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Want to buy from the USA, but no US address? Look.....

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The smarter way to buy from the USA | BundleBox

I found out about this today, and this could prove useful for some people wishing to see if they can make a saving.
The great thing is that they have a duty calculator and shipping prices seem reasonable.
Worth some investigation.
 

pigoo3

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Looks interesting...and thus I'm curious. Can you run an example thru these "BundleBox" guys...and see how things compare for you? Of course don't do it if it involves signing up for something. Don't want you to get spammed by them...or incur any sort of financial impact.

Pick any computer from the US Apple Store (add say 6% sales tax)...then compare that value to the total value the same computer (via BundleBox) would cost you in the UK.

Totally voluntary of course...I'm curious.:)

Thanks,

- Nick
 

chscag

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It would be especially nice if BundleBox provided you with an address in New Hampshire. No state sales tax. You do not want a New York City address. Combined sales tax of New York State and the City sales tax comes to around 10% (if I remember correctly).

Our local sales tax here in Fort Worth, Texas adds up to 8.5% when you combine the state and local taxes together.
 

pigoo3

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Combined sales tax of New York State and the City sales tax comes to around 10% (if I remember correctly).

Our local sales tax here in Fort Worth, Texas adds up to 8.5% when you combine the state and local taxes together.

Yeah...I was probably being pretty conservative with 6% sales tax!;)

Kevriano...if you decide to do this...here's a State by State breakdown of sales taxes here in the US (so pick whatever one you like):

United States Sales Tax Site: Table of Sales Tax Rates

Like chscag mentioned...some of the individual counties in a state can add additional sales tax...and then some of the bigger cities "tack-on" another additional tax. So you can end up with a final sales tax made up of:

- the state sales tax
- plus a county sales tax
- plus a city sales tax

Everybody wants to get their share of the "pie"!;)

- Nick
 
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Yes, consider it done. I am very curious, so will see what I can do, they must have examples to give an idea.
 

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Yes, consider it done. I am very curious, so will see what I can do, they must have examples to give an idea.

Awesome...I look forward to the results:)...and I certainly "feel" other members "pain" when I visit some other countries Apple websites...and see the prices!!!:(

- Nick

p.s. Although Canada's not to bad!;)
 
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Ok, so I chose the latest top line iMac shown on Apple's store home page, no customising.
The UK cost is £1649, including shipping etc. US cost is $1999
Using Bundlebox's calculator. and the 4-5 day shipping option (quick really), it works out at £1594, so not a massive saving in this case, but that's not to say it's not possible to save more on smaller items, after all, that's a big thing to ship, and it is still a saving for sure. Also, consider the shipping alone is £95, and the saving on the actual item is larger.
Also, there are times when the US get things way ahead of the UK, which could also make things interesting.
Helpful info I hope.
 

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Ok, so I chose the latest top line iMac shown on Apple's store home page, no customising.
The UK cost is £1649, including shipping etc. US cost is $1999
Using Bundlebox's calculator. and the 4-5 day shipping option (quick really), it works out at £1594, so not a massive saving in this case, but that's not to say it's not possible to save more on smaller items, after all, that's a big thing to ship, and it is still a saving for sure. Also, consider the shipping alone is £95, and the saving on the actual item is larger.
Also, there are times when the US get things way ahead of the UK, which could also make things interesting.
Helpful info I hope.

I'm sure the "Bundlebox" folks must be making a nice profit...so their end ($$$) would certainly cut into the savings a buyer in the UK would otherwise get. It certainly would be nice to find out exactly what all the taxes/levies/duties/VAT that the Bundlebox folks must add onto the US price of $1999 before shipping the computer. That would certainly tell us the "pre-import" price of the computer.

I definitely agree...if you live in a country where availability of a newly released item may take 3-6 months...getting it a lot sooner at the same price is still a nice advantage.

Could you "test" something smaller/lighter that would be cheaper to ship...like an "iPod shuffle"?

- Nick
 
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Do beware that UK customs can examine the package and determine that it is not a gift.

In that case you may receive a bill from Revenue and customs for the VAT, unless Bundlebox have some way around that. I received a VAT bill from an item purchased in the US (way back - it was a UMAX mac clone from Small Dog Systems)
 
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Bundlebox fees are 3.5%, whch is a whole lot less than eBay!
I will test the new iPhone. BRB.

