To anyone awaiting spares from German manufacturers

[meanders]

Ordered parts last week that were despatched Saturday. Today I get a note to say the borders are shut so it was returned to sender. I queried it to then get this forwarded message originating from DPD.

This is the official announcement from DPD:

''Brexit - individual shipments to the UK suspended until further notice

Dear Customer,

After the United Kingdom left the EU on December 31, 2020, the Brexit trade agreement came into force on January 1, 2021. This is accompanied by new regulations for the cross-border movement of goods. Together with you, we have carefully prepared for these changes over the past few months. Nevertheless, the current situation on site and the new regulations of the authorities present us all with new challenges.

In the past few weeks there have been various delays in the processing of shipments from the EU to the UK. DPD Germany is closely monitoring the situation and is working flat out to remedy these problems. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to guarantee our usual delivery quality. We are therefore suspending individual shipments from Germany to the UK until further notice.

As of Monday, January 18, 2021, we can no longer accept parcels to the UK. We regret to have to return shipments that were posted on January 15, 2021. Shipments that are already on the way with full customs data will be delivered to the UK as soon as possible. Due to the circumstances, there will be runtime delays. We apologize for them. Parcel shipments via collective customs clearance are not affected by the temporary shipping stop.''

 

[sciac2001]

Have the senders completed the correct documentation? If Brexit related as they say then looks like they have’nt.

 

[Two on Tour]

Although not a motorhome part, but I had an order coming from a Belgian supplier via DHL and this was dispatched only to be returned to the Belgian supplier.

DHL, another German company, maybe they have got the hump now we are out and cutting their nose off to spite the face.

 

[meanders]

If you read on, it's a DPD decision, not the sender or customs.

We are therefore suspending individual shipments from Germany to the UK until further notice.

 

[meanders]

maybe they have got the hump now we are out and cutting their nose off to spite the face.

Knowing our German friends well, and our own state's ability to make things more complex than needed, I suspect its more likely because our border control and customs bureaucrats have just made it all too damn hard!

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[gus-lopez]

DPD gave up shipping out of the UK last week or the week before as it was such a shambles.So it doesn't surprise me they don't want to ship in either

 

[tacr2man]

IIRC we were having light touch on EU to UK border for 6 months , and the EU were not reciprocating so where the problem arises is with the back loads , SO carriers like DPD are having problems getting back into EU . This they wont wear due to costs to them .

 

[Irishrover]

DPD gave up shipping out of the UK last week or the week before as it was such a shambles.So it doesn't surprise me they don't want to ship in either

I have bought a lot of stuff from the UK over the years but since Jan 1st switched to EU suppliers. In fact, Ordered 2 tubes Sikaflex 252 from a German supplier 5 days ago and arrived yesterday. Just dont want the bother of extra duties or delayed shipments.

 

[Minxy]

Ordered parts last week that were despatched Saturday. Today I get a note to say the borders are shut so it was returned to sender. I queried it to then get this forwarded message originating from DPD.

Were they marked as dispatched by the seller (which may not yet have been handed over to DPD) or actually shown as dispatched with a DPD tracking number?

 

[busbuddy]

We have had these problems at work with shipments to Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, spain and southern Ireland.....all the paperwork is spot on but goods returned
Dpd said its temporary until they decide how much extra work is involved, so until they decide how much extra to charge
DHL just returned goods saying commodity code incorrect but their helpdesk says it's perfect
Parcelforce just returned it without explanation
All the pallets we have sent have arrived ok but individual boxes get returned

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[Ditcha]

I ordered stuff from Germany last week on Amazon only to have it cancelled days later.

 

[LesW]

I would never have thought that as a result of Brexit, business would go back 50 years in time.

Paper work... Honestly.

 

[sallylillian]

I think its courier related. I have received one UPS from Germany last week and here is another now in the UK:-

Delivery	-	-
Current Event	In Transit	19/01/2021 15:43	Stanford Le Hope, United Kingdom
Past Event	Shipped	15/01/2021 15:16	Rosenheim, Germany
Past Event	Label Created	15/01/2021 11:08	Germany

 

[Langtoftlad]

My favourite footwear supplier has made some alterations to their ordering process... and sales continue unhindered.

