Is equipment cheaper across the pond?

casts_by_fly said:
Anything that is purchased and shipped in over the value limit (about £28 I think which includes chipping cost) is liable for VAT and import. Doesn't matter if it is marked gift or intended as a gift.

Personally carried items which have been purchased have the value limit as described above. Doesn't matter if it was a gift or intended as a gift.
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Incorrect. It's £18 and this figure applies to internet purchases [or via telephone etc] whereby items are received in the post.

When you're bringing stuff in yourself [off holiday etc] then it's £390 [used to be £340 until recently].

Regarding B&H it's an interesting place to look round but I didn't have the time to go through the purchase procedure. You have to queue to order the item. Then you have to queue to pay for it. Then you have to queue to collect it. And they're not short queues either.
 
MisterE said:
Regarding B&H it's an interesting place to look round but I didn't have the time to go through the purchase procedure. You have to queue to order the item. Then you have to queue to pay for it. Then you have to queue to collect it. And they're not short queues either.
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A bit like Argos at Christmas ?
 
I'm well excited about b&h now (and new York in general) must try not to spend too long in there! cheers for all the advice people!
 
MisterE said:
Argos is quicker. And you only queue twice.
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I used to live in NYC and bought most of my camera gear here. The advantage is that you get a highly knowledgeable sales staff that aren't distracted by having to take payment or package your purchase. The equipment you wish to see is conveyered to the sales staff by a computerised conveyer system. At the end of the sales consult the equipment you want is sent to the packaging and collection point and you go via the till to pay then pick it up. Very little chance of shoplifting as you have to check your bags in at the entrance, which keeps the prices down for everyone. The queues move very quickly, Americans tend to complain much faster and more vocally than the British and I have never waited more than three or four minutes to pay and collect. Waiting for your turn with a sales assisstant can be a long wait, especially on a Sunday morning though. They give out free drinks and snacks on a Sunday morning too.
 
Zebedee101 said:
I used to live in NYC and bought most of my camera gear here. The advantage is that you get a highly knowledgeable sales staff that aren't distracted by having to take payment or package your purchase. The equipment you wish to see is conveyered to the sales staff by a computerised conveyer system. At the end of the sales consult the equipment you want is sent to the packaging and collection point and you go via the till to pay then pick it up. Very little chance of shoplifting as you have to check your bags in at the entrance, which keeps the prices down for everyone. The queues move very quickly, Americans tend to complain much faster and more vocally than the British and I have never waited more than three or four minutes to pay and collect. Waiting for your turn with a sales assisstant can be a long wait, especially on a Sunday morning though. They give out free drinks and snacks on a Sunday morning too.
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They should employ you as PR!
 
Zebedee101 said:
Very little chance of shoplifting as you have to check your bags in at the entrance, which keeps the prices down for everyone.
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They wouldn't take my camera bag off me. I wanted them to, to make it easier to wander round but they refused. Said they couldn't take the responsibility for its contents. They took my tripod though.
 
architectfadi said:
If you buy new from outside the UK, will that affect the warranty?
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It depends. Canon need a UK receipt for bodies, but I believe their lenses have a worldwide warranty.
 
arad85 said:
It depends. Canon need a UK receipt for bodies, but I believe their lenses have a worldwide warranty.
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That's a pity about the body warranty then. What about if it was purchased for you as a gift whilst across there? We've already started to talk about another trip across there next year and it's something I could get my sister to buy for me on the pretence of it being a gift. Sneeky but ..... cheaper than UK prices.

Di
 
Think they need a UK receipt.
 
According to Nikon (buying from Digital Rev, Hong Kong) that unless cameras/lenses are bought in europe they will not be covered under UK warranty
 
I did a cost study a few months back after seeing many people asking about buying in Japan or from Japan. I could probably go back and find the excel but the bottom line the USA has the lowest prices in the world (I assume down to volume, B&H is about the size of a football stadium), when I looked at most major markets. Of course depending on where you shop you can pay more or less no matter where you are. One of the items I priced was the 800mm prime the asking price here from a "discount" retailer was the same number as the number in the USA meaning it was 60% more based on exchange rate alone. Traveling a lot internationally for business and pleasure I can tell you that unfortunately most things cost more in the UK than USA/Europe/Japan:crying:.
 
architectfadi said:
According to Nikon (buying from Digital Rev, Hong Kong) that unless cameras/lenses are bought in europe they will not be covered under UK warranty
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That's rubbish, check Nikon's website. Lenses have an Intl Warranty and can be bought anywhere in the world, what you need is a receipt from a recognised retailer...doesn't have to be a Nikon dealer but you have to be the first "consumer" to own the lens.
 
Beardy said:
I often wonder why someone can't just open a shop like B&H in London....it would make a bloody killing.
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No it wouldn't. The UK market is generally more competitive than the US market, for lenses certainly. They have lower overheads there (lower minimum wage, lower taxes, etc.) so the prices tend to come out about the same on average.
 
Ive purchased a few used lenses from the US, EU, HK. Often once the VAT, duties and handling are added its better to buy from EU. Slightly cheaper than the UK.

20% VAT, about 6% duties then about £15 uk courier handling all on top of what you paid for the item.
 
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