Is it worth buying online?

[sheppsea]

Hi There,

Has anyone here had any experience of buying boxes of cigars online? I am looking at the possibility of buying some from an EU website but understand that the price listed isn't actually what you pay, and that you need to pay VAT and excise duty; I just wanted to know if once all this has been paid is it actually worth buying them online?

Or would it actually be worth just to buying a plane ticket and have a weekend trip abroad and bringing back some with you?

Apologies if this is a repeat topic; I did try to read through the paying excise sticky, but I could really understand it - sorry!

[Simon Bolivar]

Hi Shep,
As you haven't said you're trying to avoid tax & duty & ask whether it's worth it once this has been added, I'll stick my neck on the block & answer you; although of course I am always willing to be corrected by the Mods.

Buying from you EU, when visiting on hols or business, is on of the prime reasons that some of us travel in the first place. Just remember to keep receipts & the size of you buy reasonable so it doesn't look like you are buying to re-sell (like the fag smugglers), then it is maybe 15-20% cheaper. But buying them on the internet & paying the tax & duty definately isn't, you will pay more than buying them from a reputable UK online dealer like our sponser cgars Ltd. Duty I believe is calculatede by the weight of the cigars (& they weigh them in the box!).
So to answer your honest question no it isn't. Obviously avoid asking if it's cheaper without declaring to HMCR, as that is against the rules & there's a high chance they will be consficated & destroyed (although HMRC do assure us they are not burned one at a time).

[sheppsea]

Thanks for response, I guessed that would be the case. I obviously want to avoid doing anything illegal, was just checking my options

[Eddie]

Get a cheap flight to Geneva. If you are buying some premium sticks you may find that if you get a cheap flight you will save money on only 1 box.

For example a Swiss retailer has BHK 56 boxes of 10 for over ?100 cheaper than a uk dealer.... and you can bring back 50 cigars duty free.

Mail order would be a pain in the ass or illegal depending on if you wish to pay tax / duty so you may as well just fly out, get lunch and a coffee and buy a box whilst there.

[sheppsea]

Thanks - having a mini break while buying some cigars is nothing to complain about and I am now in fact really looking forward to my trip to Berlin at the end of May! 😎

I was just thinking about the convenience of ordering online for future reference but doesn't really seem to be an option

[Eddie]

The advantage of Geneva is that there is very little duty. I'm not sure about the prices in Germany. Enjoy your trip though.

[daniel2001]

I'm planning to head for Geneva sometime in the Autumn to pickup a couple of boxes and have a wonder round the city. Calculated that with the flights and a reasonably central hotel, the savings on 50 cigars amount to the cost of the flights and hotel. Spend the same and get a weekend away as well.

Bargain.

[sheppsea]

I think I will definitely be making a trip to Geneva later in the year!

Its crazy that with the money you save you can actually fit in a holiday, although it is a shame that British businesses miss out because of it.

[tippexx]

Or would it actually be worth just to buying a plane ticket and have a weekend trip abroad and bringing back some with you?

Yes. A cheap flight from Stansted to Geneva or Gatwick to Gibraltar (though the more seasoned and devious might recommend Algeciras instead) would make spending a few quid worthwhile. But remember the Duty Free Allowance varies EU or Non-EU.

Other than that young Grasshopper .... have fun!

[Eddie]

Duty free from outside the EU is 50 cigars per person. Within the EU it is unlimited (as technicaly not duty free), BUT if they think you are importing to resell they can seize them.

[sheppsea]

Duty free from outside the EU is 50 cigars per person. Within the EU it is unlimited (as technicaly not duty free), BUT if they think you are importing to resell they can seize them.

Yeah, I've been looking that up, apparently anything over 200 cigars from within the EU is when customs start to get suspicious and ask questions, I'm not sure how likely they would be to confiscate it but I suppose it isn't really worth the risk

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm

[Eddie]

Yeah, I've been looking that up, apparently anything over 200 cigars from within the EU is when customs start to get suspicious and ask questions, I'm not sure how likely they would be to confiscate it but I suppose it isn't really worth the risk

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm

I guess it all depends on your answers.

HMRC have rizzlas in their offices for people who bring in loads of loose tobacco. The make then roll to see if they genuinely smoke roll ups.

[cj121]

Shame they don't have cabs of Cubans to check out whether someone smokes cigars ay! Just think, you could declare the fact that you might be going to buy a shed load of sticks, on the way out, and you'd like to prove you can smoke one or two

[Deano]

Glad to see intelligent debate about it. Ultimately if they're for personal use and you've paid any tax and have receipts, then they can be as suspicious as they like! But as you say, may not be worth the risk if they think you're trying to resell. And 8+ boxes may indicate that.

However, where are you intending to buy? Switzerland (and Gib) are not part of the EU.... so it's a max of 50. (They blocked it again in 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20579029)

[tippexx]

If as you say it's Berlin, you can legally bring back a fair bit. But, here's the but, cigars unless you're buying Mini's are quite bulky and unlikely to be allowed as day-trip hand luggage. The budget airlines will charge a hefty premium for hold luggage which will possible wipe out a fair bit of what you've saved by buying in Germany.

Still, that isn't all that a cigar trip to Berlin is about, there's plenty of excellent cigar shops and lounges to visit, they make you very welcome and everything from beer to coffee to cigars are superb. Have a great trip!