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Buying a Macbook Pro in NYC
- Thread starter AnDi86
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Hi, I very nearly got a MBP from NYC to bring back to the UK but didnt in the end as after doing some research for me It wasnt any cheaper.
Heres my sums
Mid Range MBP $2499
NYC Tax 8.15% (paid at the counter of Apple shop) $203.67
Credit card echange rate fee 2.75% (I didnt want to carry $2700 cash) $74.32
That totals to $2776.99 at todays exchange rate according to XE.com thats £1396.35 (providing you dont get stopped at customs, they wont charge you import tax on laptops but they will charge VAT at 17.5% making it cost £1640.71).
I called Apple UK as I work at a school, they sold me a brand new MBP mid range model for £1394 without haggeling, that was just the education price (strange as its cheaper than the online education store price)
So in comparisson I paid £1394 for a UK one, an NYC machine would've cost £1396 or £1640 if you got caught at customs. On my way back from NYC there was no one in customs so you may be safe, how ever if they feel picky your laptop will have a US keyboard, so they will ask you to provide a reciept to prove you brought it in the UK (guilty until proven innocent)
Finally I read that you are entitled to claim the 8% NYC tax back at the NYC airport, but by doing this you are admitting to be exporting a laptop and may then have to pay 17.5% UK vat at the UK airport, I read this on a forum so don't know how much truth there is in it.
Im not telling you not to do it, just weigh up your options as buying electronics from NYC isnt always cheap, clothes are though (levis £15) as you dont pay NYC tax on them as they are a necessity
Hope this helps
Heres my sums
Mid Range MBP $2499
NYC Tax 8.15% (paid at the counter of Apple shop) $203.67
Credit card echange rate fee 2.75% (I didnt want to carry $2700 cash) $74.32
That totals to $2776.99 at todays exchange rate according to XE.com thats £1396.35 (providing you dont get stopped at customs, they wont charge you import tax on laptops but they will charge VAT at 17.5% making it cost £1640.71).
I called Apple UK as I work at a school, they sold me a brand new MBP mid range model for £1394 without haggeling, that was just the education price (strange as its cheaper than the online education store price)
So in comparisson I paid £1394 for a UK one, an NYC machine would've cost £1396 or £1640 if you got caught at customs. On my way back from NYC there was no one in customs so you may be safe, how ever if they feel picky your laptop will have a US keyboard, so they will ask you to provide a reciept to prove you brought it in the UK (guilty until proven innocent)
Finally I read that you are entitled to claim the 8% NYC tax back at the NYC airport, but by doing this you are admitting to be exporting a laptop and may then have to pay 17.5% UK vat at the UK airport, I read this on a forum so don't know how much truth there is in it.
Im not telling you not to do it, just weigh up your options as buying electronics from NYC isnt always cheap, clothes are though (levis £15) as you dont pay NYC tax on them as they are a necessity
Hope this helps
With the current fx rate it would be worth it .. if you don't charge yourself for the time it takes to get there and back...
I will probably just bring a DVD with some apps and documents, and will ditch the box but not the warranty papers & receipt - I'll just package those seperately. And I will boot the machine right after getting the box so I can return the machine immediately if it's dead on arrival.
That sounds like a very good price indeed. For me, the difference between US and Apple store (on the web, no educational discount) is 500 euro plus... But based on your post I will give them a call and see what they can do just before I leave for the US.
It does sound a bit questionable - as far as I know the US and UK don't share this information with each other. So unless you declare your laptop or get caught when entering the UK (very unlikely) you should be fine.
Any suggestions on the cheapest reseller in NYC to buy a standard configuration? I'm not familiar with NYC at all and don't want to spend too much time shopping around. Is the Apple Store the best deal in town? And can anybody confirm the 1 year standard guarantee offered in the US is a worldwide guarantee? So that if any issues pop up later I can bring it to a local service center over here?
Hmm i just sat down and worked this out... perhaps i should have done this earlier, as i can get student discount here in the UK but as someone said on the thread here that i can't use my student discount in the US, is this correct?
