Dear UK miniature makers

[sundancer 42985xp 5]

The following text is a carbon copy from my personal blog:

Where do I start? How do I say this? Well, better to rip of the band aid then peeling it slowly I guess.

I’m not going to buy any more minis from you.[*]

I know that isn’t a nice way to say to someone you never met but I just can’t do it any more. And the reason for this is quiet obvious. Brexit. There I said it.

Now why is it that I can’t support small independent miniature makers like

• Heresy Miniatures
• Morgue Miniatures
• Oakbound Studio
• Fogou
• and all the others I have forgotten…

any more? Well it boils down to money. I love the stuff you lot are doing and I know the UK has some of the most passionate and talented persons in our hobby. But since Brexit shipping has gone mental and it also adds 19% VAT for every order. So an order that was 20€ before now climbs to 25€ to 30€. And there is no more value in it for me as a customer. That sucks big time. I do look for local resellers of your works but as it is currently stands I’ll just not put any more money into it.

Bigger companies who do have distributors in mainland EU will still see my occasional coin but that’s about it.

“But what about that [*] you put up there?”

Glad you asked. Of course, as with any rule, there are exceptions. Kickstarters That I have backed pre-Brexit and have just been not delivered yet due to the pandemic will not be returned. And when Andy finally releases his skeleton Kickstarter I will have to look deep into myself and my purse. But I really want them…

I’m sorry UK folk. I really am. I hope things get better soon. Stay safe and remain indoors! 😉

[warcoloursParticipant 438xp 3]

I feel your pain. Brexit has been damaging the hobby quite a bit, as I see it. As a matter of fact my own work as a commission painter has been affected, since a large amount of my customers are in Uk and now I have to pay custom dues for any miniatures they send me to paint… and then they often have to pay custom dues to have them returned… insane, when you think that there is no actual sale going on, but such is the nature of the beast…

[praefectusclassisParticipant 139xp 3]

We’re still crunching the data, but many wargamers echo what you’re saying. Retailers with good EU shipping rates and a large range of minis on offer may see their business increase quite a bit.

Warcolours – I’d investigate customs regulations if I were you. Origin and final destination do play a role. If 100% of the minis you import into the EU also leave the EU, you/they might be able to get import tax back. Similarly, if the customer can prove the minis originated in the UK, there should be no import tax (though arguably, they have been materially changed by painting which may complicate matters). It may be a pain in the posterior to figure out, but could be worth it.

[phaidknott 7023xp 2]

Well the VAT “should” be approximately be about the same (it was just more “hidden” before), as UK retailers selling to the EU shouldn’t be charging VAT anymore (unless they’ve signed up for one of those reciprocal VAT schemes). VAT should then be charged in the customers country at their local rate. Previously the VAT was charged by the seller (and UK prices are customarily shown as “inc VAT” vs other countries like the US who show their prices before sales tax (which is why your 99cent burger always costs a few cents more than the sign says above the counter)). There’s a lot of confusion with this whole BREXIT thing (I’m not to sure myself), and there has been some overcharging done stemming from this confusion more than anything. But as a rule………

“After Brexit, businesses based in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) can no longer apply the reverse charge to EU sales. … If your business is based in Great Britain, and you sell goods to EU businesses, you will not apply VAT to your invoices.”

There was a “transitional” period, where if your sales to the EU came under £70K then the seller DID charge VAT (unless they registered for a VAT number in a EU country), but I think that’s stopped now. And ofc ordering from Northern Ireland at the moment is even more confusing (I wouldn’t want to be Warren in trying to sort that lot out).

 

 

 

Where things HAVE gone up post Brexit is that the shipping companies are now charging admin/handling fees to collect eh VAT (as well as the shipping rates going crazy, but that’s worldwide not just in Europe).

[sundancer 42985xp 2]

Prices “should” be the same is correct. But since no seller that I know of has decreased their prices (or shown before VAT) it now just gets slapped on by the time it comes here…

It’s a mess :S

[avernosKeymaster 33947xp 2]

Ordering from Northern Ireland is a piece of piss, as long as the company has registered for VAT it’s the same as it always was. doesn’t matter if you’re in dudley or dusseldorf.

[sundancer 42985xp 0]

That is true but most UK mini makers I find are in mainland UK :S Maybe there is a business model in that? Make a store for UK bases manufacturers and sell them to EU? Or am I missing something again?

[avernosKeymaster 33947xp 1]

I’m replying to phaidknott’s comment that ordering from NI is more confusing, it’s literally the same as it always was with no extra hoops or weirdness

[sundancer 42985xp 0]

Ah OK, my bad… carry on then. 🙂

[flatbattery 8265xp 1]

There’s a lot more going on than just Brexit, at this point it’s become the go to excuse for everything and anything. Wouldn’t a worldwide pandemic and a crippling shortage of shipping containers be higher on the list?

[avernosKeymaster 33947xp 6]

no, because once those things equalise the additional import charges will remain

[flatbattery 8265xp 2]

In that case my ire would be directed at the European Commission for making the divorce difficult out of spite, instead of making it sound like every English person who voted for it is to blame.

[avernosKeymaster 33947xp 7]

I’m not going to get into a political debate over this, but spite had nothing to do with it.

[lonkelo 3195xp 1]

I haven’t noticed much pricewise myself, but haven’t been paying attention to that. (“You should, though!!” my wallet screams at me…)

My pain comes from the time it takes to ship things across the Channel these days. Brexit and the Pandemic have led to a perfect storm, leading to shipping taking two months from the UK to the Netherlands. TWO!! On Kickstarter I’ve seen people in Japan getting their minis earlier then me T_T

[solarParticipant 2781xp 1]

I can understand why the EU was bitter about losing the UK but it did very much, and still does, come across as spiteful. Mainly I suspect to scare other countries from trying the same thing

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