Great 'Buy now from the US' Hunt.

sondheimsoc

jedeye wrote:

I'm off to Boston and New York in early September. Do people know of any old fashioned style 'bricks and mortar' shops or outlets in these areas. Mainly will be after clothes as with the misses!

Filene's Basement in Boston
and of course TK (though I think it's TJ over there) Maxx
Lynne
Nottingham

descartesmum

When I go over I make sure I hit the clearance shops for things. In Atlantic City there are quite a few great stores. I went crazy in the Oshkosh store for kiddies. And I don't even have any little uns. lol

If you mail order or order over the internet you have to make sure that the price of items isn't over a certain amount. I can't remember what it is coz they seem to change it every so often.

I ordered things from LandsEnd once which came to a little over £36 and the customs and tax was the same amount as my order! I sent the order back, then reordered and had it sent to my parents' in the states. They readdressed the box and sent it to me as a 'gift'. I didn't have to pay anything for it then.

Art_2

descartesmum wrote:

When I go over I make sure I hit the clearance shops for things. In Atlantic City there are quite a few great stores. I went crazy in the Oshkosh store for kiddies. And I don't even have any little uns. lol

If you mail order or order over the internet you have to make sure that the price of items isn't over a certain amount. I can't remember what it is coz they seem to change it every so often.

if your order is no more than £18 you will not be charged duty on it.

Regards,
Art.

chris73

It is more difficult to get reasonable consumer service from the USA

Sorry, but I disagree and I think that is a little sweeping and unfair. I work in purchasing for an Electronics Manufacturing Company, and I deal with companies (large and small) located in the UK, Europe, US and Far East on a daily basis.

My own experience is that the US is far more productive when it comes to customer service (probably because the Americans excercise their right of complaint more vigarously than us brits!), usually it is our own grown UK companies who come bottom of the league with empty promises, non materialising return phone calls, and their eagerness to pass the buck!. Shame on us!.

Perhaps you have just been unlucky?, but IMO life is far easier when dealing with the C.S depts in the American & Far Eastern market than it is with European and UK based companies!

badgerman_2

I am a member at costco over here, I just tried to sign up for the US one on the weblink but you need a US address to do so. How do I order stuff to be shipped to the UK when I have no friends or family in the US whose address I could use?

nhp

contact lenses are a bargain in the US - particularly the websites. Was paying £23 per month for toricmonthly disposables, just bought 2 years worth for £50 from oneof their websites. Absolutely astonishing price difference!

stevep10

MSE_Martin wrote:

The US dollar is at its lowest rate to the pound for years, £1 buys $1.90. Of course this changes every day, but it's likely to be up and around there for the next few weeks at the very least.

The impact on us

This gives UK consumers massive purchasing power in the States especially for electronic goods and branded goods. Whether it's being physically there or just ordering from US websites which deliver to the UK (though then you have to beware of customs charges too).

How to pay

If you're going to pay in dollars, whether its actually over there or online, the same rules apply. Using the right piece of plastic is the cheapest way... but make sure its the right plastic, read the cheapest way to spend overseas article for details.

Credit cards are better than debit cards!

Spend on your credit card and you have more rights than you do on a debit card. This is all about Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act which makes the card provider jointly liable with the retailer if anything should go pear-shaped. Up until recently this didn't apply to goods bought overseas but this was challenged so buy abroad and you are now protected. Pay for goods over £100 fully or partially on your credit card and if something goes wrong you can simply make a claim direct against the card provider without having to contact the retailer at all.

Special Warning on Electricals

While these are often a lot cheaper in the States, do remember they have a different plug and voltage system. So if you're buying something that plugs in, you will have to incorporate the cost of a transformer or different plug socket into the price. Most laptops tend to include multi-volt transformers so that's not too bad - but other electrical equipment isn't a problem.

For things like cameras, ipods and other portable goods which just take batteries there's no problem. Though do remember if you buy from the US and it goes wrong its more difficult to send back.

What suggestions are needed

I want to tap MoneySavers collective knowledge on what and where to find bargains. Plus include details of whether you actually have to go there or if there is a US website which will deliver to the UK.

Click reply to add your ideas.

Hi Guys and Girls,
Martin is right in many respects about buying from the US at the moment, but I have to add this little note; sorry martin, I think you missed this one.
If your purchase exceeds £18 sterling you could be liable for 17.5% vat and customs duty when it enters this country through the post service. If they spot it. That is, if the people you bought from put a customs label on the front of the package stating the cost of the item inside, and they spot it, pay them please thank you very much. However you could ask them nicely on the other end not to, or don't put a price on it at all and hope they dont open it as they are entitled to do. Hope this helps you all.

Art_2

stevep10 wrote:

Hi Guys and Girls,
Martin is right in many respects about buying from the US at the moment, but I have to add this little note; sorry martin, I think you missed this one.
If your purchase exceeds £18 sterling you could be liable for 17.5% vat and customs duty when it enters this country through the post service. If they spot it. That is, if the people you bought from put a customs label on the front of the package stating the cost of the item inside, and they spot it, pay them please thank you very much. However you could ask them nicely on the other end not to, or don't put a price on it at all and hope they dont open it as they are entitled to do. Hope this helps you all.

The information of items under £18 was already posted earlier today.

It is a legal requirement to put the price on the declaration unless it is marked as 'sample'. Customs are not after the one-off import but they keep records and if too many items are going to an address they will charge you.

Regards,
Art.

msl_boss

I've just got back from a holiday in New York. While shopping in Macy's store, I casually asked for discount because I am from England. The salesman told me that overseas visitors get 11% knocked off everything (same as not paying the additional tax) by simply showing my passport at the Customer Services desk.
Also found that haggling was pretty easy at this time of year, as shops were not busy (New Yorkers are on vacation) :j

russellgreeno

Please bear in mind that Airmail is growing at an alarming trade, but is terrible for the environment. Until planes become green fueled, the more they are used the more the planet and in turn we (and our finances will suffer)

We are all paying higher taxes because of climate change, if we do not succeed in reducing it, we will pay for it in many ways.

Buy local. It's better in the long run :-)