Buyers beware of Black Friday online charges
Bargain hunters turning to the net to cash in on Black Friday special offers next week have been warned that purchases from the UK now come with a customs levy – and they won’t get their goods before they pay it.
New EU Customs regulations for parcels posted from non-EU countries, including Britain, came into effect on July 1 – and, in many cases, these fees must be paid before the item can be delivered by An Post.
Galway Chamber CEO Kenny Deery said he had was aware of significant delays on goods ordered online from the UK as a result – as he encourage shoppers to spend locally, to avoid delays and extra charges as well as supporting business closer to home.
“One downside is the charges, but a huge one is the delays. If the company you ordered from hasn’t filled out the paperwork the product can be left on a container for months. Even if it costs a few quid extra, if there’s some fault with your product you can bring it back to them if they’re local. You’re not dealing with couriers,” he said.
"If the retailer has a presence in Galway, they’re worth supporting. They’re the ones more likely to support the local football team, employ local people. The more things are not bought in Ireland, the harder it is for shops to stay open here,” he added.
Some of the major British retailers – such as M&S, River Island and Boots – have reached an agreement with An Post to clear the duty charges in advance and allow for immediate delivery. But many others have not.
“More problematic are parcels which come in via other postal services such as Royal Mail, UPS because the senders, typically a small business or individual personal customers, are unaware of the new complex data and tax requirements,” said a spokesperson for An Post.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the online version from www.connachttribune.ie