Ok couldn't do iPhone, so iPad instead, top model - $699?£649

Worked out to be £594, so a similar margin of saving.
The base model iPad was £360 via Bundlebox, £399 here in the UK.
 

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I received a VAT bill from an item purchased in the US (way back - it was a UMAX mac clone from Small Dog Systems)

Hey louishen...that has certainly been a while!;) Probably around 1996-1997.

- Nick
 
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Just to address Louishen's concern. Bundlebox pre-pay duty:

"BundleBox delivers on a duty pre-paid basis (Duty Delivery Paid or DDP shipping) to the following countries. This means that when you book your delivery shipment, you can pay any import taxes due. BundleBox will then pay these taxes for you to the relevant Customs agency. This ensures a smooth clearance and delivery process."

Out of interest an iPod shuffle works out more expensive by £30
 

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Bundlebox fees are 3.5%, whch is a whole lot less than eBay!
I will test the new iPhone. BRB.

Ok couldn't do iPhone, so iPad instead, top model - $699?£649

Worked out to be £594, so a similar margin of saving.
The base model iPad was £360 via Bundlebox, £399 here in the UK.

Looks like "Bundlebox" is charging about £40-£50 off the UK Apple Store price. That's:

- £39 off the base model iPad
- £55 off the top model iPad
- £55 off the base model 27" iMac

So it would seem that the smaller/less cost item is a better deal from a "% off" perspective.

Thanks Kevriano,:)

- Nick
 
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We have something similar in Australia. PriceUSA. I just did a comparison on a Apple MacBook Pro MC721LL/A15.4-Inch Laptop 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor | 500 GB Hard Drive @ 7200rpm | 8x DVD/CD SuperDrive | 4 GB DDR3 RAM | 15.4 inch LED-backlit display, 1440-by-900 resolution AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR5 memory | High Speed Thunderbolt Port

Price USA ~ &1790.49 and the same in the Apple store is $2099 thats a huge $308.10 saving.

Now the interesting thing is, when i first found this site i did the same comparison, granted on a earlier model 15"MBP but the only saving i got was $79. That was when the Aussie$ was hovering around the $1USD. now its up at $1-$1.10 Imagine the savings with another 2-3c rise. Looking forward to it. They are giving us $1.054 ATM.
20110510-bstn3mtm44mc9g4c5xe826w8s.jpg
Convert that to £ and it works out to £202.981614

This mob only charge a 5% service fee and that is the only out cost for you.

Cheers
 

pigoo3

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Out of interest an iPod shuffle works out more expensive by £30

Really...£30 more? Maybe I'm confused.

The iPod shuffle only costs £40 at the UK Apple Store. Or do you mean that the "Bundlebox" price for the iPod shuffle is £30 vs. £40 at the UK Apple Store?

- Nick
 
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Yes, the exchange rate doesn't help as much at the moment, but at times it will be huge. I think this is worth considering on high value items, and we are only using Apple as a test, I will look at camera lenses.

Yes, $49, or £40, so for wahtever reason, Bundlebox fees and import tax add £30 to that figure. Small items - not economical.
 

pigoo3

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This mob only charge a 5% service fee and that is the only out cost for you.

Cheers

Of course the mob breaks your legs if you don't pay!;)

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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Yes, $49, or £40, so for wahtever reason, Bundlebox fees and import tax add £30 to that figure. Small items - not economical.

Ahh...I see...got it!

So the advantage of lower cost & less weight items is offset by "flat" charges (either flat import fees or "flat" Bundlebox charges).

- Nick
 
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Of course the mob breaks your legs if you don't pay!;)

- Nick

Ahh thats the aussie coming out in me. I didnt even realise what i wrote. appropriate word though :)

EDIT

Mob
Australian Slang
1. any assemblage or aggregation of persons, animals, or things; crowd; 2. group of people, as friends, not necessarily large: “We'll invite the mob over for Saturday night�; 3. family or herd of kangaroos
 

pigoo3

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Ahh thats the aussie coming out in me. I didnt even realise what i wrote. appropriate word though :)

Sorry...I thought you meant "the mob" as in "the mafia"!;)

- Nick
 

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