buying goods in usa

Yurple

Hi everybody,

I am going to the USA for 3 weeks at the end of December this year and planning to buy a couple of Apple products (ipod, iphone 5s, maybe a macbook pro) and clothes because it's sooo much chea[er there. These things will be bought between two people but I am wondering how much I will be charged on this when I get back to Ireland?

Does anybody have any experience doing this and is this allowed? I read that if it's used they cannot charge me anything so if I buy a phone over there and put my sim card in it, check my mail, send a text etc its used? Same with the laptop. With an ipod I can just load some songs over there. Take tags off clothes after making sure they fit :P

I tried a duty calculator online but they are all programmed in such a way as if I would buy items from usa online, stay here and it gets delivered here. But this is not the case.

Thanks in advanced for any tips / advice and shared experiences! :rolleyes:

paddydriver

Doesn't matter whether you get them delivered here or carry them thru the airport - still taking them into the country and they will try get you for Irish VAT and Duty. May be some exceptions though.

Best buy them in US, post back your receipts separately, throw away packaging and stroll thru home with them as normal. Hard for customs to prove.

Also, unless your hauling thru about 10 large bags of clothes the likelihood of getting stopped is low.

Also, watch out for sales tax in some US states - can push up the advertised price by near 10%. Not sure if still the same now, but I remember in NY it used to be an extra 8.5% on electronics.

coylemj

paddydriver wrote: »

Also, watch out for sales tax in some US states - can push up the advertised price by near 10%. Not sure if still the same now, but I remember in NY it used to be an extra 8.5% on electronics.

+1 Sales tax is levied on virtually everything, it's currently 8.875% in NYC and the tax is NOT included in the sticker price, it's added at the cash register.

OP, you mentioned clothes.... A good while back I bought a (man's) suit in NYC, the hem in the trouser legs were dropped on all of the suits on display. I picked a suit to buy so the guy in the store measured my inside leg, said they would get the legs adjusted to fit me and I was to come back in an hour. When I arrived back to collect the suit, I was charged for the alterations and that and the sales tax were a major shock! Just be warned.

InTheTrees

Yurple wrote: »

so if I buy a phone over there and put my sim card in it, check my mail, send a text etc its used? Same with the laptop. With an ipod I can just load some songs over there. Take tags off clothes after making sure they fit :P

Now I have no experience of this but I think the "used" loophole really means that if you take the phone out of its wrapper, put your own SIM in it, add your own MyPetPony case, etc, then the good folks at customs in Dublin on your way home wont have any idea that you didnt buy it in Dublin before you left.

Same with clothes without tags. If theyre rumpled and used then how would they know you didnt buy them in Athlone?

They can be officious basta*ds but I doubt they're going to demand proof that you bought stuff in Ireland.

I could be wrong though... for instance twenty pairs of ferragamo shoes with the tags taken off and theyre not going to believe you took them all on holiday just to look good in NY.

ComputerKing

OP you shouldn't have any problems I have been going to America yearly for 10+ years and doing this and bring stuff back for friends as well. You shouldn't have any problems and there should be no reason to use any of those tricks, one year I was bringing back 8 iPads and 5 iphones as well as all my own new tech stuff along with a bag of clothes and had no issues. One thing you should do it check an extra bag for the way back I usually use one of these fold up bags.

InTheTrees

paddydriver wrote: »

Also, watch out for sales tax in some US states - can push up the advertised price by near 10%. Not sure if still the same now, but I remember in NY it used to be an extra 8.5% on electronics.

This can be maddening. In the US, different counties within a state can impose their own sales taxes so generally the country is a massive patchwork of different additional taxes, which means...

...traditionally they dont add sales tax to prices you see in the shops, so you pick something up with a $75 tag on it and take it to the checkout and it''ll be $82.30.

It can be a shock if you're not ready for it.

InTheTrees

ComputerKing wrote: »

OP you shouldn't have any problems I have been going to America yearly for 10+ years and doing this and bring stuff back for friends as well. You shouldn't have any problems and there should be no reason to use any of those tricks, one year I was bringing back 8 iPads and 5 iphones as well as all my own new tech stuff along with a bag of clothes and had no issues.

When you say he "shouldnt have an problems" I think you actualy mean its likely he'll be one of the 99% of people that dont get caught rather than the 1% who do. Right?