Seems like you can either deal with the change or moan about it

 

[DuxDeluxe]

My favourite footwear supplier has made some alterations to their ordering process... and sales continue unhindered.

Seems like you can either deal with the change or moan about it

I thought that crocs were made in China......

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[phroco]

A lot of overseas suppliers around the world will now no longer ship to the UK following changes introduced to coincide with (but not directly related to) Brexit. Contrary to what some have said about things going back to like it was pre-EU where the purchaser paid tax and duties etc on delivery, it's much worse.

In their infinite wisdom the government decided that anyone around the world selling goods under £135 (I think) to UK consumers must register with HMRC and account for VAT etc directly. This is not just from the EU, but from everywhere and applies to everyone who sells. So your 'mom and pop' operations who might sell T-shirts or hot sauce or stickers for your van from Michigan, or Delft or Johannesburg all have to register with HMRC and pay several hundred pounds for the privilege and then also file returns and send the VAT into the UK on every UK sale. They don't have to do this for any other country.

You can read about what Willia Shatner thinks of it <Broken link removed> but I have also heard about many other sellers who just won't bother. It costs them a load of money for absolutely no benefit. To me it's insane, your mileage may vary as they say.

It's slightly different for marketplace sites that aggregate many sellers or for orders over the threshold but since marketplace sites usually levy their own fees it's going to cost small suppliers no matter what.

 

[Wombles]

I think its courier related. I have received one UPS from Germany last week and here is another now in the UK:-

Delivery	-	-
Current Event	In Transit	19/01/2021 15:43	Stanford Le Hope, United Kingdom
Past Event	Shipped	15/01/2021 15:16	Rosenheim, Germany
Past Event	Label Created	15/01/2021 11:08	Germany

Snap - we have an order from the Netherlands vis UPS stick at Stanford Le Hope too!

 

[Tombola]

lets hope we get more buy british, and made in britian from all this

 

[Langtoftlad]

Amazing the rest of the world managed to sell to us before, and us to them.

Any hiccups are down to HMRC trying to clamp down on VAT evasion.

 

[Ditcha]

A lot of overseas suppliers around the world will now no longer ship to the UK following changes introduced to coincide with (but not directly related to) Brexit. Contrary to what some have said about things going back to like it was pre-EU where the purchaser paid tax and duties etc on delivery, it's much worse.

In their infinite wisdom the government decided that anyone around the world selling goods under £135 (I think) to UK consumers must register with HMRC and account for VAT etc directly. This is not just from the EU, but from everywhere and applies to everyone who sells. So your 'mom and pop' operations who might sell T-shirts or hot sauce or stickers for your van from Michigan, or Delft or Johannesburg all have to register with HMRC and pay several hundred pounds for the privilege and then also file returns and send the VAT into the UK on every UK sale. They don't have to do this for any other country.

You can read about what Willia Shatner thinks of it <Broken link removed> but I have also heard about many other sellers who just won't bother. It costs them a load of money for absolutely no benefit. To me it's insane, your mileage may vary as they say.

It's slightly different for marketplace sites that aggregate many sellers or for orders over the threshold but since marketplace sites usually levy their own fees it's going to cost small suppliers no matter what.

Surely that's a good thing why shouldn't they pay the vat agree its not good for the consumer but at least it gives UK sellers a level playing field they will quickly adjust to it when they lose sales.

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[Boris7]

I find it impossible to conceive that businesses and individuals thought we would just continue as before.

Im not going to comment on Brexit itself, but why did everyone just think it would continue in the same way?

As a business we geared up for this, many didn’t and some couldn’t because things were left very late, but businesses that specialise in international distribution not being prepared is simply unacceptable

 

[phroco]

Surely that's a good thing why shouldn't they pay the vat agree its not good for the consumer but at least it gives UK sellers a level playing field they will quickly adjust to it when they lose sales.

The issue is that sellers all over the world have to pay and register with the UK government for the privilege and then file returns for every sale.

