USA Purchases on a UK Credit Card???

[EtheAv8r]

Does anyone know of any (reliable) internet PC Component retailers in the USA who will accept orders from UK, with UK Credit card?

I am visiting Washington DC for a few days next month, and if I could order from here and get delivered to my hotel I could save quite a bit on a CPU and RAM, maybe even a GPU too?

failing that, anyone know of a store in DC I can visit>

Many thanks

[arthurleung]

If you order in USA you cannot get any mail-in rebates that the store offers. And most of the time without the rebate the price is relatively expensive.

You also get charged for something like 3.5% for using your card overseas.

I doubt hotel will take your delivery for you, and the postal service is not that good in USA compared to UK.

Anyway it is a better idea to ask a mate to order then ship to you rather than go and buy it yourself.

[notsobig]

Get yourself a 8800GTS/GTX, I heard they are much cheaper over there

[bertie]

There must be a best buy or circuit city in DC - they should test the card for you in store to see if it works so you don't go home with a dud

[TeePee]

As in the UK, high street stores are expensive over here compared to online retailers..

I recently bought a cable modem. It was $79.99+tax in best buy. I ordered from newegg for $49.99+ shipping but no tax, and i'll get $20 of that back on the rebate in a couple of months.

[EtheAv8r]

Thanks, I will try to locate a best buy or circuit city in DC, but I also dicovered that as I am a UK custioner of Amazon, I can order from Amazon.com (USA) and have delivered to a USA address.

Any other US stores I should look for?

[mountainmachine]

Just watch on the way back into the UK as you may get pulled by customs and have to pay import tax on it all!

[smallstool]

I buy model helicopter parts quite regularly from the US (half uk prices) on my credit card.

Have had no issues so far with duty etc (most parts quite small).

smallstool

[kalniel]

Just watch on the way back into the UK as you may get pulled by customs and have to pay import tax on it all!

You're fine as long as you're under something like 145 quid, which depending on the exchange rate can be quite a lot of stuff in the states (not that I did exactly the same when I was in San Deigo.. ;p)

[mountainmachine]

You're fine as long as you're under something like 145 quid, which depending on the exchange rate can be quite a lot of stuff in the states (not that I did exactly the same when I was in San Deigo.. ;p)

I know i'd spend far more than £145 if i ever get to the states, am always tempted to order more from the USA but normally the postage puts me off unless its a small expensive item.

[jon123]

8800GTS's go for about 470$, which = £256. They cost about £350 over here (inc p&p) but you have to pay import tax don't you, VAT and maybe ~£20 shipping + the credit card charge for currency conversion (someone said 3.5%), so do you think its still worth it importing? It would be about...

256 + 20 (at a guess for p&p) +10 (3.5%) + ?? (import duties) + 50 (VAT) = £336 + import duty..have I worked this out right and how much do you think the import duty will be? Also do the US have a tax on goods (like VAT) that we can claim back?

[Rack]

Who declares personal goods? I've bought back about $500 worth of stuff on 2 occasions no problems. I think there is a limit before you should declare, but I thought it was about $350 or something like that.

[Spitfire01]

It's looking good to go out there a buy stuff. it's looking highly likely that the exchange rate will reach £1 = $2 by Christmas.

[kalniel]

Who declares personal goods? I've bought back about $500 worth of stuff on 2 occasions no problems. I think there is a limit before you should declare, but I thought it was about $350 or something like that.

It's £145, so the value depends on the exchange rate at the time. Though the wording is a little vague as to whether it applies to a single item or a total of all items.

£145 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs.

If you bring in something worth more than the limit of £145, you must pay charges on the full value, not just the value above £145.
You and anyone you are travelling with cannot pool your individual allowances to bring in an item worth more than the limit. You will have to pay charges on the full value of the item.

And as for why..

If you have any more than these allowances you must declare the goods in the red channel or use the red point phone. If you do not, you are breaking the law and we may prosecute you.

[GeorgeTuk]

It's £145, so the value depends on the exchange rate at the time. Though the wording is a little vague as to whether it applies to a single item or a total of all items.




And as for why..

I can tell you they do perform random checks quite regularly and the penalties are extemely harsh, depends on the official but is anything between fully enforced fines and confiscation. I know a number of people who move between US and UK for work and they have all been searched on leaving the country. They only need to catch you once and they ensure it won't happen again!

Seems to be more prevalent at the moment too maybe its Christmas though it has been heavy going for a few months now, they are very protective of business and commerce in the US.

[Apex]

For thoese importing stuff to the uk what you should buget for is

VAT @ 17.5% and normally 3.5% import tax and most offen then not a handerling charge from the postal company from £10 to £16

Allways buget for the above on your purchess and then work out if the saving is worth the loss of uk warantee and the cost

Annd the £145 rule is a load of tosh, the last package i got stung on i had to pay £26 tax, the ups guy told me that in futuer make sure the items are below $50 and customs more then likely will not bother to look at it.