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Digital Camera from New York

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Comments

  • As a regular traveller, I can recommend B&H in New York as well. If you are travelling to any other state in the US, you can order from B&H and have them ship to your destination (they won't ship to PO boxes or hotels though). By shipping out of NY state, you avoid the 8.75% local tax.

    Coming into the Uk, the current threshold is £145 before duty/VAT becomes payable. There is no duty payable on cameras that do not have a video function, but there is always VAT on the full amount of any single item above £145 at 17.5%. There is more information on what's allowed here. Unfortunately VAT is payable on the whole purchase price abroad, inc the NY taxes you already paid, I know it's wrong but they tax you on the tax you paid abroad!

    I know many people are happy to post the booklets etc home and take a chance through customs, but unless you are an extremely good poker player, the customs people have seen it all before. If you think you've got away with it, remember every single time you leave the country in the future with that watch/camera etc, you are at risk of getting caught when you come back in.

    Be very wary of the small camera shops in NY and some of the larger outfits too. Bait and switch is a very common technique used by these shops and many of my more naive colleagues have been caught. My money is with B&H every time. They may not be the cheapest but their store is fantastic and they are very efficient to deal with.
    Signature on holiday for two weeks
  • Jnelhams
    Jnelhams Posts: 1,363 Forumite
    Yes avoid the small shops they are all cheats and crooks, stick to the big stores. B&H is busy and in a seedy part of town so go mid morning.

    While your in NY go CENTURY 21 near Ground Zero, this is fantastic for Clothes!!!
    My Mind wanders, if found please return.
  • Little_John
    Little_John Posts: 4,033 Forumite
    Century 21 is good but its like a jumble sale with no real organisation ohh and no changeing rooms for men so you cant try stuff on. I bought some jeans really cheap and suposedly my size but I couldnt get in to them. unfortunatly we had to travel back down from near central park its just a pain.

    Easier to buy from Macys where you can try stuff on and they also have everything in every size where C21 proberbly only have the sizes no one wants.
  • I thought century 21 was awful! Couldn't find anything that was any good. It is just like a jumble sale and not a very good one either. Macys was much better as was the stores in the village.

    I can't see how they will try to charge duty on my camera now its back in this country. Even if i went again tomorrow how would they know i bought it over there and not here?

    In fact there wasn't anybody at customs when we came through.
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  • Jnelhams
    Jnelhams Posts: 1,363 Forumite
    I reckon you must have gone to Century 21 on a bad day. I had no problems finding Shirts and Ties, all good brands and loads of other stuff too. The place can be overwhelming, but thats part of the fun of it!

    Macey's is far better than Bloomingdales, I liked K-Mart too, but I guess everyone will now say how bad that it is. All I can say is that you would hate shopping with me!
    My Mind wanders, if found please return.
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