Freelance Copy Strategists

Freelance Copy StrategistsFreelance Copy Strategists

Projects People

Alexander Skeith

Award-winning copywriter and brand voice strategist.

5.0: Rating

27: Followers

Award-winning copywriter and brand voice strategist.

Monese: Building a Brand with Data-driven Marketing Strategy

0

24

Cover image for Hotel Chocolat Tone of Voice Development

Hotel Chocolat Tone of Voice Development

0

7

Brand Messaging and Strategy for Feel

1

16

Cover image for
Sample long-form writing on custom

Sample long-form writing on custom duty, import taxes and VAT <Title Tag> Custom duty and Import tax: Everything you need to know <meta description> Get the full low-down on custom duty and import tax, and find out the easiest way to reclaim these funds on purchases you’re returning to the EU. <Intro body> Custom duty and import tax is a topic that can make even the most experienced online shoppers more than a little nervous. The good news is that once you understand how they work, they’re not nearly as scary as they might seem. And, you’ll be better equipped to pursue a refund whenever you happen to return an online purchase that’s come from overseas. Here’s a quick rundown on everything you need to know about the finer details of custom duty and import tax. <H1> What’s the difference between custom duty and import tax? <body> It’s the job of customs authorities to collect duties and taxes on goods coming into and out of a country. But, when it comes to shipping, the words 'duties' and 'taxes' are very often perceived to mean the same thing. This isn’t actually the case at all. When we say ‘duties’, we’re referring to customs duties or custom charges, which are taxes that are applied to cross-border goods which are collected by customs authorities both to generate revenue and protect local industries. These duties can come in a variety of forms ranging from trade tariffs to excise duties. Crucially, most duties are paid by the importer, with the exception of export duties which are paid by the exporter. Import taxes on the other hand, are fees applied by the government on purchased items coming into a country. These taxes can go by different names in different localities — including value-added tax (VAT), sales tax, and goods and services tax (GST) — but they’re essentially the same thing. Tax rates can vary from 0% to 20% or even higher depending on both the country and product. In almost all cases import taxes are paid for by the importer and are placed on almost all purchases arriving from overseas. You’re likely already very familiar with value-added tax, which is more commonly known as VAT. This is an import tax that works as a kind of consumption charge on goods or services. It plays an important role in business and can be charged on a range of items. VAT is a tax which is ultimately paid by you, the customer, instead of working as a tax on individual businesses. <H2> When are custom duty and import tax applied? <body> You’ll be charged custom duty on all goods worth more than £135 (and all excise goods) that are being sent from outside the UK (or the UK and the EU if you’re in Northern Ireland). In these cases, you’ll need to pay custom duty on both the purchase price of the goods, as well as on postage, packaging and insurance. When it comes to gifts, you’ll generally need to pay 2.5% on goods above £135 and up to £630. Rates tend to vary for gifts over £630. Special rules apply to excise goods — which can be summarised as wine and other exciting intermediate products (like sherry, port and other spirits), tobacco, and mineral oil (such as petrol or diesel oil). Excise duty is applied to all of these items regardless of their purchase cost. <H3> What are custom duty and import tax based on? <body> So, what factors inform the rates being applied to your latest online purchase from overseas? In the UK, import tax and custom duty amounts applicable to a shipment are determined by a number of factors including the HS code (which classifies the type of product), the goods description on the commercial invoice (which includes the product's end-use), as well as the value of the goods (including freight and insurance fees) help customs to determine the custom duty and import tax and to clear your shipment. International trade agreements between certain countries can also have a bearing on the amount import taxes applied to a shipment. Wherever you need to settle these charges you’ll be contacted by Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier company and they’ll send you a bill stating exactly what fees you need to pay. They’ll normally hold your parcel for about 3 weeks and, if you haven’t paid the bill by then, your parcel will be returned to the sender. In the past, even calculating the amount you need to pay on custom duty has proved a little taxing (pun intended). This has involved determining the duty percentage rate on the goods being shipped (a rate that varies depending on the country the item is being shipped to). These can be found by visiting the customs or trade tariff page on the government website of the destination country. Then it’s a case of adding up the value of the goods, plus freight costs, insurance and any additional costs, then multiplying the total by the duty rate. Similarly, calculating import tax has traditionally required a bit of number crunching. This has involved finding out the sales tax (VAT) rates of the country the item is being shipped to. For example, the UK has three VAT rates: 0%, 5% and 20%, which is the standard rate for most goods and services. So if the shipment is a men’s sweater, the rate is 20% because clothing for adults falls under this standard VAT rate. Once the VAT on a shipment has been calculated, customers have then had to add up the goods value, freight costs, insurance, and import duty, and then multiply the total by the destination country's applicable VAT rate. Thankfully, we’ve managed to do away with a lot of this heavy lifting. By simply accessing our handy calculator (https://dutyrefunds.co.uk/import-duty-calculator/#calculator) and entering in your purchase price, item description and courier, you’ll be able to find out what custom duty or import tax is set to be applied to your shipped items. <Header> Claiming a refund on custom duty or import tax <body> Historically, customers have had to jump through a lot of hoops to get refunded for custom duty and import tax on returned items. The method of claiming repayment has typically depended on how the initial customs declaration was made. If it was dealt with by the Customs Handling of Import Excise Freight (CHIEF) system, customers are still able to claim repayment online — provided you have a Government Gateway number and are already registered for the service. If the custom declaration was made via the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), customers are able to submit a claim using the CDS version of Form C285. In both these cases you’ll need a whole list of items to tick off including the sales invoice, the packing list, the amount of import taxes paid, and your bank details if the refund is to be paid directly. But did you know, there’s an easier way? If you’ve returned goods purchased from within the EU in the last 365 days, Duty Refunds provides you with a quick and easy solution. In fact, we’re now known as the UK’s leading import VAT and duty specialist. Whether you need to reclaim customs charges (https://dutyrefunds.co.uk/reclaim-customs-charges/), get a customs duty refund (https://dutyrefunds.co.uk/reclaim-customs-charges/customs-duty-refund/) or import VAT Refund (https://dutyrefunds.co.uk/reclaim-customs-charges/import-vat-refund/), we’ve made the process as frictionless as possible.

