sending goods outside EU

[liz15a]

Hi

All my customers live in UK or EU, but recently I've had a few requests from customers outside of the EU wanting to place orders.

I just wondered if any of the successful businesses on here send goods abroad and what do you class them as on the customs declaration form. I've read that much information on Exporting today that I've gone dizzy....

One lady at my last craft fair said she marked them as gifts, but surely thats illegal?

Any advice appreciated :-)

[Peter]

A lot of exporters mark them as gifts. I would think for small items it would be very difficult to prove otherwise. If I didn't receive 'gifts', I wouldn't have any materials to work with!

[liz15a]

yes I think you're most probably right - the more I look into it, the more the commercial section of the declaration form seems relevant for manufacturers/producers etc who are sending goods to trade in overseas markets etc, rather than me sending a few bits of card supplies to a private individual who just happens to live in another country.

Its just such a minefield of information out there, it's easy to get confused......

Does everyone else on here mark them as gifts?