Buying abroad/ rip off britain

[bomber999]

Importing isn't necessary.

It was cheaper because you didn't pay VAT, which you're supposed to

yeah but dont you pay the VAT on the item you bought in that country? eg if i bought office 2007 from america, then i would of paid the tax on it. so when you compare the prices from the UK and USA we are getting ripped off, even if you take in to consideration the money it costs to ship the parts/software over here!

[mart_haj86]

No you pay the VAT in america and the VAT for importing into the UK, the usual calculation for working out the VAT is,

Price of goods on the invoice + shipping charge + Vat Value adjustment fee (usually about £7.36)+duty amount X 17.5% VAT

It can work out really expensive!...

[bomber999]

Its stupid that we get charged all this V.A.T! better to get people to mark it as a gift, say thats its a dvd or something just hope they dont open it up

[mart_haj86]

Yes but the gift status is only applicable if the package is going from a private individual to a private individual not from a business to a private individual.

[boxrick]

ive imported a fair few things and not been stung by import tax yet./...

[ChristopherW]

It's pot luck.


The max value of items imported is something like £34 - I bought some posters from a posters site (Stargate 200th Episode & Serenity movie poster) and got stung with import tax Oddly enough, you can get charged import tax on just about everything these days... But, and this is a good one, UNBOUND LOOSE BOOKS (so books without spines, basically) aren't taxable! So, that's why film and TV scripts are always sent loose with just a bit of twine round them, to get round import tax!

HMRC web site has a big huge list of what's applicable for tax and what's not, recommend you guys check it out

[Sneaky King]

yeah but dont you pay the VAT on the item you bought in that country? eg if i bought office 2007 from america, then i would of paid the tax on it. so when you compare the prices from the UK and USA we are getting ripped off, even if you take in to consideration the money it costs to ship the parts/software over here!

No. Tax is not included in the prices in America and only added if shipped to a specific state in America with their tax rate.

We are not getting ripped off at all.

[arthurleung]

Sometimes its cheaper to buy in USA, ship it here and get charged VAT and still end up cheaper than buying locally. It is not just the VAT which makes stuff expensive.

[bomber999]

No. Tax is not included in the prices in America and only added if shipped to a specific state in America with their tax rate.

We are not getting ripped off at all.

yeah but if i lived in say CA and bought something from NY i wouldnt get taxed? if so thats abit unfair. still think britain is way to expensive!

[aidanjt]

There was something on tv the other night and it works out cheaper to nip over to the US and pick it up yourself than buy here. Thats if customs dont get you on the way back

Could always stash it in a portable cd wallet and bring a cdplayer with you 'for the flight'

[aidanjt]

No. Tax is not included in the prices in America and only added if shipped to a specific state in America with their tax rate.

We are not getting ripped off at all.

Maybe it's been a long time since I did maths in school, but the last time I checked ~8% (given that VAT is set at the state level in the US) extra VAT doesn't double the price. So unless our governments are lying to us (likely) and actually charging an 80% stealth VAT on items, I do believe you're talking crap.

The UK and Ireland charge the most obsered prices on the planet period, by our artificially inflated ecnomies. And with prices charged for items it's no wonder our debt could win a world war.

[mart_haj86]

Norway and Denmark are actually among the highest VAT'd countries at a whopping 25%

[Mooky55]

Well I am back.

I bought two 8800gtx GPUs (XfX OverClocked Version - Scan £458) for 1220 Dollars - paid £325 INCLUDING NEW YORK tax (the highest in the US I think) and Delivery, AND Forex charges.

Who still wants to argue that we get ripped off?

Also bought a 1Gb Ipod Shuffle for £42 - UK price? £55

Whats that between 30% and 40% cheaper????

Not to mention food, petrol, the Metro (any metro for 2 dollars thats 1 pound... where can you go on the Tube in London for 1 pound? not even to the toilet).

No one can really defend the UK as being reasonable.

[Sneaky King]

Maybe it's been a long time since I did maths in school, but the last time I checked ~8% (given that VAT is set at the state level in the US) extra VAT doesn't double the price. So unless our governments are lying to us (likely) and actually charging an 80% stealth VAT on items, I do believe you're talking crap.

The UK and Ireland charge the most obsered prices on the planet period, by our artificially inflated ecnomies. And with prices charged for items it's no wonder our debt could win a world war.

Sorry what? The wholesale prices are higher, it's not the government charging higher prices and this country isn't the highest tax-wise (as already disproved a few posts back).

I do believe you're talking crap, sir, 80% stealth tax is utterly moronic to suggest, do you think they'd get away with it otherwise? Someone would find it out. It's not the government that sets the price of software (or whatever it is you're comparing the prices for).

[Metier9]

I noticed when i was in china in january that laptops where about £200 cheaper compared to UK prices e.g. asus w3j (white one with camera) and thats before you bargain!!!! Wish i had some more cash in the shopping center....

[haloman]

There's a massive Customs thread on TheDVDForums Supplier Forum. I'd link, but they go down at night.

Basically, if it's under £18 before postage, you're not charged any tax. If it's over £18 after postage, you're charged 17.5% VAT on the everything, and then a handling fee from your mail service/courier for prepaying the tax when it gets to you.