1

4

Copy Strategist(3)

Stephanie | Course Launch Strategist

maxAmsterdam, Netherlands

I help creators build authority through websites that sell.

$100k+: Earned

78x: Hired

5.0: Rating

285: Followers

Expert

Expert

I help creators build authority through websites that sell.

Cover image for Sales Page Creation and Marketing Strategy for Masterclass

Sales Page Creation and Marketing Strategy for Masterclass

1

21

Cover image for This project was a true

This project was a true transformation from start to finish. What started as an existing Kajabi setup quickly turned into a complete rebrand. Everything changed: → The website design → The course experience → The pricing structure → The email sequences → The fonts and branding → The overall customer journey Projects like these remind me that Kajabi isn't just about setting up pages and automations. It's about creating an experience that reflects the business today, not the business it was years ago. There's something incredibly rewarding about taking an outdated setup and turning it into a brand that feels fresh, aligned, and ready for growth. The best part? Seeing all the individual pieces come together into one seamless experience for both the business owner and their students. These are the kinds of projects I absolutely love working on.

0

5

Cover image for It’s always fun working on

It’s always fun working on a course project when you don’t speak the language. One minute you’re building automations, designing pages, and setting up the entire student experience. The next, you’re copying text into Google Translate to figure out what that section of copy actually says. Thankfully, Google Translate exists. Working with international clients is one of the things I love most about what I do. Even when there’s a language barrier, great course design, smart systems, and a little creativity go a long way. And let’s be honest, there’s something satisfying about seeing a complete course come together, even when you can’t read half the content without a translation tool. The language may be different, but the goal is always the same: creating a seamless learning experience for students. Anyone else ever found themselves building a website, course, or funnel in a language they don’t speak?

0

6

Cover image for This page on my website

This page on my website was created entirely with ClaudeAI. I shared my vision, my branding, the tone I wanted, the copy direction, plus a few examples of pages I loved. After a few back-and-forth conversations with Claude.ai (http://Claude.ai), this beauty was born. It’s officially my first fully AI-created website page… and I’m genuinely blown away by what it can do. The structure. The flow. The clarity. The speed. It’s kind of wild. AI is incredible, but strategy, experience, taste, and knowing what actually converts? That still takes a human. And thankfully, that’s where we come in. https://www.stephaniehq.com/ai

2

5

862

Copy Strategist(1)

maxBengaluru, India

Strategic Kajabi Builds That Sell, Not Just Look Good.

$50k+: Earned

69x: Hired

5.0: Rating

128: Followers

Expert

Strategic Kajabi Builds That Sell, Not Just Look Good.

