VAT is "free" outside UK*

last updated 04:40 22 01 2021

If you're NOT buying from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, YOU DON'T PAY THE FULL PRICE!

Our prices include 20% VAT (sales tax). It's a UK based retail shop, and by law, we have to show the full UK price.

BUT AS YOU'RE NOT HERE YOU DON'T PAY THE 20% VAT.

You pay the price before the VAT was added.

Example: If a product is £500, it costs £600 here. We will only charge you £500.

Check it for yourself. Divide the advertised price by 1.2. Note down the answer, then check it against your shopping basket!

Yes, the shopping basket knows where you are - all e-commerce does, or it wouldn't work - so if you're not a UK customer, it takes the 20% back off.

*What's the catch?

Well, nothing's for free, and when the goods reach you, your government will charge you its VAT or sales tax, depending on where you are.

We use UPS (no, not USPS), and the delivery courier will contact you to collect your government's tax, and then they'll hand you your order.

Any other charges?

Yes. £4.50. It's the UPS border charge - the cost of processing your import.

What are duties?

Duties form part of the tax your government will charge. They're there to prevent unfair competition, but there is often no duty to pay as our products compete fairly. It's never more than 5% to our knowledge, if there is.

Where there's a trade agreement between countries, there isn't any duty.

What about returns?

There are two ways.

The easiest is "RETURN FOR SCRAPPING," declaring nominal value £1. It's perfectly legal because HMRC told us so.

The other way you'll have to prove you bought it, you'll need to include a copy of our commercial invoice and the receipt which shows that you paid the import duties or tax or VAT. You must declare why you are sending it back - for a refund or warranty repair. If you don't do any of this and state the price you bought it for, we will be charged import duty, VAT, and the border charge, which we will have to claim back FROM YOU.

What experience does HiFi System Components have in overseas selling?

Graham Slee first exported a phono stage in 1999. 70% of our sales are exports - that's around £4.2 million to-date.