I’m poor. But not so poor that I don’t want an iPhone 4S and iPad3, rather I’m tight and I don’t want to pay silly UK prices.
I’m going to the US anyway and thought it would be a good opportunity to pick up both. iPhone off line and use it with my O2 simplicity contract for just £15/month -(total monthly cost would be £25ish for 2 yrs). iPad3 would be 20-30% cheaper in the US, and the warrantee is worldwide. I’m unsure whether to post it back (courier) or bring it back with me through the airport.
Does anybody have any experience with this sort of thing? Loop holes etc. I’ve heard that if used a few times it’s not classed as new.
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Tim Loyoga
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I have no idea about this. Wouldn't you have to declare it when you come back to the UK and pay the difference (or more?) anyway? And wouldn't you need to buy an unlocked iPhone, which is much more expensive than a carrier-subsidized phone? Plus, you would need to pay sales tax here in the U.S. Isn't the reason that the UK prices appear to be more because tax is included, whereas in the U.S. it is added on to the advertised price at the time of sale?
So what would an iPad cost in the U.K. right now?
As Gary says, US prices do not include sales tax so you have to factor that in.
Gary: the uk prices do indeed include our "sales tax" called VAT (value added tax... seriously) at 20%
If you are bringing a US purchased item back to the UK, officially you are required to declare it, however I know that many people don't and proceed down the green channel anyway upon arrival. Obviously if you get randomly stopped and your bags checked, they might well find the box in your suitcase, a dead giveaway you bought in the US so bear that in mind.
Hypothetically speaking, if there were no box in your bags...