Cover image for Strategic Sales Page for a Storytelling Coach

Strategic Sales Page for a Storytelling Coach

0

10

Cover image for Strategic Kajabi Website Design for an Executive Coach

Strategic Kajabi Website Design for an Executive Coach

0

15

Cover image for Custom Kajabi Sales Page for Premium Retreat in Lisbon

Custom Kajabi Sales Page for Premium Retreat in Lisbon

0

9

Kajabi Website for DEI Consulting & Training Brand

3

36

Copy Strategist(7)

maxRedding, USA

Kajabi Website & Sales Funnel Specialist | Top Kajabi Expert

$50k+: Earned

46x: Hired

5.0: Rating

182: Followers

Expert

Kajabi Website & Sales Funnel Specialist | Top Kajabi Expert

Cover image for Replicate Squarespace Site on Kajabi

Replicate Squarespace Site on Kajabi

4

22

Cover image for Comprehensive Homepage As the Hub of an Online Business

Comprehensive Homepage As the Hub of an Online Business

3

8

Cover image for RTR - Complete Online Course Business Launch

RTR - Complete Online Course Business Launch

3

48

Cover image for Go Make A Dollar Waitlist Page

Go Make A Dollar Waitlist Page

1

18

Copy Strategist(7)

Sabrina Polanco

maxFlorida, USA

Branding for DTC wellness brands

$100k+: Earned

15x: Hired

4.9: Rating

1.6K: Followers

Top

Branding for DTC wellness brands

Rebranding Firstly: A Multigenerational Intimates Brand

1

29

442

Cover image for Rythm Ecommerce Website Design

Rythm Ecommerce Website Design

6

96

Cover image for High-Converting Pet Supplement Landing Page

High-Converting Pet Supplement Landing Page

5

69

Cover image for SpokesPup Repositioned: Redefining Pet Culture

SpokesPup Repositioned: Redefining Pet Culture

2

39

692

Copy Strategist(1)

Branding+copy solutions for early stage founders

$10k+: Earned

9x: Hired

5.0: Rating

156: Followers

Top

Partner

+1

Branding+copy solutions for early stage founders

Instagram Multi-Brand Copywriting

2

3

RightLife had a product ahead of its brand. We rebuilt the full brand identity system to reflect it: logo, IRL sub-brand, colour, typography, voice, and mockups. Check it out (https://contra.com/p/3RFBUr6k-right-life-brand-system-rebuild)

4

198

Cover image for Monsters of the Mind: Digital Zine

Monsters of the Mind: Digital Zine

1

3

32

Dulce Oro Website:Brand architecture and Copywriting

1

2

16

Copy Strategist(1)

CPG packaging design, strategy & brand identity

$25k+: Earned

15x: Hired

5.0: Rating

478: Followers

Top

CPG packaging design, strategy & brand identity

Cover image for The Village Motherhood Company

The Village Motherhood Company

8

77

Mons & Miel Luxury Brand Identity Development

4

74

Cover image for MOVD is a podcast about movement, creativity, and the storie...

MOVD is a podcast about movement, creativity, and the stories that shape how we live and work. The hosts wanted a visual identity that felt grounded but alive, something that moved with purpose. I created the full brand identity including the logo, typography, and color direction. The design balances clarity and rhythm to reflect thoughtful conversations and flow. To shape the brand’s visual tone, I developed a photography direction in Midjourney that explored texture, motion, and atmosphere. The imagery feels human, curious, and calm. The final identity is cohesive, modern, and expressive of what MOVD stands for - movement, meaning, and connection.

11

35

2K

Cover image for Luxury Skincare Packaging Design for LUCE di OLIVA

Luxury Skincare Packaging Design for LUCE di OLIVA

32

597

Copy Strategist(1)

proVirginia, USA

Brand Strategist & Copywriter for DTC Brands

$25k+: Earned

3x: Hired

5.0: Rating

141: Followers

Brand Strategist & Copywriter for DTC Brands

ForKeeps Brand Strategy, Messaging & Naming

45

511

Cover image for This project had my heart

This project had my heart 😌 I had the absolute JOY of working with SpokesPup, an inclusivity-focused pet brand. They had a brilliant product but needed repositioning to reach more dog owners. Plus I'm obsessed with their mission: every dog deserves a voice. I worked on: - Brand Strategy - Messaging - Brand Voice This one reminded me why I love repositioning work. Taking something functional and giving it emotional weight. The insanely talented @Sabrina Polanco brought this world to life visually 💛

1

39

120

1.2K

Firstly Brand Repositioning and Naming

7

88

SpokesPup | Brand Strategy, Messaging, Tone of Voice

1

4

57

Copy Strategist(1)