VAT and duty in the EU, the UK and the US, battery shipping and cross-border returns.
A robot vacuum costs more than every low-value exemption, so expect VAT and duty on import in the EU and the UK, and duty in the US since its $800 exemption closed in 2025. Returning a cross-border order is slow and often at your cost.
Advice
Yes. The EU has had no VAT exemption for imports since 2021. The new flat 3 EUR duty from July 2026 only covers items up to 150 EUR, so a robot vacuum pays standard duty and VAT. Check your country's rate for the product.
Sources: EU customs reform; De minimis.
Dreame S30 Pro Ultra
Dreame X60 Master
MOVA Z70 Ultra Roller Complete
MOVA E20 Plus
Advice
Above 135 GBP you pay VAT to the delivery company, plus customs duty at a rate set by the goods and origin, calculated on the price plus postage and insurance. Unpaid parcels are held about three weeks and then returned.
Advice
The US ended its duty-free exemption for Chinese goods in May 2025 and for all countries in August 2025. We could not open official pages for Australia, Canada or other countries; check your customs authority before ordering.
Source: De minimis.
Advice
Lithium batteries can fly under conditions, so some sellers ship by sea or through forwarders. A demand for an extra “export fee” after ordering, like the $300 one a MOVA buyer got on a $600 order, is a reason to cancel.
Sources: IATA, lithium batteries; Reddit, MOVA from AliExpress.
Advice
Hard. Dreame's own US store only takes back damaged or wrong items, and the buyer pays return shipping including duty and tax. Marketplaces have their own rules; read them before you pay.
Source: Dreame US refund policy.
None of this is something VacDeck changes. Count the full landed cost before comparing it with a local global version.
Start free trial