Kopen van buitenlands internet sites ja/nee?

Melchior Timmers · Post by **Melchior Timmers** » 16 Nov 2007, 20:33

Aloha,

Heeft één van jullie ervaring met het kopen van een lens of camera via internet vanaf buitenlandse website's, en dan met name die waar je in Dollars betaald.....?

Met de huidige euro-dollar koers lijkt het interessant om in het buitenland te kopen, alhoewel ik ook erg geintereseerd ben in hoe de Douane zijn/haar werk doet en wat voor kosten dit met zich mee brengt.

Graag jullie ervaringen.....

Alvast bedankt.

Groeten,

canberra · Post by **canberra** » 16 Nov 2007, 20:53

Only good experiences!

While living outside Europe I used http://www.adorama.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; several times and I was always happy. (cheap)

While living in The Netherlands I used http://www.AC-Foto.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Germany) which was recommended to me by friend, again happy.

Living in the EU I would go for am EU based supplier or read the rules on import tax and VAT payment very good.

/Michael (a happy on-line costumer)

Key · Post by **Key** » 16 Nov 2007, 21:29

Apart from taxes, which are even calculated over transport costs in NL... there is the warranty issue. Buying in say the US means in most cases that to have your equipment repaired under warranty, you must return it to the vendor in the US - even with 'worldwide warranties'.

On the tax front, you may be in trouble any time you re-enter the Netherlands with your US-bought stuff if asked to show proof that you're not importing. Signs of use on the equipment will not help there. Having said that, I have never had this kind of checks in 25 years of carrying photo equipment abroad and back.

Finally, with the US$ down the drain, even import+taxes may be interesting now...

Erik

Thijs · Post by **Thijs** » 17 Nov 2007, 11:35

Bought my good old 10D at http://www.top-foto.de Good experience with it and they even spook Dutch although they are German. Webshop is situated just across the Dutch border.

Apart they don't have lenses and camera's i would recommend this site. Very cheap battery's and good quality.

http://www.akkuinternational.de

Looks like the German's do a good job with on-line shopping.

evhest · Post by **evhest** » 17 Nov 2007, 12:15

Be aware that customs are paying special interest to stuff imported from online ships or eBay outside Europe. It's almost guaranteed you will have to pay taxes, which can add up to a third of the price. It makes buying online in the US not so cheap as it may seem.

Iwan Bogels · Post by **Iwan Bogels** » 18 Nov 2007, 03:04

Hi guys,

Just two weeks ago, I visited B&H Photo in New York (see http://www.bhphoto.com). Their store is absolutely A-MA-ZING !

I did some checking before I went there, and it seemed to me that it’s almost worth crossing the Atlantic for “a weekend in New York” if you want to buy a substantial amount of camera gear. By picking it up in person in New York, you can save on Dutch import taxes, VAT and P&P. And the money you will save may well buy you a cheap ticket to the States if you check for a good offer. This way you will get a “weekeendje New York” as a bonus, and you might as well use the short trip to buy cheap clothes at the hughe Woodbury Common Outlet Center to save some more money……

Mind you, if you go to pick up your stuff in person, you are due to pay 8,375% taxes on top of the prices announced on their website ! And as they are orthodox jews, their shop is closed on Saturdays.

Good luck,
Iwan (who saved 22% compared to Foto Konijnenberg prices)

Flyboy · Post by **Flyboy** » 18 Nov 2007, 10:39

Just trying to explore the boundaries of legislation.

What if you borrow a lens from an American friend (so the product is registered on someone else) Would you need to pay import tax then??

-> Iwan, just wondering what goodies you will be showing on the next "lenzenprobeermiddag"

Grtx
Marc

Key · Post by **Key** » 18 Nov 2007, 10:50

@ Iwan: absolutely true, but the Dutch taxman still thinks you owe him a lot of money. If you cannot prove you bought your gear here, you may one day have to pay import tax plus a fine. Additionally, you probably have to send stuff back to NY for repairs under warranty. Once again, it never happened to me so far.

@ Marc: according legislation, I expect you need a written statement from your friend, or may have to pay the taxes. The same question often arises over gifts: you have no bill to prove they were bought in your own country. The answer is: get a customs declaration before leaving and you're fine. You could also just ask the giver for the bill in a closed envelope and only open it if needed (like for a warranty case).

