UK new PB Combi buyers: US/UK price difference is amazing...

[unregbaron]

I'm sure you're aware already but it weak dollar means a 15"PB in US is at least £600 ( $1098 ) cheaper than buying here - means it would pay for a weekend in the big apple!

[Pseudonym]

You could always fly over and pick one up. Even with the VAT you'd be in profit.

Seems the perfect excuse for a weekend in NY to me:)

On a more serious note the whole US/UK pricing things bugs me, but I guess I have just got used to it now. Seeing everything is shipped via pretty well every country in the world there is little argument for the difference. I'd be happy with about a £100 markup to take account of fluctuations in the exchange rate.

But that's life:rolleyes:


edit: spelling

[Vanilla]

Don't forget that UK prices include VAT but US prices do NOT include local sales taxes, as I believe they vary from State to State.
Vanilla

[unregbaron]

nice one - hadn't thought of that

[johnnyjibbs]

Still works out much cheaper with tax, but that's the way it is. Also beware you have to put up with those horrid US keyboards (IMO)!

[Pseudonym]

Originally posted by Vanilla
Don't forget that UK prices include VAT but US prices do NOT include local sales taxes, as I believe they vary from State to State.
Vanilla

Good point. Out of interest, does anyone know roughly what the state taxes are?

[unregbaron]

this can't be right - seems low compared to UK 17.5%:

http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales.html


NEW YORK 4%

[virividox]

there are 2 states without sales tax, i think alaska and oregon...to bad they are on teh other coast!!!

[27407]

In texas sales tax is 8.25%... 4 does not sounds too low for NY.

[Pseudonym]

Oh man, high taxes and expensive computers! What do we get in return? David Dickinson!

[johnnyjibbs]

It's true. UK has far more tax than the US. Not only 17.5% VAT on all our goods but so many other stealth taxes too!

Unfortunately, the UK is just expensive anyway... :(

[JFreak]

how about 22% VAT in finland?

i'm currently buying a 15" SD powerbook and with a single sodimm 1GB memory / 60GB hd. here the thing costs 3600eur, which translates into 4600usd. same config in apple.com US store costs 3000usd, so all in all i have to pay 53% extra.

not funny.

[johnnyjibbs]

Originally posted by JFreak
how about 22% VAT in finland?

i'm currently buying a 15" SD powerbook and with a single sodimm 1GB memory / 60GB hd. here the thing costs 3600eur, which translates into 4600usd. same config in apple.com US store costs 3000usd, so all in all i have to pay 53% extra.

not funny.
I think that really warrants a holiday in the States..

[m2uk]

JFreak.. just hope you don't have to send any repairs to Machuolto in Hki... About five weeks for my G4 and 23" screen from local dealer to MH and back again..

I think our American friends would have a fit.. five days seems too long for sure !

Wonder if the prices are cheaper in Estonia?

[caveman_uk]

Originally posted by virividox
there are 2 states without sales tax, i think alaska and oregon...to bad they are on teh other coast!!!
IIRC New Hampshire and Delaware don't have sales tax either

[JFreak]

Originally posted by m2uk
About five weeks for my G4 and 23" screen from local dealer to MH and back again..

auch, that sucks. but the prices of apple hardware suck way more...

estonian prices would be interesting to find out. maybe there are some mafia-supplied stores that can offer stuff for really good prices :) oh well, maybe i just pay what is asked for and get a legal 'book.

[jxyama]

for NYC (and not NY), i think there are two taxes... city and state. so 4% may have been just the city tax. it does sound a bit low... neighboring NJ is 6%...

i wouldn't be surprised if it's 4% for the city, another 4% for the state..?

[verloren]

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
It's true. UK has far more tax than the US. Not only 17.5% VAT on all our goods but so many other stealth taxes too!

Unfortunately, the UK is just expensive anyway... :(

On the other hand there are many more 'fees' over here I think. For example, the $14.90 I pay for local phone service comes out to $23.46 once all the fees are added on.

The US is still cheaper, yes, but not as much as it first appears.

[kanker]

Originally posted by unregbaron
this can't be right - seems low compared to UK 17.5%:

http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales.html


NEW YORK 4% Remember, we revolted because of a half percent tax (among a few other things). ;) The other thing is that we have national, state, and local income taxes (most places at least), and a whole bunch of other hidden taxes on things like petrol (price includes national and state taxes) and tobacco (same). Makes up a lot of the VAT difference.

