Hi,

I am considering ordering a mountain bike online from the UK and getting it delivered to Switzerland. It will be my first experience doing this and I don't want any surprises from the tax man. Looking at the online resources I have calculated the costs as:

Bike £899.00
Delivery £10.00
Convert CHF (1.36)[ 1236.24
Swiss Post Inspection 13
Swiss Post Clearance 16
Net 1265.2
VAT @ 0.077 97.4
Grand Total (CHF) 1362.7

Have I missed anything or is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks in advance

Make sure the UK supplier deducts the UK VAT!

can't believe the delivery charge is only £10, can't believe shipping costs for in the UK would be that cheap let alone to Switzerland

Hi whitesnow

Before you test the UK delivery and swiss customs, have a look at the MTB available here. There are many markets, local bike shops and online sites ( Here 2 for sale from SAA 'Eire' ) which could offer second hand deals, so you can get a better bike, locally and cheaper.

Good riding.

http://www.velomarkt.ch/veloboerse.php?catid=6

Make sure the customs declaration is correct, attached to the shipment, and that it shows shipment cost.
Are you sure it comes with Swiss Post?
If it is Swiss Post there will be another 3% charge (max. CHF 70). https://www.post.ch/en/business/a-z-...earance-prices
If the bike was made in the U.S.A. or Taiwan and declared as such on the customs declaration (as it should be) there will be a CHF 12 duty. Tariff code 8712.0000 at http://xtares.admin.ch

__________________
What?

I would get it delivered to a friend in France and ride it over.

If you can, make sure the shop puts the whole bike in one box rather than the frame in one and the wheels in a second box.
Two boxes even if labelled "1 of 2" and "2 of 2" will not necessarily (meaning, almost certainly not) be treated as a single shipment by the Swiss Post, and if both have documentation attached with the total order value on it you end up paying for import twice. Getting some of this back is straightforward enough but it's then minus admin fees as well as your time invested in writing to the Post to explain the situation. Better to invest your time upfront talking to the shop about this issue.

Maybe take a peek at Adrenalin bikes in Lörrach.
Try before you buy.
They always have offers and if you call in advance they'll make up the bike you want so you can test ride it.
They speak english, you can send them a mail.

And pay the 20% UK VAT?

And the 7.7% Swiss VAT on top of that?

Tom

what happens if your friend ships your bike from uk or from europe via post , as personal beloninings or gift, still do you need to pay tax for it ?

If it costs over CHF 100, yes.

Tom

i ordered a bike from the UK last month (kids bike from islabikes). it was about 800 gbp and delivered by fedex. when i got the IVA bill from fedex it was zero rated by pleasant surprise (just paid their extortionate admin charge).

maybe because it was a kids bike - or are all bikes zero vat?

but this is not an online shopping, it is gonna be sending a bike from one person to another as a gift ?

Please read it from the source a.k.a the Swiss Federal Customs Administration
https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home...itzerland.html

I think the charge will be more the CHF 29, more like CHF50. Don't forget Swiss Post also charge for advancing the VAT. Probably about 5 centimes but unbelievably they charge it!

In this scenario you have to pay the UK VAT at 20%, usually it is cheaper (and easier) to get the bike shipped here and pay delivery, customs charges and Swiss VAT.

I bought a bike recently in Germany and got German VAT refunded, paid Swiss tax at the border. Saw the same bike here at velomaerkt afterwards, it was 50% more expensive......