Apple Store Seattle, WA Question

[brtdv]

Ok, here goes:

I am a Belgian Student, and within 2 weeks I'm going on a Study Trip to Seattle. I will have time to visit the Apple Store in the University Village, so I have decided to buy a Macbook Pro

The price on the Apple Website is 1999$, but here in Europe, the taxes, which is called VAT in the US, is included in most displayed prices. From what I have understood, in the US, VAT is mostly not calculated 'within' the displayed 'shop-prices', but will be calculated when you eventually pay your notebook.

So, if I buy Macbook, the basic 1999$ dollar model, will the price that i will have to pay in the Apple Store at the University Village be 1999$? Or will it be 2138.93$ (1999$ + 7% VAT, I think I've heard that the VAT percentage in Seattle, WA is 7%). Could somebody please help me out??

Thanks for your time,
Bert!

 

[felixlegion]

Seattle Mac Purchase - go to Portland

You are correct about VAT (referred to in the US generally as 'sales tax') NOT being included in advertised prices in the stores in the US. When you buy something, they take the price tag and add on the 7% sales tax and you pay the new total.

I suggest you do NOT buy your new Mac in Seattle. Take a day trip to Portland, Oregon. They have an Apple store too, and there is NO SALES TAX IN OREGON. You will save a couple hundred dollars that way, which you could use to add an ipod. Also Portland is a very nice place to visit for a day.

You can take a train from downtown Seattle to Portland, take the tram in Portland to the Apple store, and return on the train to Seattle, probably all in the same day.

 

[khisayruou]

Sales Tax in Seattle is 8.8%
felixlegion is right, there is no sales tax in Portland.
The round trip amtrak is about $35-40 bucks and takes 3.5-4 hours (doesn't even include layovers). I would take a car if you happen to have one.

Not sure how it works for international students, but try to get the student discounted rates for your purchase.

Enjoy Seattle, it's really beautiful...be sure to bring a light jacket for the rain
and if your into indie rock, check out KEXP 90.3 FM...had to throw that in!

 

[bruvone]

I was visiting Seattle last year (from Canada) and bought a case for my ipod at the Apple Store. They wouldn't give me a student discount since I didn't attend a US school. Instead they did offer to save me the sales tax since I was from outside of the US. They just asked me to fill out a form, scanned my driver's licence and that was it. It only saved me a few dollars, but on a purchase like yours it could save a couple hundred! Its worth asking about.

 

[brtdv]

Yes, indeed, thanks for the help and the great tips!!!
Much appreciated

 

[brtdv]

I have a new question:
- The power adapter included will probably be for the US powernet... In Europe, the powerlines are 220V, in the US 110V (I think?)... Doest the power adapter support both 110V and 220V, and can you take off the 'iron contact stuff', and replace it with an "euro-model" ??? (i dont know how to describe this, but with the iPod power adapter you can take that thing off... see: http://image.compusa.com/prodimages/0/b1382e48-2ccf-402a-9dc4-dd06a9b013e4.gif

Thanks!

 

[Blackheart]

Probably buy an Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.

 

[point665]

Yes, all Apple products (besides first gen G5 iMac and "the cube") support 240v (its not an exact number, some say US is 110, others 115, me 120... same with Europe).

I just moved from Florida to Finland after living there for the past 13 years. I saved 30$ and bought a plug adapter from Radioshack, so I can use it on other stuff to. Works like a charm (knock on wood).

If you want you can buy the World Plug adapter kit (forget the exact name), its like $40 and comes with a few different ones... just like for the iPod.

 

[seabass069]

Also, since you are a student, bring a copy of your School Identification. You should be eligible for a discount. It should only cost you $1799. The Apple Store honored mine. I saved $200 off of my iMac G5.

 

[felixlegion]

Power Adapter question

I bought a Mac Ibook which came with a power cord for the United States, where I live.

