This makes me want to cry..

[FatBoab]

Check the HM Revenue and Customs website (www.hmrc.gov.uk). Basically, gifts have to be less than £36 (linky), so you're SOL there.

To do things above board, you will pay VAT (17.5% of the value of the goods plus shipping costs - that's £175 per £1000). You may also pay import duty - I'm not sure whether a desktop PC is exempt or not (I know laptops are).

IME the additional charges tend to wipe out the savings. If you think you can still save, you might want to check out www.myus.com or www.shopthestates.com -- both give you a US shipping address that allows you to buy stuff from US etailers and they then ship it on to you. MyUS claims that they're able to (legally) list a low value on the shipping manifest, thereby saving you some VAT and duty (disclaimer -- I've never used these services, I just know they exist).

As for moving to the US, it's fun for a while, but most people I know move back to the UK/Ireland/Europe in the end (I was in Boston for a year followed by 4 years in San Francisco). You have to bear in mind things like the lack of an NHS, and the existence of 5 bazillion utterly **** TV and radio channels. And most importantly, you can't get proper bacon anywhere .

[Merlin4458]

thanks for reply. Im thinking my only best bet is finding someone who going over there and picking it up for me and taking it on plane as hand luggage, it only being a shuttle an all

[oralpain]

1: He has to pay for a ticket to come over here lol. Any way he can ship it? as 400 quid to come here aint worth it for a pc
2: Why arnet the raptors worth it

1. Well obviously. However, if one of you were to go on vacation or something. Shipping rates to the UK are murder anyway.

Try having it shipped and say the computer is worth less than 36 pounds. If it's only insured for 30 or so, there really isn;t any way they can refute it (unless some one is stupid enough to include the original recipt). However, if it's insured for 30 pounds and it's lost, you're screwed.

2. 10% (or less) faster, overall, for more than double the cost per MB (compaired to a good NCQ, 16MB cache, 7,200 rpm drive) isn't worth it to me.

[Nox]

2. 10% (or less) faster, overall, for more than double the cost per MB (compaired to a good NCQ, 16MB cache, 7,200 rpm drive) isn't worth it to me.

I would of disagreed with you there 2 years ago, but not so much now.

Nox

[tim_n]

1# Hand luggage max is 6KG on most airlines.
2# They'll probably come into some odd response that you'll fashion an Uzi out of your blanking plates
3# They'll force you to put it in the hold. Hope there's no HD's in there...

Import tax is around 22% - I don't think you pay VAT. Either ship it with a value of less than £20 (I think that's the limit, but the other guy who put £36 may be more upto date than my mum, who is HMCE&IR.

Thing is, if he ships it from the US, no sales tax is paid there and it can be claimed back, so it may be you don't pay extra. It's a pain & most of the items in the case will be under a grey warranty - ie unless you're using a small international company, it's quite likely they have a database of all the serial numbers and where they are shipped. Many grey products won't be repairable or covered in the UK. That's why you should make sure you have an international warranty when purchasing abroad.

If you want to get the item back without paying tax, the best way is to ship it as freight. This'll cost less, and it'll be brought by sea. By the time your PC gets here, it'll be out of date.

The moral of the story is, don't try in the first place. Pick up your screaming wallet and strap it to one of the affilates that hexus is plugging. Then you're supporting hexus AND muchos cheapness.

One day, I too will be rich enough to buy my own gaming rig that sits there, looking sleek, cool and is utterly silent. I'll also own my own underground swimming pool, a house and classic Cobra Viper. Those days will come.

[RDL]

It would work as a gift, many companies do that over Ebay to save the end user having to pay customs, and it is something like 98% effective. It would be quite easy to disguise, being an SFF, and I'm pretty sure you would have no trouble.

[Merlin4458]

cool, RDL, any chance i can add u too msn? quicker and easier, once i got my info u can block and delete me

[arthurleung]

It would work as a gift, many companies do that over Ebay to save the end user having to pay customs, and it is something like 98% effective. It would be quite easy to disguise, being an SFF, and I'm pretty sure you would have no trouble.

I got screwed on my 2001FP last year. You better not send anything LARGE. By LARGE I mean something bigger than a 15" LCD. My 16port GigE switch passed through without problem.

But of course, if you have a way to ship something as big as a SFF please share the method

[Merlin4458]

yeah mate, im still looking. i think RDL knows something, and im hoping he will tell me more on msn

[eletero]

1
Import tax is around 22% - I don't think you pay VAT. Either ship it with a value of less than £20 (I think that's the limit, but the other guy who put £36 may be more upto date than my mum, who is HMCE&IR.

Yep, I rang them a while ago to check this.

If it's under £18 that's fine - no import duty.
If it's marked as a gift this allowance basically doubles - you don't pay import below £36.

With something small you might be able to get away with quoting a lesser price - with a comp you'd have a hard time justifying £36. This is why a lot of ebay sellers put up the delivery - if the item sells for £18 with £20 delivery you can get away with not paying import.

If you went to america bought a pc then you're fine - it's your own property. I had an american friend working in UK, she bought her laptop in the US while visiting home and didn't have to pay import when bringing it back.

[Butcher]

Actually I went through customs at a UK airport recently, the allowance for import of electronic goods for personal use is £150. So legally you'd have to delcare it when you got it back here (and pay import duty). Odds are if you just walked through the green channel tho no one would stop you - I got my laptop in the US and just walked through with it no problem.