Planning to buy new MBP in US - DK citizen

[jonesdk90]

Hi all,

Finally Apple launched their new MBP 2018 line and I am definitely planning to get one.

However, I am living in Denmark and the price for a 13" i5/16/256 GB seems to be a bit overwhelming approx. 17700 DKK which is about 2950 USD.

I have a planned business trip to US in the middle of October and I was wondering if I could order a MBP online and the pick it up in store as a DK citizen? I can see that it is possible to order it with Danish keyboard layout.

Anyone who has tried this out?

Anything I should worry about in relation to warranty and so on?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mortis360]

There is a few reasons why I don't buy electronics from abroad, unless it's very much to save on it. But there is many things you might not think about. Making it less of a good deal than you initially think about. I'm from Norway, but we have very similar consumer rights and customs rules to Denmark.

1. You are technically supposed to go trough the customs and declare it when you arrive Denmark, and then have to pay the 25% VAT plus eventually other fees. If you walk on nothing to declare, there is still a chance of getting stopped and have to pay anyways.

2. You lose the consumer rights in your country, and are limited to Apple's one year warranty only. If something breaks after that you're out of luck and have to pay for repairs, unless you buy an AppleCare plan for three year that cost $269.

3. In most US states there is sales tax, that need to be added upon the cost.

A small check of numbers, this specced MacBook Pro 13" is $2268 with Apple Care, that is about 14,500 DKK today, and this is before the US sales tax in most states. If you declare it as supposed to in customs, adding 25% VAT and probably some more fees, the total price more than 18,000 DKK

Shopping abroad isn't always so profitable as many thinks, when you add the factors of sales taxes. Think about warranty and consumer rights, that is a lot of the reasons why many things are more expensive here.

 

[Vazza]

There is a few reasons why I don't buy electronics from abroad, unless it's very much to save on it. But there is many things you might not think about. Making it less of a good deal than you initially think about. I'm from Norway, but we have very similar consumer rights and customs rules to Denmark.

1. You are technically supposed to go trough the customs and declare it when you arrive Denmark, and then have to pay the 25% VAT plus eventually other fees. If you walk on nothing to declare, there is still a chance of getting stopped and have to pay anyways.

2. You lose the consumer rights in your country, and are limited to Apple's one year warranty only. If something breaks after that you're out of luck and have to pay for repairs, unless you buy an AppleCare plan for three year that cost $269.

3. In most US states there is sales tax, that need to be added upon the cost.

A small check of numbers, this specced MacBook Pro 13" is $2268 with Apple Care, that is about 14,500 DKK today, and this is before the US sales tax in most states. If you declare it as supposed to in customs, adding 25% VAT and probably some more fees, the total price more than 18,000 DKK

Shopping abroad isn't always so profitable as many thinks, when you add the factors of sales taxes. Think about warranty and consumer rights, that is a lot of the reasons why many things are more expensive here.

I suspect he was planning to take his chances with number 1...

 

[maflynn]

Anything I should worry about in relation to warranty and so on?

As @Mortis360 pointed out, you may still get stopped by customs, and you will still have to pay a sales tax in the US, while not as much as the VAT, you risk paying the sales tax and the VAT if your luck runs out at customs. Also since you bought it in the US your local country's consumer protection laws will not apply. I'm not familiar with dutch danish laws, but the standard warranty for the MBP is one year. Given the keyboard woes in the 2016 and 2017 models, do you want to take a chance?

 

[jonesdk90]

Thanks a lot for your comments.
I can see, based on your input, that it isn't worth the chance then.

I made went for another check at the online Apple store and checked the education discounts that they offer (and also include a pair of Beats), so I think I will do it this way instead. The difference in price US vs DK is "almost" equal.

 

[maflynn]

I can see, based on your input, that it isn't worth the chance then.