I'm not sure thats the peace of mind he's looking for. Maybe though.

clairefontaine

InTheTrees wrote: »

This can be maddening. In the US, different counties within a state can impose their own sales taxes so generally the country is a massive patchwork of different additional taxes, which means...

...traditionally they dont add sales tax to prices you see in the shops, so you pick something up with a $75 tag on it and take it to the checkout and it''ll be $82.30.

It can be a shock if you're not ready for it.

For big purchases you are better off taking it down to Portland.

clairefontaine

coylemj wrote: »

+1 Sales tax is levied on virtually everything, it's currently 8.875% in NYC and the tax is NOT included in the sticker price, it's added at the cash register.

OP, you mentioned clothes.... A good while back I bought a (man's) suit in NYC, the hem in the trouser legs were dropped on all of the suits on display. I picked a suit to buy so the guy in the store measured my inside leg, said they would get the legs adjusted to fit me and I was to come back in an hour. When I arrived back to collect the suit, I was charged for the alterations and that and the sales tax were a major shock! Just be warned.

No sales tax on clothes in NY under $104.

ComputerKing

clairefontaine wrote: »

For big purchases you are better off taking it down to Portland.

Ya if you could get to Portland it would be better as there is no sales tax.

ComputerKing

Another thing if you plan on making alot of large purchases then you should ring your credit card company so then don't block your card for unusual activity.

anthonyos

I have gone to the us regularly I have gone over with a empty suit cases every time and full coming back never any problems at all just stroll by customs in Dublin airport but unwrap everything

alastair

There's no way of knowing if you'll be stopped by customs, and if they do get suspicious about anything you're carrying, it's up to you to prove you didn't buy it outside the EU. I got nabbed by them years back with a camera (which was a couple of years old by that point), and ended up having to hand over import duty and fine/fee to get it back off them.

But, unless you're taking the piss with still-boxed Apple booty, and it's plausibly older than a few days old, you'll probably be okay - if you sound convincing. They won't be bothered with clothes. Your allowance is around €430 before duty is applicable, but they'll charge duty on everything (including that €430's worth of stuff) if you go over it.

clairefontaine

I've never been stopped in either direction, for my sausage run or my whatever I need from back home run.

alastair

clairefontaine wrote: »

I've never been stopped in either direction, for my sausage run or my whatever I need from back home run.

You were carrying more than €430 worth of sausages? Wouldn't the wheelbarrow be a dead giveaway?

clairefontaine

alastair wrote: »

You were carrying more than €430 worth of sausages? Wouldn't the wheelbarrow be a dead giveaway?

Lol. No not that much. But my friends MA used to come over with an entire suitcase packed with them.

cena

You could get caught come back into the airport and end up paying at the airport. I would think before I would do it

Yurple

Hi all,

Thanks very much for all the replies!

I am going to san francisco (10 days), las vegas (4 days) and orlando (7 days) I will do research where the sales tax is lowest. Ringing the credit card company before hand is also a good idea to let them know some big purchases are going to show up!

The people that replied (some even carrying 7 ipads and 12 phones or something) do you take the products out of the boxes and bin the boxes? I really want to keep the boxes of the products I buy over there so i can resell them in a year or two when i upgrade? Is this too dangerous to keep the boxes? Even if I take the products out of the packages, use them over there etc?

When I return back from the USA do you just walk out of the exit or do they check everything? Can they check our checkin bags that are not traveling with us or is that not allowed? Also when we return from usa and come back here do they ask: GOT ANYTHING TO DECLARE or do we have to say this ourselves??

Apologies for all the questions and THANKS again for all the tips and advice... really helpful!

ComputerKing

Yurple wrote: »

Hi all,

Thanks very much for all the replies!

I am going to san francisco (10 days), las vegas (4 days) and orlando (7 days) I will do research where the sales tax is lowest. Ringing the credit card company before hand is also a good idea to let them know some big purchases are going to show up!

The people that replied (some even carrying 7 ipads and 12 phones or something) do you take the products out of the boxes and bin the boxes? I really want to keep the boxes of the products I buy over there so i can resell them in a year or two when i upgrade? Is this too dangerous to keep the boxes? Even if I take the products out of the packages, use them over there etc?

