You Americans are extremely lucky

[teflon]

never mind. I'll buy you a beer instead and we can argue instead about whether Tim Hortons or Krispy Kreme makes better doughnuts.

Ti-Ho's FTW !!

 

[BeachChair]

Never eaten there, couldn't get over the name... Kinda put me off trying!



I tried this while I was in the UK, its a non-starter. My friend shipped it express, should be there in 3 days. After 5 (working) days, I called the US courier who had passed it on to the UK courier and I needed to deal with them. I had to speak to several departments and then finally the person I needed to speak to wasn't there. A couple of days later I found that the UK government had impounded the laptop and I needed to speak to someone in the tax office. Finally I get to speak someone in the UK tax office. I have a month to pay them a couple of hundred pounds, or the machine will be auctioned off, and they have had it a week already, so actually I have 3 weeks. I argued that it was a gift and I hadn't paid for it (which I hadn't yet), they said it doesn't matter what I say or what I can prove they have valued the machine and decided that I have to pay the tax if I want the mach.....

The law says it doesn't matter if it's a gift because value is being brought into the country and it doesn't matter if the receiver paid or the shipper paid, the value will be taxed.

And I hate this system more than anything. Thieving governments.

 

[juanster]

Gotta love each country's slang. In Canada a "double double" means double cream and double sugar in a coffee, usually at a Tim Hortons - a very popular doughnut and coffee shop in most of Canada.... though, strangely enough - not in BC. And when I say popular, Tim's in Canada (with a 10th of the population as the US) does more business than Krispy Kreme, by some some huge factor -.

LOL yeah the whole time I was thinking... so the dude had a cup of coffee for lunch? what? coffee at in-out must be insanely good and filling or something....

 

[skye12]

Yes it is nice getting our prices relative to rest of world. I wonder how the new
required contracts on iphones has slowed down int'l purchases???

 

[Yvan256]

... we can argue instead about whether Tim Hortons or Krispy Kreme makes better doughnuts.

Like there's even something to argue about.

Tim Hortons makes the best donuts of course.

edit: just checked the In-n-out website... Won't McDonald's sue them for ripping off their colors?

 

[snberk103]

Like there's even something to argue about.

Tim Hortons makes the best donuts of course.

edit: just checked the In-n-out website... Won't McDonald's sue them for ripping off their colors?

Yeah, Tim's is a special treat for me. None nearby.

Checked the In n' Out website too, wow.... you're not kidding about those colours. I wonder how much the lawyers cost to get that close to the McDonalds look without going over the line. Speaking of which, IIRC there is something called a Big Mac index, which compares the cost of a Big Mac in countries around the world. It was supposed to be good gauge of the relative purchasing power of the country's currency since a Big Mac is supposed priced the same (relative to the average income) around the world. I wonder how Apple products would compare to the Big Mac index?

 

[juanster]

Like there's even something to argue about.

Tim Hortons makes the best donuts of course.

edit: just checked the In-n-out website... Won't McDonald's sue them for ripping off their colors?

hmmm i loove timmies, but their doughnuts aren't even close to be as good as krispy creme ones...

 

[dudup]

Damn, looking around at this forum, I see that you all are purchasing MBA for 1200-1800$.

In Denmark I just ordered the 2.0 with 1.86 and 120gb for 2700$
And with insurance it's going to be 3200$

Guess it's too nice to live over there

Aw, c'mon. We have the most abusive taxes of the world here in Brazil. Nothing can enter the country legally and not paying over 100% in taxes. All importing taxes are paid on top of another, including the shipping price.

I paid 2,500 USD on mine MBA back in march -- and of course, for this price, it means it didn't paid the taxes.

And we have waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay inferior salaries here.

 

[Yvan256]

I've just made a quick check about the new laptop prices...

USA prices:
- MacBook 1300$ USD, 1600$ USD
- MacBook Air 1800$ USD, 2500$ USD
- MacBook Pro 2000$ USD, 2500$ USD, 2800$ USD

Canadian Prices
- MacBook 1400$ CAD, 1750$ CAD
- MacBook Air 2000$ CAD, 2750$ CAD
- MacBook Pro 2150$ CAD, 2700$ CAD, 3000$ CAD

Exchange rate (as of 2008-10-25, 14:55 EST):
- 1 USD ~ 1.27 CAD

Canadian Prices given the above exchange rate:
- MacBook 1102$ USD, 1377$ USD
- MacBook Air 1574$ USD, 2164$ USD
- MacBook Pro 1692$ USD, 2125$ USD, 2361$ USD

I don't know how it works at customs or how much you get charged for buying in Canada then bringing it in the USA, but it could be worth looking into.

