Great 'Buy now from the US' Hunt.

catch22

If anyone likes Timberland here they are offering 40% off using code FFDEC2006 until 10.12.06. Before you take a look be warned that they don't accept non USA cards or ship to the UK. Can also get an extra $10 off if whoever buys for you uses google checkout.

Sorry, posted twice by mistake

bigandclever

One of the biggest problems with US stores and firms is that they don't like to international ship. I found a firm who get around this by providing the shopper with a delivery address in Miami and they then onward ship to your home.

The good news is that they appear to be just about to launch this sevice in the UK. I think they handle all duty payments so you don't have to worry about anything getting stopped or receiveing an unexpected bill.

The UK site is at www.pakya.co.uk and currently it lets you sign up for their newsletter. I did this and when they wrote back I found out that they're due to launch this month.

bigandclever

bigandclever wrote:

One of the biggest problems with US stores and firms is that they don't like to international ship. I found a firm who get around this by providing the shopper with a delivery address in Miami and they then onward ship to your home.

The good news is that they appear to be just about to launch this sevice in the UK. I think they handle all duty payments so you don't have to worry about anything getting stopped or receiveing an unexpected bill.

The UK site is at www.pakya.co.uk and currently it lets you sign up for their newsletter. I did this and when they wrote back I found out that they're due to launch this month.

Also if anyone has problems with US stores not accepting credit cards I have a couple of ways to get around this by contacting them directly:

1. Request that they handle it as a telephone credit card transation - they are often prepared to do rather than a web-based transaction
2. Ask whether they will transact it if you fax them a copy of the card - be sure you know who you are dealing with for this one

Hope that helps...

bigandclever

Whilst Amazon.com is cheaper than Amazon.co.uk you can get an extra 10% off 900,000 books at Amazon.com by shopping via buy.com and clicking the books category:money:

Amys

These are sites I like

for T-shirts https://www.zazzle.com

for gadets https://www.thinkgeek.com

Hardrock stuff, pins jakets etc http://www.hardrock.com/estore/

Glasses http://optical4less.com/

If you want to send gifts to others who are in the US good food and fruit from http://www.harryanddavid.com/ , but they don't sent to the UK.

HCDayantis

I just got a reply, and I think it would be helpful to people here. I'll post the key elements from it. First, the legal mumbo-jumbo:

'The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may be subject to legal professional privilege. Unless you are the intended recipient or his/her representative you are not authorised to, and must not, read, copy, distribute, use or retain this message or any part of it.'

'The Customs charges applicable to the importation of any item, whether new or used, would be customs duty at the appropriate % duty rate for this item and VAT at the standard rate of 17.5%. In respect of a laptop computer the duty rate is free and standard VAT at 17.5%.

I should also advise that EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 673/2005 dated 25 April 2005 has established additional customs duties of 15% on imports of certain products, particularly clothing, originating in the United States of America.'

'The Customs duty rate is applied to the total of the cost of the goods plus the freight and insurance charges to the UK. The VAT rate is applied to the total of the cost of the goods plus the freight and insurance charges plus the customs duty.'

'The Postal services/Freight Forwarders etc. normally make a charge for clearing your items through customs and collecting the charges on our behalf. This would normally be collected at the same time as the customs charges or they will invoice you for the amount.'

I was also told to use this link for additional information:

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_PublicNoticesAndInfoSheets

Hope it helps!

zappahey

Psykicpup wrote:

Does anyone know if Windows XP bought in the States would operate ok on a pc here? & if I arranged for it to be sent to a friend in Ontario & then posted on what I might be liable for in Tax etc?

Ontario, Canada or Ontario, California?

If it's Canada then you'll get stung twice as Revenue Canada will be looking for import taxes too.

barneydog

teddyco wrote:

I will say this: Some folks are saying that DVD's from the United States cannot be played on their DVD player here in the UK because of the "Region".
However, there are websites that will give you codes to change your DVD player so that they play "All region" DVD's.

I did it with my DVD player and now I can watch DVD's from all over the world.

I had the website on my computer, but lost it when I upgraded. Maybe someone out there can post that website again? I have a Philips DVD and I went in with the controller, punched a few buttons, and it changed my player to "All regions" rather than just "Region UK".

The site you want is
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks

all the instruction are there.
Its best to alter the region code to 0 to make it multi region.

Sony DVD owners beware, some sony models need a special remote control from sony - very expensive!

Sui_Generis

poggle99 wrote:

It's Kipper the Dog - the only thing you can get in the UK (on DVD) is the "Classic Collection", which we have already.

Cheers,

Rachael

Sorry no definitive answer for you on this as the little one has hidden the DVD control and I find my TV accepts either NTSC or PAL inputs.

g60jet

here are MY USA buying tips.

From Places like Amazon some items such as ipod are not available to send to uk addresses due to distribution rights. HOWEVER if you see the link under the amazon price for "xx new and used", you will often find another person/trader selling them through amazon. They may well ship to the UK, but try and send it as a gift, which is my next tip

When buying from amazon in the USA or such like, if its above £15 or so, always get it shipped as a gift. For example. amazon provide a cheap gift wrapping service for a few quid, which is worth it. basically importing stuff from the US is taxable for import tax. but not on gifts. so a few quid on amazon can save you a fortune. the gift wrap service is cheaper than the handling charge that the post office put on the tax amount. worth knowing.

Same applies for ebay as above get the seller to send it as a gift. Technically it needs to be sent to someone other than yourself (could be at the same addres i guess), otherwise it could be classed a fraud or something.

Electrical goods these days run have split transformers so they with run on US or uk voltages. However CHECK before you buy. adaptor transforms are cheap though. However thing like TV's DVD players and Car radios are different in the US. the TV signal is different so wont work, car radios from the US have different steps on the dial, so you may not be able to tune in to some uk stations.