GPS prices in the UK.. OUCH!
hu...@mrao.cam.ac.uk
I've been looking into buying a GPS receiver, and have been amazed at
the ramp in prices from the US to the UK.
A 150 dollar Magellan 315 .... in the UK.. 195 pounds,
that's DOUBLE the price.
There's also something wierd going on.. Garmin seem to be
vastly dominating for some reason in the UK.
Just thought this might be usefull for UK readers.. look around,
and be aware of the rip-off!
DS
writes
>Hi,
>I've been looking into buying a GPS receiver, and have been amazed at
>the ramp in prices from the US to the UK.
> A 150 dollar Magellan 315 .... in the UK.. 195 pounds,
>that's DOUBLE the price.
That is not a good price for the 315. Maplin have it for 150 inc VAT but
I'm sure other places do them cheaper.
>
> There's also something wierd going on.. Garmin seem to be
>vastly dominating for some reason in the UK.
Where have you been looking? Most places I have seen stock both Garmin
and Magellan products.
>
>Just thought this might be usefull for UK readers.. look around,
>and be aware of the rip-off!
The best places to get GPS units in the UK are marine outlets (they tend
to sell a lot so can sell them cheap) or the shops on Tottenham Court Rd
in London. Other places sell them at much higher prices as the don't
shift many.
--
Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/
Nigel Law
found it would be cheaper to order from the US even paying $US 36 for
shipping this still made the UK about 10 GBP more expensive! On
telling the UK dealer that he proceeded to give me B******t about US
versions not having OSGB datums etc. I checked with Darrell in the US
and he assures me that the Etrex available there DOES have OSGB stuff.
I found the attitude of this particular supplier a little unusual as
they have always been very helpful in the past.
Nigel
<hu...@mrao.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:85a2q3$jkc$1...@pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk...
> Hi,
> I've been looking into buying a GPS receiver, and have been amazed
at
> the ramp in prices from the US to the UK.
> A 150 dollar Magellan 315 .... in the UK.. 195 pounds,
> that's DOUBLE the price.
>
> vastly dominating for some reason in the UK.
>
Dave Martindale
>I tried a marine supplier in Bristol on the price of an ETrex and
>found it would be cheaper to order from the US even paying $US 36 for
>shipping this still made the UK about 10 GBP more expensive!
Don't you have to pay VAT when you import it into the UK? Wouldn't
you end up paying more overall in that case?
Remember that US prices don't include taxes while UK prices include
VAT. For a proper comparison, you need to tack VAT onto the US price
(unless you don't have to pay it on imports for some reason).
Dave
Mark Crossley
the VAT. It's not so attractive then! If you don't pay upfront HM Customs
hold the package, and then you have to send a cheque, then wait again for
them to release it. Needless to say this can take quite some time.
Mark
"Dave Martindale" <da...@groucho.cs.ubc.ca> wrote in message
news:85b1vb$p...@groucho.cs.ubc.ca...
Dave Martindale
>You do have to pay VAT on import, you also have to add duty before you add
>the VAT. It's not so attractive then!
That's about what I thought. I live in Canada, and a number of times
I've looked at things being sold in England while visiting there and
thought to myself "That's incredibly expensive!". But then I remember
that if I buy the thing in Canada tax of 14 or 15% gets added to the
price I remember, while in the UK tax of 17.5% is included in the price
posted, the UK price is still high, but not quite so outrageous.
Dave
Tijn
>the ramp in prices from the US to the UK.
Hello,
Prices in Holland are 2 times the American price as well.
But the upgrade from 5PCX to Mapsource that Garmin Europe (as I understand,
to the Netherlands as well) offers for 25 British Pounds (Great deal!),
costs 200 guilders (about 57 Pounds) when you handle it through the Dutch
importer.
You can order a mapsource (no upgrade) cd the same amount via the Net.
The most extreme item in the Dutch pricelist in my opinion:
Replacement suction cup mount for GA26/27 external antanna (piece of sheet
metal with 3 suction cups and 4 holes): 50 Guilders (24 $).
And the Dutch don't like spending money anyway (-;
Greetings,
Tijn.