Erik

bigfoot · Post by **bigfoot** » 18 Nov 2007, 11:24

Key wrote:@ Iwan: absolutely true, but the Dutch taxman still thinks you owe him a lot of money. If you cannot prove you bought your gear here, you may one day have to pay import tax plus a fine. Additionally, you probably have to send stuff back to NY for repairs under warranty. Once again, it never happened to me so far.

Thats treu that's why you need to unpack everything and even leave packing material in the US. If you would need a lens go there with you full gear, just add the lens in your fotobag and they won't see it. but of course if the do these "just pick one out of the line" and they ask you for the reciept you are sacked.

how those it work if you are checdked at customs with you dutch bought equipment? I don't carry all my reciept with me.

By the way i got this tip(it's fraud) from an uncle of me who collects classic cars. He buy's these cars from ebay and suchs. He asks the man to make two bills btoh being 50% of the total price. At customs he only shows one of the bills and pays only taxes of one of them. off course you are allways at risk.

DJMikey · Post by **DJMikey** » 18 Nov 2007, 12:34

To avoid all these problems, even if it saves considerable dollars/euro's, I just buy my stuff in the Netherlands. Of course I'll hunt down the cheapest offers here.
When I go to any foreign country I always bring a copy/scan of the original reciepts with me. I do the same with other important documents like my pasport and insurancepolicy.
I know, it's the savest way probably, but I don't like to have discussions at the Customsoffice when I'm in an Airshow- or Holidaymood. Besides that, you'll never win the discussion because you simply can't know every piece of legislation by heart. Even for me, knowing quit a lot of legislation because of my job en workexperience, it is simply impossible. So I just avoid the possible problems.

Grt, Mike.

KoenHartkamp · Post by **KoenHartkamp** » 19 Nov 2007, 17:06

Hi,

I'm not sure about the situation in the States, but overhere you can get a tax-refund if you are a non-EU citizen (spend more than €137 in 1 shop in 1 day)

If the US is also using this system, you can get a refund for the products you buy overthere and possibly have to pay taxes when entering the EU. The taxes equalize eachother and you get your 'profit' from the significanly lower prices they charge in the US.

It might be worth to check with the US Customs if/how this system works and if it also applies for internet-orders

grtz
Koen

nhoogenboom · Post by **nhoogenboom** » 26 Nov 2007, 14:05

Hi,
The warranty for Canon-gear is continent bound (also mentioned at their website). So if you buy it in the US you'll have to send it to the US to get it repaired.
Gr.Niels

FISHER01 · Post by **FISHER01** » 27 Nov 2007, 21:53

and..............watch out for scam-sites

shibumi · Post by **shibumi** » 28 Nov 2007, 17:13

Hi all,

I was told by a guy from Canon that only the lenses have world wide warranty. And the the body`s have continent warranty.

Ger · Post by **Ger** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:00

Iwan Bogels wrote:Hi guys,

Just two weeks ago, I visited B&H Photo in New York (see http://www.bhphoto.com). Their store is absolutely A-MA-ZING !

I did some checking before I went there, and it seemed to me that it’s almost worth crossing the Atlantic for “a weekend in New York” if you want to buy a substantial amount of camera gear. By picking it up in person in New York, you can save on Dutch import taxes, VAT and P&P. And the money you will save may well buy you a cheap ticket to the States if you check for a good offer. This way you will get a “weekeendje New York” as a bonus, and you might as well use the short trip to buy cheap clothes at the hughe Woodbury Common Outlet Center to save some more money……

Mind you, if you go to pick up your stuff in person, you are due to pay 8,375% taxes on top of the prices announced on their website ! And as they are orthodox jews, their shop is closed on Saturdays.

Good luck,
Iwan (who saved 22% compared to Foto Konijnenberg prices)

Iwan,

I have the same experience with B&H Photo in New York. On my 5 day visit in November to New York, bought a Nikon zoomlens and saved 150 euros...Even got a 15 dollar discount, because of special B&H leaflets in the hotel lobby.
The shop is also open on Sundays.

Happy spotting, Ger

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