Wholesale phones and parts for UK shops, tested in Shenzhen before they ship.
Used and refurbished iPhones, new Android phones, tablets, screens, batteries and repair parts, bought on the Huaqiangbei market floor by our own full-time buyer and tested one by one. You watch your batch on video before you pay the balance. Wholesale only, by the batch.
The short answer: We buy phones and parts in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei market, test every unit and ship door to door to the UK. Smartphones and phone parts carry 0% UK import duty, import VAT is 20% and VAT-registered businesses can postpone it to their VAT return. Imported used phones cannot use the VAT margin scheme, so VAT is due on their full value.
Most phone stock reaches the UK through three or four sets of hands. Nobody tests it on the way.
A screen or a used iPhone leaves a counter in Shenzhen, passes through a trader, an exporter and a wholesaler at home, and arrives on your bench having been switched on by nobody. You are the quality control, and you find the faults in front of your customers.
We take the middle out. Our buyer works the Huaqiangbei floors every day, and every phone and screen crosses our test bench in Shenzhen before it is packed for the UK.
- Bought on the floorA full-time buyer in Huaqiangbei, comparing counters and walking away from batches that will not pass.
- Tested one by oneEvery phone IMEI-checked and lock-checked, every screen powered up and touch-tested, every battery capacity-tested.
- See it before you payYour batch on video, with the test record, before you pay the balance. Dead on arrival? Replaced or credited.
- Mixed trade ordersMix phones, screens, batteries and accessories in one order. Wholesale by the batch, for shops that resell or repair.
What applies when you bring phones & parts into the UK.
Update, 31 December 2026: The 2% UK duty measure on lithium-ion batteries (commodity 8507 60 00 90) is set to end on 31 December 2026, and the 2027 rate has not been published yet. We confirm the current rate in your quote. Source
Checked 16 October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm what applies to your exact products and HS codes in your quote. This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice.
Import VAT: 20%, postponable
Import VAT is charged at the standard 20% on most goods. Any UK VAT-registered business can use postponed VAT accounting to declare and reclaim it on the same VAT return.
SourceDuty: 0% on phones and parts
On the UK Global Tariff, smartphones (8517 13), smartwatches (8517 62), phone parts (8517 79) and LCD display modules (8524 11) are 0%. Lithium-ion batteries (8507 60 00 90) are 2%, a measure currently set to end on 31 December 2026.
SourceEORI number
You need a GB EORI number to import into Great Britain, and a VAT registration to use postponed VAT accounting.
SourceLow-value consignments (£135)
Duty relief on consignments of £135 or less still applies but is being removed, by October 2028 at the latest. For B2B consignments under £135 the buyer accounts for VAT under the reverse charge.
SourceUsed phones: no margin scheme on imports
A dealer cannot use the VAT margin scheme on second-hand goods they import into the UK. Used iPhones imported from China pay import VAT on their full value, so price them accordingly.
SourcePSTI security rules
New consumer connectable products, including smartphones, must have no universal default passwords, a published way to report security issues and a stated minimum security-update period.
SourceCE or UKCA
Great Britain accepts CE marking indefinitely for radio, low-voltage and EMC products, alongside UKCA.
SourceShipping from Shenzhen to the UK.
Express couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) deliver door to door from Shenzhen to the UK. It is the fastest route for phones, parts and samples, and we confirm the transit time with the carrier in your quote.
Larger orders go by sea from Yantian or Shekou to Felixstowe, Southampton or London Gateway. Sailing times depend on the carrier and the season, so we include the forwarder's current schedule with your price. Rail via the China–Europe routes is an option for some goods.
The risk sits with us, not you.
See your batch before you pay the balance. After your deposit, we buy and test your batch in Shenzhen and send you the video and the test record for your parts: your models, your grades. You pay the balance only when you are happy with what you have seen.
Dead on arrival? Replaced or credited. If any part arrives dead or fails our stated test spec, send us a photo or a short video within 14 days. We replace it free on your next order, or credit it.
Parts damaged while being fitted are not covered. That is the only fine print.
An Irish-run team on the ground in China.
Ériu is run by Noel Murphy, an Irishman who has lived and worked in China since 2008. The team behind it is 53 people on the ground, 47 in Shenzhen and 6 in Zhengzhou, with warehouse space of our own.
You deal with us in plain English, on WhatsApp, from first message to delivery. We are in the same city as your factory, not on the other side of the world from it.
About the team →Phones & Parts for the UK, answered.
Can I use the VAT margin scheme on used phones imported from China?
No. The margin scheme does not apply to second-hand goods a dealer imports into the UK (apart from art, antiques and collectors' items), so imported used phones pay import VAT on their full value.
Is there import duty on phones from China to the UK?
Smartphones, smartwatches, phone parts and display modules are 0% on the UK Global Tariff. Lithium-ion batteries are 2%. Import VAT of 20% applies, and VAT-registered businesses can postpone it to their VAT return.
Is CE marking still accepted in the UK?
Yes. Since 1 October 2024 Great Britain accepts CE marking indefinitely for 21 product regulations, including radio equipment, low voltage and EMC, alongside UKCA. Northern Ireland follows EU rules.
Tell us what you want to buy.
We reply within 24 hours with factory pricing and the landed cost to the UK.