So I may, or might not, have bought a Chinese microdigger

[Neilj]

A lot of these adverts for customised gear are a bit misleading and when you read it again properly it's just a deposit price. But that advert didn't mention that, maybe a mistake and that's why they refunded you?

 

[ajlelectronics]

The VAT is taken at source up to a certain figure that I can't recall, maybe £325? Over that, the goods arrive gross and so you will pay duty if applicable and the VAT on goods and duty. There will also be a ransom charge from the courier which all has to be paid before it clears the border highwaymen.

 

[ajlelectronics]

What scale is it, 1:12 or 1:24?

The panties?

 

[dobbslc]

1:1 is enough for those...

 

[Guineafowl]

1:1 is enough for those...

I misread it as ‘menstrual parties’. I’d give those a swerve.

 

[ajlelectronics]

A lot of these adverts for customised gear are a bit misleading and when you read it again properly it's just a deposit price. But that advert didn't mention that, maybe a mistake and that's why they refunded you?

Many of them are toy versions too as 'Indoors found out when ordering a "Doggie paddling pool". What arrived was about the size of a dessert bowl. Next door's chickens now use it for a drinking water from.

 

[8ob]

Inspired by this thread, https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/mini-micro-digger-cheap-chinese-okay.138534/, I went down the aliexpress rabbithole and ordered one of these: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...o.order_list.order_list_main.5.21ef1802dvpoJJ

It was advertised at £614, allegedly discounted from £1,700. And then, for reasons I don't understand, the final price ended up being £504. There is mention of £120 tax, which seems reasonable.

Questions:
1) Am I going to receive anything at all?
Who knows, but aliexpress state that if I don't take delivery within 40 days then I get a full refund. Plus, I ordered on a visa card so have that protection.
2) How much is is really going to cost me?
No idea, but I'm prepared for the £120 VAT/incoming bill.
3) Will what turns up match what I think I ordered?
Zero clue, but I'll fall back on visa protection if it's wildly off

I think its a cheap and easy way of them borrowing money, had the same last year on an unbelievable deal. I would only be expecting a refund, eventually.

Bob

 

[m_c]

A lot of these adverts for customised gear are a bit misleading and when you read it again properly it's just a deposit price. But that advert didn't mention that, maybe a mistake and that's why they refunded you?

The deposit thing has been going on for a while.
I was looking at a machine last year via Alibaba, and made a few enquiries, one of which was a company advertising very cheaply. The response I got from the sales woman had a tinge of exasperation about the advertised prices.

 

[Neilj]

There will also be a ransom charge from the courier which all has to be paid before it clears the border highwaymen.

I've just found this out the hard way. Bought a tracked dumper from China, £1500 landed UK cost, 0% duty and 20% VAT, so £1800 all in. Or so I thought. The invoice came through for the UK port to my house bit and it's £653 for terminal handling, documentation, customs clearance, haulage, fuel surcharge, use of tail lift and use of a pallet truck

 

[Bullet2012]

The invoice came through for the UK port to my house bit and it's £653 for terminal handling, documentation, customs clearance, haulage, fuel surcharge, use of tail lift and use of a pallet truck

These charges are not hidden, they apply to every item imported. Most people just dont see the charges as they are incorporated into the sale price by the retailer.
some goods below certain values or criteria are exempt from duty and vat but most incur all the other charges.

 

[DAPPH]

Thanks guys . I was thinking about the viability of a small tracked shovel loader and a 1 ton tracked concrete mixer to compare with 8 cubic metres of local ready mix , with fibre glass strands a retardant and having it pumped 60 mtrs in from the road /kerb side

Neil j were you given the option to sort out the charges & carriage from the port yourself by using someone like our sites Fizzy or was it all done throuth their agent/s ?

 

[colnerov]

ISTR from another thread on here that the hidden catch is the term 'FOB' (Free On Board, I think) which means it is placed on board a ship then you're responsible for the cost of carriage by the ship.

 

[DAPPH]

I live in South Wales 3 miles away from the West end of the M4

Just come off the phone WRT for prices and availability of a company with a concrete pump & ability to pump 8 cubic mtrs of glass fibre reinforced , self leveling , water proofed , concrete with a retarder in it pumped approx 65 mtrs from the kerb .
Verbal guessimate
£200 m2 x 8 plus 25% vat = £ 2K Simple concrete needing vibrating & floating £120 + vat a cube
Ground work including shuttering roughly the same
I suppose the pump machine will be extra .. finding out later on today once the guy visits me .

That's roughly the same a importing an Ali Express tracked 1 ton mixer and with no work to be done on my part .

At the present time it's looking like a no brainer for me to go with the pump company

 

[Neilj]

I did a bit of research before buying it, shipping terms were CFR so that includes carriage to the UK, no surprises with that bit. I did have a good chat with Fizzy to get an idea of what else I would get stung for, the obvious things were import duty (0% in this case), VAT, customs clearance and delivery to UK address. What I wasn't prepared for was the terminal handling and a multitude of little extras that soon added up. I was expecting about £250 but it came to £653, probably a bit of naivety on my part as it's the first time I've done this with anything heavy. Still works out a decent saving versus UK purchase though, easily £1200 cheaper even with all the extras.

 

[DAPPH]

Thank for posting that info Neil it's very useful.

 

[bump]

I think we can safely say you've taken the crown for a random purchase.

Given the nature of this forum, I'd say it was pretty in keeping with everyone else.

Now a brick pizza oven on the other hand .........

 

[m_c]

When I imported my lathe, I used a shipping company who handled everything from the manufacturer to my door, so I had an accurate idea of the costs up front.

I've just dug through my emails, and using Shippo in 2020 it cost me about £1900+VAT for 7.7cbm weighing 2500kg.
They had a local agent in China who handled collection, dealt with all the customs, and arranged the UK haulier.
Only holdup was the container got seized by customs for a few days due to other shipments in it.
All I had to do was provide contact details, the commercial invoice, make sure I had a forklift to unload, and pay the bill.

I'm sure it could have been done a bit cheaper, but after having a chat with my neighbour who regularly deals with container import/export, he said it was a pretty good price, and for a one off, it probably wouldn't be worth the hassle to potentially save a few hundred pound.

 

[DAPPH]

Got some details from the concrete pump guy .. getting the main slab done by them sounds ideal.

But having him back for three smaller cast slabs elsewhere at a later date will be expensive .

Showed my lass Neil's post then talking towith her it looks like once the new building is up we will see if there is enough dosh left in the pot to import the 750 kg tracked mixer to a UK port then let Fizzy do his magic . I've just emailed the Chinese company for further information . The three seperate slabs & pathways will take about 5 cu mtr . A tracked self loading mixer , 5 cu mtr of all in one some dust and my own home made engine powered vibrating screeder should see that done in short order .

 

[JOEPRO]

There are 2 types of members on this forum.

Those who own a lathe and those who will soon be forced choked into want to buy a lathe.

 

[Neilj]

Got some details from the concrete pump guy .. getting the main slab done by them sounds ideal.

Would you mind sharing the cost for the pumping guy? I'm curious as I might have a need for something similar