Article 50 won't be triggered this year under Gove

[DaveB]

Books are 0% VAT rated and I believe no custom duty either.

It's also based on the value of the items. Anything below £135 attracts no charge.

Most other things will end up in customs waiting for you to pay import duties and VAT before they are released.

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/overview

[BlasterBates]

The main trade barrier if not in the single market will be the bureaucracy associated with selling goods. For example:

Selling food to China - Doing Business in China

[AtW]

It's also based on the value of the items. Anything below £135 attracts no charge.

Most other things will end up in customs waiting for you to pay import duties and VAT before they are released.

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/overview

You have to pay VAT of 20% on much lower thresholds -

" gifts worth more than £34
other goods worth more than £15"

[DaveB]

You have to pay VAT of 20% on much lower thresholds -

" gifts worth more than £34
other goods worth more than £15"

Thats why I highlighted the "no customs duty either" bit of your post...

[AtW]

Thats why I highlighted the "no customs duty either" bit of your post...

You are aware that customs duty might be 0 even on items greater than £135?

There is a very long list of products that have varying levels of duties depending where they come from, VAT is by far more important - 20% and it is taken from very small amount, not for printed books though.

[tomtomagain]

Books are 0% VAT rated and I believe no custom duty either.

Unless it's an electronic copy. Then it's 20%.

[AtW]

Unless it's an electronic copy. Then it's 20%.

Electronic copy is not a book!!!

It's like photo of a painting isn't the same as painting.

[Mordac]

Unless it's an electronic copy. Then it's 20%.

An electronic copy is either a download or sent via email, therefore unenforceable and therefore irrelevant.

[AtW]

An electronic copy is either a download or sent via email, therefore unenforceable and therefore irrelevant.

Why is it unenforceable? Most of money made from downloads are made by a handful of known companies, they had to charge VAT for a long time OR they don't get sales at all.

At least those were EU rules, maybe if UK is on its own then those big companies would not bother...

[Mordac]

Why is it unenforceable? Most of money made from downloads are made by a handful of known companies, they had to charge VAT for a long time OR they don't get sales at all.

At least those were EU rules, maybe if UK is on its own then those big companies would not bother...

I'm only speaking from personal experience. Buying a shedload of Microsoft MCSE (NT4 - showing my age ) stuff from Barnes & Noble over the net from the US was about a third of the price compared to buying from the UK. ($200 as opposed to £500+). Factor in the favourable exchange rate at the time (late 90's) it was a no brainer. When it came to MS 2000, I bought the whole lot online, cost me $60. I didn't give a monkey's wotsit whether they charged or paid VAT. If you don't get the whole "dog eat dog" thing, that's fine, but if you feel uncomfortable, maybees you is in the wrong country what has nasty capitalist people in it.