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Buying from USA + shipping to UK

F

FireArse

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 29, 2004
900
110
Hi guys.

As mad as some of you might think, I'm thinking of getting a refurb 12PB. However, there are none on offer in the UK directly from Apple with the warranty (should I want to extend to 3 years)

So having seen how much the dollar is worth per pound, is it worth getting a friend / macrumors member to buy it for me + ship it to UK?

I understand the prices online are without sales tax. What are the most popular rates of tax?

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=F9691LL/A

Above is the $1199 version without extra HDD space or RAM. This works out to be £600. What will it cost me to get it back to my grubby hands??

Thanks,

F
 
rdowns

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
Firstly, Apple will not ship it to you from the US store.

Sales tax is based on where they ship it to in the US.

Were you able to get someone to buy it, it would cost a pretty penny (schilling??) to ship it to you and you'd lilely have to pay some crazy import tax or some such thing.

Good luck.
 
Spanky Deluxe

Spanky Deluxe

macrumors demi-god
Mar 17, 2005
5,282
1,745
London, UK
Technically on a $1199 item, you have to pay VAT + Import tax although I think laptops are actually duty free. So you're looking at $1199 + 17.5% VAT = $1408.83 before shipping so you're already at £950 which is the cost of the top spec MacBook.

Edit: Its the kind of thing that could be worthwhile if you were going on holiday to the states anyway and then putting a bought laptop in your suitcase but importing normally just isn't worth it usually.
 
F

FireArse

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 29, 2004
900
110
Righto

Well, thanks for your comments guys.

Having found out that Delaware has no sales tax, I called up Apple USA and explained to the guy my situation. I told him I'd go to these kinda extreme lengths for a Mac that Apple UK couldn't supply me.

He suggested getting cheap flights to NY, and driving to a hotel in Delaware, where the Mac can be delivered Tax-Free. Nice Apple employee.

So whats to see in Delaware? The drive would take about 4 ish hours, but I'd need to ship it to an address there. Presumably I can buy the Mac on my USA debit card (which is registered to my UK address) but have it sent no probs to a hotel in that State?

F
 
Spanky Deluxe

Spanky Deluxe

macrumors demi-god
Mar 17, 2005
5,282
1,745
London, UK
FireArse said:
Well, thanks for your comments guys.

Having found out that Delaware has no sales tax, I called up Apple USA and explained to the guy my situation. I told him I'd go to these kinda extreme lengths for a Mac that Apple UK couldn't supply me.

He suggested getting cheap flights to NY, and driving to a hotel in Delaware, where the Mac can be delivered Tax-Free. Nice Apple employee.

So whats to see in Delaware? The drive would take about 4 ish hours, but I'd need to ship it to an address there. Presumably I can buy the Mac on my USA debit card (which is registered to my UK address) but have it sent no probs to a hotel in that State?

F
Click to expand...

Seriously, is it really worth it? A flight to NY + car rental + petrol + hotel cost + food for journey + serious jet lag all for a two year old laptop? You'll probably be onto MBP money levels by the time all that is factored in. I mean the 12" PowerBooks sure are nice but are they really worth all that hassle? You could probably buy a MacBook for now and then if Apple do actually release an ultracompact MBP as expected, sell the MB and switch, all for less than this crazy endeavour would cost!
 
AlBDamned

AlBDamned

macrumors 68030
Mar 14, 2005
2,641
15
Spanky Deluxe said:
Seriously, is it really worth it? A flight to NY + car rental + petrol + hotel cost + food for journey + serious jet lag all for a two year old laptop? You'll probably be onto MBP money levels by the time all that is factored in. I mean the 12" PowerBooks sure are nice but are they really worth all that hassle? You could probably buy a MacBook for now and then if Apple do actually release an ultracompact MBP as expected, sell the MB and switch, all for less than this crazy endeavour would cost!
Click to expand...

Agreed. This is going beyond madness and into the realms of pure insanity. I'm sure you can find one used or very nearly new 12" PB without resorting to this. In fact, I'm inclined to think this is a bit of a p**-take. ;)
 
F

FireArse

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 29, 2004
900
110
I'm really not taking the piss...

AlBDamned said:
Agreed. This is going beyond madness and into the realms of pure insanity. I'm sure you can find one used or very nearly new 12" PB without resorting to this. In fact, I'm inclined to think this is a bit of a p**-take. ;)
Click to expand...

Madness or pure insanity?

I disagree. The only need I'll have for this thing is e-mail, browsing and iTunes. I have no need for the power (I know the Intels are faster).

The 12 is so much more portable and nicer. F the matt screen and the odd keyboard supplied with the MacBook.

All my previous travels to the States have been to the West Coast. Obviously I wouldn't only go to NY for this laptop. As for driving...as a commuter on the UK trains, I really grab any opportunity to drive. Driving in another country (and on the other side of the bloody road) would simply add to the Road Trip.

Battery life, portability, looks and the knowledge of having the Mac Pro should I need any horse-power allow me to seriously consider it.

F
 
AlBDamned

AlBDamned

macrumors 68030
Mar 14, 2005
2,641
15
FireArse said:
Madness or pure insanity?

I disagree. The only need I'll have for this thing is e-mail, browsing and iTunes. I have no need for the power (I know the Intels are faster).

The 12 is so much more portable and nicer. F the matt screen and the odd keyboard supplied with the MacBook.

All my previous travels to the States have been to the West Coast. Obviously I wouldn't only go to NY for this laptop. As for driving...as a commuter on the UK trains, I really grab any opportunity to drive. Driving in another country (and on the other side of the bloody road) would simply add to the Road Trip.

Battery life, portability, looks and the knowledge of having the Mac Pro should I need any horse-power allow me to seriously consider it.

F
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I think if you were to look around a bit, you would get one that's in near-identical condition to an Apple refurb and you wouldn't need to fly a quarter of the way round the world to get it.

Why don't you try ringing Cupertino or e-mailing Apple and seeing what they say. If you were to say "I'm going to get one of these laptops, you can either help me and sell me one and mail it to me or I'm going to make big, black carbon footstamps all over your attempts at being more green..."
 
Spanky Deluxe

Spanky Deluxe

macrumors demi-god
Mar 17, 2005
5,282
1,745
London, UK
If you really want a 12" PB get a second hand one over here. For the cost of all that, you could probably get TWO 12" PBs in mint condition. Get one and if it does die in the space of three years then you'll have saved enough money to just go and buy another. I'm all for the added portability of a 12", I still think the MacBooks are too big. However, what you're considering doing just sounds like a collosal waste of money and like AlBDamned said, a waste of the world's resources! :p
 
F

FireArse

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 29, 2004
900
110
AppleCare issue

FireArse said:
As mad as some of you might think, I'm thinking of getting a refurb 12PB. However, there are none on offer in the UK directly from Apple with the warranty (should I want to extend to 3 years)
Click to expand...

How many of those on eBay are still within the first year - therefore allowing me to add AppleCare?

I will continue to look. I just think that for £600 and a return ticket to NY it'll be a nice trip + I'll get the laptop I've wanted for months tested & direct from Apple.

I see where you guys are coming from WRT the carbon footprint of this possible PB - but don't blame me if Apple UK haven't had one for sale in the last 6 weeks - I checked!!

F
 
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