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Buying from Amazon UK?


seapotato

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I've been reading that a lot of people buy from Amazon Europe, but do you still get good deals after the exchange rate in Canada, and shipping costs? Last year when it was a tad over $1.60 CAD for 1 pound when I was exchanging money, and it just seems like it would work out to the same as buying in Canada.

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I'm not in Canada, but I bought my first ever product from Amazon.uk a few weeks ago. Good deal and the package got here with little issues. Box had one crease but I think it was from someone grabbing it (not shipping fault). I am pleased, just have to keep checking for deals.

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Guest ph4tb0i

No. Terrible deal. You should also ignore all the awesome deals I've posted here about Amazon UK/DE. Now go buy orc forges at Canadian retail. 

 

/s

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Guest ph4tb0i

seapotato, that previous tip only applies to Americans. 

 

For Canadians this is what happens: 

 

1. If it's shipped to DHL , 99% of the time you will not get hit by customs/duties (which are all subject to Canada Post)

2. If it's shipped to UPS, you will get hit with a $10 brokerage (plus GST or HST, depending on the provide) as well as tax against the total value of the goods inside the package. 

 

In general buying from Amazon, calculate the total by doing this:

 

Total = (Price / 1.2 (VAT is 20% so dividing cancels it out) + shipping (4.95 for first package, 2.95 for every package afterwards)

 

Then take the total and apply to rule #1 or 2 depending on the courier (all payable fees are Cash on Delivery COD btw but I believe they all take credit). Of sourse with #2 you can always complain to Amazon and they sometimes refund the costs you had to pay (I know Veegs has a lot of success with this). Me being the jerk anything that comes by UPS I immediately do a return to sender. My objective is to make Amazon lose as much money as possible shipping via UPS to canada till they stop it. 

 

Hope this helps. Amazon UK is fantastic for deals and will never make you want to buy domestically again. :)

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Whew, good thing I didn't click buy yet! I'll have to recalculate to see if it's still a good deal..

 

seapotato, that previous tip only applies to Americans. 

 

For Canadians this is what happens: 

 

1. If it's shipped to DHL , 99% of the time you will not get hit by customs/duties (which are all subject to Canada Post)

2. If it's shipped to UPS, you will get hit with a $10 brokerage (plus GST or HST, depending on the provide) as well as tax against the total value of the goods inside the package. 

 

In general buying from Amazon, calculate the total by doing this:

 

Total = (Price / 1.2 (VAT is 20% so dividing cancels it out) + shipping (4.95 for first package, 2.95 for every package afterwards)

 

Then take the total and apply to rule #1 or 2 depending on the courier (all payable fees are Cash on Delivery COD btw but I believe they all take credit). Of sourse with #2 you can always complain to Amazon and they sometimes refund the costs you had to pay (I know Veegs has a lot of success with this). Me being the jerk anything that comes by UPS I immediately do a return to sender. My objective is to make Amazon lose as much money as possible shipping via UPS to canada till they stop it. 

 

Hope this helps. Amazon UK is fantastic for deals and will never make you want to buy domestically again. :)

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Guest ph4tb0i

This is the 16.7% off I am talking about if you calculate it.

 

Hmm yeah, I see what you mean. 

 

If I do 33 / 1.2, I get 27.50

 

If I do 33 - (33*.2), I get 26.40. 

 

Wait, so does that mean Amazon has been taking off 3.3% less than they should have? :o

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Hmm yeah, I see what you mean. 

 

If I do 33 / 1.2, I get 27.50

 

If I do 33 - (33*.2), I get 26.40. 

 

Wait, so does that mean Amazon has been taking off 3.3% less than they should have? :o

 

If VAT is a flat 20%, then yes they should probably be taking off the full amount.

I think they work around it by saying the quote UK prices, but the sets are shipped from outside the UK, so it goes by the tax rates of that particular country.

That isn't confirmed though. Send them an email and ask :)

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Seapotato r u in the US? I've ordered from amazon uk a bunch of times and have never pd anything in addition to what i pay at check out. And at checkout the total is converted already so I know exactly what kind of a deal i am getting. Its been real simple for me. Which I am glad about bc looking at all these numbers and formulas being thrown around is making me dizzy!!!!

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Unfortunately not in the US! I'm in Canada, but it still works out cheaper than buying retail in Canada!! I have 3 urak-hai army, and wanted to get a Helm's Deep to go along with it :D Works out to 71.59 pounds after shipping, and hopefully the exchange rate is good and i don't get slapped with another fee upon delivery!

 

Seapotato r u in the US? I've ordered from amazon uk a bunch of times and have never pd anything in addition to what i pay at check out. And at checkout the total is converted already so I know exactly what kind of a deal i am getting. Its been real simple for me. Which I am glad about bc looking at all these numbers and formulas being thrown around is making me dizzy!!!!

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Unfortunately not in the US! I'm in Canada, but it still works out cheaper than buying retail in Canada!! I have 3 urak-hai army, and wanted to get a Helm's Deep to go along with it :D Works out to 71.59 pounds after shipping, and hopefully the exchange rate is good and i don't get slapped with another fee upon delivery!

Aha now I see the issue. Best of luck to you!

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Amazon UK don't take 20% off though, they take 1/6, so about 16.7%

Well they do for me living in Australia, but I would suggest it is for all international sales.

 

They take off the 20%VAT that's already included in the prices advertised. If you retract the VAT again, you have to take off 1/6th.

Let's say the price advertised is

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