HDEW are unusual in that they have a UK operation - most grey importers don't.
When you purchase from a non-UK source, my understanding is (correct me if I'm wrong) that YOU are the importer. That means, regardless what the seller puts on the customs declaration, YOU are responsible for informing HMRC of any inaccuracies and making good any unpaid or underpaid taxes and duties.
This is completely different to buying from a bricks and mortar UK shop, so many (most?) shoppers will be blissfully unaware. It isn't helped by some unscrupulous retailers attempting to dupe buyers into thinking they are a UK seller.
That said, ignorance is no excuse in the law (although it may be a mitigating factor) and nothing spoils that new toy feeling like an unexpected tax bill. There's even a small risk that the parcel gets through customs but they catch up with you later... now you're in big trouble...
AFAIK - If you are importing goods
personally from outside the EU into the UK it is your responsibility to "check" that the sender has declared the goods correctly if they are
sent to you (directly or sometimes through a forwarding agent), from outside the EU, ........... you then may have to pay any taxes which are due.
As far as I am aware the lens that I purchased from Hdew was sent to me from Hdew in the UK and the paperwork that I received indicated so. Indeed they state this if you ask them, (I did). Goods they sell are either already in the UK or they are supplied to them in the UK normally before being sold to you. They seem to buy directly from many sources, but not Nikon UK/Europe as they state that it does not come with Nikons UK warranty.
All such goods originated from the Far East but it is the "EU importers" duty to complete the customs paperwork correctly and deal with any taxes payable. As long as they are invoiced to you by an EU company IMHO you should have nothing to be concerned about.......... but can a normal person be expected to even check this?
i would think that most normal people would assume that all the procedures are in order when purchasing on the internet having paid the price using a UK or EU credit card and receiving the goods as agreed and most would be deemed not to have the knowledge to know if, or if not, the correct precedures have been followed. To expect them to perform "due diligence" on all their purchase transactions would be considered unreasonable by most, law or not. If the goods are indeed imported it could be expected that the correct procedures are being "policed" by the EU/UK authorities and such sellers and prices seem to be quite normal, i.e. not unusual.
But accepting the above I have also pointed out that if you buy a D750 from HK, say Panamoz or similar, for £1,178, ensure that the VAT is paid by contacting C & E to confirm that the declaration is correct, if it is not you pay the 20% VAT due to bring the price up to £1,413 you still have a saving of £386 over the Wex and Jessops price. Furthermore, if this does happen and you have to pay the 20% VAT of £236, Panamoz have agreed to refund this and they seem to have in all cases where this has happened......... so you also buy with this assurance.
The risks are as I pointed out in my earlier postings, so knowing these risks and covering the main financial one, I still contend that ……….the grey suppliers must be buying them cheaper .. and as I indicated we have always been ripped off in the UK, (versus other countries), by the major camera suppliers …. so save up to £620 and buy from Panamoz or others BUT know the risks........... the major one being that one day they may cease to exist and still have you money ........ but Visa is your flexible insurance company, (but if you use it with Panamoz, knock £60 off the above saving)
Such savings are not the case with every lens or camera, make the comparisons and decide for yourself
I'm not in anyway trying to defend any business who are breaking the law, all I am trying to do is to put another side of the situation
(there was a time when UK punters, ordered RHD cars in France, drove across, collected then, paid the taxes and saved money, PLUS personal car importers who did the job for you and you collected the car from them, taxes paid and saved money) - UK retail prices are just that, they are not world prices.
As I type Farrow & Ball paint is considerably more expensive in France versus the UK as are other products and there are a number of people who do a weekly trip delivering such stuff from the UK to customers in France, saving money for the customers and earning a living from their work.
Amazon "ship" all their euro stuff from Luxembourg and pay the VAT rate applicable in that country, it will be increased from 15% to 17% on 1st January 2015
The world is not a perfect market but with the internet it is becoming more so.
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