World Options for EU FBA

#1

I wanted to start another thread other than the “Shipping to Germany” thread to discuss the company World Options.

https://uk.worldoptions.com

Today, I got my first consignment cleared by French customs. I registered on their website and got a call back within minutes. When it came to preparing the paperless documentation, my rep walked me through it. It wasn’t painless but we got there.

This was after sending a consignment using APC (UPS) two months ago to Germany with zero success. It’s still stuck in customs. My VAT accountant, Avask, called Germany vindictive and pedantic when it came to UK imports. Don’t ship FBA stock to Germany!!

To see this today almost made me have a little cry…

“Mar 02, 2021 05:52:10 PM - - Completed customs clearance process”

Please keep this thread just about questions and answers regarding World Options and their services, costs, options, questions.

#2

I had a good experience sending to France via World Options / UPS too.

16 Feb - despatched
23 Feb - delivered to LYS1 FC
24 Feb - units showing in stock

#3

@ThomasCulpeper You were the one that posted about them, so thank you.

At that point I was looking to find an IOR (Importer of Record) in Germany that was going to cost hundreds of pounds per consignment. It was untenable. Importing into France, where this is not a requirement, is huge.

I’m only going to have to add a couple of euros in price to our items, rather than doubling the price.

#4

@Ahora No problem. The only thing I’ve found is that none of my units have been transferred from FR to DE which I thought they would be with Pan EU. I was hoping not to have to send to Germany directly!

#5

I think they will be if that’s what Amazon’s bots want, the remainder of the EU is still Pan EU after all.

I started talking to World Options today and am looking at FR
I’m not sure why we all (most) gravitated to DE? Maybe just because the majority of us sell more on DE?

#6

@ThomasCulpeper The stock you are seeing is PAN EU. You won’t have to send to Germany as well. When you look at stock while on your German inventory page, you will see it’s there too.

I had our first box sent with World Options go live today in France. Less than a week from ship to live!

The box I sent to Germany on 12 January using APC (UPS) is still stuck in customs. I wish they would just send it back.

#7

Thanks for opening this thread, am looking into World Options at the moment. Definitely need someone to walk me through the whole process!

Do they charge for helping you with the document prep etc? Roughly how much are they charging per 15kg box?

#8

I realise the stock is available in Germany, but when I look at the Daily Inventory report which breaks it down by individual fulfilment centres, they are all still in the French one. Which presumably means longer delivery times for German customers. I had thought they’d distribute it throughout the EU countries we’ve authorised storage in.

Good news about your French shipment!

#9

A 15kg box cost me £36.31 including all charges. I haven’t paid anything yet as I haven’t been sent an invoice.

My rep, Les, walked me through the first shipment. It was easier than I thought. The only issue I had was that my German EORI number was too long. I was told to add it to the “additional comments” box which appears on the commercial invoice.

You can choose paperless, which is brilliant. No docs for them to lose!

#10

Mine’s had quite a lot of the stock transferred to Poland, which is for the German marketplace. You might find they will move it around later.

#11

Great thread @ThomasCulpeper & @Aroha and so much valuable information for those sellers sending stock into the EU well done guys

#12

It would be interesting to compare DE to FR in regard to VAT charges and how they are valued collected,invoiced and ultimately claimed back.

I have just sent a test shipment to France with my stand alone UPS account(for clarity) in regard to the World Options route.

Direct with UPS it was 29.36 for a 20kg box. I will report back as it progresses.

The main extra cost is the one off customs clearance fee of £15.53 which is per shipment not per box .

So for example if you send 20 boxes @ 12kg in a shipment you can get it down to £9.50 a box

#13

Here’s the breakdown of World Options / UPS for a 15kg box.

Base Price: £14.53
Fuel Charge: £1.75
Admin (Customs) Charge: £15.53
Brexit Charge: £4.50
Total:£36.31

#14

Actually it was even quicker than I thought. We don’t get shipments live this fast in the UK!

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#15

I’ve had 5 consignments go live now. Average time is 3-4 days from ship to live.

Pretty much everything is going to CDG7 where it goes to FC transfer straight away, much like BHX4.

#16

I have one pallet that was collected last week by Regional Express still en route to DE, I have received an invoice for VAT & Duty but no breakdown yet. They did say this; As soon as the goods are customs cleared and we receive the actual payment made to the German customs we will arrange a new invoice with supporting documents
I have two pallets booked through World Options (thank you @Aroha) being picked up tomorrow bound for FR.

#17

cool - and how about the import duty and vat calcs. Please give us an example of how that works please

Thanks

#18

I am just about ready to send my first shipment with them. The bit of info that seems to be missing is about the SAD to reclaim the French VAT. Have UPS sent it?

#19

How much did it cost to send the two pallets into France out of interest? Thanks!

#20

What I’ve been invoiced by Regional for the pallet to Germany doesn’t make sense but I’m hoping they’ll be a breakdown when I see the actual German invoice.
At present declared (honest values) UK & EU manufactured goods £1,231, the VAT element of the advance invoice is €394 so about 28%
The duty though is laughable, I deliberately included a few ROW manufactured products, total declared value £61 but the duty I’ve been invoiced is €110 so approximately 159%

The value of the pallets to FR is declared at £6,500 I’ll let you know what happens.

actual cost to FR I do not yet know but it’s going to be North of £400 to £500 for the two.

As an aside, but relevant, I sent a pallet to a regular customer of mine in Denmark, took about 7 days (2 more than usual), cost exactly the same in haulier cost as before Brexit (£200) but it did cost him £85 for me to pay for Customs both sides, very very easy shipment though. I have now come to the conclusion that the sole big issue for us is we are the exporter and importer with no presence in the EU.