eBay and importing DVDs to the UK
Friday, February 6, 2004 by grayhaze | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I recently won 5 deluxe Region 2 Farscape boxsets on eBay from a guy in the US, and we're currently debating on how he's going to get them to me. For one thing they're big (about 3 times the size of a normal boxset EACH), and for another neither of us took into consideration the customs duty I'll have to pay when they reach me.
Has anyone in the UK had much experience with buying DVDs from the US through eBay, and if so how did you cope with the customs restrictions?
If anyone's interested, here's my latest eBay lot, to go on sale tomorrow night.
I know we have a lot of Batman fans here... 
http://grayhaze.com/images/batman.htm
Has anyone in the UK had much experience with buying DVDs from the US through eBay, and if so how did you cope with the customs restrictions?
If anyone's interested, here's my latest eBay lot, to go on sale tomorrow night.
I know we have a lot of Batman fans here... 
http://grayhaze.com/images/batman.htm
cbianchi
Reply #2 Friday, February 6, 2004 11:14 PM
Reply #2 Friday, February 6, 2004 11:14 PM
The US Post office is the cheapest way to send them. Of course, you are the buyer so you should be obligated to pay any and all shipping charges - unless he agrees otherwise, which is highly doubtful. I'm an avid eBayer and have shipped to the UK.
grayhaze
Reply #3 Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:13 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:13 PM
It wasn't the postal charges I was worried about, but rather the charges that Customs & Excise in the UK would make before they would let me have the package.
After speaking to someone today who has had a similar experience, I'm a little happier about the whole thing. Even if I do end up paying £40 on top of everything for customs fees, I still won't be paying too much over the odds for these boxsets. After all, they're unavailable to buy through normal channels now anyway, so I should accept a little more hassle for the final payoff.
After speaking to someone today who has had a similar experience, I'm a little happier about the whole thing. Even if I do end up paying £40 on top of everything for customs fees, I still won't be paying too much over the odds for these boxsets. After all, they're unavailable to buy through normal channels now anyway, so I should accept a little more hassle for the final payoff.
Tech-Cat
Reply #4 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:16 PM
Reply #4 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:16 PM
Isn't illegal to have a region free player and to use DVDs that are not coded for your region?
grayhaze
Reply #5 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:24 PM
Reply #5 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:24 PM
Not in this country it isn't. It's illegal to sell a region free player in a high-street store in this country, but they are readily available through mail-order.
By the way, these DVDs aren't Region 1 (US), they're Region 2 (UK). I therefore don't need a multi-region player to watch them.
I have no idea how an American ended up with Region 2 DVDs.
I know it's slightly bad form to do this here, but in the absence of donations for my skins... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1537&item=3272720704&ssPageName=STRK:MESSE:IT
[Message Edited]
By the way, these DVDs aren't Region 1 (US), they're Region 2 (UK). I therefore don't need a multi-region player to watch them.
I have no idea how an American ended up with Region 2 DVDs. I know it's slightly bad form to do this here, but in the absence of donations for my skins...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1537&item=3272720704&ssPageName=STRK:MESSE:IT
[Message Edited]
Tech-Cat
Reply #6 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:26 PM
Reply #6 Saturday, February 7, 2004 3:26 PM
The movies recorded on DVDs are intellectual property. As such, the owners of the work have the right to distribute their IP as they wish. If they choose to distribute to one region, but not another, that is their right. Isn't the use of a region free player to play DVDs that are not coded for your region bypassing the IP owner's right to control distribution?
grayhaze
Reply #7 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:03 PM
Reply #7 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:03 PM
Oh dear... 
grayhaze decides not to even start this discussion in the first place as there's always someone who tries to turn things on their head and get a rise out of people
grayhaze decides not to even start this discussion in the first place as there's always someone who tries to turn things on their head and get a rise out of people
Tech-Cat
Reply #8 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:10 PM
Reply #8 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:10 PM
I'm not trying to get a rise out of anyone. I am just bringing up what I feel are legitimate questions about IP owner rights and DVD region coding.
I'll move this discussion to another thread.
[Message Edited]
I'll move this discussion to another thread.
[Message Edited]
Essencay
Reply #9 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:18 PM
Reply #9 Saturday, February 7, 2004 4:18 PM
http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html the official Internet DVD FAQ for the rec.video.dvd Usenet newsgroups 
Jafo
Reply #10 Saturday, February 7, 2004 6:25 PM
Reply #10 Saturday, February 7, 2004 6:25 PM
Tech Cat...check my response on your other thread.
Nothing is ever quite that simple...
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Reply #1 Friday, February 6, 2004 7:48 PM
I've had many DVD's and box sets from the US via Amazon.....no dramas with them at all....my player is 'region free' so it means I don't need to look just for '4'...
BTW....our Office of Consumer Affairs in Oz determined that the region coding was a restriction of trade...so although import laws prevent the importing of Region free DVD players, there is no restriction regarding their 'modification' once they are in the country.....weird....