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Buy Apple watch on trip to US?

Arkious

Arkious

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 14, 2011
583
0
Newcastle, UK
Hello,

I'm getting married in September and we have saved a bomb for us to have a lovely honeymoon in San Fancisco! But whilst we're over there, we were thinking of picking up 2 apple watch sports, both as gifts to each other and partially due to the exchange rate.

Other than the plug difference, would there be any more trouble associated with a purchase like this?

Thanks very much for your advice in advance
 
I'm thinking of getting a family friend to buy me a MacBook from the U.S. As it's much much cheaper than Australia aha. I think it will work fine, just change the settings to your country :)
 
Yeah the 42mm watch works out at £260 instead of the UK price of £339 so £79 cheaper. That's just the watch so I imagine a MacBook would be much cheaper. I'd guess the warranty won't be covered in another country though
 
If you're in SF there's a place called Maxfield in LA that might have some in stock for in-store purchase.
 
Arkious said:
thanks very much, will keep that in mind!
Click to expand...

But also note that they are apparently inundated with customers trying to purchase it. Also, it's apparently a very elitist upscale boutique, so if you want to be taken remotely seriously and avoid discrimination, my best guess is to wear a suit to try and make a purchase for even just the aWatch.

That's just based on reading the thread.
 
I am not in the US, but I would think that by September stocks of the Apple Watch would have normalised and you would be able to pick one up instore at an Apple Store.

The other option would be to order it online and have it delivered to your hotel (but obviously arrange for the Hotel to take delivery of it). I have done that with other purchases in the past. I assume you are staying at a nice hotel, and it is generally not be a problem.
 
I live in Sweden but ordered my 38 mm SS Apple Watch with Milanese Loop from the US. No problems at all. I originally thought to order to the UK or Germany but with the exchange rates it worked out cheapest to order from the US.

I am originally from Los Angeles and fyi, San Francisco is no where near Maxfields.

By September, I'd think you should be able to go into Apple and buy a watch off the shelf.

Normally, your credit card has to match the delivery address of the order so shipping it to the hotel I don't think really works unless you maybe do it as a gift purchased? Not sure but that is something you'd probably want to check into.

Congratulations on the wedding and good luck!
 
Customs duty and VAT

Strictly speaking you might be liable to some kind of import tax when you return home. US prices will only include sales tax in the state you are in I believe.

If you add 20% VAT for the UK there isn't much difference, if any.
 
Eorlas said:
But also note that they are apparently inundated with customers trying to purchase it. Also, it's apparently a very elitist upscale boutique, so if you want to be taken remotely seriously and avoid discrimination, my best guess is to wear a suit to try and make a purchase for even just the aWatch.

That's just based on reading the thread.
Click to expand...

rubbish. wear what you want. make the servants I mean employees bow to you not the other way around. Thats how the rich world works. ;)
 
We are planning on doing this too on a trip in July, since June is when there will be some.kn store stock. Just wondering, if I buy an unlocked GSM iPhone 6, it will definitely work in the UK, right?
 
Buy Apple watch on trip to US?

dilap said:
We are planning on doing this too on a trip in July, since June is when there will be some.kn store stock. Just wondering, if I buy an unlocked GSM iPhone 6, it will definitely work in the UK, right?
Click to expand...


Yes it will. LTE/4G and everything.
 
thanks for the replies!

yeah i wasn't sure about the 20% tax if i ditched the boxes... i think apple watches will loose most of their value anyways so resale won't really be much of a worry, especially on the cheapest ones. (please note i might be entirely incorrect on that statement, but time will tell ;)) if we are already wearing them, then how would they know we didn't take them with us?
 
Arkious said:
thanks for the replies!

yeah i wasn't sure about the 20% tax if i ditched the boxes... i think apple watches will loose most of their value anyways so resale won't really be much of a worry, especially on the cheapest ones. (please note i might be entirely incorrect on that statement, but time will tell ;)) if we are already wearing them, then how would they know we didn't take them with us?
Click to expand...

They won't know BUT you will know. You are suppose to declare them ...
 
Bare in mind sales tax is also added on at the point of purchase too. Think San Francisco is around 9% if memory serves.

I was planning on doing the same when I go to Boston in August but I was after the SS model and there was to many questions about apple care + being valid to make it a smart move for me.

Anyway best wishes for the wedding and hope you manage to get the AW you want.
 
Stock should be stable by sept. I expect some bundling deals for back to school (buy an iPhone get $x off a watch or $x amt iTunes gift card) etc
 
Arkious said:
thanks for the replies!

yeah i wasn't sure about the 20% tax if i ditched the boxes... i think apple watches will loose most of their value anyways so resale won't really be much of a worry, especially on the cheapest ones. (please note i might be entirely incorrect on that statement, but time will tell ;)) if we are already wearing them, then how would they know we didn't take them with us?
Click to expand...

Yea I would just wear them and not worry about it. How are they to know you didn't purchase them before your trip.
 
Arkious said:
thanks for the replies!

yeah i wasn't sure about the 20% tax if i ditched the boxes... i think apple watches will loose most of their value anyways so resale won't really be much of a worry, especially on the cheapest ones. (please note i might be entirely incorrect on that statement, but time will tell ;)) if we are already wearing them, then how would they know we didn't take them with us?
Click to expand...

Don't keep your credit card stub on you , just post it to yourself back home ;)
 
Cheers guys, I didn't think about the sales tax actually, I forget each state is different haha!

But yeah I think I will enquire when we're over there and see what's available. I'm in education too which would be nice to get a bundle ^.^

Thanks for the wedding wishes, years in the making haha
 
Arkious said:
thanks very much, will keep that in mind!
Click to expand...

Just for the record, the distance between LA and SF is just a bit further than the distance from Paris to London. It's a 6 hour drive one way or an hour flight. In the neighborhood if you're used to US distances, but not exactly close. :p
 
iBlazed said:
Oh please. :rolleyes:

OP, a 42mm would cost you about $434USD if purchased in San Fran. Sales tax there is 8.75%

Hope you enjoy your trip to the states!
Click to expand...

So £281, not much of a saving but still a saving I guess :)

And yeah I managed to find that info about import values, im guessing that's per person and not a combined cost
 
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