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How to purchase my laptop

  • 29-10-2015 3:12pm
    #1
    slevins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27 ✭


    Hi,

    I need a bit of advice on the best way to buy my laptop.

    Its way too expensive to buy it in Europe so I am looking at buying it in USA or Canada and I have two options.

    1. I will be in the states mid next year and I could bring it back then. Can I claim tax back in the airport on this?

    2. I will be in Gran Canaria soon enough and I could get it shipped to there. Does anyone know if you pay import duties from USA/Canada there and if so how much?

    Just to note I'd prefer to purchase it sooner rather than later.

    Thanks in advance


Comments

  • #2
    di11on
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,262 ✭✭✭di11on


    If you could get it shipped to Gran Canaria, why couldn't you get it shipped here? Gran Canaria is in the EU so it should be no different from a VAT customs perspective unless the rates are more favourable and/or practices for recovery of VAT customs are more lax there. Either way, I can't see it being worth the risk.

    Also, my experience of buying expensive things like laptops is that companies will generally be unwilling to ship to an address which isn't the billing/credit card address and will apply higher than normal security checks.

    To be honest - I'd say your best bet is to get it there.


  • #3
    slevins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27 ✭slevins


    di11on wrote: »
    If you could get it shipped to Gran Canaria, why couldn't you get it shipped here? Gran Canaria is in the EU so it should be no different from a VAT customs perspective unless the rates are more favourable and/or practices for recovery of VAT customs are more lax there. Either way, I can't see it being worth the risk.

    Also, my experience of buying expensive things like laptops is that companies will generally be unwilling to ship to an address which isn't the billing/credit card address and will apply higher than normal security checks.

    To be honest - I'd say your best bet is to get it there.

    Thanks for the advice. As far as I know, electronic goods are duty free in the Canary Islands. Ebay guides suggest a tax (IGIC) of about 4.5%. Does anyone have any experience with this?


  • #4
    Miaireland
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,065 ✭✭✭Miaireland


    Hi bear in mind that technically the Canary Islands are outside the EU when it comes to VAT/Duty so technically you are meant to declare the value of the item in the red zone when you enter the airport. Also lots of companies would be unhappy to ship an high value item to address that it not the billing address.

    The same applies to bring it back from the USA, you could be stopped by customs and charged tax and or vat for the item.

    Do factor in this cost when buying the computer it may apply.


  • #5
    Valentina
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,281 ✭✭✭Valentina


    slevins wrote: »

    1. I will be in the states mid next year and I could bring it back then. Can I claim tax back in the airport on this?

    2. I will be in Gran Canaria soon enough and I could get it shipped to there. Does anyone know if you pay import duties from USA/Canada there and if so how much?

    1. AFAIK you can't claim back any sales taxes from the US when you leave. If the laptop is under €430 there won't be any customs/VAT due when you bring it back to Ireland. You won't be able to claim anything back for it in Ireland. Just to note, if you decided to post it, the €430 does not apply. It's only for goods accompanied by the passenger.

    2. Dunno about import taxes, there may be something due. Canaries are not part of the EU for fiscal purposes so when you bring it through the airport it would be like you brought it from outside the EU e.g. the €430 exemption would apply. I don't know if any import taxes you paid to get it into the Canaries would be taken into account. I'd guess no.


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