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Being from Norway I considered buying electronics cheap in the in the US but discovered it was not worth it. Once you factor in the 25% VAT in, the difference s
by socialdemocrat 7y ago
Being from Norway I considered buying electronics cheap in the in the US but discovered it was not worth it. Once you factor in the 25% VAT in, the difference shrinks. When you at considerably stronger consumer protections and warranty, the difference is all gone. Warranty in Norway on an Apple laptop is 5 year. It is just one year in the US and offers much weaker protection. If you buy a 3 year apple protection plan to get closer to Norwegian warranty, the laptop ends up getting more expensive in the US.
It just isn’t worth it.
I find the big price difference for me is on small things. Stuff like rubber bands, paper clips, tooth brushes etc will always be significantly cheaper in the US. But those things are impractical to import from abroad.
- TMWNN 7y ago>Being from Norway I considered buying electronics cheap in the in the US but discovered it was not worth it. Once you factor in the 25% VAT in, the difference shrinks. Nowhere in the US is there a 25% sales tax (the US VAT equivalent); 5-8% is the norm. Some states have no sales tax at all.
- AnssiH 7y agoIf you import electronics from U.S. to Norway you have to pay the Norwegian 25% VAT, not U.S. sales tax.
- mips_avatar 7y agoBut the sales tax savings over VAT pay for your flight from Oslo to nyc. Then you just don’t declare the laptop as a purchase made in USA.
- gaspoweredcat 7y agothis exactly, i almost did it when buying my laptop, also there are tax free states like oregon (im not sure why its just what i read)