It doesn't work out to be that much off a saving on the full U.S. priced 17inch MBP
Uk student discount price
£1550
US price plus tax
$3,036.95 - £1532
It doesn't work out to be that much off a saving on the full U.S. priced 17inch MBP
Uk student discount price
£1550
US price plus tax
$3,036.95 - £1532
Exactly, Im all for getting the cheapest mac possible, its worth paying a little extra for the UK plug, UK keyboard, and the no quibbles guarantee. If you didn't have student discount it would probable be worth getting from NYC. Try calling Apple to order your laptop, the price was cheaper when I called than the online Education store.
I have a similar plan, I'm going to San Francisco in a couple of weeks and I'm having a friend of mine (who lives there and is a student) buying a macbook pro.
The price difference is quite big because of the euro/dollar exchange rate, it doesn't completely cover my travel expenses but it's still a nice profit
I think that if you buy a high-end mbp, and if you fly off-season from europe to the east coast you might even get all your travel expenses back ;-)
The price difference is quite big because of the euro/dollar exchange rate, it doesn't completely cover my travel expenses but it's still a nice profit
I think that if you buy a high-end mbp, and if you fly off-season from europe to the east coast you might even get all your travel expenses back ;-)
I think i shall, will wait till WWDC to see what it brings! ahhh the long waitings between releases!
Something else to take into consideration:
When travelling from Country to Country at customs you are supposed to declare all items (I travel daily thru US/Can and get pulled over once in a while so I read the pamphlets) and you might have to register everything that you've brought over, if you don't when you go back through you'll have to pay your country's taxes and any other fees associated with bringing stuff over from another country. But thats only if you get a really strick customs officer
When travelling from Country to Country at customs you are supposed to declare all items (I travel daily thru US/Can and get pulled over once in a while so I read the pamphlets) and you might have to register everything that you've brought over, if you don't when you go back through you'll have to pay your country's taxes and any other fees associated with bringing stuff over from another country. But thats only if you get a really strick customs officer
Theres a chance Customs will catch you out when bringing it back into the country and tax you, they randomly search some luggage and bags, only way to get around it is don't bring the packaging with you.
Thats why when we went to the states we were told to rip the labels off everything. They have no proof that way.
Thats why when we went to the states we were told to rip the labels off everything. They have no proof that way.
You could be made to prove that you bought the Mac in the UK. They have a right to do that, again, only if you get a mean customs officer. So its really 50/50.
As i've just posted in my other reply to you i've done it around four times now,and of course had no proof,and i haven't been asked or stopped once,BUT i agree you take your chance
I have a similar situation, i live in Warsaw, Poland. I am also going to the us in 33 days (yes i am counting down), to but a macbook pro 15 inch 2.5 penryn. Will they accept my student discount card? I am a student of the "American School of Warsaw", so might i be able to get it, because i attend an american shool? And does anyone know if you can get a tax refund, because i don't live in the us?
Thanks a lot
), to but a macbook pro 15 inch 2.5 penryn. Will they accept my student discount card? I am a student of the "American School of Warsaw", so might i be able to get it, because i attend an american shool? And does anyone know if you can get a tax refund, because i don't live in the us?Thanks a lot
You could create a fake script which gives model information about the computer, and write made in the UK. Chances are they would not notice
Yer you probably could,but if they did stop you and clocked it was fake you would probably get done for fraud,the ditch the
bag,add a few apps & carry it back in a lappy bag is best.That way if you do get stopped & rumbled you can plead ignorance
and stump up the VAT. Like i said i've done it four times now but there will come a time when i get caught,IGNORANCE IS BLISS
Hi all,
Just a follow up: you can buy applecare in your own country after buying the computer in the US. After carefully reading the terms & conditions, it says nowhere that the computer or user has to be bought/located in the same or in a specific country. It only says that certain applecae services may not be available in certain countries (which makes perfect sense eg. underdeveloped countries etc).
Even better: you can buy the apple care in the US as well, which (unless apple changes its pricing in EU) will save me another 100 euro or so, and you can still obtain support & repair services under applecare in your local country when you are back home!
