Ordering from bikester

[RustyMojo]

So I have reached out to bikester for clarity but thought I’d ask here!!

I want to order a kiox upgrade set and a Shimano brake hose from them, their website is .Co.Uk and there is no reference from what I can see on their website that they are EU based. But I’m pretty sure they are (think I have used them before but can’t remember). Has anyone used them lately and if so were you stung for duty and vat?
Thanks

 

[Ripping g]

I bought a ergon saddle nothing to pay on top

 

[galaga187]

Massively stung on a dirtlej suit - I think it depends on the item value etc.

 

[RustyMojo]

Massively stung on a dirtlej suit - I think it depends on the item value etc.

From bikester?? I have £200 in my basket with them.

 

[jamied]

I ordered something from them recently for £157.99 and nothing extra to pay. I think it you dig deep into their shipping pages it says that they cover all tax and import duty in their prices when shipping to the UK.

It's my understanding that if you order from somewhere that doesn't do this you can order up to the value of £135 and they will include the VAT in the cost and there will be nothing extra to pay. If the order is over £135 then they remove the VAT but you have to pay VAT and import duty to the company handling the shipping when it enters the UK.

 

[RustyMojo]

I ordered something from them recently for £157.99 and nothing extra to pay. I think it you dig deep into their shipping pages it says that they cover all tax and import duty in their prices when shipping to the UK.

It's my understanding that if you order from somewhere that doesn't do this you can order up to the value of £135 and they will include the VAT in the cost and there will be nothing extra to pay. If the order is over £135 then they remove the VAT but you have to pay VAT and import duty to the company handling the shipping when it enters the UK.

Thanks,
That’s useful to know. I wish they made it clearer that they are not in the U.K. it’s a little misleading. I will await their response to my question before dropping the money

 

[jamied]

Thanks,
That’s useful to know. I wish they made it clearer that they are not in the U.K. it’s a little misleading. I will await their response to my question before dropping the money

No need to wait Brexit FAQs | bikester-uk

WILL I HAVE TO PAY IMPORT DUTY OR EXTRA TAXES?
No, you won't have any import duty or extra taxes to pay. Regardless of whether you're in the UK mainland, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, Bikester covers all import fees and taxes to deliver your order.

 

[RustyMojo]

No need to wait Brexit FAQs | bikester-uk

You absolute legend! Thank you, I couldn’t find anything on their website for looking! I must have missed it! I’ll place an order tonight

 

[jamied]

You absolute legend! Thank you, I couldn’t find anything on their website for looking! I must have missed it! I’ll place an order tonight

No worries, always happy to help someone spend their money . I knew this was on their site as I stumbled upon it when I ordered a helmet from them a few weeks ago, it's hidden away in their support section.

 

[galaga187]

From bikester?? I have £200 in my basket with them.

Clarification this was with Bike Discount .de

 

[RustyMojo]

Clarification this was with Bike Discount .de

Ah thanks, yes it’s clear on their website. I looked there and was attracted to the super cheap AXS deal, but then worked out with the ads ons it soon became not such great value

 

[Peaky Rider]

So I have reached out to bikester for clarity but thought I’d ask here!!

I want to order a kiox upgrade set and a Shimano brake hose from them, their website is .Co.Uk and there is no reference from what I can see on their website that they are EU based. But I’m pretty sure they are (think I have used them before but can’t remember). Has anyone used them lately and if so were you stung for duty and vat?
Thanks

I've just upgraded (in my eyes) to the Kiox unit and I was also drawn to the price advertised by Bikestar.

In the end I played safe, spent a little bit more and went here, Bosch Kiox Retrofit Kit

Delivered in 24 hours.

 

[RustyMojo]

I've just upgraded (in my eyes) to the Kiox unit and I was also drawn to the price advertised by Bikestar.

In the end I played safe, spent a little bit more and went here, Bosch Kiox Retrofit Kit

Delivered in 24 hours.