What worries me is that if Apple updates the Mac mini and sets the price with today's exchange rate, a 600$ USD Mac mini would end up costing 750~775$ CAD.

 

[Lyrrad]

I've just made a quick check about the new laptop prices...

Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. I think I might buy it in Canada and import it to the US. I assume there's no duty over the border, though in Ontario there's going to be 13% in taxes.

Edit: Now that I do a bit more calculations, I don't think I'd save too much, less than $100, if I use the Education discount. Others may save more if they can get it shipped to Alberta, or are really close to the border.

 

[snberk103]

Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. I think I might buy it in Canada and import it to the US. I assume there's no duty over the border, though in Ontario there's going to be 13% in taxes.

Edit: Now that I do a bit more calculations, I don't think I'd save too much, less than $100, if I use the Education discount. Others may save more if they can get it shipped to Alberta, or are really close to the border.

I don't think there is a way to not get charged the GST of 5% (its a federal tax) but sometimes when I'm visiting Ontario (I'm from the west coast) and buy some camera gear I can get the PST (provincial sales tax) removed. The thing about PST is that if the goods are leaving the province, then the PST isn't charged. Normally, the store has to actually do the shipping to qualify for PST exempt, but sometimes when I explain that I'm from out of province - they will write on the the invoice "Shipped to BC" (or something similar) and then let me take it with me, PST exempt.

Also remember, if you are thinking of shopping in Canada, that all our goods have been essentially reduced by about 20% if you pay with USD.

And Alberta has no PST at all.

So - Happy Shopping!

 

[juanster]

at the border if you don't mind leaving the box behind you can just put it in your backpack and you won't have to declare it in. They never even asked but if they did you can just tell them it's yours. I did this with a MacBook they never even asked.

 

[teflon]

Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. I think I might buy it in Canada and import it to the US. I assume there's no duty over the border, though in Ontario there's going to be 13% in taxes.

Edit: Now that I do a bit more calculations, I don't think I'd save too much, less than $100, if I use the Education discount. Others may save more if they can get it shipped to Alberta, or are really close to the border.

Wow, I have never thought that I'd see the day when Americans come and shop in Canada .

 

[Lyrrad]

Wow, I have never thought that I'd see the day when Americans come and shop in Canada .

I'm Canadian, just living in the US for now.

 

[The Awesome]

Damn, looking around at this forum, I see that you all are purchasing MBA for 1200-1800$.

In Denmark I just ordered the 2.0 with 1.86 and 120gb for 2700$
And with insurance it's going to be 3200$

Guess it's too nice to live over there

A 1.86/120gb HDD Air here in the Philippines costs (tax included) US$2450. With 3 year AppleCare its US$2670.

A bit expensive considering a 1.86/120 in the US costs $1,999 (or even less!)

We don't have Stores here but the resellers give freebies worth $200 (like printers or external storage) when you buy a Mac so the $450 gap is reduced!

(a bit off topic) What people fail to see though, is that Macs are usually cheaper than their PC counterparts. Most MBP counterparts here (HPs, VAIOs) are a lot more expensive or a bit more underspec'.

Even OS X Leopard is cheaper than Vista Home Basic!

 

[teflon]

^^
Well the suggested retail price of Vista Home Basic is $199 USD and Leopard is $129 USD, so Leopard IS cheaper than Vista Home Basic, regardless of where you are. It's just that unlike Leopard, Vista can be bought for much less from some online stores in the U.S.

 

[skye12]

A lot of Americans I know have moved to Canada in recent years for
the healthcare system etc. (maybe it was really the doughnuts).

There is going to be a real economic hangover here in the USA and its
JUST started. House prices are going to come down another 25%
minimum and credit will be limited.

 

[snberk103]

A lot of Americans I know have moved to Canada in recent years for
the healthcare system etc. (maybe it was really the doughnuts).

I'm sure it was the doughnuts..... "come and stuff your arteries with transfats, get 'em cleaned out for free" Heck of a slogan, eh?

 

[juanster]

I'm sure it was the doughnuts..... "come and stuff your arteries with transfats, get 'em cleaned out for free" Heck of a slogan, eh?

yeah EH?? ahaha

 

[Chaos123x]

Damn, looking around at this forum, I see that you all are purchasing MBA for 1200-1800$.

In Denmark I just ordered the 2.0 with 1.86 and 120gb for 2700$
And with insurance it's going to be 3200$

Guess it's too nice to live over there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWS-FoXbjVI