Roger Black
couple of points so as not to compare apples with oranges:
as well as postage/freight charges, you will also incur 17.5% VAT plus
duty which may be between 5% and 15% depending on what tariff code the
sender declares as.
what if the cable proves faulty or is damaged in transit? - unlikely I
know but possible - do you really want the cost and inconvenience of
shipping it back to the US then going through all the palaver of
persuading Customs not to charge duty etc again on the replacement?
When you add it all up, there may be some benefit in paying the premium
for local service and back-up.
Joe Mehaffey
I thought "Navigation Equipment" as a category was exempt from import
duties into the UK. Has this changed now that "you guys" are integrated
into the ECC?
Joe Mehaffey
--
Got a Question about GPS technology? Looking for a GPS FAQ site?
See: http://joe.mehaffey.com
David Chu
Actaully, I ve as same as your experience,
I got a quotataion from UK for the GPS III+
he can quote me $350 for that .....but don't smell
$350 is for POUNDS NOT A US DOLLORS ...COOL .... :O
david
hu...@mrao.cam.ac.uk 的內容為:
>
> Hi,
> I've been looking into buying a GPS receiver, and have been amazed at
> the ramp in prices from the US to the UK.
Mark Crossley
this thread, I bought my GPS315 in the UK for £129, I don't know where you'd
pay £195!
Mark
<hu...@mrao.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:85a2q3$jkc$1...@pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk...
Tim Forcer
>
> I thought "Navigation Equipment" as a category was exempt
> from import duties into the UK. Has this changed now that
> "you guys" are integrated into the ECC?
Interesting idea! Quick trot around HM Customs and Excise Website shows
that it's true, but only for equipment to be installed in a "qualifying
ship or aircraft"
And
Quote ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
a) a "qualifying ship" is any ship of a gross tonnage of not
less than 15 tons which is neither designed nor adapted
for use for recreation or pleasure; and
(b) a "qualifying aircraft" is any aircraft of a weight of not
less than 8,000 kilogrammes which is neither designed nor
adapted for use for recreation or pleasure
-------------------------------------------------------------Unquote
So that leaves out most of us buying GPS from outside UK!
In any case, I suspect most Customs Officers would regard most of the
GPS units discussed in this newsgroup as some sort of consumer
electronics unit, not navigational equipment.
Ultimately, market forces are at work. If the units didn't sell
profitably in UK at UK prices, the prices would drop or increase until
profits were acceptable. And the manufacturer has a hefty say in what
those prices are. And this situation doesn't just apply to GPS sets.
Cameras and computers often have the same Web-order retail price from US
in US$ as from UK in GBP, after accounting for local taxes. So around
60% extra in UK. Sometimes there are better deals to be had in other
parts of Europe than UK, sometimes UK is best.
--
Tim Forcer t...@ecs.soton.ac.uk
The University of Southampton, UK
The University is not responsible for my opinions
Simon Neil x1798
VAT (17.5%) and import duty (6%)
It still should work out cheaper, though.
cheers
Simon
Purple Elf
<ne...@zap.carmine.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Apart from the VAT and possible duty implications discussed further down
>this thread, I bought my GPS315 in the UK for £129, I don't know where you'd
>pay £195!
I'm about to buy a GPS315 and was quoted £199 by my local
walking/campling shop!
I've seen the Maplin price of £14,9 but where did you manage to find
your £129 Mark?
Elle
Mark Crossley
They have a web site at http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/catalog.htm
But I've just noticed that they have now increased their price in line with
most other retailers to £139.95 :(
I shouldn't have told them they were £10 cheaper than every one else!
Mark
"Purple Elf" <purpl...@airpen.demon.co.uk.nospam> wrote in message
news:387e1599...@news.demon.co.uk...
Purple Elf
<ne...@zapme.carmine.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>MailSpeed Marine in Warrington.
>
>They have a web site at http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/catalog.htm
>
>But I've just noticed that they have now increased their price in line with
>most other retailers to £139.95 :(
>
>I shouldn't have told them they were £10 cheaper than every one else!
>
>Mark
Thanks for the info Mark. I managed to persuade Maplin to sell me one
for 139.95! Although their computer system shows 149.95, their current
catalogue prices it at 10 pounds less. They were quite happy to comply
with the paper catalogue.
Elle