Buying tax free at the airport

willobrien

I've got my eye on a Nikon D300. The best price I can find is £935 at Jessops (using voucher code WEBEX5). I'm travelling to the US next week and Dixons Tax Free have the camera for £808 - a substantial saving. Do I have to pay tax and duty on it when I return to the UK? I assume that I do as it's over the £145 limit on goods, however if this is true then I can't see any point in buying anything of high value at the airport. I'd be grateful if anyone is able to clarify the situation.

SUPERJULES

willobrien wrote: »

I've got my eye on a Nikon D300. The best price I can find is £935 at Jessops (using voucher code WEBEX5). I'm travelling to the US next week and Dixons Tax Free have the camera for £808 - a substantial saving. Do I have to pay tax and duty on it when I return to the UK? I assume that I do as it's over the £145 limit on goods, however if this is true then I can't see any point in buying anything of high value at the airport. I'd be grateful if anyone is able to clarify the situation.

Looks as though you do as just got this direct from Dixons web site.

We monitor all our prices against High Street prices. Where you see 'High Street price' we are referring to the price in over 500 Currys and Currys Digital High Street stores. We check Currys Digital prices at least every 72 hours and react as quickly as possible to changing prices. We cannot guarantee to match the prices on clearance products or short term offers. Shopping at tax free prices is exclusively after security control. The tax free price is equivalent to the selling price prior to 17.5% VAT being added. Passengers travelling to a destination outside the EU may be requested to pay tax on their purchase on arrival at their destination and/or if they bring them back when returning to the UK.
HTH

HP_Guy

I think the point is supposed to be - if you don't live in the UK - then you don't have to pay the tax - I think that is the point of buying at the airport (Obviously no point to you). I'm sure some people will say if you arrive back with a camera - who is to say that you haven't already paid tax on it? I am sure people take all sorts of expensive cameras away with them.

Enterprise_1701C

I bought an Archos AV700 for about £350 there when going to New York. Didn't even occur to me I might have to pay tax but was not even challenged on it (or anything else!!) going into the States or coming home.

I would assume that with a camera you would probably be using it in the States. If you have it in a bag like any normal camera rather than in the box (as if you took it out from home to be used in the States) then they would have a real problem trying to prove you got it tax free. If you want the box you could always post it to yourself!

willobrien

SUPERJULES wrote: »

Passengers travelling to a destination outside the EU may be requested to pay tax on their purchase on arrival at their destination and/or if they bring them back when returning to the UK.

Thanks for pointing that out. I thought I had read everything on their site thoroughly - must have missed this bit.

Jane_Blackford wrote: »

I would assume that with a camera you would probably be using it in the States. If you have it in a bag like any normal camera rather than in the box (as if you took it out from home to be used in the States) then they would have a real problem trying to prove you got it tax free. If you want the box you could always post it to yourself!

I was intending to use it while on holiday. It will replace my current DSLR which is at the lower end of the range. I'd want to keep the box for the warranty so posting it back isn't such a bad idea. The trouble is, if checked by customs it could cost more than buying in the UK. I guess I need to decide whether it's worth the hassle and the money. Thanks to everyone for your help with this.

amanj_2

i would suggest that u should shop around in US and u might find the same camera at much lower price their.