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A very kind member of this board, who knows who they are, (thank you - nice gesture), has sent me an amazon gift voucher for Christmas.
Question, have any EU based members ever used an amazon .com voucher? I tried to enter it against my .co.uk account, but it doesn't work.
If you buy from the US version of amazon, do you get stuffed with import tax or something? Anyone know the legalities of this from real experince, not heresay?
Unfortunately the US vouchers can only be used on the US site (tried this before)....Quote:
Originally posted by adrianxw
A very kind member of this board, who knows who they are, (thank you - nice gesture), has sent me an amazon gift voucher for Christmas.
Question, have any EU based members ever used an amazon .com voucher? I tried to enter it against my .co.uk account, but it doesn't work.
If you buy from the US version of amazon, do you get stuffed with import tax or something? Anyone know the legalities of this from real experince, not heresay?
The shipping on books isnt too onerous........and I didnt get taxed (bought a book for about $40!)
>>> The shipping on books isnt too onerous
I didn't think that would be a problem, but...
>>> and I didnt get taxed
... the Danish border "people" for want of a better word, (grumble grumble), are notorious for finding ways to make you really wish you'd never thought of buying something to avoid Danish sales tax, (25%). Right now, I have to buy from .co.uk and have it delivered to a UK address and pay with a UK credit card, then have the person it was sent to send it to me, otherwise, amazon add the 25% Dansk MOMS to my order. Even so, I save, books are so expensive here, and are taxed like EVERYTHING else, so are expensive + 25%!
Is that 25% automatic?Quote:
Originally posted by adrianxw
>>> and I didnt get taxed
... the Danish border "people" for want of a better word, (grumble grumble), are notorious for finding ways to make you really wish you'd never thought of buying something to avoid Danish sales tax, (25%). Right now, I have to buy from .co.uk and have it delivered to a UK address and pay with a UK credit card, then have the person it was sent to send it to me, otherwise, amazon add the 25% Dansk MOMS to my order. Even so, I save, books are so expensive here, and are taxed like EVERYTHING else, so are expensive + 25%!
I think there's a limit (in the UK) on the value of the goods before our customs apply tax (under which, no tax is charged)....and as I dont usually buy expensive stuff from abroad, I avoid it (Except for 1 or 2 occasions)...when I was charged, it was the "Border People" (HM Customs and Excice) who added the cost...
I too have tried the Amazon.com route before, but after a while I found I could get most of what I wanted cheaper else where anyway (particularly places offering free shipping). My main online buying is dvd's, which I get most from www.play.com
>>> Is that 25% automatic?
Yes, it is what you would call VAT. In England the VAT rate varies for some commodities, books for example are zero rated, here everything is rated at 25% no exceptions. I used to buy from amazon.co.uk and have the stuff shipped to me here, but about two years ago, they started adding the 25% to my invoices, hence the convoluted route I use now.
>>> I think there's a limit (in the UK)
I think you are thinking about customs duty. There is, in fact, no limit to the amount of stuff you can move around inside the EU, (for private purchases), it is, effectively, a free trade area. There is an EU wide limit on the amount you can bring into the EU from non-EU countries, (I don't remember what the limit is, but I had a bit of trouble bringing a silk carpet home from Turkey).
I bought C++ Primer Plus with gift certificates. It is an extremely good book.