WTF Apple serious rip off USA VS Ireland

wingnut

Ok so after years of apple bashing I decided to join the dark site and get a macbook pro. Base spec US price is $1199 or €870.54. Irish price €1199. €329 is a hell of a difference.

Voodu Child

Two words: V.A.T.

wingnut

Looked at getting it shipped to a friend in the US. Tax is $70. Still nearly €300 difference.

Kinetic^

Two words - apple tax

Voodu Child

wingnut wrote: »

Looked at getting it shipped to a friend in the US. Tax is $70. Still nearly €300 difference.

Come strolling through the airport with your new Apple or send it through the post and you'll be liable to pay 21% vat on it, thats €180 according to your figures.

You may decide to evade that, but that's neither here nor there, because a retail outlet can't and that was your original point. If you're going to play that game you can do it about any product.

It doesnt account for the full difference, but you can imagine that various services that come with the product (warranty etc) would have a higher cost associated with them here than in the US. Plus, they tend to price to round figures in every market, and you can bet they're going to round up and not down.

Alanstrainor

Voodu Child wrote: »

Come strolling through the airport with your new Apple or send it through the post and you'll be liable to pay 21% vat on it, thats €180 according to your figures.

You may decide to evade that, but that's neither here nor there, because a retail outlet can't and that was your original point. If you're going to play that game you can do it about any product.

It doesnt account for the full difference, but you can imagine that various services that come with the product (warranty etc) would have a higher cost associated with them here than in the US. Plus, they tend to price to round figures in every market, and you can bet they're going to round up and not down.

You can add another 4 or so percent to that figure for a customs charge. It usually ends up being 25%ish.

baby and crumble

Ok, I have a question, and maybe this is the wrong forum. I'm not trying to legitimise evading tax or whatever in customs, but if you buy a mac (or anything) in the states and you have it in a laptop bag on the way home, how on earth are customs to know you didn't buy it here and bring it on the holiday with you? I always bring my laptop and my dslr camera and bag and stuff with me, how are they going to know the 2nd lens in the bag was bought there rather than here?

I am honestly not even contemplating this, it's always intrigued me though.

wingnut

Its an option. To be honest you could do that and the difference would pay for the flight!

martin46585

It's just like what one of the large uk supermarkets calls the Irish market, "treasure Ireland". Every little helps..........This is the same right across the board, ie take a walk round the home depot, you'll here more Irish accents that at wood bury common, well maybe not, a few years ago that was.........

Sad Professor

The price difference on the base 13-inch MBP is about €120, not €300.