Buying an electrical item UK vs US, how to?

[Dupont666]

Im looking at getting a Canon G11 for the Miss Dupont and there are some big price differences between here and the US?

US

http://www.thecamerabox.com/catalogsearch/result/?...

$443.95 == £286

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Stabilized-a...

$479 > £309 But are they allowed to ship here?

---

UK

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/76503...

£399

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/3640038/art/canon/...

£388

---

So what costs are going to be extra from the US that I dont know about so that they can send the goods across here, is there an tax Im missing and is it going to suck up all the £90-100 saving that I get from buying from Amazon, etc?

No I dont have anyone going or is out in the US that can assist and it needs to be in my hands for absolute latest of the 6 August.

Any help is gratefully recieved.

Thanks

[Dupont666]

Since it is a gift for my OH, does that make it any cheaper?

Its for me to give to her in August when we meet for a few days in Finland before I go back to UK and her to Egypt... She wants a nice camera and has been on about this one for ages, but there is no way that she can currently afford it and at the moment has no camera so I thought given I have 2 weeks to get it before I see her, I would get her a gift....

[Dupont666]

onomatopoeia said:

Dupont666 said:

So what costs are going to be extra from the US that I dont know about so that they can send the goods across here, is there an tax Im missing and is it going to suck up all the £90-100 saving that I get from buying from Amazon, etc?

VAT and import duty on the total including shipping cost, nearly 25% between them. Gift declaration makes no difference at this level, it only increases the amount that goes through without duty being charged from ~£18 to ~£36. There will also be a customs clearance fee charged by the shipper at this end, expect it to be at least £10.

Incidentally, don't think about asking the seller to mis-declare the value, the importer (you) is responsible for the item being correctly declared.

I wasnt going to, I just wanted to see how much cheaper it would be if any, other than I happen to be in the US and buy it for £280, throw away the box and packing and claim it was a camera that I took there... but that aint happening and dont know if I would have the balls to do that.

[Dupont666]

ended up with this instead:

http://www.wilkinson.co.uk/store/product.php?produ...

these guys just delievered something todya that im going to check over tonight to see if it is the G11... good price too