EXPORT ORDERS
If you are thinking of exporting tyres outside of the UK there are a few questions you may have. This page tries to answer the most common questions we get asked. If there is anything else you need help with please contact us by phone, email or live chat for further assistance.
Big Tyres have supplied goods to customers in over 70 countries worldwide. We speak to international customers regularly and help them to make large savings on their goods compared to prices in their home markets. We work closely with our customers and freight agents to make the process of quoting and supplying goods to our international customers quick and straight forward.
DO YOU SHIP ABROAD YOURSELVES?
Big Tyres only arrange shipping within the UK. For our international customers we instead put you in contact with our preferred UK based external international freight forwarding agent who will be able to directly quote you a price and lead times to have goods onward shipped from the UK to your end destination. We will liaise with yourselves and the freight agent to discuss your orders likely weight and dimensions and provide commodity codes for each item.
If you are happy with your quote from our preferred agent then you can settle your goods invoice with us first, and then separately settle your freight invoice directly with the shipping agent. From there we will deliver your items to the freight agents UK depot leaving you free to then continue to communicate with them directly until your order has arrived at its end destination. The freight agent will handle and advise you on all customs and clearance related issues as appropriate for your chosen destination and answer any other questions you may have regarding the shipping process.
If you already have your own preferred shipping agent then Big Tyres can simply deliver to their specifed UK warehousing location, or alternatively we can arrange a collection point for your agent to collect the goods from us. Please note that delivery directly to UK ports isn't always an option as it can depend on your receiving locations requirements for paperwork, identification and their waiting times, as our deliveries are made by regular UK courier companies like DX Freight and APC who can't always accomodate these extra requirements or long wait times for unloading. If you are in any doubt please contact us to discuss the matter.
CAN I AVOID PAYING UK VAT / TAX?
Big Tyres is VAT registered in the UK under registration number GB996757828 and are required by law to apply UK VAT on goods supplied to persons and companies located within the UK. Persons and companies who are located outside of the UK are usually classed as being tax exempt, as long as the supply is directly to that person and it can be proven that the goods have left the UK's borders.
Our standard process for handling VAT for our international customers is to apply VAT at 0% on your invoice but for us to apply / charge a fully refundable VAT deposit amount on your invoice to cover the VAT which would normally be paid were the order not to leave UK borders. This VAT deposit amount is then refunded back to you once you or a freight agent provides us with proof of export such as a Bil of Lading. This is a document freight agents routinely provide as part of their normal shipping processes.
Please note we must be invoicing and dealing directly with the non UK customer or company for us to zero rate your VAT invoice. If you are a UK based individual or UK registered company then we will have to invoice you as being within the UK and full VAT will be applied. This means if you are a UK company buying from us to supply your own customer who is located outside of the UK then we would still have to apply full VAT on your invoice as our supply is to you located within the UK's borders.
WILL I HAVE TO PAY IMPORT OR CUSTOMS DUTIES?
Customs import duties and taxes vary with every country and we as Big Tyres cannot advise what these charges will be. Your freight agent can usually answer these questions for you. Any payments due for such charges are the full responsibility of the customer. The charges can depend on the commodity code used to classify the goods you buy, which for tyres can be slightly different depending on the category and size of tyre you order. For guide purposes only we would advise searching using these commodity codes: Agricultural Tyres - 40117000, Car/Trailer/Van Tyres - 40111000, Most Wheel Rims - 87087099.
What payment methods & terms do you accept for export orders?
All international orders where goods are being exported outside of the UK must be paid for upfront in GBP by direct bank transfer of the funds into our UK registered bank account. We do not accept payment by any other means for international orders for security and fraud reasons. Customers are responsible for all fees charged by your payment processor to complete the transfer of the money into out UK account (we must receive the full amount as stated on your invoice). Our UK bank details will be provided to you on your pro-forma invoice at the time of confirming your order.
Which countries have you dealt with?
Big Tyres has a far reaching web platform that enables customers across the globe to make contact and source goods that are difficult to find and expensive to procure in their home territories. The below map is a collection of the countries within which our customers have been located thus far. Big Tyres are happy to help our international customers and hope to one day have turned the world blue.