margins are generally c. 100%. I can't find an online European equivalent of GoG, Whiteflash, Bluenile etc. although sites at the cheaper end of the business do exist. There must be an opportunity there for some of the US players to move into.

Thanks,

Padraig

 

[pyramid]

Skibb I was told by someone who got a diamond from the USA that they were charged import duties of 5-6% plus VAT.

Is it true that you need a passport to travel from Belfast to Irish Republic though. I think I was on holiday there when I heard it 5 years ago. Maybe things have changed.

 

[ireland]

I am also based in Dublin Ireland.

I bought an engagement ring from Lesley in Whiteflash.com last year and had a very positive experience. It was shipped to Dave Atlas at www.gemappraisers.com by Lesley for appraisal before I had to make the purchase. I paid for the shipping but that was it until I had to make my decision.

Once I was happy with this, the diamond was set and the ring was shipped to me.

The cost for shipping was $89 with Fedex which was arranged by Chris in gem appraisers.

The ring arrived in Ireland by Fedex and was then sent on to a customs section in Dublin Castle. I then had to pay 2.5% customs duty and 21% VAT on top of this. This process only took about 2 days and Fedex in Dublin were very helpful on this.

On the ring I bought I had to pay about €2000 in VAT and duty but it was still worth every penny. Including the VAT and duty, I still reckon that I saved about 40-50% compared with buying it in a certain jewllers located just off Grafton Street.

The only comment I would have is that if I was to do it again, I would take a flight to New York for the weekend and collect it from a Fedex depot there. I am not advocating smuggling this back into Ireland but it is then your choice as to what you want to do. You also get a nice wekend in New York !!!

Ireland

 

[goldenringlets]

No passport needed between UK and Ireland and visa versa. With airfare so inexpensive these days between London and the Dublin (£13 last time I flew), it would certainly be less than the difference between the VAT in Ireland (higher) and the UK (lower). As usual, you need ID to check in for flights.

Goldenringlets

 

[Rhino]

Hi Lesley,




We just sold to someone in Sweden this week too!!! If I recall correctly we've also shipped to Ireland and it got to our client safe and sound. Shouldn't be a problem. Lesley... is your insurance carrier switching to UPS? I believe ours is.




Rhino

 

[barry]

Skibb;

International shipping from the States to Europe
is quite simple and fully insured. You are responsible for
applicable GST (VAT) and Customs. Delivery
to your door can be accomplished within 72 hrs.

Barry
www.superbcert.com