macbook, is this an impossible quest?

[Pob255]

Apparently on the friday 5th the pcworld website was selling macbooks for just over £400
no sign of them now, guessing it was ether an error or the older type? (I'm not much up on mac's)

Now our head of IT saw them and wanted to get some (I work in a school) must admit to not beleaveing him at first, I may not be massive up to date with mac's but I know how they cost in general.
But it was conformed by another teacher.

Only problem is the new head of IT has got it into his head that it should be easy for me to get hold of 4 or 5 for no more than £500 ex vat each.

Try as I might it's a no go, cheapest is £575 ex for the basic white 13-inch MacBook, from apples UK Education Institution Store.
http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObje...FwGoi22EuwsBal

So is it worth me digging deeper or should I just give it up as a bad idea now? give him the link and wash my hands of it?

maybe some form of cheap refurbished units? if anyone knows a company that sells them?

PS
I found two other places for £500
A US importer, but after customs it'd be more than £500 and it'd be a major headache to try to sort out some form of purchase order.
Ebay is the only other place I can find for £500 or less and that is a no go. Again purchase orders, not good.

[chiark]

I don't think you'll find macbooks for 500 ex vat. Cheapest I've seen is Dixons "Tax Free" (which isn't tax free when flying in the UK) so a 704 quid entry level macbook would be 600 quid.

That 600 quid does *include* UK VAT if you're flying from London to Leeds (as an example) so the ex VAT price is £510.

It might be worth contacting Dixons Tax Free at a local airport and seeing if they can sell you 5 and if they can give you a VAT invoice. (I think that they probably can, but I suspect there's all sorts of hand waving going on with regard to the travel prices and who pays the VAT)

Not found a reliable source of refurb'd units other than apple themselves...


In fact, on the apple option, check their refurb store *RIGHT NOW* - there's refurb'd entry level (2.1GHz, superdrive - the new entry level spec ones) macbooks for 599 including VAT and shipping.

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/FB...mco=MjE0NDk5Mw

[chiark]

Damn it, the above figures are working on 17.5% VAT... However, the refurb on the apple store is 520 ex VAT.

Unfortunately education discounts don't apply in the refurb store, but it might be worth contacting them?

[Pob255]

Thanks for the tip, already out of stock I guess they only had one.