Buying Laptop/I-pod in USA - Any pitfalls?

goldbyron

I am travelling to Florida in a few weeks and considering buying a laptop and I-Pod for my partner whilst out there. Are there are compatibility difficulties for usage in the UK and can you access the company for any problems?

Thanks

TiTheRev

See this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1073295

isofa

No major problems at all, check the worldwide warranty details for the laptop, iPod might be less covered.

Olympika

My bf bought my ipod nano in the US (Ohio) in 2006, I've had no problems with it *touch wood*
HTH

Leopard

Refurbed iPod Touch (8 GB) is only $199 at the US Apple Online Store!

The 16 GB refurb, is $299.

You'd need a USA mailing address, though, and will likely have problems using a non-USA credit card to buy it online from Apple.

You could probably have it shipped to a hotel.

Best call the number for Apple telephone sales and ask nicely for assistance with the purchase.

You could order new Apple kit from a U.S. retailer who does sell internationally and does accept non-USA credit cards: they could ship it to any Florida address.

It costs little to call from Britain and find out.

Watch out for local taxes on sales to addresses in some states.

A family member who lives in the USA is a handy thing to have, generally.

eslick

Both myself and my father in law bought a laptop from the US last year saved around £800 on the same model over here. Only issue is that you get a US plug but you can buy an adaptor from wallmart for less than $5. Try the big stores, Circuit City or Best Buys we got ours from Staples it was the cheapest we could find at the time. It had a worldwide warranty as well.

One watchout when we were there there was lots of rebates which are often included in the price but you need a US address for these, our American friends did quite well out of us free printer, free wireless router with home installation and about $100 in cash.

Never bought a ipod but its on the list for our next visit along with a Sat Nav, things are so much cheaper over there.

Bob63

If you declare the laptop you will be liable for 17.5% VAT on top of its purchase price (including any sales tax paid in the USA - about 7% for Florida). There is no import duty on laptops. Import duty for MP3 players is 5%, so you would add that to the purchase price including local sales tax then put VAT on top of the total.

If you do not declare it and get caught then you will still be liable for the VAT but will also receive a stiff penalty on top for non payment.

Whether you will actually get caught for not declaring is another matter. Virtually every business traveller these days on a scheduled flight carries a laptop. Most likely none will carry with them invoices etc. to prove when and where the laptop was bought and whether any taxes were paid. Bring a laptop home in a laptop bag (not the box!) and it is highly unlikely you will warrant a second glance from customs. Understand that I am *not* encouraging you to break the law, just pointing out what might happen.

One other thing to remember is that a US laptop has a very different keyboard layout to a UK one. Chief annoyances are lack of £ (pound sign) and swapping of @ and " symbols.

Bob63

Leopard wrote: »

You'd need a USA mailing address, though, and will likely have problems using a non-USA card to buy it online from Apple.

You could probably have it shipped to a hotel.

Best call the number for Apple telephone sales and ask nicely for assistance with the purchase.

Another way would be to order kit from a U.S. retailer who does sell internationally and does accept non-USA credit cards: they could ship it to any Florida address.

1) Apple online sales in the USA will not work with UK credit card & bill-to address.

2) Amazon works a treat. I have had Amazon ship to my hotel in the USA many times. Quite often I have tried to buy something from a retailer and been refused, but then have bought the same item from the same retailer through their Amazon Marketplace account. Very useful facility.

nej

I've just ordered an Asus Eee Pc thingy to the place I'm staying at in Florida soon (4 days to go!!!). I got it from BHPhotoVideo in New York, who even have a UK number to call and place an order. They do say they don't normally deliver to Hotels/Resorts but they did for me. The Eee was about £300 instead of about £370 here.

As for the keyboard, you could change the keyboard layout in Windows to get the £ on the 3 easily enough - it just won't match what's on the actual key.

M4RKM

cheesy.mike wrote: »

One other thing to remember is that a US laptop has a very different keyboard layout to a UK one. Chief annoyances are lack of £ (pound sign) and swapping of @ and " symbols.

also, the enter key is a different shape on US keyboards, which, if you are used to the long in height british enter key, that will take some getting used to..

and windows UK keyboards have the @ key in the wrong place anyway!!

isofa

Mac keyboards have always had the @ sign above the 2 and the " above the ' key, UK and US versions.