PCS Export Classification for Customs Purposes

[archery]

Hope this is the right place to post, as it needs sign off from Jerry.....

A real point of contention for non-US collectors has been the export classification that PCS, Sideshow and other statue makers use when shipping items abroad. In the EU we are hit with a tax bill of 20% (or higher) of the statue value + shipping cost after receiving our pieces.

Some fine gentlemen in the UK collecting community have been in email conversation with Sideshow, who have now (after much internal debate) agreed to change their export classification from:

9503 - Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dolls' carriages; dolls; other toys; reduced-size ('scale') models and similar recreational models, working or not; puzzles of all kinds

to the correct classification of:

9703 - Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques. Original sculptures and statuary, in any material

Meaning that going forward, we in the UK will pay 5% rather than 20% in tax which saves us 75 USD in tax on a 500 USD piece.

With shipping costs at an all time high and exchange rates in the toilet because of Brexit, it is more expensive than ever to buy direct from PCS (or through resellers), and as a result many of us are letting go of PO's and reducing the number of statues we buy each year. If PCS changes its export classification, buying direct from PCS becomes a little more affordable.

Would really appreciate if Jerry could chime in on this.

[Agoniste]

Originally Posted by archery

Hope this is the right place to post, as it needs sign off from Jerry.....

A real point of contention for non-US collectors has been the export classification that PCS, Sideshow and other statue makers use when shipping items abroad. In the EU we are hit with a tax bill of 20% (or higher) of the statue value + shipping cost after receiving our pieces.

Some fine gentlemen in the UK collecting community have been in email conversation with Sideshow, who have now (after much internal debate) agreed to change their export classification from:

9503 - Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dolls' carriages; dolls; other toys; reduced-size ('scale') models and similar recreational models, working or not; puzzles of all kinds

to the correct classification of:

9703 - Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques. Original sculptures and statuary, in any material

Meaning that going forward, we in the UK will pay 5% rather than 20% in tax which saves us 75 USD in tax on a 500 USD piece.

With shipping costs at an all time high and exchange rates in the toilet because of Brexit, it is more expensive than ever to buy direct from PCS (or through resellers), and as a result many of us are letting go of PO's and reducing the number of statues we buy each year. If PCS changes its export classification, buying direct from PCS becomes a little more affordable.

Would really appreciate if Jerry could chime in on this.

Do younow if Sideshow also changed it for other countries? Here in Canada we pay 15%

[SARFARAZ]

Wow is this true? Hopefully Jerry can look into this as 5% is amazing compared to 20!

[archery]

Not sure if the change applies outside the EU.

Email from Sideshow below taken from FB. Credit to Simon Macdonald and Stephen Chaggs, not sure if those guys are on this forum:

Hi Simon,

Thank you for your patience in this matter. I took the information that you provided and we round tabled with our shipping staff and had several phone meetings with our Fed Ex rep to discuss your concerns and the reclassification of our products.

I am happy to report that the Harmonized code has been altered to 9703 for future shipments into your region.

I appreciate your diligence in this matter and we look forward to shipping your next item out to you!

Best regards,

Robin
Sideshow Support

[mjjj1987]

That would save a lot off money if that's a possibilty

[Oni_Akuma_1982]

That would be so nice !

[qz33]

Originally Posted by archery

Not sure if the change applies outside the EU.

Email from Sideshow below taken from FB. Credit to Simon Macdonald and Stephen Chaggs, not sure if those guys are on this forum:

Hi Simon,

Thank you for your patience in this matter. I took the information that you provided and we round tabled with our shipping staff and had several phone meetings with our Fed Ex rep to discuss your concerns and the reclassification of our products.

I am happy to report that the Harmonized code has been altered to 9703 for future shipments into your region.

I appreciate your diligence in this matter and we look forward to shipping your next item out to you!

Best regards,

Robin
Sideshow Support

Hard to imagine it took this long for even Sideshow to get it right.

[RadAsGhoul]

It affects 140 countries, so it's definitely worth looking into. From the usual 23% VAT and 6% duty, this brought my expenses down to 13% VAT

[Jyester]

My friend you are a legend this is perfect! The below is exactly what they are and I always wondered why we were set to 'wheeled toys'

9703 - Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques. Original sculptures and statuary, in any material

PCS should adjust this with the next shipment if possible and save us all a fortune!

[RadAsGhoul]

Originally Posted by qz33

Hard to imagine it took this long for even Sideshow to get it right.

I tried to look it up on my government page today. It's impossible to find. I actually had to ring revenue and ask them about it. And yes, it does seem like it's correct. Those bastardy are trying to hide this from plain sight. But yeah, if PCS could apply this we'd all save a lot of cash/buy more. Just need to change the code on future paperwork I guess. The full code for this is

9703000000

This has been THE topic of today's conversations across the forums and groups. Sideshows CS confirmed this for me as well.