Revenue has issued a press release to remind online shoppers to check whether the advertised price of online goods includes all tax and duty costs due before deciding to buy. Additional charges, including VAT and Customs Duty, can apply to goods bought online from non-EU countries (including Great Britain) once the goods arrive in Ireland. Revenue also cautioned online shoppers to be wary of goods advertised online at attractively low prices, as the goods may be counterfeit.
Speaking about the additional charges which may arise when buying goods online from non-EU countries Ms. Maureen Dalton, Head of Revenue’s South East Frontier Management Branch, advised:
“All goods will be liable to VAT, whilst goods with a customs value of more than €150 will be liable to both Customs Duty and VAT. This means, for example, that an item of clothing bought online from the US or UK, at an equivalent cost of €250, could cost in the region of €97 extra for Customs Duty, VAT, insurance, and handling fees.
Before deciding to buy goods online, shoppers should therefore check whether the advertised price includes any taxes, duties or administrative fees applicable. This will ensure that they are not faced with unexpected charges on delivery.
Consumers should also be aware that a ‘.ie’ domain name does not necessarily mean that the seller is based in Ireland. Shoppers can check where a business is based by reading through the ‘About’, ‘Contact us’ and ‘Terms and Conditions’ sections of its website.”
Revenue seize counterfeit goods at the point of importation. Counterfeit goods worth almost €5.8 million were seized in 2022.
Commenting on the risks associated with counterfeit goods, Ms. Dalton cautioned:
“Imitation brand clothing, runners, handbags and mobile devices are among the counterfeit goods most commonly seized by Revenue. Some of these goods are not subject to regulation in the country where they are made and are often of a poor quality, which fails to conform with accepted safety standards.
Shoppers should therefore take care when purchasing goods online, both from a health and safety perspective, and from the perspective of making sure that they don’t suffer a financial loss when the goods they purchase are seized because they are counterfeit.”
Summarising her advice to consumers, Ms Dalton concluded:
“When shopping online, shoppers should be mindful that some deals are too good to be true, and what looks like a good decision to buy can ultimately be an expensive, or even dangerous one.”
Information on tax and duty charges that may arise on goods bought online for personal use can be found on the Revenue website. Persons with information regarding the smuggling or sale of counterfeit goods can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
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