Waaaay of topic I know but just wondered if anyone on here might have some knowledge.
The company I work for often rent sensors to customers for surveys rather than selling them. I've been covering in the stock room whilst the regular guy is on holiday so I've been involved with sending some of this rental stock out and it just happens that we've had a couple of jobs in furrin parts (outside the EU). When we send this stuff out we are required to put a value on the contents of the boxes and we're being charged import duty by the other countries. This seems wrong to me as the kit is going to be coming back in three months time. I do wonder if we're going to be stung again when it comes back into the UK. "They" won't accept zero as a value apparently.
I've very briefly looked into sending stuff as a sample but it seems like it must be rendered un-useable to qualify which I can understand to prevent abuse.
Anyone know if there is a mechanism for sending equipment that is going to be returned and not being charged for it? Maybe there's a way to claim a refund when the stuff is returned - it's not unknown for these rentals to be converted to a purchase and the customer ends up keeping the stuff at which point you just don't get the refund.
I know it's possibly going to be different depending on the destination country but has anyone been involved in similar anywhere?
Part of me thinks "not my money so not my problem" but if I can suggest a way to save some money there's a little voice that says some of that cash might find it's way into my pay packet come pay review time (stop laughing at the back!).
The company I work for often rent sensors to customers for surveys rather than selling them. I've been covering in the stock room whilst the regular guy is on holiday so I've been involved with sending some of this rental stock out and it just happens that we've had a couple of jobs in furrin parts (outside the EU). When we send this stuff out we are required to put a value on the contents of the boxes and we're being charged import duty by the other countries. This seems wrong to me as the kit is going to be coming back in three months time. I do wonder if we're going to be stung again when it comes back into the UK. "They" won't accept zero as a value apparently.
I've very briefly looked into sending stuff as a sample but it seems like it must be rendered un-useable to qualify which I can understand to prevent abuse.
Anyone know if there is a mechanism for sending equipment that is going to be returned and not being charged for it? Maybe there's a way to claim a refund when the stuff is returned - it's not unknown for these rentals to be converted to a purchase and the customer ends up keeping the stuff at which point you just don't get the refund.
I know it's possibly going to be different depending on the destination country but has anyone been involved in similar anywhere?
Part of me thinks "not my money so not my problem" but if I can suggest a way to save some money there's a little voice that says some of that cash might find it's way into my pay packet come pay review time (stop laughing at the back!).