[rdas7]

Although we are paying such high taxes here in the UK for everything, it does take some of the sting out when you look at what the government spends it on:

There is a stellar public transport system, top notch railways and airports. Quality of life is so much higher, less traffic & congestion and certainly better value for money (that price difference for the PowerBook will get you a proper UK keyboard layout, after all...)

Not to mention the weather: who would *choose* to live anywhere else?

;)

[Pseudonym]

Originally posted by rdas7
Although we are paying such high taxes here in the UK for everything, it does take some of the sting out when you look at what the government spends it on:

There is a stellar public transport system, top notch railways and airports. Quality of life is so much higher, less traffic & congestion and certainly better value for money (that price difference for the PowerBook will get you a proper UK keyboard layout, after all...)

Not to mention the weather: who would *choose* to live anywhere else?

;)

Yeah true. And there's our lovely royal family and those cheeky cockney chappies who so politely clean your windscreen for you and refuse any payment. And our super airway buses pulled by large flying pigs:D

[Vanilla]

Well, I just went on to CompUSA, selected an item, entered a New York City ZipCode and checked out the Tax.

It's 8.625%

Cheers
Vanilla

[purplehaze]

I know, the differences in price almost warrant a trip to the US straight away. I'll be switching as soon as the Powerbook G5 comes out and have been thinking of buying it in New York.

I have a few questions, though...

Isn't the AC adapter different? If that's the case, can you buy a converter or do you have to fork out for a new one in the UK?

Are there any legal restrictions on buying electrical goods abroad? Should there be any problems with customs?

If the powerbook was faulty, could I return to Apple in the UK or would I have to ship it over to the US?

[Pseudonym]

The US tech specs (http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html) give the line voltage as 100 - 240v so I guess you would be OK on that front.

I'm not aware of any problems on importing electrical goods. I bought a CD player in Singapore once and brought it in OK. You would probably have to pay VAT on it when you get to customs.

As to support, that would be worth a email to AppleCare to ask. If you live near an Apple Centre you could take it in there to be fixed, so I would have thought the warranty would cover that (there must be plenty of business travellers who would need that kind of cover).

[Vanilla]

Well if you do buy it over there I THINK you can reclaim the sales tax at the airport.
Of course if you decide to be nice and legal, declare it at customs and pay VAT on entering the UK , add on the cost of a UK AC unit (much nicer than having to use an adaptor on the US one) plus add on the cost of your flight ticket to get you to New York in the first place, your net savings will not be that dramatic and you do end up with a US keyboard layout.
Food for thought.
Vanilla

[jxyama]

as Pseudonym said, the AC adapter is universal. all you need is the plug converter. you won't need the voltage converter, which is much more expensive.

if you wanted to be 100% legal, you will need to declare your laptop at the customs upon return to U.K. and pay import duty on it. it may or may not be higher than the local VAT.

applecare is international, afaik, but better make sure anyway.

another consideration: your credit card company will give you an exchange rate that will be pretty close to the wholesale market rate, but not quite. that may add somewhat to the overall price.

[johnnyjibbs]

Originally posted by jxyama
another consideration: your credit card company will give you an exchange rate that will be pretty close to the wholesale market rate, but not quite. that may add somewhat to the overall price.
Good point. Credit card is unlikely to give you $1=54p! Could pay cash :D

[Vanilla]

As a final point, concerning purchasing AppleCare in the States and then returning to the UK, two paragraphs in the warranty agreement could be of interest:
------------------------------------------
OBTAINING WARRANTY SERVICE
If you purchased the product in the U.S. and Canada, deliver the product, at your expense, to any Apple Authorized Service Provider located in U.S. and Canada. If you purchased the product in Latin America or the Caribbean, deliver the product to any Apple Authorized Service Provider in the country where you purchased the product.

If the product is portable, meaning that it can operate independently without a power cord, you may obtain warranty service worldwide. Be aware, however, that not all countries have Apple Authorized Service Providers and not all Authorized Service Providers outside the country of purchase have all parts or replacement units for the product. If the product cannot be repaired or replaced in the country it is in, it may need to be sent to a different country or returned to the country of purchase at your expense for repair or replacement.

------------------------------------------------------
Although the first paragraph is scary, the first sentence of the second paragraph does state that you CAN get warranty coverage while in the UK, BUT ONLY FOR PORTABLES. If you decide to get a PowerMac and it goes wrong it appears you've got serious shipping costs to incur.

Additionally the last sentence of the second paragraph is I think implying that if for example you had a problem with the US layout keyboard on your US purchased portable you may be liable for costs for them to ship it back to the States as this would possibly not be parts readily available in the UK.

Again, food for thought.
Vanilla