General Zavvi Thread

[Boccaccio]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

Getting back to Zavvi, if exports outside the UK for video are permanently stopped I personally don't blame them given the number of complaints on here from people being charged tax despite them supposedly being IOSS registered and then hit and miss if Zavvi refund the customer. Would suggest that exports are a very small part of their business so why bother, stopping makes sense.

I do think Zavvi has themselves to blame.
On the NLsite which I previously used they claimed that all items were sent from a warehouse in mainland Europe.
And if it was sent from the UK then all import taxes would be handled beforehand.
That clearly wasn't the case. The packages had a stamp from Guernsey/Jersey.

I always wondered why they just didn't remove that text after getting complaints all the time. Or at least get IOSS working right.
Also not so sure if exports were such a small part.
Right after Brexit, Base stopped exporting too but after a year they suddenly implemented IOSS and started exporting again. (which worked perfectly fine with them)

[paulboland]

Originally Posted by Boccaccio

I do think Zavvi has themselves to blame.
On the NLsite which I previously used they claimed that all items were sent from a warehouse in mainland Europe.
And if it was sent from the UK then all import taxes would be handled beforehand.
That clearly wasn't the case. The packages had a stamp from Guernsey/Jersey.

I always wondered why they just didn't remove that text after getting complaints all the time. Or at least get IOSS working right.
Also not so sure if exports were such a small part.
Right after Brexit, Base stopped exporting too but after a year they suddenly implemented IOSS and started exporting again. (which worked perfectly fine with them)

Zavvi rarely use Guernsey warehouse to ship orders since 2021
Guernsey used now mostly for stock released before 2021

Most international orders since 2021/2022 has been shipped from THG warehouse in Warrington with Tracked delivery and vat paid to courier
Fedex Cross Border International Connect (FIC) who send parcel to destination country and then is delivered by local courier or local postal service
With customs clearance done by Fedex Cross Border International and also by Local Courier in destination country

Guernsey warehouse does not use tracked delivery and was shipped using Guernsey Post non tracked which is why those parcels was shipped using IOSS

Hint as to why the sudden change
If you not noticed since Monday February 6th
Zavvi UK website now only lists UK/Ireland certified DVD/Blu-ray/UHD releases

USA imports Blue Underground/Shout Factory/Kino Lorber and other USA labels imports has been removed from Zavvi UK Site and are now only listed on Zavvi USA Website since Monday

It's likely Zavvi was told to stop selling out of territory in regards to Physical Media products

I expect Zavvi Ireland Website will be back selling UK/Ireland certified DVD/Blu-ray/UHD releases for delivery to address in Ireland in next few months


Zavvi suddenly stopping shipping outside UK for Physical Media it has nothing to do with Royal Mail or Vat
Zavvi websites still accept orders for Clothing and Homeware products for delivery outside UK and these products require vat to be paid

[roiroiroi]

Originally Posted by paulboland

Zavvi replied to me the following

Hi, you may have noticed a few changes to some of our Zavvi stores and the removal of various products across certain locales.
We are sorry for any disappointment caused by this
We do have some exciting plans for Zavvi that we can't wait to share with you in the future!

In regards to Zavvi reply to me
Not sure what exciting plans in the future will mean

Is it just me or does anyone else finds this a hilarous respond?

[Daunty]

It's weird that Zavvi would stop selling media outside the UK, but still ship their merch to us... What's the difference?

[Eibon]

The high level ocd inherent in obsessive nerd collectors, I expect. And those who buy exclusives to sit on for a while and resell at a profit in mint, sealed condition. They probably get more dinged steelbooks and corner-crushed slips returned than they sell and it ain't worth it for international customers. Their business is creating exclusives and easier to have scalpers buy them in bulk and take on that risk rather than ship in ones and twos internationally. They'll still clear their inventory once resellers see values increase in secondary markets.

[paulboland]

Originally Posted by Eibon

The high level ocd inherent in obsessive nerd collectors, I expect. And those who buy exclusives to sit on for a while and resell at a profit in mint, sealed condition. They probably get more dinged steelbooks and corner-crushed slips returned than they sell and it ain't worth it for international customers. Their business is creating exclusives and easier to have scalpers buy them in bulk and take on that risk rather than ship in ones and twos internationally. They'll still clear their inventory once resellers see values increase in secondary markets.

Zavvi stopping doing delivery for address outside UK for Physical Media is due to a totally different reason

[Mr. Thomsen]

Originally Posted by paulboland

Zavvi stopping doing delivery for address outside UK for Physical Media is due to a totally different reason

No. You THINK there is another reason. There is no proof of either.

