Dollar Prices

olafgarten

It's really shocking how much we get ripped off in this country, a friend of mine wanted to buy the new 15 inch Macbook Pro and has found he can save £100 by flying to New York and buying it there. 

Jez6345789

Apple have always had a premium outside of the US. I think there has been some feeling of gouging on the new MBP.

All that said the cost of doing business here from duty to vat to rents and rates to store margins employment legislation and currency  all have an impact on the landed cost and retail price v the US it's simply not an eggs to eggs comparison. Oh and don't forget volume and removal and public shaming of tax manoeuvres. 

Ultimately the Elements that impact pricing are endless

4114Effects

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

octatonic

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

and the 8.87% that  you have to add to the price in the US because prices there are without tax?

olafgarten

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

octatonic said:

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

and the 8.87% that  you have to add to the price in the US because prices there are without tax?

We don't have to pay Sales Tax in the US as we don't live there. Also there is no way for customs to prove that you have bought it in the US. 

HAL9000

olafgarten said:

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

octatonic said:

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

and the 8.87% that  you have to add to the price in the US because prices there are without tax?

We don't have to pay Sales Tax in the US as we don't live there. Also there is no way for customs to prove that you have bought it in the US. 

I suspect that the serial number would be sufficient for anybody who wanted to check.

UnclePsychosis

olafgarten said:

  
Also there is no way for customs to prove that you have bought it in the US. 

Firstly, the onus will be on you to prove that the shiny electronics in your suitcase are not from the USA and secondly getting caught lying to HMRC is not something you want to happen. Paying the VAT will be the least of your worries.

By all means, bring stuff into the country illegally. Its your conscience. But don't use your illegally landed price to compare to the cost of things in shops that have been brought in officially. That's just daft.

jellyroll

olafgarten said:

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

octatonic said:

4114Effects said:

Is that including the 20% vat he'd have to pay on it when bringing it back into the country? 

and the 8.87% that  you have to add to the price in the US because prices there are without tax?

We don't have to pay Sales Tax in the US as we don't live there.

Wrong.

guitarfishbay

I bought an iPad in the US in the Black Friday sales and saved £100 even vs UK BF deals... but that comes in under the personal limit (£390)

octatonic

Long way to go to save a ton.
If you were there anyway then it makes sense.

RandallFlagg

Cost of travel plus a warranty that will only be honoured in the US? Plus US sales tax, and import charges & VAT if you declare it on entry to UK.

Not a saving

guitarfishbay

octatonic said:

Long way to go to save a ton.
If you were there anyway then it makes sense.

I was visiting family

57Deluxe

just borrow a UK receipt off someone and take it with you as proof that you already owned it upon return...

olafgarten

The issue with tax on personal imports is that there are many cases where it shouldn't apply and it's difficult to prove if tax has already been paid.

For example, if I bought something from the US, took it back to the UK and paid import duty, if I then brought it back through customs and didn't bring the receipt for the tax I've paid, what would happen then.

Also, If you receive a Gift in the US, would that have to be taxed?

boogieman

Presumably the 110v power supply with the US plug would give it away if customs did decide to check? 

olafgarten

boogieman said:

Presumably the 110v power supply with the US plug would give it away if customs did decide to check? 

The Macbook has a universal power supply with interchangeable tips. Last time I bought a Mac in the UK (not mine but for a friend), the guy at the store threw in a free European tip when I asked.

webrthomson

I bought a power mac laptop when I lived in the states and as far as I can work out the only difference is the cable that I plug into the power pack - US price $2899, UK price £2999. The nice chap in the shop even ordered me one with a UK keyboard

Winny_Pooh

olafgarten said:

It's really shocking how much we get ripped off in this country, a friend of mine wanted to buy the new 15 inch Macbook Pro and has found he can save £100 by flying to New York and buying it there. 

The problem is really that your friend wants a fashionable overpriced computer with little practical benefit over its lower prices competitors (Dell XPS for example) . If you or he are "shocked" by the markup in the UK then you should be upset at Apple themselves; a company with tremendous profits who pay as little as possible to their workers and even less in tax. 

olafgarten

Winny_Pooh said:

olafgarten said:

It's really shocking how much we get ripped off in this country, a friend of mine wanted to buy the new 15 inch Macbook Pro and has found he can save £100 by flying to New York and buying it there. 

The problem is really that your friend wants a fashionable overpriced computer with little practical benefit over its lower prices competitors (Dell XPS for example) . If you or he are "shocked" by the markup in the UK then you should be upset at Apple themselves; a company with tremendous profits who pay as little as possible to their workers and even less in tax. 

I understand, I wouldn't buy a Mac myself. It's the same with everything though, the markup is higher with apple but we should be able to get electronics that are manufactured in China cheaper here. 

The difference is more than VAT. 

exocet

olafgarten said:

Winny_Pooh said:

olafgarten said:

It's really shocking how much we get ripped off in this country, a friend of mine wanted to buy the new 15 inch Macbook Pro and has found he can save £100 by flying to New York and buying it there. 

The problem is really that your friend wants a fashionable overpriced computer with little practical benefit over its lower prices competitors (Dell XPS for example) . If you or he are "shocked" by the markup in the UK then you should be upset at Apple themselves; a company with tremendous profits who pay as little as possible to their workers and even less in tax. 

I understand, I wouldn't buy a Mac myself. It's the same with everything though, the markup is higher with apple but we should be able to get electronics that are manufactured in China cheaper here. 

The difference is more than VAT. 

As stated elsewhere in the thread, UK pricing is influenced by many factors that reflect the cost of doing business in the U.K along with the profit margin that any given company expects to receive. 

For consumer electronics, there is also the implied costs of providing 2 year warranty that I'm guessing is not standard in U.S market?

There is no doubt that operating costs for most companies are higher in U.K than in U.S - Staff salaries are higher and floor space more expensive. 

That said, there are many companies from many different industries that seek to extract greater profit margins from U.K than they do from other countries....we appear to accept it?

olafgarten

exocet said:

olafgarten said:

Winny_Pooh said:

olafgarten said:

It's really shocking how much we get ripped off in this country, a friend of mine wanted to buy the new 15 inch Macbook Pro and has found he can save £100 by flying to New York and buying it there. 

The problem is really that your friend wants a fashionable overpriced computer with little practical benefit over its lower prices competitors (Dell XPS for example) . If you or he are "shocked" by the markup in the UK then you should be upset at Apple themselves; a company with tremendous profits who pay as little as possible to their workers and even less in tax. 

I understand, I wouldn't buy a Mac myself. It's the same with everything though, the markup is higher with apple but we should be able to get electronics that are manufactured in China cheaper here. 

The difference is more than VAT. 

As stated elsewhere in the thread, UK pricing is influenced by many factors that reflect the cost of doing business in the U.K along with the profit margin that any given company expects to receive. 

For consumer electronics, there is also the implied costs of providing 2 year warranty that I'm guessing is not standard in U.S market?

There is no doubt that operating costs for most companies are higher in U.K than in U.S - Staff salaries are higher and floor space more expensive. 

That said, there are many companies from many different industries that seek to extract greater profit margins from U.K than they do from other countries....we appear to accept it?



It even happens within Europe, how do Maxon get away with charging £3240 for Cinema 4D Studio in the UK when it's only £3000 in Germany.