No need to worry about Brexit when you buy from Enoksen
Enoksen Watch Company is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Being headquartered in Belfast brings many exceptional benefits which are not available anywhere else. It also brings some unique challenges to overcome, most notably confusion over shipping which has seen significant changes since January 1st of 2021. It is a frustration for all of us!
This article will hopefully clear up any doubts you may have regarding your watch order fulfilment. Based on our customer feedback, the most frequent doubts and questions raised relate to shipment arrival timeframes, how best to handle any returns (in the very unlikely event that you do not like your watch of course) or how to progress with warranty repair shipments requiring dispatch back to our HQ in Belfast.
Where (and what) is Northern Ireland and what is its status in the UK and EU?
Northern Ireland is a devolved constituent member of the United Kingdom. It is a separate government which operates in alignment with that of the UK. Government in Westminster, receiving civil funding and administrative structures in line with those of Great Britain.
Following Englands' majority vote to leave the EU, Scotland and Wales have had to depart leaving Northern Ireland in the unique position of being the only part of the United Kingdom still able to remain in the EU.
This is due to the Good Friday Agreement (which will require a whole day to explain if we go into detail). The key point is that the Good Friday Agreement prevents a hard boarder between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland whether on land or sea. It maintains an open and civil economy between Northern Ireland and The Republic as well as the wider UK Market and EU Single Market for movement of goods and people.
In summary, Northern Ireland is both a UK member state and a part of the EU Single Market and Customs Union. So buying from a Northern Ireland based company like Enoksen is just like buying from any other EU country.
Shipping From Northern Ireland to Great Britain (England, Wales & Scotland):
- We use Royal Mail Special Delivery to fulfil orders. This ensures speedy shipping with no additional customs paperwork or clearance required. Royal Mail still operates as normal from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
- Orders from within the UK are typically fulfilled same-day when ordering before 3pm, arriving within 48 hours. We are in the business of time after all!
- For smaller strap orders, Royal Mail First Class Post still operates as normal with minimal delays and customs interruption. This usually takes 3 days to arrive.
Shipping From Great Britain (England, Wales & Scotland) To Northern Ireland:
- We recommend the use of Royal Mail exclusively due to the strong organisational presence in Northern Ireland and the aligned infrastructure for customs and delivery.
- Shipping to Northern Ireland from England, Wales or Scotland using Royal Mail will operate the same as shipping to any other part of the UK with services operating as normal.
- We recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery due to the availability of insurance if desired and end-to-end tracking.
- For added peace of mind, you may wish to attach a CN22 Customs Declaration to smaller packets or if using another service. This form outlines the contents of the package with weights and value present.
Shipping From Northern Ireland to EU Member States:
- Northern Ireland is not held in the same status as England, Wales or Scotland who do not have Single Market & Customs Union access.
- Northern Ireland still maintains Single Market & Customs Union access.
- When shipping from Northern Ireland, no additional customs paperwork or clearance is expected due to Northern Ireland's Single Market & Custom Union access.
- Shipping from Northern Ireland to EU Member States will proceed as normal.
- We use DHL Express which ensures speedy delivery, taking at most 1 working week to arrive within the EU.
Shipping From Northern Ireland to United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and Rest of World:
- When shipping from our Northern Ireland base, we process and include all relevant customs paperwork for clearance including commercial invoices with commodity codes listed and contents declared.
- We use DHL Express which ensures speedy delivery, taking at most 2 working weeks to arrive.
- Payment of additional import duties and customs is the responsibility of the purchaser and is priced case-by-case by your local logistics authorities.
Return Shipping From E.U. and Non-EU States Including United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia etc.:
Full return & warranty information can be found HERE
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item.
- Shipping costs are non-refundable
- All returns must be accompanied by your receipt for proof of purchase
- Preparation of customs paperwork must be in alignment with local authorities best practise
- If shipping from EU, prepare and dispatch as normal with CN22 Customs Declaration paperwork attached. The procedure is the same as shipping within the EU.
- If shipping from outside EU, attach pro-forma invoice declaring contents and value of shipment
- Choice of carrier is up to the individual