[heavyharmonies]

For those in the U.S. (I cannot speak to the advantages/disadvantages for buyers in other countries) looking for Zavvi alternatives, I recommend two:

1. Amazon Italy.
2. FNAC (France).

Especially the latter. I've been ordering from both of those much more than Zavvi over the last 3 years, both steelbooks and for 3D blu-ray releases, unless it is a non-U.S. steelbook that literally nobody else carries.

For those that really are Zavvi exclusives, I guess it will be eBay only moving forward, accepting that there will be markups accordingly.

Regarding the two alternatives I mention, I greatly prefer FNAC, for a couple of reasons:

1. The incremental shipping fee to the U.S. over the first title is typically only $1-2.

2. The gift packagaing option is 2,25 euros which covers all items in the order rather than a per-item fee, so the more titles you have in an order, the cheaper per-unit the cost is. While the gift packaging will NOT protect against dents, it WILL protect against scuffs, scrapes, and tears in shrinkwrap. At that cost it's a no-brainer IMO.

An overview I gave on Facebook regarding ordering from FNAC:

Just a public service heads-up in light of the recent Zavvi shipping announcements and Best Buy price hikes. Most long-timers are probably already aware of this, but for those that aren't: if you're shopping for 4K steels and don't care about digital codes, I recommend shopping FNAC.com (France). Not only do they have vendor exclusives ala Best Buy, but their aggregated shipping costs and gift packaging (to protect against scuffs in transit) are cheaper than other vendors.

Not every title will have French on the spines or fronts, but it will vary, so you'll need to check images. I found that in most cases the French is limited to J-cards and stickers on shrinkwrap, and the underlying steelbook itself uses the original English... but do your homework and ask questions here in the group if unsure.

Here are some current prices that are all-in including shipping costs and currency conversion, but will vary slightly depending on how many titles you buy at one time and if you have a credit card that doesn't charge an international transaction/conversion fee (absolutely essential if you do a lot of international shopping):

• Strange World (Disney) 4k steel: US$24.51 shipped (vs. $39.99 + tax at Best Buy)
• Knock at the Cabin 4K steel: US$24.51 shipped (vs. $38.99 + tax at Best Buy)

Some titles that never got U.S. releases:

• Crimes of the Future 4K steel: US$15.72 shipped
• The Deer Hunter 4K steel: US$15.72 shipped
• The Elephant Man 4K steel: US$15.72 shipped

If you only buy one title at a time instead of 3-4 your per-unit costs will be quite a bit higher. Note that the gift packaging cost is 2,25 euros for ALL ITEMS in the order, not per-item like Amazon charges. Well worth it IMO. While it won't guard against dents, it will protect against scrapes, scuffs, tears, etc. Completely worth it at that price.


For example, two titles that people here will likely want are the two upcoming Japanese-art 4K steels (Ready Player One and Rampage). They list for 24,99 euros.

When I add one to my cart it first removes the VAT, so it adds at 20,46 euros + 12,67 euros S&H + 2,25 euros gift packaging = 35,38 euros = US$37.94 shipped... which is expensive.

But if I add the second title, it becomes 20,46 + 20,46 + 14,51 + 2,25 = 55,43 euros = US$59.44 for 2 steelbooks or just under US$30 each... quite a difference!

Because the incremental shipping cost is so small and the packaging cost stays the same, your per-unit cost drops quickly as you add titles to a single order.

If you think you'll end up buying from FNAC a few times a year, it is worth signing up for their FNAC+ membership card. It costs 10 euros the first year and 5 euros per year in subsequent years. While international buyers won't get the free shipping that FNAC+ offers, FNAC frequently offers special FNAC+ sale prices and also "buy this title and get 5/10 euros in rewards" that can be spent on future orders (note that it's a 90-day expiration window so only useful if you order from them regularly).

As with any international vendor, returns for damaged items can be a bit difficult due to both the language barrier and the initial presumption that you will pay to ship the damaged item back (which costs more via USPS than what you originally paid for the darned item to begin with!), but if you're persistent, you can typically get them to abate the return requirement.

Personally, I've found that I get far fewer damaged items from FNAC than Amazon Italy/France/Germany.

A browser language autotranslation extension is essential to efficientlly shop on the site.

This trips many people up: If you cannot find USA in the dropdown lists when configuring addresses, look under the letter E, as "Etats Unis" is French for "United States".

Happy steelbooking!

