i need to buy a wheelchair, can i import one from china?

[frank317]

i want to buy a good sport type wheelchair,
and i have a friend in china, he told me that he has a 4x4 all terrain wheelchair, which can climb the stairs and slopes and hills, span curbs, so i very like this too, but it seems that there is no this wheelchair in UK, can i import one from china directly? and how?
I need your suggestions.
thanks

[Duncan]

i want to buy a good sport type wheelchair,
and i have a friend in china, he told me that he has a 4x4 all terrain wheelchair, which can climb the stairs and slopes and hills, span curbs, so i very like this too, but it seems that there is no this wheelchair in UK, can i import one from china directly? and how?
I need your suggestions.
thanks

You'r friend in China could ask the maker of the wheel chair if they can export to the UK and how much the shipping charge would be.

[sea queen]

Also you may have a firm in your area who has catalouges which you can look through for them to order one for you.

[Sarahjones]

I think its good If your friend can do this for you.

[tinker]

The only problem with importing directly from China is the shipping charges. We have friends who buy electric bikes and often the costs involved are equal to the cost of the individual item effectively doubling the price.
You could ask your friend to look into buying it there and shipping it here, perhaps even shipping it by air? as it's for your personal use you shouldn't have to pay vat.

[wobble1]

If your friend buys it from the manafacturer they could ask that it be sent un assembled which maybe cheaper. Anything can be bought and shipped at a price.
I would look into spares and repairs also, if there is no agent in europe you may have problems in the future.

[davewhit]

The only problem with importing directly from China is the shipping charges. We have friends who buy electric bikes and often the costs involved are equal to the cost of the individual item effectively doubling the price.
You could ask your friend to look into buying it there and shipping it here, perhaps even shipping it by air? as it's for your personal use you shouldn't have to pay vat.

I have shipped lots of heavy hi fi kit from china and the cheap way to do it is surface mail takes 8 to 12 weeks but costs pennies

be warned that buying anything from china will incur import tax and vat you also pay VAt on the delivery charge and you also pay handling charges these are paid to the delivery company who will pay inport and vat charges to get the kit into the uk

so for example cost £500 delivery £50 total £550 inport tax at 10% £55 = £605 add vat £121 = £721 handling charges Royal mail or parcel force £32 aprox fed ex ups ect about £20 ish when parcel at local depot they call you to take payment by card or you can go down pay cash and collect

if the item is for disabled use after paying vat you can claim it back from local tax office but delivery company will want it paid first