Maybe they have to charge VAT when selling to someone abroad.
I’m not a lawyer, and barely understand these things… but here’s my line of thought: UK businesses often sell to on another without adding AVT to prices, because the final business in the chain will sell to their non-VAT-registered customers with the VAT added, and the tax can go to the government. Perhaps when they sell to you, they become the end of chain and have to add VAT.
I’m thinking about VAT at all because if I bought from Elevator, as a UK resident, I could not get the cheap prices. As a UK consumer, OTO gear is £475 and up for me, from them.
Talk to a different rep. Just keep going down the line.
“Hello this is Steve. How can I help?”
" Sorry Steve, but can you pass the phone to your right? I talked to you yesterday."
Next thing you know they’ll be trying to outprice each other. That’s how things really work.
Right?
I think if it is over $800, then you pay taxes, and if it is manufactured in China, then you could be charged up to 30% in dutie’s/fee’s. At least that is what Thomann told me once.
Aha, I think it may have just been a mistake in the email. £480 (inc. VAT) + £40 shipping comes to the £520 they quoted, while £400 (ex. VAT) + £40 shipping comes to the £440 on the checkout page.
I sent a reply to confirm, but assuming that’s the case, £440 shipped ($497) would be too good a deal to pass up.
This is absolutely correct. If it is over $800 you should be charged import taxes. about 5% for synths. If it is also made in china then there is a 25% tax on top of that for about 30% total.
Vat is pass through, so each link in the chain charges its customer and pays vat to the government. Each link (if vat registered) then does a reclaim on vat paid, until the end buyer gets it, and has to stand the VAT. Not sure why end ricing is different on the site. Vat if payable should be stated at point of sale.
I’ve never purchased anything from this dealer but they’re selling Boums for $499 usd (including shipping), which is pretty amazing considering most places are selling them for $650 and don’t even have them in stock.
Awesome. Yeah I noticed that they do a $40 priority shipping, which is part of the total amount. It was too good of a deal to pass up so I decided to snag one
So, Ben got back to me; he was apologetic and said the price on the site was out of date as Genelec’s costs have gone up. It’s updated now and the VAT-inclusive price is now the same as the VAT-exclusive price.
This was mentioned in the Korg Opsix/SQ-64 Selloff thread but hasn’t come up here yet. Several large retailers are currently offering the Korg Monologue for $299.99. Amazon even has the blue and silver versions listed at $269.99.
