Ordering from The Gentlemens Shop

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:51 pm

Hi All,

I'm thinking about ordering some items (mostly creams, balms etc) from The Gentlemens Shop in the UK, and was wondering if anyone in Canada has had any experience doing so?

If so what sort of duties, taxes etc. is one looking at, i.e do they make it prohibative?

english_barber · Post by **english_barber** » Sat May 14, 2005 3:58 am

Hello,

Christopher Moss of Nova Scotia will be able to help you on that one, he has pretty much bought the whole store in the last couple of years....

Regards, Robert

english_barber · Post by **english_barber** » Sat May 14, 2005 6:16 am

You Moonrakers are all the same!

Charnham House was in Wiltshire until the 1880 boundary change, so we consider our alleginces to be within your county. I am also lucky enough to be able to consider the family that own Wadworth's, the Bartholomews, as customers in our Barber Shop.

Old Timer is still going strong, as is 6X and Speckled Hen! Why not visit www.wadworth.co.uk

Regards, Robert

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:52 am

I have absolutley no idea what you guys are talking about!

...well except for the beer part.

But I take it from Chris' recommendation that it is indeed cost effective.

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Mon May 16, 2005 1:47 am

As an American, the above conversation might as well be Greek. And while I can't speak about how well Robert serves Canadians, I can offer a perspective for Americans: TGS is a great place to buy products. Robert has a great selection of products, offers some of the best prices you'll find on the net for many of them, and his service is very fast. My last order with him dispatched in a day, and reached me in approximately one week. I highly recommend the site.

Gramps · Post by **Gramps** » Fri May 27, 2005 2:30 pm

Blueasajewel,

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I don't think you got an answer to your question.

I just rec'd an order from Robert.
The order consisted of some things not available from Charles at QED.

Okay... total order 59.48 GBP (including the 5.00GBP shipping)
which, on the day of purchase was $139.69 CAD

Customs DID open the package
at the door $33.24 additional dollars
broke down, $8.17 duty@ rate of 6.5%
$9.37 GST
$10.70 PST
$5.00 Handling Fee (for what I don't know?)
The total declared for the Customs thieves was 54.00 GBP ..

SOOOOOO...... 139.69 on my VISA at time of purchase.
33.24 at the door
172.24 total in Canadian dollars (tissue paper)

THE GOOD NEWS... I ordered Sunday, (would have been early morning in England) and I received it this a.m. (FRIDAY)!!!!!!!!!!!
That is very fast. and .... I had e-mails from the Gentleman's Shop at each step of prcessing the order!
I have enough stuff now (along with my order coming from QED... to last a year or so!)

- Gramps (looking for a cubby-hole to hide some of this from SWMBO)

guenron · Post by **guenron** » Fri May 27, 2005 3:50 pm

Gramps,
All I can say is, "When you've got it. flaunt it!" Or perhaps more directly, "The best defense is a strong offense!"
"Neither ask nor give quarter!!!" 'Half a league, half a league, half a league on!'

Regards,
Ron

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Fri May 27, 2005 5:19 pm

Customs opened the package and charged duty? That's disturbing. How often does that kind of thing happen?

Gramps · Post by **Gramps** » Fri May 27, 2005 5:23 pm

Nathan

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the way things work here....
One time I'll have to pay duty and tax, the next, I pay nothing.

Once in a while they open the package and you never know....

Big Brother is always watching, EH?

- Gramps

guenron · Post by **guenron** » Fri May 27, 2005 7:14 pm

drmoss_ca wrote:Every time lately. Canada is an expensive country to run, and no duty or taxes can be overlooked by our masters.

Chris

Sounds like borderline sedition to me! Expensive? Hah! And worth every profligate penny of it!

english_barber · Post by **english_barber** » Sat May 28, 2005 12:28 am

Hello,

I'm sorry to read of your Canadian customs woes. It costs an additional 27.5% in tax to import goods from outside the EU to the UK!

I have a solution though. If we use the Express Mail Service on 5 day delivery we have to supply all sorts of customs paperwork. If we use the slower, (7 to 10 day) mail service the customs information is minimal. Also I believe that the customs services are not as vigilant on postal service items and may overlook the duties altogether.

I will try this in the future....

Regards, Robert

drP · Post by **drP** » Sat May 28, 2005 2:02 am

Let the package sent as a gift; did this several times from the US to Europe; never had any problems with the customs.....

Peter

Gramps · Post by **Gramps** » Sat May 28, 2005 4:28 am

english_barber wrote:Hello,

I'm sorry to read of your Canadian customs woes. It costs an additional 27.5% in tax to import goods from outside the EU to the UK!

I have a solution though. If we use the Express Mail Service on 5 day delivery we have to supply all sorts of customs paperwork. If we use the slower, (7 to 10 day) mail service the customs information is minimal. Also I believe that the customs services are not as vigilant on postal service items and may overlook the duties altogether.

I will try this in the future....

Regards, Robert

Robert,

Thanks for trying to come up with a "solution", but it really won't make much difference at this end.
It is considered the "cost of doing business" .... at least by me .

I certainly appreciate the speed with which my package arrived and your service!

Thanks again,

- Gramps

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Sat May 28, 2005 11:16 am

I can't remember how my Kent from TGS was labeled; however, both of my orders from The English Shaving Company were labeled as gifts, and there was never any problem getting them through customs. Then again, my Kent went through customs fine, as well. Is this just a Canada thing? Of all my international orders - and there have been a few - I have never encountered a problem with customs.

growler · Post by **growler** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:07 pm

Gramps:

Tissue paper? I always thought of the Canadadian stuff as "Monopoly money."

Gramps · Post by **Gramps** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:55 pm

Same difference Growler....

Only Tissue paper costs more ...

- Gramps

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:57 pm

Hi Gramps!,

I didn't notice the series of new responses following my initial post. Thank you very much for resurrecting this thread and providing great information - exactly what I was looking for.

Your right about the tissue paper though!

honkdonker · Post by **honkdonker** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:48 pm

I have obtained over 100 purchases from the US, and probably have only had to pay duty on about 4 or 5 of them. USPS is the only way to go, as if stuff is sent via UPS (terrible service anyway!), it will FOR SURE be dutied.

I think Robert has something on the mailing front he mentioned. 4 or 5 days, or 7 or 8, bah, they come over on the same plane anyway!

Marking items as a GIFT is the best way to go. All of my purchases are gifts to myself anyway!

Thanks.

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:36 pm

blueasajewel wrote:I have absolutley no idea what you guys are talking about! ...well except for the beer part.

But I take it from Chris' recommendation that it is indeed cost effective.

Beer is undoubtedly cost effective, if it's good beer.

Gramps · Post by **Gramps** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:39 pm

.
Guys.....
One does not buy beer....

One RENTS beer

Cost effective??

- Gramps