Scalextric European deliveries cancelled

CMOTD · 26th-Feb-21, 01:04 PM

LINK

So Hornby have been shipping worldwide for many years, with all the paperwork that entails without problems but now can't cope with shipping to Europe (or the rest of the world)! The mind boggles.

Funny how a small family firm like Pendles can cope with the new arrangements but Hornby can't.

woodcote · 26th-Feb-21, 01:35 PM

From what that statement says, it's only orders to Europe that are suspended. The rest of the world is 'delayed'.

It is pretty chaotic out there... new cars sent from Avant Slot and Team Slot in Spain over 3 weeks ago still haven't arrived with the UK distributor. My partner gets sent books and journals from France and Germany - some still get through in 6-7 days (books and papers are not eligible for VAT and should sail through customs), but others have been delayed for weeks or simply not arrived. Shipping to and from North America has been utterly bonkers the past 12 months...

I am only guessing, but I presume the issue is with the shipping company Hornby uses for EU orders - likely a contract it's difficult and/or expensive to get out of quickly. That's often the difference between a small company like Pendles and a larger one like Hornby.

CMOTD · 26th-Feb-21, 02:02 PM

Perhaps Hornby use 'Hermes'. Rofl

Scuderia_Turini · 28th-Feb-21, 01:30 PM

See, this is why Brexit was inevitable, Brits don't seem to realise that the UK has always been in Europe.

Leo (in pedant mood!)

Anthony B · 28th-Feb-21, 03:30 PM

I honestly think the issue is with customs in Europe.

I dont believe there is any deliberate intent to delay, but I am sure no new additional people/staff have been employed and thus there is a natural backlog into customs. Added to this are the increased charges which I am sure that local sellers on both sides who have contracts with their clients cannot absorb. So I am sure there are a LOT of unclaimed parcels both sides, being sent back so purchases/costs not accepted.

Having said that - this harks back to the 60's and it will not belong before direct shipments ex China direct to their own distributor in Europe/UK will start happening, cutting through trans-shipping via UK and /or Europe. Of course for European manufacturers, the issue remains....

CMOTD · 28th-Feb-21, 04:58 PM

(28th-Feb-21, 01:30 PM)Scuderia_Turini Wrote: See, this is why Brexit was inevitable, Brits don't seem to realise that the UK has always been in Europe.

Leo (in pedant mood!)

Pedantry is my speciality. The UK has never been "in" Europe (as opposed to the EU which is a different thing entirely). It was once part of the land mass that is referred to as the continent of Europe but became separated after the last ice age. Europe is a hypothetical concept anyway as it is part of the much larger landmass known as Eurasia which includes Asia as well.

The UK is just one of the many islands in the North Sea/Atlantic Ocean which are not physically connected to any so called geographical continent.

Scuderia_Turini · 28th-Feb-21, 09:32 PM

Cheers Brian, we disagree on the geographical context but agree on the sentiment.

Leo

JasonB · 28th-Feb-21, 09:53 PM

(28th-Feb-21, 04:58 PM)CMOTD Wrote: Pedantry is my speciality. The UK has never been "in" Europe (as opposed to the EU which is a different thing entirely). It was once part of the land mass that is referred to as the continent of Europe but became separated after the last ice age. Europe is a hypothetical concept anyway as it is part of the much larger landmass known as Eurasia which includes Asia as well.

The UK is just one of the many islands in the North Sea/Atlantic Ocean which are not physically connected to any so called geographical continent.

Haha!!! That's not pedantry mate, it's mental gymnastics. Rofl

By definition, the word Europe includes the UK.

dvd3500 · 1st-Mar-21, 11:21 AM

We got our Christmas cards from my Mom in the US on the same day we got her Valentine's Day cards: 13 Feb.
Valentine's Day cards were sent 10 Feb
Christmas cards were send 10 Dec.
?!
From what I gather from my British Car friends the problem could be "country of origin".

The duty and tax free rules only apply to things made in the UK so an article with "Made in China" stamped on it will be subject not just to VAT (over a certain amount) but to duty as well as it looks like it was simply passed on through the UK.

This is a lot of speculation on my part of course but I could see it making sense as the types of packages that are getting through are often obviously UK manufacture or exempt (books as Woodcote mentioned).

An acquaintance for example bought car parts from a UK seller. Customers opened it up and charged VAT on the UK stuff but things stamped "made in China" got taxed and levied. These items are usually available within the EU so the buyer was miffed because he added them to the order because it seemed easy... problem was, he couldn't accept just part of the package...

I haven't been desperate enough yet to order from the UK since last Dec. but I will at some point... let's all hope that this bed is comfortable...