[J.P. Samson]

Originally Posted by heavyharmonies

For those in the U.S. (I cannot speak to the advantages/disadvantages for buyers in other countries) looking for Zavvi alternatives, I recommend two:

1. Amazon Italy.
2. FNAC (France).

Especially the latter.

Thank you for the detailed information regarding alternatives to Zavvi U.K. Although I have never ordered from FNAC, as a Canadian I don't think they'll be a viable option cost-wise. It sounds like FNAC ships via DHL. This courier charges significant customs fees on incoming international packages. So unless one is very desperate, Amazon Italy is probably a better choice.

JP

[heavyharmonies]

VAT/Customs fees are carrier-specific? That seems odd.

[esmeron]

Originally Posted by heavyharmonies

For those in the U.S. (I cannot speak to the advantages/disadvantages for buyers in other countries) looking for Zavvi alternatives, I recommend two:

1. Amazon Italy.
2. FNAC (France).

Especially the latter. I've been ordering from both of those much more than Zavvi over the last 3 years, both steelbooks and for 3D blu-ray releases, unless it is a non-U.S. steelbook that literally nobody else carries.

For those that really are Zavvi exclusives, I guess it will be eBay only moving forward, accepting that there will be markups accordingly.

Regarding the two alternatives I mention, I greatly prefer FNAC, for a couple of reasons:

1. The incremental shipping fee to the U.S. over the first title is typically only $1-2.

2. The gift packagaing option is 2,25 euros which covers all items in the order rather than a per-item fee, so the more titles you have in an order, the cheaper per-unit the cost is. While the gift packaging will NOT protect against dents, it WILL protect against scuffs, scrapes, and tears in shrinkwrap. At that cost it's a no-brainer IMO.

An overview I gave on Facebook regarding ordering from FNAC:

Well that's not same for everyone!
Shipping to my country if i wanna order steelbook is over 30€ - 35 to be precise.
So how can shipping inside EU be 35€?!? Explain that shi*? Not to mention their packaging is like Amazon - dogsh*t and literal Russian roulette.
Sorry perfer order via sellers with top reputation on eBay, i get tracking and easier communication.

[heavyharmonies]

Originally Posted by esmeron

Well that's not same for everyone!
Shipping to my country if i wanna order steelbook is over 30€ - 35 to be precise.
So how can shipping inside EU be 35€?!? Explain that shi*? Not to mention their packaging is like Amazon - dogsh*t and literal Russian roulette.
Sorry perfer order via sellers with top reputation on eBay, i get tracking and easier communication.

I guess you missed the very first line of my post (emphasis added):

For those in the U.S. (I cannot speak to the advantages/disadvantages for buyers in other countries) looking for Zavvi alternatives...

[Mr. Thomsen]

Originally Posted by heavyharmonies

VAT/Customs fees are carrier-specific? That seems odd.

VAT/ Customs fees are country specific, but the carrier's handling fee of course varies from carrier to carrier and, in some cases, from country to country.

For example, there are no customs tariffs on Blu-rays whatsoever, but as someone from Denmark, I will have to pay 25% local sales tax/ VAT on everything I buy from outside the EU. This number is, of course, specific to my country, as other countries have different levels of VAT.

The VAT can either be charged on point of sale, when the seller is utilizing the IOSS system, or when the package arrives in Denmark. In the latter case, the carrier handles the collection of all taxes, tariffs etc.

For the handling, I need to pay whatever the carrier charges to do the simple math, collect the money from me and forward them to the Danish Customs and Tax Administration.

DHL and FedEX both charge between 120-150 DKK for doing that job, while the Scandinavian postal service Post Nord is the absolute top scorer, charging a whopping 160 DKK for the "pleasure" (approx. £19-20) on EVERY package.

(The super weird thing is that the same company, Post Nord, apparently only charges the equivalent of 60 DKK for the same task from customers in Sweden. I have not been able to get a straight answer from anyone why that is so.)

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

VAT/ Customs fees are country specific, but the carrier's handling fee of course varies from carrier to carrier and, in some cases, from country to country.

For example, there are no customs tariffs on Blu-rays whatsoever, but as someone from Denmark, I will have to pay 25% local sales tax/ VAT on everything I buy from outside the EU. This number is, of course, specific to my country, as other countries have different levels of VAT.

The VAT can either be charged on point of sale, when the seller is utilizing the IOSS system, or when the package arrives in Denmark. In the latter case, the carrier handles the collection of all taxes, tariffs etc.

For the handling, I need to pay whatever the carrier charges to do the simple math, collect the money from me and forward them to the Danish Customs and Tax Administration.