I pushed the button earlier on Bikester….as soon as I did I remembered why I remember them now! They messed me around something chronic on some tyres that nearly ruined a trip to Scotland! Wonderful! Anyway, they were the only bloody place that I could find with stock of SBM Shimano brake hose, which I needed to fit my XT8120 brakes to the rail. Given I have to drop the motor to fit the brakes, I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone….obviously report back later when I have a customs bull and my order hasn’t arrived

 

[RustyMTB]

There's no getting round VAT, import duty & admin fees on Euro imports now if you're spending over £135. If you're shown a delivered price, then the additional costs are folded in to what you're seeing on screen. All you get is one bill instead of two. Some outlets do this, some don't, Off the top of my head, I think Canyon are one who do & it's instructive to see exactly how much control we've taken back when you look at the price differences between their UK site & any of their EU imprints.

If you weigh it all up & decide to buy from Europe anyway, then the one thing I would absolutely clarify before paying anything over £135 is you are not charged VAT at the point of sale, since you'll end up on the hook for paying VAT twice. I got into a protracted dispute over this buying a bike from Spain this year & eventually prevailed but it took some effort to sort out.

 

[RustyMojo]

There's no getting round VAT, import duty & admin fees on Euro imports now if you're spending over £135. If you're shown a delivered price, then the additional costs are folded in to what you're seeing on screen. All you get is one bill instead of two. Some outlets do this, some don't, Off the top of my head, I think Canyon are one who do & it's instructive to see exactly how much control we've taken back when you look at the price differences between their UK site & any of their EU imprints.

If you weigh it all up & decide to buy from Europe anyway, then the one thing I would absolutely clarify before paying anything over £135 is you are not charged VAT at the point of sale, since you'll end up on the hook for paying VAT twice. I got into a protracted dispute over this buying a bike from Spain this year & eventually prevailed but it took some effort to sort out.

The link posted above seems to suggest that’s not the case. So if it is anything different then I will chase them to either refund me the vat at Origin, or point my credit card company in the direction of their T&C’s and let them decide.

ultimately I won’t lose sleep over it, neither am I looking at avoiding paying duty. Hence my original post. But I do find it cheeky if Bikester have pretty well hidden they are not a U.K. based business, make statements around ‘no additional duty or import charges’ and then, if they are subject to additional costs being able to wash their hands of it.

Have you ordered more than £135 of kit from them and been hit with VAT and Import?

 

[RustyMTB]

For clarity, if you spend over £135 in Europe & import to the UK, the retailer should not charge you VAT on the sale as it will be charged on arrival in the UK. So you can't escape VAT but you shouldn't pay it twice. Some retailers are more clued up on this than others, so it pays for you to check exactly what you're being charged before purchase.

To answer your question, no not that seller but I did buy a bike for £3500 from Spain. With VAT & delivery, it amounted to £4550. I then got a bill for £1400 from DHL, consisting of VAT, import duty & a processing fee. I kicked up a fuss & got the VAT from the retailer refunded.

 

[RustyMojo]

For clarity, if you spend over £135 in Europe & import to the UK, the retailer shoud not charge you VAT on the sale as it will be charged on arrival in the UK. So you can't escape VAT but you shouldn't pay it twice. Some retailers are more clued up on this than others, so it pays for you to check exactly what you're being charged before purchase.

To answer your question, no not that seller but I did buy a bike for £3500 from Spain. With VAT & delivery, it amounted to £4550. I then got a bill for £1400 from DHL, consisting of VAT, import duty & a processing fee. I kicked up a fuss & got the VAT from the retailer refunded.

Thanks,
Yes, I had this debate with some mates who were looking at a YT. They seem to charge VAT at source but also U.K. vat. As a result it’s being charged twice…from what I could see.

let’s see how I get on. Maybe Bikester are correct…

interestingly the order confirmation from them details inc VAT but doesn’t have the VAT line split out….understanding those is an order confirmation not an invoice. I wonder how it will be invoiced!

