Buying laptop from USA?

consumer

Hello,

Can somebody help me whether buying laptop from USA works out as bargain or not?

As I understand, Custom duty is 0% on laptop, VAT is 17.5% and Postage and handling charge roughly working to £30.

A laptop costing 700$, Link

Customs is 0
VAT is: 17.5% - equalling app. 62£
Postage - Equalling 15-20£
Handling charge by courier company - around 15£.

Total: Roughly equalling to £445.

Similar specification laptop roughly costing here around 600£.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks

h901

i'm sure VAT is not always charged only if customs check the parcel so that would work out £62 less if they don't check it (unlikely for the mt o check though) and are you sure the website delivers to the UK? if so then it should be fine
only problems would be that you would'nt have a manufacturers warranty here in the uk it would only be available in the US (but doesn't seem much to worry about as HP laptops are usually reliable.

so yeah in my opinion would be a good buy if it is actually that much here in the uk, just make sure its exact same spec.

consumer

h901 wrote: »

i'm sure VAT is not always charged only if customs check the parcel so that would work out £62 less if they don't check it (unlikely for the mt o check though) and are you sure the website delivers to the UK? if so then it should be fine
only problems would be that you would'nt have a manufacturers warranty here in the uk it would only be available in the US (but doesn't seem much to worry about as HP laptops are usually reliable.

so yeah in my opinion would be a good buy if it is actually that much here in the uk, just make sure its exact same spec.

Thanks for that. I am going to check with website, if they do not delivery here, I am asking my friend in USA to take delivery and post it to me.

grownupgirly

Just a word of caution:
customs MAY inspect it, although it will probably be ok, since its being posted by a friend. You cant be too sure, though. I had to pay a hefty bit on customs duty when I ordered a load of books from an american website (books that you cant get hold of over here).

Grownupgirly

boatman

How about this one from ebuyer
£440 with the cashback, T7250 core2duo, 160Gb Hard drive, 1Gb memory,15" screen.

kahlquist

Just want to point out that if obtain a laptop from the US the keyboard will be a US format rather than UK format and the power cord will have a US plug rather than a UK plug.