how to avoid rip-off uk?

[bpuk]

hey all, seems like there's quite a few people here from the UK. i'm wondering if anyone has a good idea/scam to get some apple kit for cheaper than the VAT + inflated price we lucky residents have to endure. with my current G4 i actually flew to NYC and brought the sucker back carry-on and saved a good chunk of cash. unfortunately the G5 is pretty damn big...

any thoughts?

[Gee]

hey all, seems like there's quite a few people here from the UK. i'm wondering if anyone has a good idea/scam to get some apple kit for cheaper than the VAT + inflated price we lucky residents have to endure. with my current G4 i actually flew to NYC and brought the sucker back carry-on and saved a good chunk of cash. unfortunately the G5 is pretty damn big...

any thoughts?

Bigger bag? :p

[liketom]

well if you can get away with it fine , but only really an option with laptops and ipods and then also comes the box it came in.. i like to keep all my apple boxes for resale on ebay ! i bet you would have a hard time explaining away to customs that you dont go anywhere without your powerbook cardboard box.

[johnnyjibbs]

well if you can get away with it fine , but only really an option with laptops and ipods and then also comes the box it came in.. i like to keep all my apple boxes for resale on ebay ! i bet you would have a hard time explaining away to customs that you dont go anywhere without your powerbook cardboard box.
Why not send home the empty box by post? It would be light so wouldn't cost too much.

[BakedBeans]

Why not send home the empty box by post? It would be light so wouldn't cost too much.

have you seen how big the G5 is.... that would be a nightmare on a plane... but if you can manage it.. then bood idea :)

[Applespider]

My mother brought back her iBook from SFO last month. She put the Book in her carry on and packed the box with other stuff and put it in the hold. With a flight connection from London to Edinburgh, customs can be very hit and miss anyhow since you land in Edinburgh from a domestic flight and have to go look for the customs people! It's supposed to arrive on a different baggage carousel but rarely does and there's still no customs person beside that one in any case.

Was fun at security at SFO having the iBook and the Powerbook going through side by side!

[bpuk]

well, i'm not too fussed about getting the g5 on the plane. basically i'd put the g5 box inside another larger box and check it in. i just got back from the states and checked a reel-to-reel tape deck that is about the same size as a G5 (and 65lbs!) with no problem. i was trying to avoid having to do another flight to the states though so am looking for europe proximity scams...

hey applespider, i'm actually from SF and was just there. great weather right now. go giants!

[Optoptic]

i'm actually from SF

So you thought you'd come to freeload in the UK to take advantage of all the services that are provided by the hardworking British taxpayers. How disgusting that you try to cheat on contributing towards all the services you receive while living in someone else's country.

Shame on you.

[johnnyjibbs]

Oh, come on. We all know that everyone in the UK is ripped off, especially when it comes to Macs. We have the bizarre situation that, even if the UK import duty was paid, a US import still costs less than one purchased in the UK. What is fair about that?

[winwintoo]

Hey, I'm not doing anything for the next couple of weeks and I'd love to visit the UK again - I even have a place to stay - send me the plane ticket and the money for the G5 and I'll bring it over for you :D :D :D


Margaret

[bpuk]

optopic, i hope you're being sarcastic.

freeload huh? i've been here 5 years, pay all the various taxes and have never been to hospital or 'taken advantage' of anything else around here aside from what my local council provides. i think that covers me to save some cash. in fact, with the business i've done in that time, i've contributed more to the economy through taxes and expenses than most average taxpayers.

i suppose you've never bought anything expensive abroad and brought it back without paying duty in order to keep things ticking along economically in the uk. good on you!

(well put, johnnyjibbs)