A few weeks ago I travelled to Europe, and forgot to get any kind of adapter. I went to the Apple store in Vienna and for 11 Euro found a european adapter which simply plugs in to the laptop power brick, and the brick can handle any voltage from the US 110 to the Euro 230 or 240 or whatever it is. Works absolutely fine. When I go to the UK, I just plug the Euro plug in to a UK adapter.

I didnt know you could get sales tax waved if you were from outside the US. Better check on that before you make a purchase. Either way there is no sales tax in Oregon.

If you have time in Seattle, Portland is a wonderful trip. It will be gorgeous this time of year. There are a lot of great neighborhoods with rose gardens all over. Lots of health food and vibrant street life and all that.

Cheers, have a good trip.

 

[brtdv]

Probably buy an Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.

when i look at the images, i can probably use my iPod plug thingy that's on my power adapter... Great!

To take a trip to portland, there will probably not be enough time, but I think I'm going to try make them give me a student discount or maybe even the price without sales tax... Maybe if apple releases an iPod AV on april 1 I can buy that too

 

[Doebldodl]

Don't forget, though, that you'll have to pay European VAT and customs when you return. In particular, customs will spot that your laptop has a US keyboard (which is different from the US international keyboard you'd get when buying the laptop in Belgium); they might thus infer that the laptop was bought in the US. Taking taxes and customs into account quickly ruin all the bargains you can make - and, BTW, explains why Apple stuff is more expensive in Europe.

Besides that, have fun in Seattle - stayed there for five months last year, and it was gorgeous. And the Apple stores in University Village and Portland are really nice. Have a nice trip!

 

[point665]

Don't forget, though, that you'll have to pay European VAT and customs when you return. In particular, customs will spot that your laptop has a US keyboard (which is different from the US international keyboard you'd get when buying the laptop in Belgium); they might thus infer that the laptop was bought in the US. Taking taxes and customs into account quickly ruin all the bargains you can make - and, BTW, explains why Apple stuff is more expensive in Europe.

Besides that, have fun in Seattle - stayed there for five months last year, and it was gorgeous. And the Apple stores in University Village and Portland are really nice. Have a nice trip!

I highly doubt if you bring it with you onboard youd have to pay customs. Like I said, I just moved from Florida to Finland... brought my laptop and such things with me on the plane, not a single question anywhere.

Only thing I could see is if you have an unopened Apple box, etc... Unless you really want to keep the box, Id either toss it or then flatten it and put it in your suitecase and bring your laptop onboard with you.

No one on the US side should question anything about the laptop... And I seriously doubt anyone will when you return. Id find it hard to believe they would know the difference between keyboards. If anyone asks anything say you brought it with you, say youve had it for a few months, but once again I highly doubt they will ask anything.

 

[brtdv]

I highly doubt if you bring it with you onboard youd have to pay customs. Like I said, I just moved from Florida to Finland... brought my laptop and such things with me on the plane, not a single question anywhere.

Only thing I could see is if you have an unopened Apple box, etc... Unless you really want to keep the box, Id either toss it or then flatten it and put it in your suitecase and bring your laptop onboard with you.

No one on the US side should question anything about the laptop... And I seriously doubt anyone will when you return. Id find it hard to believe they would know the difference between keyboards. If anyone asks anything say you brought it with you, say youve had it for a few months, but once again I highly doubt they will ask anything.

Indeed, i think if i just bring the laptop with me in the plane, without the box, manuals, cd's offcourse, that won't be such a big problem... I will put the manual & cd's etc in my luggage with my clothes and all that...

Will the seattle store have macbooks when I go there, or do I have to pre-order or something???

 

[trogdor!]

Also, since you are a student, bring a copy of your School Identification. You should be eligible for a discount. It should only cost you $1799. The Apple Store honored mine. I saved $200 off of my iMac G5.

Really? I tried to use it at an apple store once and I got told you could get the edu discount online. Which of course I thought was total crap.