Do you pay import duty taking/ buying electronics abroad?

[ronki23]

Hi. Over the next year I SHOULD be going to South Korea, Japan, Canada and USA so would like to do some electronics shopping for personal usage.

One thing I don't really understand is the notion of import duty. I have read you are allowed up to a certain amount duty and tax free but what I don't understand is if you take your own personal electronics abroad, would they charge you import duty when you return as they would assume you brought it from abroad? And what about taking items abroad- would your destination charge import duty?
Because when I went to India in 2015 I took a low value laptop-tablet convertible with me and while in India I bought a medium value smartphone (if it makes any difference neither were in any box as they were for personal use).

So how did customs from both sides know that a) I bought laptop and my old mobile phone in UK so have already paid VAT (r.e. returning to UK) and b) it's mine so I don't need to pay import duty to my destination (in this case India).

 

[Augustus]

Just personal judgement. If necessary they can find out where the product was sold using the serial number.

In general, it's only likely to be noticed as suspicious if you have multiple electronic devices of the same kind or new products still in their boxes.

 

[psychoslice]

I have brought many things from eBay, from all over the world and have never had any problems.

 

[ronki23]

I have brought many things from eBay, from all over the world and have never had any problems.

In UK they only add import duty if it's over a certain amount though (if you ask me it's still thievery as you paid the tax on it from the country you brought it from so they're double taxing you [unless bought from duty free])

 

[ronki23]

Just personal judgement. If necessary they can find out where the product was sold using the serial number.

In general, it's only likely to be noticed as suspicious if you have multiple electronic devices of the same kind or new products still in their boxes.

Well I want to buy a laptop or a tablet from abroad and maybe even a new smartphone. I was just wondering why the UK didn't accuse me of buying a phone AND a laptop from India as I took laptop to India/ wonder why India didn't make an issue of me bringing old phone and laptop (a family friend of mine buys gifts for family in India from UK and so far no issue). Maybe they should give stickers or tags to say it wasn't brought from destination/ it was bought in home country.