We have launched a ‘landed cost’ option for delivery to some countries. This allows customers to pay for any customs duties and/or import taxes at our checkout. VOCLA then dispatches your parcel with ‘delivered duty paid’ terms. We pay your duties and taxes to our courier, who in turn pays them to your customs department when the parcel arrives in your country.

This system has several benefits:

• Your parcel should clear through customs faster, allowing faster overall delivery
• You won’t be charged a handling fee by VOCLA or by the courier delivering the parcel, so you will save some money
• You can see what the total cost, the total ‘landed cost’ of your order is, directly on our checkout. You should not be charged extra amounts on delivery
• The courier can deliver the parcel to your home, rather than to a local post office
• You will nolonger need to attend a post office or make a phone call to pay duties/taxes, so it is much more convenient

However, there is one disadvantage. If you need to return items, VOCLA is unable to refund the duties/taxes paid on the returned items. This is because the duties/taxes have been paid over to your tax office. You will need to request a refund from your tax office. If you ask us, we can provide you with a credit note and proof of the refund for the return, which should help to obtain a refund from your tax office.

Most forex prices on our website are discounted, to reflect that no UK VAT is included. Where the landed cost, delivered duty paid option, is available, import VAT and any customs charges will be added to your order. You will see the calculation on the basket and at the checkout. The calculation depends on a number of factors:

• Tax thresholds – some countries have a threshold and below this, you will not be charged import taxes. However, most countries, particularly EU countries, have a zero threshold, and you will be charged import VAT, at the VAT rate applicable to your country.
• Customs thresholds – likewise, some countries have a threshold for customs duties. For example, EU countries have a threshold of €150, so you will not be charged customs duties on orders below €150. If your order is larger value, you may wish to split the order into two, to save on customs duties
• Free trade agreements – we dispatch goods from the UK, but the products are manufactured around the world. We have to declare the original country of manufacture. This is given on the ‘product information’ tab, for every product page. If the country is one with which your country holds a free trade agreement, you should not be charged customs duties. For example, the EU has free trade agreements with the UK, other EU countries, and Colombia. Therefore, EU customers should not be charged customs duties on any brand manufactured in those countries (such as PUMP!, TOF Paris and Modus Vivendi). 

If you need any help, please just let us know. We cannot provide tax advice, but can help guide you.

We are not allowed to change the values of your items and order, to reduce the cost of import VAT and/or customs duties. This would be fraud. The parcel would be at risk of being seized. Therefore, can we politely ask that you please do not make such requests.