Buying toys from abroad: customs, VAT and delivery

Sometimes the toy you want is only sold abroad. That can be fine, but the parcel crosses a border, and borders come with paperwork, fees and, occasionally, someone opening the box.

Buying into the UK

• Up to £135: the seller should charge UK VAT at checkout. There's no customs duty to pay on delivery.
• Over £135: import VAT and possibly customs duty are due, usually collected by the courier before delivery, often with a handling fee on top.
• Gifts and personal imports follow similar thresholds; see GOV.UK for the current figures.

Buying into the US

For years, parcels worth under $800 entered duty-free. That exemption was suspended in 2025, so duties and fees can now apply to small orders too. Check the shop's checkout for "duties included" before you pay, or expect a bill from the carrier.

The discretion problem

International parcels carry a customs declaration on the outside, describing the contents and their value. Some shops write something vague; they're not allowed to lie. And customs can open any parcel.

That's the main reason we list shops by market: a UK shop delivering in the UK, or a US shop in the US, avoids all of it.

Worth it when

• The toy genuinely isn't sold at home.
• The saving survives the duty, the handling fee and slower delivery.
• You're fine with the declaration on the box.

Returns get harder

Sending a toy back abroad costs more, takes longer and may need its own customs form. Treat an overseas order as final unless it's faulty.