DHL and FedEX both charge between 120-150 DKK for doing that job, while the Scandinavian postal service Post Nord is the absolute top scorer, charging a whopping 160 DKK for the "pleasure" (approx. £19-20) on EVERY package.

(The super weird thing is that the same company, Post Nord, apparently only charges the equivalent of 60 DKK for the same task from customers in Sweden. I have not been able to get a straight answer from anyone why that is so.)

This is the key point as you say in answer to the question.

The VAT rate is fixed in your own country by law but can vary by product. Here in the UK video and music has the standard 20% VAT rate applied but books whether real paper books or eBooks are taxed at 0% (i.e. not tax but defined as 0 so they can vary the rate in future if they so wish). eBooks started at 0%, some years ago were raised to 20%, but then returned to 0%.

As you note the real killer is the postal companies handling fee as this can vary dramatically by postal company and which postal company is used isn't normally something you as a consumer can influence as chosen by the retailer.

Here in the UK, Royal Mail (the generic post) charge £8 as their fee on top of VAT due but Parcelforce their business which deals with large parcels (is never clear when a parcel becomes large, by size or weight) but I believe they now charge £18 as their fee.

The admin effort and costs of processing the item through customs is the same for both companies but blatant price gouging by Parcelforce charging customers £10 more. The handling fee amount isn't regulated in the UK, so they can charge what they like and make it a good profit generator.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by paulboland

It's likely Zavvi was told to stop selling out of territory in regards to Physical Media products

By whom? Who would have that level of blanket authority (other than perhaps the government itself and what dog do they have in that hunt?)? I mean, I could see isolated cases of, for instance, maybe Warner Bros forbidding Zavvi from selling their UK WB titles to U.S. customers to force the U.S. customers to buy domestic stock instead, but for this to hit instantly across all studios? Who would be the power player behind the scenes of that change with that level of desire and influence?

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

By whom? Who would have that level of blanket authority (other than perhaps the government itself and what dog do they have in that hunt?)? I mean, I could see isolated cases of, for instance, maybe Warner Bros forbidding Zavvi from selling their UK WB titles to U.S. customers to force the U.S. customers to buy domestic stock instead, but for this to hit instantly across all studios? Who would be the power player behind the scenes of that change with that level of desire and influence?

It can apply when the labels sell direct, as the rights owners forbid them to sell internationally on some titles.

e.g. Second Sight direct sales can't ship Dawn of the Dead outside UK
BFI shop (the direct sales arm of the BFI) can't ship their Bergman titles outside the UK, as the Swedish rights owner forbids it as part of their licencing agreement.

Is a pretty stupid rule to enforce as Amazon don't give a crap and allow international sales (ignoring their stupid randomly applied post Covid restrictions on some titles), same as places like eBay, as the rights holders have no control over them.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

It can apply when the labels sell direct, as the rights owners forbid them to sell internationally on some titles.

e.g. Second Sight direct sales can't ship Dawn of the Dead outside UK
BFI shop (the direct sales arm of the BFI) can't ship their Bergman titles outside the UK, as the Swedish rights owner forbids it as part of their licencing agreement.

Right, which supports my point—it would make sense if it was only certain labels but it’s very nearly the entirety of all their physical media across every label.

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

Right, which supports my point—it would make sense if it was only certain labels but it’s very nearly the entirety of all their physical media across every label.

I think Zavvi just got fed up with the moans about IOSS and customs fees for sales to the EU plus increasing lost and delayed parcels as global postal services have gone to crap with Covid and post pandemic.

Given international sales are a small part of their business so why go through the hassle.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

I think Zavvi just got fed up with the moans about IOSS and customs fees for sales to the EU plus increasing lost and delayed parcels as global postal services have gone to crap with Covid and post pandemic.

Given international sales are a small part of their business so why go through the hassle.

Perhaps but, at least for shipping to the U.S., a lot of those fees don’t apply and they could certainly raise their flat shipping fee for international shipments to offset any losses they’re absorbing rather than cutting off their supply entirely. And I’m not convinced their international sales are as small as you think.

[andreasy969]

So I also just wanted to order the Superman II steel, because I don't need the whole box and don't like the split artwork of the individual keep case release, but zavvi only lets me choose UK delivery during checkout...

Well, FU zavvi then is all I have to say on the matter.

EDIT: Just pre-ordered all 3 keep cases at amazon.co.uk instead. Won't be chasing this steel, will be saving money and have all 4 as UK keep cases instead then.