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All Forums > International Shopping > International Shopping Forum Page 14 > Best country to be a porn reseller?
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sir wankalot
Member

UK
904 Posts
5/03
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 12:13PM
It seems we are not spoilt for choice regarding porn DVD retailers here in Europe.

No one seems to come close to the prices offered by American retailers.

The best we have is probably Erodvd (Holland) who have good customer service and cheap prices (for Europe).

A few years ago i tried to become a reseller here in the UK but it wasn't long before 'Trading Standards' and the police turned up and confiscated every film i owned! (not to mention a £500 fine and 100 hours community service)

My question is where do ADT members think the best place is to set up as a mail order porn retailer, particularly for the UK market?

The following countries all have disadvantages in my opinion

USA: As with any country outside Europe there is the issue of delivery time and postage costs. Also work permit?

UK: Can only sell Restricted 18 category films in a licensed sex shop. No mail order allowed for porn. Licence for sex shop very expensive!

Holland: Due to Holland's liberal attitude towards drugs and porn, mail sent from here is often treated suspiciously by other countries and checked by customs.

Germany: strict laws now in place regarding import/export of pornography.

Spain: Post service not quick enough to the UK. Price would also be higher due to distance.

I am thinking that the best countries with regard to proximity (to UK) and liberal attitudes to porn are Belgium, France and Denmark.

Does anyone know any pros and cons associated with these countries? Any other suggestions would also be helpful.


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Athos
Member

151 Posts
3/02
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 11:17AM
This is a very interesting topic. Assuming we are talking about an internet only operation there are two distinct questions: where do you want to appear to be based and where will your despatch point be?

Obviously with an internet business, you can actually run it from any where in the world whilst claiming your physical base is anywhere you can get an accommodation address for mail.

I would suggest forming an off-shore company for tax and privacy reasons. Possibly Isle-of-Man?

Your despatch point could then be say Calais, conveniently the other side of the channel tunnel. Rent a small business unit - no need to actually set up a business in France with the miles of bureaucratic red-tape and expense that entails - post everything from there.

You could possible even commute between the UK and France and transfer that day's orders into the UK postal system on your way home.

Edited by - athos on 4/16/2004 11:22:11 AM

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Athos
Member

151 Posts
3/02
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 11:20AM

Edited by - athos on 4/16/2004 11:21:03 AM

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Gabriel Nine
Senior Member

Firecracker
1273 Posts
8/01
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 4:02PM
I don't know if France is such a good idea - my understanding was that the French government have actually targetted porn with punitive taxation?
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Athos
Member

151 Posts
3/02
Posted - Apr 17 2004 : 9:28AM
Punitive taxation imposed by the french government would probably be an irrelevance if your business was domiciled outside their jurisdiction. That is France was used only as a hub for collection and distribution.

Obviously anybody considering any enterprise of this type would be well advised to seek professional advice!

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sir wankalot
Member

UK
904 Posts
5/03
Posted - Apr 17 2004 : 5:02PM
I suppose you could run the business from any city in Western Europe with the cheap air fares offered by Easyjet and Ryan Air.

There may be a problem bringing large quantities of porn dvds back though, if you were looking to save money and use the British postal service. If customs thought you were going to supply them to the UK market they would certainly confiscate them.
Also i assume they would take any GGG, Max Hardcore, Throat Gagging, fisting or S&M titles off you even if they were for your own use!

I'm not sure but isn't offshore banking very expensive? Isn't there a price to pay for this tax avoidance and privacy?

I wonder if you could still be prosecuted for supplying 'unclassified' films even though you operated from abroad. Could you be charged as a UK citizen whilst being back in the UK i wonder?

If you were using a UK bank could they close the account?
I suppose you could use a foreign bank to process credit card payments but charges would be too great to accept UK cheques/postal orders.

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Athos
Member

151 Posts
3/02
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 3:40AM
Registering and company in a foreign location and the associated running expenses need be no higher than doing so in the UK. Usually they charge a high annual fee which gives an exemption from filing audited accounts. This is assumimg you don't trade in their jurisdiction. Banking charges would be comparable to normal business banking fees wherever you opened the company's account.

As to prosecution well I don't see it, selling mainstream pornography is not in it's self illegal even in the UK. The offences are selling material unclassified by the BBFC and the obscenity laws. Aline at erodvd could be in for a long stay if she visits the UK!

However I would be very wary of living in the UK and getting involved in any business supplying porn to the home market. Anyone who has lived in the uk over the past 25 years must know that the establishment eventually gets anyone they disapprove of whether by fair means or foul.

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