If everyone started doing that and you are a business in the UK and want to sell around the world then you'd have to have to pay £1000 register with Japan, £1000 to register with the EU, £1000 for the US and so and so. And then for each sale, you'd have to log on to the relevant country's system and account for whatever tax rates and rules they have and make international payments to settle the tax. It's a monumental additional cost and masses of admin and red tap, and would correspondingly drive many small suppliers out of business.

As it is it's only the UK that makes things so difficult and so understandably suppliers elsewhere are just not bothering to supply here any more. It's all so utterly pointless.

 

[Two on Tour]

As it is it's only the UK that makes things so difficult and so understandably suppliers elsewhere are just not bothering to supply here any more. It's all so utterly pointless.

So do you really think that the size of UK market for foreign sellers of good is not worth bothering with.

 

[sallylillian]

When I had my Yankee RV I used to get loads of stuff from the states, couriers like UPS and DHL all delivered and managed the import duties and the VAT which I used to pay online to get delivery released all worked fine, I am sure it will settle down.

 

[tonyidle]

It cannot be coincidence that we both joined the EEC and introduced VAT in 1973 . International trade was somewhat different pre-VAT.

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[Ditcha]

The issue is that sellers all over the world have to pay and register with the UK government for the privilege and then file returns for every sale.

If everyone started doing that and you are a business in the UK and want to sell around the world then you'd have to have to pay £1000 register with Japan, £1000 to register with the EU, £1000 for the US and so and so. And then for each sale, you'd have to log on to the relevant country's system and account for whatever tax rates and rules they have and make international payments to settle the tax. It's a monumental additional cost and masses of admin and red tap, and would correspondingly drive many small suppliers out of business.

As it is it's only the UK that makes things so difficult and so understandably suppliers elsewhere are just not bothering to supply here any more. It's all so utterly pointless.

If that's what you have to pay then in needs to be included in your costs, if I am a UK business paying UK vat why should all the other countries supplying goods to the UK be it one man bands or larger companies not pay. Vat comes in one hand and out the other if that's the rules we "all" need to abide by them.

 

[Ernesto]

As others have said, I understand this to be an HMRC issue that’s coincided with Brexit. I can understand why they want foreign sellers to pay sales tax, given the rise of the internet and booming online sales - but charging unrealistic fees is not a smart solution
This is a problem more linked to the rise of online selling - it will get solved, the planet will keep on spinning. 1st world problem .....

 

[phroco]

So do you really think that the size of UK market for foreign sellers of good is not worth bothering with.

Yep. Big multinationals will be fine. Small operators selling low value items for a profit of a pound or two a time would have to sell hundreds just to pay for registration. Compared to the rest of the world altogether we're pretty small and insignificant.

 

[phroco]

If that's what you have to pay then in needs to be included in your costs, if I am a UK business paying UK vat why should all the other countries supplying goods to the UK be it one man bands or larger companies not pay. Vat comes in one hand and out the other if that's the rules we "all" need to abide by them.

Big businesses or sellers of higher value items can carry on as before, Vat will be charged to the recipient on delivery. Its only sellers of lower value items that have the extra costs and admin.

You are quite right that if people want to keep selling to the UK it will need to be accounted for in costs. So maybe a $10 item for the rest of the world might be $12 for UK buyers, plus Vat of course. At the end of the day it's us the purchasers that will be stumping up for any additional costs of sales for suppliers that continue selling to the UK.

 

[Ditcha]

Big businesses or sellers of higher value items can carry on as before, Vat will be charged to the recipient on delivery. Its only sellers of lower value items that have the extra costs and admin.

You are quite right that if people want to keep selling to the UK it will need to be accounted for in costs. So maybe a $10 item for the rest of the world might be $12 for UK buyers, plus Vat of course. At the end of the day it's us the purchasers that will be stumping up for any additional costs of sales for suppliers that continue selling to the UK.

Yeah but the UK government will get what it's owed, I said earlier it's not good for the consumer but it's a time of big adjustment early days things will settle and improve.

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