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Promo goods from China to UK as a sole trader

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BookishHelp

BookishHelp

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Apr 12, 2025
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Hi there!

I have just purchased six packages from China of promotional items to give away as free goodie bags at some upcoming events.

These are relatively small purchases - the most expensive was around £500.

The total order includes 200x bookmarks, 200x pins, 200 bags, 200 cups, 200 notebooks and 200 highlighters. (All separate purchases).

I'm a sole trader and not VAT registered. I do have an EORI number but I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with the amount of info out there relating to customs. Could anyone advise what to expect as someone who has never encountered customs before? I paid sales tax at point of purchase.

3 suppliers have informed me that their services are 'door to door', which from what I can confirm means that they will deal with any customs requirements and I just need to sit back and wait for the order to be delivered. The others have not yet confirmed so I'm trying to work out what to prepare for, and if I can do anything in advance to avoid any border delays. I'm also trying to work out if this is something I can/should do myself, or if I need a customs agent to help even though this is a small order. If I can work out this process I'll likely place more orders in future and I'd really like to be better prepared!


Many thanks.
 
For small orders the Chines suppliers usually use couriers like DHL, UPS, Fedex etc and with these you don't need to deal with customs. You will receive a invoice from courier for VAT and custom fees. Some couriers will send it before delivery and it needs to be paid before delivery. Others, Fedex for example delivers goods first and sends the invoice later.
 
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boxlot said:
For small orders the Chines suppliers usually use couriers like DHL, UPS, Fedex etc and with these you don't need to deal with customs. You will receive a invoice from courier for VAT and custom fees. Some couriers will send it before delivery and it needs to be paid before delivery. Others, Fedex for example delivers goods first and sends the invoice later.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! That makes me feel better. I've been digging around more after posting and this ties in with what I've found, so feeling a lot more comfortable now!
 
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Contact your local freight forwarder/courier (e.g., DHL, FedEx) to ask: "What’s the maximum value allowed for imported goods to avoid customs duties in UK?"
For example, I have been selling shoe ornaments for an European customer for many years from China. In China shipments under ¥5,000 (~$680) can skip formal customs and ship directly via couriers. If your country has a similar threshold (say, £150-£300), ask your suppliers to split large orders into smaller parcels to stay under the limit.
 
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The threshold for duty free entry to the UK is £135 per consignment. This doesn’t apply to VAT as VAT applies to the whole value.
I would never recommend importers break the law by asking the supplier to split parcels or lower values. You may get away with it for while but it can come back and bite you badly. Just because you have got something through customs it doesn’t mean they can’t come after you later. In the UK customs can issue bills for underpaid duty up to 3 years after import.

It’s known to be happening so everywhere is looking to remove these concessions as already happened in the USA.
 
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Have your suppliers indicated whether they are sending by air, or another method?

This may affect shipping costs if orders are broken down, perhaps negating any savings you may have regards to keeping under the threshold of £135 per consignment to avoid paying duties.

1 consolidated shipment will be cheaper to send than 6 smaller shipments, depending on the shipping method.

My advice is to consolidate the shipment (if viable), send in one consignment and pay whatever taxes are applicable. You may find that the import duty on the products you've ordered are negligible.

You can find the import duty tariffs here

You'll sleep better at night.
 
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Winn said:
— Winn
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ChatGPT wrote this message in it's entirety, not a person called Winn (as I presume is true of all recent messages). I don't know this forum's views on that practice, but I find it dispiriting. Soon all the internet will be AI talking to AI 🫠 But in a forum about international business relations, I suppose it makes sense.
 
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BookishHelp said:
Hi there!

I have just purchased six packages from China of promotional items to give away as free goodie bags at some upcoming events.

These are relatively small purchases - the most expensive was around £500.

The total order includes 200x bookmarks, 200x pins, 200 bags, 200 cups, 200 notebooks and 200 highlighters. (All separate purchases).

I'm a sole trader and not VAT registered. I do have an EORI number but I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with the amount of info out there relating to customs. Could anyone advise what to expect as someone who has never encountered customs before? I paid sales tax at point of purchase.

3 suppliers have informed me that their services are 'door to door', which from what I can confirm means that they will deal with any customs requirements and I just need to sit back and wait for the order to be delivered. The others have not yet confirmed so I'm trying to work out what to prepare for, and if I can do anything in advance to avoid any border delays. I'm also trying to work out if this is something I can/should do myself, or if I need a customs agent to help even though this is a small order. If I can work out this process I'll likely place more orders in future and I'd really like to be better prepared!


Many thanks.
Click to expand...
We understand how overwhelming importing promotional products can feel, especially when you're dealing with multiple suppliers, shipping terms, customs requirements, and potential delays.

We wish you the best with your upcoming events and hope everything arrives smoothly and on time!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Worth adding a quick distinction on "door to door".
Some suppliers mean DDP (all-in: freight + VAT + delivery). Pay them once, done.
Others mean shipping only – and you'll pay VAT separately when it lands.
Just ask one question upfront: "Does your price include UK import VAT?"
Saves a lot of surprises later.
 
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To pull off this seamless, door-to-door logistics solution, these forwarders establish and register dual legal entities—one in China and another in the UK.

First, the forwarder's Chinese entity handles the initial cargo consolidation at their local origin warehouse and securely stuffs the goods into ocean containers. The containerized cargo is then shipped overseas, typically routing to major UK ports like the Port of Felixstowe. Upon arrival, the forwarder's registered UK entity acts as the legal importer of record, utilizing their own UK corporate setup to handle customs declarations, clear the goods, and pay all applicable import duties and VAT upfront. Finally, once customs releases the container, it is hauled to the forwarder's local UK warehouse where the cargo is stripped, sorted, and handed over to domestic couriers like DPD for the final-mile delivery straight to the customer's door. In the all time, the final customer dont need to handle any custom and duty, just need to wait for the goods arrived.
 
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BookishHelp said:
Hi there!

I have just purchased six packages from China of promotional items to give away as free goodie bags at some upcoming events.

These are relatively small purchases - the most expensive was around £500.

The total order includes 200x bookmarks, 200x pins, 200 bags, 200 cups, 200 notebooks and 200 highlighters. (All separate purchases).

I'm a sole trader and not VAT registered. I do have an EORI number but I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with the amount of info out there relating to customs. Could anyone advise what to expect as someone who has never encountered customs before? I paid sales tax at point of purchase.

3 suppliers have informed me that their services are 'door to door', which from what I can confirm means that they will deal with any customs requirements and I just need to sit back and wait for the order to be delivered. The others have not yet confirmed so I'm trying to work out what to prepare for, and if I can do anything in advance to avoid any border delays. I'm also trying to work out if this is something I can/should do myself, or if I need a customs agent to help even though this is a small order. If I can work out this process I'll likely place more orders in future and I'd really like to be better prepared!


Many thanks.
Click to expand...
How can I help😊
 
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