The cost of buying from Scotland: new Argyle outfit arrives

[McClef]

I know that they were within the UK but the packaging of the stuff I have had from Kiltstore has always been robust.

Competition too is a great thing but not easy when tariffs and taxes on international transactions skewer the comparison.

Quality fortunately is international although our assessment of it can be affected by factors beyond the control of the supplier.

[Rampant Lion]

You also have to remember that if you buy locally, and the product you're buying is imported that the price of the item is going to be higher because it's going to have to include the duties and taxes that the vendor pays. Just something to consider when you're looking for the best deal.

Personally, I like buying locally for the higher price just because it's easier. I don't have to worry about suprise taxes and/or duties.

[jordanjm]

I have one of those clan crest buckles. I do not like the size of the holes in the black area for the pin to go through, so I put a piece of black leather on the back of the buckle, and it did the trick. It looks really nice now.

[Big Mikey]

This is just to throw a wrinkle into the whole discussion.

I recently purchased 5 yards, double width camo material from Barre Army Navy in Vermont. I chose to buy from them because they were the only place I could find with the pattern I wanted. The price was very reasonable, about $7.95 per yard. There were only two shipping options offered so I chose the cheaper one......$45.00!!! As I wanted the material, I didn't have much choice.

Here's the kicker, no duty charged!! I can't figure out how the duty charges work. On my first order from SWK, I was charged a small amount ($10.00 or so), on my second order, nada. It's the same with my EBay purchases, sometimes a charge, sometimes not.

I only hope that there are no government workers reading this and flagging my name right now.

[Nick Fiddes]

Big Mikey, you've just described exactly our problem. Unpredictable! People (understandably) complain that we don't say how much duties will be. But the fact is that US customs in particular are just incredibly inconsistent. Sometimes they'll go by the letter of the law by its most stringent interpretation; then often other times things just glide through. And for whatever people say about particular shippers, there's no obvious pattern. It's not just which port of entry, but what day of the week, it seems. Our lives would be so much easier if they had single consistent set of rules that we could at least predict!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Big Mikey, you've just described exactly our problem. Unpredictable! People (understandably) complain that we don't say how much duties will be. But the fact is that US customs in particular are just incredibly inconsistent. Sometimes they'll go by the letter of the law by its most stringent interpretation; then often other times things just glide through. And for whatever people say about particular shippers, there's no obvious pattern. It's not just which port of entry, but what day of the week, it seems. Our lives would be so much easier if they had single consistent set of rules that we could at least predict!

Nick is correct. I still remember several years ago getting a package imported from a particular company in Scotland that contained two kilts, a pair of ghillie brogues, a jacket (I believe), and I think one other item. Huge box, delivered USPS. Absolutely no customs fees whatever.

About two days later we received a box from the same company, containing exactly one kilt. That's it. Nothing else. Delivered USPS. Postman demanded $80 in customs fees.

I asked him to explain to me how the box with one kilt could cost us $80 to imort, while the box with two kilts plus other items cost us nothing. He couldn't. He explained it pretty much the way Nick did above -- a lot depends on who checks it in at customs, how they interpret the code, and what kind of a mood they are in.

[northernsky]

Canadian duties ran from a low of 8.5% for the kilt pin to 18% for the made clothing goods, which was the majority cost. Add 6% federal tax to the cost + duty and then add 7.5% provincial tax to the cost + duty + federal tax. The duty equaled $251.75, taxes $222.96, fedex customs charge $23.31, shipping (fedex) $70.00 and return shipping (post) $50.00. This makes the total of surcharges so far $617.92 on a cost of $1700+ for a total over $2300.00 The surcharges equal to an additional 36% to the original costs (or 33% without my return postal charges). The cost of Canadian taxes is about equal to the VAT so the difference between buying in the UK and buying in Canada is the Duty (for kilts, jackets, vests, socks and shoes it is 18%) and the shipping charges. So for a Canadian customer it would still be a significantly higher cost than for a UK customer.

[ChromeScholar]

No offense to any of the fine kilt makers overseas, but with the dollar being what it is, and the unpredictability in time, money, and condition of the arriving merchandise, I just don't picture myself (at least in the foreseeable future), buying a kilt from a business that has to ship it directly to me from overseas. Especially since there are so many fine kilt makers available in the US, kilt makers that turn out a product that is competitive in both quality and price (maybe especially price, when shipping and customs are taken into account). In fact, with a few of the US kilt makers that advertise and participate here, I'd wager that the only real difference between their product, and the Scottish kilts, is that their kilt doesn't say "Made in Scotland".

Like I said, no offense intended to the Scottish businesses. It's just the way I see things at this point in time. That may change eventually.

[Big Mikey]

Just a side note about duties into Canada. I called a government office to ask about liquor. The current rule is a qualified adult is allowed to bring home, duty free, 1.14 liltres or 40 ozs. of liquor. Hoping to travel to Britain in the future, I was curious about the cost to bring back "over my limit". I'm not talking about cases but 2 or 3 bottles. The duty alone, not including any applied taxes....................180%!!!!!!!!of purchase price. And then the bureaucrats wonder why people try to sneek it in!?!

[SFCRick]

I feel for you