Now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union, there are a few changes to be aware of if you're ordering shoes from us for delivery into the European Union.
As of the 1st January 2021, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union and currently we're in the process of understanding and adapting to the new trading rules. We wanted to add a page for information to help you understand what may change as a result of the new arrangements.
VAT
Before 2021, if you ordered from Europe you'd pay us online for the goods (including VAT at the UK rate of 20%) plus shipping. From 1st January 2021, you will no longer pay VAT.
Before, you'd pay £95.00 for a pair of 'Heather Split-Sole' in AirMesh however, now, you'd no longer pay the VAT part of that, which means you'll now be paying £79.17.
It is important to note that you will still pay VAT, but from 2021 you will pay this locally. That means that when the courier (usually DHL, DPD or FedEx) is ready to deliver your order, they will contact you for the VAT payment before releasing goods to you. The VAT you pay will be at your countries local rate (which may be higher or lower than the UK's 20% rate).
We agree that this is not as convenient as it was, however overall with goods and VAT, there is no dramatic increase to the cost of your orders and the courier companies seem to be quick and easy when requesting and taking payment for VAT.
Shipping
We are currently using DHL, FedEx and DPD for deliveries across Europe.
Whilst the cost to us of shipping goods has increased dramatically in the first months of the year, we're trying to keep the costs as low as possible for you. In the future, we may have to increase some of the shipping prices once things settle down.
Duty
The trade deal between the UK and EU is quite complicated. In some ways it is a FTA (Free Trade Agreement) but in other ways, it is not.
The key is that goods made in the UK will not be subject to duty when exported to the EU. International Dance Shoes are made here in the UK with the exception of a small amount of shoes (and accessories) which do not have "Made in England" listed as a bullet point in the product description on the product page.
There are some products, including shoe brushes and heel protectors which are made in Europe and kimonos and shoe bags which are made in China, and which may attract duty.
The agreement between the UK and EU was announced on the 24th December 2020 with new rules taking effect on the 1st January 2021. With such a short period of time between, many businesses are still getting to grips on the new trading rules. Shipping companies are also very much still learning along the way, which is why there is the possibility of confusion/delays which we're hoping to help minimise.
Other Charges
In addition to VAT (and duty if necessary), we understand that 'clearance fees' are also being charged. It is important to note that these vary from country to country. If you are ordering from Greece, please click here because clearance fees are very expensive here so it is important that you read this information before ordering.
This is usually an additional charge which already applies when we export to countries outside of the EU. It's a fee that courier companies are charging for the additional paperwork/processes involved now. We are still in the process of working out what these are because of the varying charges - sometimes it might be €10, sometimes €30. We are continuing to offer 10% off online with the code KEEPDANCING to help compensate for any extra charges.
Our Recommendations
You can place orders with us as you normally would but please remember that you are no longer paying VAT. It might make our shoes seem less expensive to order than before at first, but remember that you will need to pay VAT locally when the order is ready for delivery.
The shipping company will ask you for this, and you should aim to make this payment swiftly in order to receive your delivery sooner. They will most likely simply ask you for the VAT and clearance fee.
If you choose not to pay the VAT then the goods may be returned to us. We would prefer to re-send them to you but you will need to pay for shipping again. In instances where customers request a refund, we will not be able to refund the shipping costs.
If the payment you are being asked for is a lot higher than what should be required for VAT/clearance fees, please request the breakdown of the fees and contact us via sales@ids-danceshoes.co.uk as soon as possible. The sooner that we can contact the shipping company to look into it the better because if there is a delay, the shipping company may return the goods back to us here in the UK which will cause longer delays and more cost to the delivery of your order.
Please also check to see if there is a stockist near you! Click here to view a list of shops across Europe which hold stock of our shoes.
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As a UK business that has a proud history of working closely with distributors, stores, dance schools and dancers across the European Union, we're sad that the new trading rules make things a bit more complicated but we're hoping that things will become easier as we all get used to the rules and we thank you for your loyalty, patience and understanding in the meantime.
If you would like to get in touch with us then click here to email, or call us on +44(0)1908 319937 and our staff will do all they can to help.
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