Shopping on amazon.com

vik1491

With the pound currently being so strong compared to the dollar, prices on amazon.com are much cheaper than those on amazon.co.uk. I have never shopped on a foreign site and wish to know are there any extra costs involved e.g. shipping, import duty etc.

Thanks

Vik

going2die_rich

Shipping is obviously more expensive as you are not elgible for the free shipping offers since you are not delivering to a US based address. Also takes longer, or at least can do since the delivery date can be more than a month.

You only get charged duty when it reaches above a certain amount. Not sure what that level is but I know amazon do calculate it for you and pay it on your behalf as it's charged to you through your final order total, whereby if it turns out to be higher than the amount they said they pay the difference. If it's lower they refund that amount but they are most likely are always on the exact amount. Thats according to their website, as I read it a few months back.

DVDs especially season/episode one's can normally work out cheaper if you can play multiregion dvds. As much of the stuff you go to buy in the UK has been out in the US for quite a while so is being sold cheaper. If you buy all at once the shipping charge can also be overlooked from the savings you will make.

You can always try it as, as long as you don't click the confirm order button your order won't be processed so you can see the full costs. Then just use a currency converter website (use google to find one) and it'll tell you (estimate) what the price is from dollars to pounds.

Astaroth

I wasnt aware that Amazon paid the VAT and Duty - it was several years ago that I ordered from their USA site and had to pay the 17.5% VAT and 8% duty on import plus a handling fee from the couriers - the taxes are applied to the complete cost of the order inc P&P

To the best of my knowledge there is no legal minimum for taxes to be due but generally they will not charge anything when the total value is under £18

going2die_rich

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=596184&#import