I joined this site to give you guys some warning if you purchase EastTop harmonicas on the well known listing site. I ended up posting my experience on another Trusty Piloty review site because of limited space on the listing site. As they say ‘Caveat Emptor’!
"The ‘Ol Does It Include VAT? Trick’ Beware
This is for the harmonica manufacturing company in China. Be very careful on eBay - if you make a purchase, say, for several harmonicas in different keys above a value of £135 - you’ll incur custom’s duties (2.5%) and VAT (20%) as they come from China - Plus Courier’s fee plus yet more VAT! Even if below the threshold - you still have to pay VAT - and EastTop know this!
Most Chinese companies on eBay now include VAT in their prices (or at least advise you so you can see) - But sometimes EastTop do - and sometimes they don’t!
I had to pay the courier £64.45 import fees or they wouldn’t deliver the parcel! Sting!
Yes EastTop know this - and they use the old trick of sometimes quoting - and sometimes not - VAT in their ‘negotiations’. Be very careful when attempting to bid - because they invite you to. Be warned.
This VAT trick was outlawed in retail early on in the UK by insisting the public clearly know the full VAT price because the public can’t reclaim VAT. (However trade sites don’t quote it because Tradesmen can reclaim it.)
EastTop know this - and they also know if you are going to get a big custom’s bill.
Customs and VAT are a mystery - because if you purchase, say an expensive musical instrument from Germany - even if it’s valued at £2,500 - for an Alto Saxophone - you don’t pay duty or VAT in the UK. Saxophones are cheaper to order from Germany than to purchase in the UK. And so are harmonicas!
Unfortunately EastTop don’t warn you - so you’d be forgiven for thinking that the arrangements are the same - whatever they are. Sometimes eBay listings included VAT - sometimes not. But you still have to pay it.
EastTop allow ‘making an offer’ on their products - and if you think you have negotiated a good price - you’ll get caught for custom’s duties AND VAT - at the highest rate.
Their prices fluctuate wildly - sometimes with VAT sometimes not. If you buy on eBay the price should include VAT - like TEMU. Sometimes it does with EastTop - sometimes it doesn’t. If you know the price of anything you’ve purchased on eBay in the past - and you try and find it in your history later, you have to know the ‘without’ VAT price! You’ll never find it in your Banking account!
And then EastTop reduced their price by £45! - think of the reduced import fees? So my ‘bid’ was way overpriced.
So warning!
Purchase any musical instruments from Germany (see later ) - and don’t engage in the charade of bidding.
Remember - EastTop’s prices are way way inflated in the first place - to price in your deal. So don’t be hoodwinked. You’ll be fleeced - and you’ll pay heavy custom’s duties and max VAT - plus the Courier’s hefty fee for collecting it - incurring yet more VAT! (When it’s all done electronically and they are delivering anyway - it’s called ‘sweating the service’. If you thought Bank Charges were a con - you ain’t seen nothing yet!)
So the courier will typically add on a further £12 - £25 ‘admin’ charge! And you will not be surprised that this too attracts yet more VAT!
Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em; Little fleas have littler fleas - and so add infinite-em!
When buying harmonicas, or blues Harps - buy Hohners, Seydel Söhnes or Lee Oscar’s (and you can get Lee Oscar spares too) - from Germany (do a ‘Thomann’ search!) Where VAT is quoted and collected at source and no custom’s duties either. Very good (unmanipulated) prices! And fair.
Remember - Caveat Emptor"
End of review.
I hope you publish me!