Just a follow up: you can buy applecare in your own country after buying the computer in the US. After carefully reading the terms & conditions, it says nowhere that the computer or user has to be bought/located in the same or in a specific country. It only says that certain applecae services may not be available in certain countries (which makes perfect sense eg. underdeveloped countries etc).
Even better: you can buy the apple care in the US as well, which (unless apple changes its pricing in EU) will save me another 100 euro or so, and you can still obtain support & repair services under applecare in your local country when you are back home!
I have a similar situation, i live in Warsaw, Poland. I am also going to the us in 33 days (yes i am counting down
Thanks a lot
You might be able to have the store not charge you sales tax since you are leaving the country with your MBP, but if not, you can not get a refund on sales tax. The way sales taxes work here in the US is not like VAT in the Euro Zone. It is all local, not national, and without any rime or reason! Good luck and enjoy your stay here in America.
Fortunately, as was said before, sales tax is quite low in the states (for example: around 8.5% in New york City vs. around 20% in belgium). So even if you don't reclaim it's still a savings!
(I've read that reclaiming can indeed be a bit of a hassle/bureaucracy at the airport - be sure to reclaim/get the stamps etc. before you go through customs!)
(I've read that reclaiming can indeed be a bit of a hassle/bureaucracy at the airport - be sure to reclaim/get the stamps etc. before you go through customs!)
sales tax issues
from my own experience,it is not possible to get the nyc sales tax refunded. i tried after buying a powerbook at the apple store soho 6 years ago and no way. the sales staff even said i was probably possible, but nope.
another issue... if for any reason, you are not satisfied with the computer, it is really difficult to change it once you have it back in europe. sending back to the US by ups?
if you can get a students discount in europe, that would be my preferred way to buy. if not, buying in the US is tempting. but beware of the restrictions.
You might be able to have the store not charge you sales tax since you are leaving the country with your MBP, but if not, you can not get a refund on sales tax. The way sales taxes work here in the US is not like VAT in the Euro Zone. It is all local, not national, and without any rime or reason! Good luck and enjoy your stay here in America.
from my own experience,it is not possible to get the nyc sales tax refunded. i tried after buying a powerbook at the apple store soho 6 years ago and no way. the sales staff even said i was probably possible, but nope.
another issue... if for any reason, you are not satisfied with the computer, it is really difficult to change it once you have it back in europe. sending back to the US by ups?
if you can get a students discount in europe, that would be my preferred way to buy. if not, buying in the US is tempting. but beware of the restrictions.
In my eyes, if you are a student... there is little reason to buy from the US as the difference in price is minimal, also with the HE discount you get pseudo-applecare for free.
For the non students out there, it's is really a question of : "Do you want the hassle of possible being caught at customs for the sake of £100???"
The exception being the 64GB SDD MBA..... The difference between the UK and US price (including sales tax) would be enough to pay for your flight to New York
With respect to Applecare, it offers worldwide coverage and you don't have to buy it from the same country that you bought the laptop from..... however, if you're buying a US Mac and thinking about getting Applecare at some point in the future, you might aswell buy it in the US (it is cheaper than buying it in the UK, the same applies to dot mac aswell.)
For the non students out there, it's is really a question of : "Do you want the hassle of possible being caught at customs for the sake of £100???"
The exception being the 64GB SDD MBA..... The difference between the UK and US price (including sales tax) would be enough to pay for your flight to New York
With respect to Applecare, it offers worldwide coverage and you don't have to buy it from the same country that you bought the laptop from..... however, if you're buying a US Mac and thinking about getting Applecare at some point in the future, you might aswell buy it in the US (it is cheaper than buying it in the UK, the same applies to dot mac aswell.)
Agree 100% with above (for laptops, desktops is other story).
However, if you plan to buy Applecare AND also plan to buy an Apple display with your laptop then you should consider that the Apple display will only fall under the Applecare if bought together with the laptop. If not bought together, you need to buy the applecare for the display seperately.