Importing Electrical Goods from Amazon U.S to UK

Bodymass

Hi.

I want to order a new Panasonic HDC HS900 Camcorder from U.S Amazon because they are much cheaper. Is this possible?

I had a look at the costs of the device in the U.S and the UK and found the following:

U.S Amazon (converted to Pound Sterling)
Panasonic HDC HS900 Camcorder
Base Unit cost: (US$1000+) £656.36
Shipping & Handling: GBP £12.32
Total Before Tax: GBP £668.68
Estimated Tax To Be Collected: GBP £0.00
Import Fees Deposit GBP £133.74
Order Total: £802.42

UK Amazon
Panasonic HDC HS900 Camcorder
Base Unit Cost: £889.93
Postage & Packing: £6.01
Order Total: £895.94

I save nearly £100. I have the necessary power stepdown transformers and adapters so that's not an issue. Anyone have similar experience with doing this because I'm sick of the rip off prices here in the UK

Inner_Zone

You seem to have forgotten the import duties, VAT and possible courier handling charges. All will make the unit cheaper to buy here.

HMRC

Yolina

if you log in with your amazon UK details on the US site, it should automatically only display what they can ship to you. I know that there's plenty of electrical goods which are fine, also check their help page about international shipping with regards to VAT, etc (they deal with it so charge you for it in advance)

Edit: not enough coffee yet... Hadn't noticed that you already had the import fee from Amazon

scheming_gypsy

Inner_Zone wrote: »

You seem to have forgotten the import duties, VAT and possible courier handling charges. All will make the unit cheaper to buy here.

HMRC

they've accounted for some of the import fees.

Bodymass wrote: »

Estimated Tax To Be Collected: GBP £0.00
Import Fees Deposit GBP £133.74
Order Total: £802.42

Although you will need to look into if the warranty will be valid over here.

Bodymass

Inner_Zone wrote: »

You seem to have forgotten the import duties, VAT and possible courier handling charges. All will make the unit cheaper to buy here.

HMRC

Hiya. The info I provided about the U.S Amazon store was directly from the order I received from them (just before confirming the order).
This is the reason I asked because I was wondering if I'd be slapped with an extra £200 bill or something, though the order on the U.S Amazon website never mentions that. The price given is all of the total costs of the order.

U.S Amazon (converted to Pound Sterling)
Panasonic HDC HS900 Camcorder
Base Unit cost: (US$948) £656.36
Shipping & Handling: GBP £12.32
Total Before Tax: GBP £668.68
Estimated Tax To Be Collected: GBP £0.00
Import Fees Deposit GBP £133.74
Order Total: £802.42

Bodymass

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

they've accounted for some of the import fees.





Although you will need to look into if the warranty will be valid over here.

Yeah I should do but I don't usually worry about those kind of things (but will do from now on).

I know that Panasonic UK are offering a £50 cashback on a select number of their camcorders (including the HS900), but I'd still save more money by ordering from the U.S!

Inner_Zone

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

they've accounted for some of the import fees.





Although you will need to look into if the warranty will be valid over here.

But it does not specify which, and VAT may still be payable.

Inner_Zone

Bodymass wrote: »

Hiya. The info I provided about the U.S Amazon store was directly from the order I received from them (just before confirming the order).
This is the reason I asked because I was wondering if I'd be slapped with an extra £200 bill or something, though the order on the U.S Amazon website never mentions that. The price given is all of the total costs of the order.

I think you need to ask the HMRC, link I provided above.

macman

What about the 20% VAT-I can't see that in the figures? And unless it has an international warranty, you'd have to send it back to the US for repair?

Bodymass

Thanks for the replies I will think I'll delay the U.S purchase thanks to the advice

Fifer

Inner_Zone wrote: »

But it does not specify which, and VAT may still be payable.

VAT will be payble.