Smart dolls to the UK/EU

Hi all,

I'm very interested in adding a smart doll girl to my current group, but I'm a little scared about being hit by customs charges on top of the cost of the doll. Is anyone able to share their experience shipping to the UK, or does anyone know of any EU dealers?

I read that a few years back the packages were being marked down for customs, does anyone know if this still happens?

 

Thanks for the help everyone. Looking forward to joining you.

I've known a few people in the EU who got dolls and the VAT is pretty bad.

Some vendors in Japan under declare the value on request, but keep in mind that this is illegal and not everyone does it. You aren't protected by insurance if the undervalued package gets lost.

Japan has some new export requirements on packages valued at ¥200,000 or higher, so its a bigger deal to under-declare on some items.

Danny does offer shipping on packages over ¥60,000, so it might be a tradeoff where you buy your doll + clothing and pay the VAT but save on the shipping.

Here is the link to his shipping page, and there is a section on "customs." I'm not seeing any offer to undervalue on request, so I am guessing he does not. Even if some places do it, it really is illegal, so law abiding folks just won't.

https://info.smartdoll.jp/en/posts/about-shipping

Yeah, I would have got an Eiji when they became available again recently if not for the cost of importing a doll - it adds more than I can afford right now, at least £100 on top of the cost of a basic doll without clothes. Doesn't help that the pound is so weak at the moment too. No EU dealers that I know of. My only Smart Doll came used from a UK-based eBay seller (and still cost most of what I would pay new, but not quite all, so...). So I haven't bought from Culture Japan directly and can't speak to their policy on marking down the price - I definitely wouldn't count on it happening though. I just plan and save for import costs when buying a doll, otherwise it can be a painful surprise!

It's probably worth keeping an eye out on the secondary market, they do come up sometimes. Hope you can get your girl.

Unfortunately, there are no EU dealers of Smart Doll. If there was, I'd totally buy from them. 

It's been a while since I've ordered from the Smart Doll store and had it shipped to me. My last order was picked up by a friend in Japan. So I don't know if Danny still marks down packages. About a year or so ago, I know that he mentioned that he wouldn't do it anymore. When this was posted in the Smart Doll Lovers FB group, this basically led to a *LOT* of European customers saying that they'd no longer order due to custom fees. He removed that section on the website within 24 hours. 

Prepare for customs because chances you'll escape their grasp are slim to none.

I feel super lucky to have found a Smart Doll very close by. Unfortunately I seem to like her so much that I'm currently saving up to add another girl to the family.

I've checked the official retailers and none are located in Europe, unfortunately. It's a fact that I have no clue what boxes a retailer should tick before they're allowed to partner up or if an individual is even allowed to do it or I'd volunteer right away. I have had to deal with customs way more than I would have liked so it wouldn't be a first dealing with them. 

Just to give you a rough idea of customs. A Smartdoll with the apparel set (¥ 62000) will cost us € 506,00. Shipping is free on anything above ¥ 60000. Now add the import tax (€ 21,25), the VAT (€ 110,00) and the price just went up to € 650,00. That's € 144,00 vanishing into thin air. And don't get me started on what I actually want to order. My current grail doll with a different size bust and hands will cost me € 1556,00 in the best case scenario, losing more than € 332,00 to the government. Because yes, the number crunching above are all best case scenario.

Sometimes companies mark down and you'll get lucky to shave off a little of the fee. Sometimes they don't mark down and you just pay the taxes. Sometimes they mark down and customs decide to hold your package ransom because they don't trust it. You'll have to send them all kinds of evidence of the purchase in that case and seeing the price on your information is higher than declared on the package you'll be smacked with some extra fines as well for trying to avoid taxes when you didn't ask for it to be downmarked in the first place. 

Sorry for the little rant but collecting dolls anywhere that has custom fees is very expensive. It's really sad to see.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Siara

Even if the seller would markdown down the price it would make no difference to the custom fees I pay 😕 I declare customs through web and I never get to see what's written on the package before I get it home. I have to reserve +30% for customs (usually 120-200€)

It would be good to have SmartDoll seller in Europe 😊 Prefertable in one of the countries that has euro as currency as I'd rather get rid of customs and currency convertions

oh dear, this is bad news...! ☹️

 I'd been looking at the European secondary market but nothing came up lately, so I took a chance and ordered from Danny's store during his 24hr sale.  I'm prepared to have to pay customs fees but half hoping it won't happen... in my dreams maybe!

Pihlajakoto   I'm sorry your fees are so high in Finland, I thought the UK was bad enough. 

Eiko82     hello  I'm happy to see you here!!!

I paid 150 euros on Prowess, if it helps with giving you an approximate of how the VAT and custom charges will be (I'm in Greece).