 

[RustyMTB]

I'd imagine it's legit & they have gone to some lengths there to explain, so the proof of the pudding is if it arrives with no further costs. I only warn that it is possible to end up paying VAT twice if a European outlet isn't especially geared up for post Brexit UK sales or doesn't really care, given the freshly created aggravation involved in selling into the UK.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

I recently ordered £270 of kit from Bike Discount (I know this thread is about bikester, but maybe relevant). Was happy to pay the import and VAT, but it was delivered a few weeks, ago and I didn’t get charged for anything extra at all.

Got a bargain on the price originally, even better without additional charges. Maybe a one off.

 

[Pyr0]

I bought DT Swiss HX 1501 wheels from Bikester earlier this year with no additional fees

 

[RustyMTB]

There is evidence for stuff going through without charges which, according to pals of mine in the industry is around a combination of the political optics of relieving bottlenecks & the realities of staffing levels at ports. In some cases, the couriers pay the costs on landing in the UK in order to keep the wheels turning & charge consignees on delivery. Others still, like DHL will deliver & send an invoice a few weeks later (this is what happened to me). Top & bottom of it is you may well get a result but I wouldn't rely on it.

 

[Pyr0]

Bikester includes VAT.

Here's a small section of one of my invoices showing 20% VAT:

Hope this helps.

 

[RustyMojo]

Thanks for the info chaps. I avoided Bike-discount.de on the basis that I suspected their pricing wasn’t quite as clear cut. It was significantly cheaper, despite saying Inc of VaT. There was no statement as to further charges for transacting in the U.K. which is why I initially held off from Bikester. Who make themselves look like a U.K. shop! It was until someone posted the link that I actually pushed the button and completed the order. Price wise it’s not a bucket load cheaper than the U.K. (you can pick up a Kiox upgrade for £200 here and I paid £180 from them) however they had a brake hose in stock. Nowhere in the U.K. that I can find, can supply the correct 8120 SBM hose!

 

[jamied]

I've just ordered a SRAM GX AXS upgrade kit from here SRAM GX AXS Eagle 12-speed upgrade kit incl. battery lunar buying I fully expect to pay import duty/VAT on this but even then it's still £150 cheaper than the retail price. If I don't end up paying VAT I'll do a little Carlton dance in my pants!

Since Brexit I've ordered quite a few things from the German Amazon store, they include all the taxes and import duty in the cost the charge, this is only calculated after you enter your shipping address. I even ordered something from American eBay and the seller used eBay's international shipping service where they calculate and sort out all of the taxes and duties for you. Never had any problems. I think the main time you get problems when ordering stuff from another country is when the shipper doesn't fill out the paperwork properly.

 

[Gavalar]

So I have reached out to bikester for clarity but thought I’d ask here!!

I want to order a kiox upgrade set and a Shimano brake hose from them, their website is .Co.Uk and there is no reference from what I can see on their website that they are EU based. But I’m pretty sure they are (think I have used them before but can’t remember). Has anyone used them lately and if so were you stung for duty and vat?
Thanks

I have used Bikester on numerous occasions, latest purchase was a pair of Fox 38's, £268 saving, 2022 spec, 6 day turn around, no carriage charges, no vat to pay as.is the case with other sites, Bikester clearly state in FAQ's how they operate, personally, I can't fault them.

 

[Tooks]

I have used Bikester on murderous occasions, latest purchase was a pair of Fox 38's

EMTB Cluedo: It was Gavalar, in the forest trail centre, with a pair of Fox 38s!

 

[bluerich]

German. Purchased my Orbea from them before the official brexit date. No problems apart from having to swap the brake hoses.

 

[mdlampe]

My order in August had nothing extra added. The invoice was from Germany.

 

[Geedog]

Hello, I ordered some shimano mw7, s on Monday, £165, arrived yesterday, black Friday price £140, gutted! They do fit well tho.

 

[jonmat]

I've had pretty good service from Bikester with no hidden costs. I would have no problem ordering from them in the future. The price they quote is what you pay but it may take a few days for them to dispatch items from their warehouse in Germany.