Worth is subjective, I'm not recommending anything, but the members here are providing information to give the tools to make an informed decision.

checked the education discounts that they offer (and also include a pair of Beats),

The beats are a nice addition, my wife claimed those for her birthday present - so much for my using them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Falhófnir]

I'm not familiar with dutch laws

OP is Danish

 

[iMacDragon]

European consumer laws will add a second year of warranty in Denmark, some other EU countries have longer still. ( UK upto 6 years, Sweden 3 years, Finland Unlimited, but 'reasonable' period of time ), these can make Apple care less necessary.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I paid about $200 in taxes when I bought a 2017 MBP for my brother, its still cheaper than buying it in Jamaica. Vendors would likely charge nearly 3000 for a base model with Touchbar.

I bought several Apple products this year: iPhone X, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Watch.

Customs let me off with the Apple Watch, but I had to pay about 400 dollars for the Mac and the iPad and thats after being really nice. I hid the iPhone X in my jacket pocket. The customs officer insisted in knowing what that bulky thing was in my jacket. I said that was just my winter scarf. She insisted I take it out, I took it out and she said, ok 'just doing my job'. Didn't have a clue I had a hidden upper pocket.

Luckily, someone stole the iPhone X box at SeaTac. If they saw that in my luggage, I would have been toast.

Sometimes I wish could teleport myself to the US and buy what I want and teleport the stuff back to my room then just have my ticket and boarding pass and just walk past these people without s care in the world. Or I wish I had a super power where I make the custom officers become stupid as I walk past them.

LOL, I'm crazy, I know.

 

[maflynn]

OP is Danish

My mistake

Apologies to the OP in getting that wrong.

 

[Sevastos]

I’ve bought 2 Macbook pro’s from the US and never had any problems with the customs when I arrived back in Greece. I don’t know if Denmark has different import laws, but the worst thing that could happen to me was that they would attach a customs form on my passport with the serial number on it and then having me pay the import taxes on my next trip abroad if I travelled without that laptop.

You can always buy the EU plug for the charger in advance and insist that you’ve bought the laptop in Denmark . The Danish keyboard will help you back up that claim!

I’ve picked up various Apple products ordered online from the Apple Store in 5th Ave, NY with no problems at all, but on the other hand, I had problems picking up my IPhone 7 from Christianna Mall, DE because they wouldn’t accept an EU passport as a valid government ID.

 

[jonesdk90]

European consumer laws will add a second year of warranty in Denmark, some other EU countries have longer still. ( UK upto 6 years, Sweden 3 years, Finland Unlimited, but 'reasonable' period of time ), these can make Apple care less necessary.

Ah, I wasn't aware of that. It is worth spending some extra money buying it from DK I think.

I paid about $200 in taxes when I bought a 2017 MBP for my brother, its still cheaper than buying it in Jamaica. Vendors would likely charge nearly 3000 for a base model with Touchbar.

I bought several Apple products this year: iPhone X, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Watch.

Customs let me off with the Apple Watch, but I had to pay about 400 dollars for the Mac and the iPad and thats after being really nice. I hid the iPhone X in my jacket pocket. The customs officer insisted in knowing what that bulky thing was in my jacket. I said that was just my winter scarf. She insisted I take it out, I took it out and she said, ok 'just doing my job'. Didn't have a clue I had a hidden upper pocket.

Luckily, someone stole the iPhone X box at SeaTac. If they saw that in my luggage, I would have been toast.

Sometimes I wish could teleport myself to the US and buy what I want and teleport the stuff back to my room then just have my ticket and boarding pass and just walk past these people without s care in the world. Or I wish I had a super power where I make the custom officers become stupid as I walk past them.

LOL, I'm crazy, I know.

Haha, thanks for this real life story. I gives some insight in the process As far as I know, the customs in CPH airport are not that strict. Often you actually need to ring a bell to call customs if you have some stuff to declare.

My mistake

Apologies to the OP in getting that wrong.

No worries at all. Dutch - Danish, almost the same