When I return back from the USA do you just walk out of the exit or do they check everything? Can they check our checkin bags that are not traveling with us or is that not allowed? Also when we return from usa and come back here do they ask: GOT ANYTHING TO DECLARE or do we have to say this ourselves??

Apologies for all the questions and THANKS again for all the tips and advice... really helpful!

For the iPhones and iPads I left them in the original boxes and apple store bags and everything as they were for friends and family. As for the airport I have never had any trouble just collected my bags and left as you normally do when coming back from holidays.

Yurple

Do you go through : GREEN nothing to declare? Do you put the stuff in your checkin bag?

If you go through and they do a spot check and see the products --- can they fine you and TAKE EVERYTHING? or what would happen? what is the risk with this legal loophole?

steve-o

Yurple wrote: »

Do you go through : GREEN nothing to declare? Do you put the stuff in your checkin bag?

If you go through and they do a spot check and see the products --- can they fine you and TAKE EVERYTHING? or what would happen? what is the risk with this legal loophole?

I'm pretty sure that boards T&Cs don't allow people to give you smuggling tips.

clairefontaine

Be careful. I had my laptop stolen out of my check in luggage. It was a JFK-Dublin flight, Aer Lingus. I even had the travel insurance that you buy on the AL site and they would not cover it.

coylemj

Yurple wrote: »

Do you go through : GREEN nothing to declare?

If you don't want to declare them and pay VAT, you go through the Green lane.

Yurple wrote: »

Do you put the stuff in your checkin bag?

Whether you transport your goods via carry-on or in luggage going into the hold is of no consequence as far as customs is concerned.

Yurple wrote: »

If you go through and they do a spot check and see the products --- can they fine you and TAKE EVERYTHING? or what would happen? what is the risk with this legal loophole?

If you are caught smuggling you may have a financial penalty imposed on you, your goods may be seized, you may be prosecuted or a combination of all of these measures may be applied to you.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1878a.html

Yurple

ok im definitely not doing this then.

is it smuggling if its personal use and we use all items when we are there?

com1

Yurple wrote: »

ok im definitely not doing this then.

is it smuggling if its personal use and we use all items when we are there?

yes

Yurple

Ok i will just declare everything its much easier and safe + works out to be cheaper than buying here! THANKS

alastair

Yurple wrote: »

Do you go through : GREEN nothing to declare? Do you put the stuff in your checkin bag?

If you go through and they do a spot check and see the products --- can they fine you and TAKE EVERYTHING? or what would happen? what is the risk with this legal loophole?

There is no legal loophole. You're just banking on not being stopped by customs. Most people are not stopped by customs, so the odds are good, but you're liable for duty either way.

endofrainbow

clairefontaine wrote: »

Be careful. I had my laptop stolen out of my check in luggage. It was a JFK-Dublin flight, Aer Lingus. I even had the travel insurance that you buy on the AL site and they would not cover it.

never put anything of value in your checked bags......;)

iusedtoknow

Yurple wrote: »

Ok i will just declare everything its much easier and safe + works out to be cheaper than buying here! THANKS

It's safer that way

The last few times I have done JFK/ORD to Dublin I have gone through the green channel, and been stopped. They xrayed my bags and looked in my hand luggage.

I always travel with my laptop, ipad, kindle and iphone. They even asked me to turn on my laptop the last time (i live in the US and it was my work computer). Once they saw i had a password etc they were grand and knew I wasn't trying anything

God knows what would've happened if I had tons of iPads etc

Chisler2

My experience as a frequent flyer between Ireland and various US airports is that (a) every single piece of checked-on baggage is scanned; (b) it is unwise/unsafe to put anything valuable into checked-on bags which for security purposes MUST be left unlocked (or the security service forces their way into them!!!); (c) the IRISH Customs Authority are efficient in collecting any unpaid import duty.

An example...........I forgot to pack my reading-spectacles on a recent trip to Ireland. My husband sent them express courier to my hotel on the west coast. Customs insisted that though they were a used, personal item as declared on the form, import duty was payable for the original value of the item as it was purchased in the USA. Taxes WILL be paid; the "good old days" are over in Ireland.

If you go through the Green channel at an Irish airport carrying the quantity and type of items you have mentioned, and are asked to show the contents of your bags, it would - in my view - be highly problematic.