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Buying Apple gear in the USA - Tax $$$



StonehamPark

#Brighton-Nil
Oct 30, 2010
9,752
BC, Canada
Anyone know the most cost-affective way of buying Apple gear (new iPhone in September) in the US?

I'll be in California in September and assume the new iPhone will come out whilst I'm over there.

Anyone have any experience of Apple shopping in the US?

Cheers.




- Anticipate Tax-Evasion or Android Vs Apple binfest.
 

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
i am reliably informed by americaphiles that the trick is to simply unbox, de bag and take it through customs as if its your own laptop/phone. they aint going to know or check where you bought it. bugger if its a gift.
 

easynow

New member
Mar 17, 2013
2,039
jakarta
53a724869223d.jpeg
 

StonehamPark

#Brighton-Nil
Oct 30, 2010
9,752
BC, Canada
i am reliably informed by americaphiles that the trick is to simply unbox, de bag and take it through customs as if its your own laptop/phone. they aint going to know or check where you bought it. bugger if its a gift.

I'm guessing you still pay the state sales tax right?
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,387
In a pile of football shirts
i am reliably informed by americaphiles that the trick is to simply unbox, de bag and take it through customs as if its your own laptop/phone. they aint going to know or check where you bought it. bugger if its a gift.

And Just before you leave, buy a Jiffy bag and post the manual/box/cables/warranty/etc to yourself at home.
 


easynow

New member
Mar 17, 2013
2,039
jakarta
Ooh, wallpaper on your phone. Now I'm sure you can do that on an iPhone too, not that it makes any difference to how the equipment works.

I have both the iphone 5 and HTC one m9. Both are great phones in different ways, but android (using high-end phones) give you more freedom. Torrent downloading, Streaming TV, illegal MP3 downloading apps etc. I'm just being a prick, i know lol
 

Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,387
In a pile of football shirts
I have both the iphone 5 and HTC one m9. Both are great phones in different ways, but android (high-end phones) give you more freedom. Torrent downloading, Streaming TV, illegal MP3 downloading apps etc. I'm just being a prick, i know lol

Not sure what torent downloading is, but streaming tv works fine on my phone, iPlayer, C4OD ITVPlayer, C5, SkyGo as well as numerous tv streaming apps such as TVCatchup that are free to download from the App Store, etc. And I'm happy to pay for mp3s.
 

Lethargic

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2006
3,453
Horsham
Brought mine in the USA no problem check state sales tax for the best bargain as some states have zero tax and ask in store to check it has a UK adaptor not US they threw one in for me. Wasn't even questioned at the airport and although opened in hand luggage it still in the box.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
I'm guessing you still pay the state sales tax right?

not mentioned. i suppose thats unavoidable, though if its like VAT in UK and Europe, where if you are foreign and taking out of the eurozone its discounted, you might be in luck.
 

StonehamPark

#Brighton-Nil
Oct 30, 2010
9,752
BC, Canada
Brought mine in the USA no problem check state sales tax for the best bargain as some states have zero tax and ask in store to check it has a UK adaptor not US they threw one in for me. Wasn't even questioned at the airport and although opened in hand luggage it still in the box.

Might be a dumb question but do the US bought iPhone's work just as the UK ones would (assuming a sim-free iPhone was purchased).
 

severnside gull

Well-known member
May 16, 2007
24,540
By the seaside in West Somerset
If it helps I bought my 6+ in Hong Kong and simply walked through customs with it in my pocket. Lots cheaper - open for using overseas SIMs (I have a Dutch payg as well as my UK contract one) and power cover. Never occurred to me to worry about being stopped tbh

If you can get the power case in the U.S. Then grab one - extended battery life so useful with iPhones!
 


Lethargic

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2006
3,453
Horsham
Might be a dumb question but do the US bought iPhone's work just as the UK ones would (assuming a sim-free iPhone was purchased).

I only got the wifi iPad which is identical to UK spec and I believe the iPhone is also a single global spec so no issues if sim free.
 

matski_98

Well-known member
Apr 16, 2012
531
Might be a dumb question but do the US bought iPhone's work just as the UK ones would (assuming a sim-free iPhone was purchased).

Yeah, they're all the same. Just put a sim in it and you're good to go :thumbsup:

The only difference is that you'd get a US USB charger plug rather than a UK one.
 

Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,529
Back in Sussex
A few points...

1. No, there is NOT a single version of an iPhone. This is because of the different versions of 4G that have been deployed. Details here: http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/iphone/iphone-faq/differences-between-iphone-6-models.html That's not to say the next iPhone (the 6S presumably) won't be universal, but there's never been a universal one to date.

2. No one knows exactly when the next iPhone will be out. That said it is highly likely it will be out in mid-late September as that is the cycle that Apple seem to be in. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus hit the shops on September 19th last year.

3. In the US, iPhones have never been sold SIM-free at launch before meaning, if you bought one at launch, you had to subscribe and pay for a 2-year plan. The iPhone 6 was only available SIM free in January this year: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/06/apple-sim-free-iphone6/ - nearly 4 months after launch.

Other than the above - good luck.
 


StonehamPark

#Brighton-Nil
Oct 30, 2010
9,752
BC, Canada
3. In the US, iPhones have never been sold SIM-free at launch before meaning, if you bought one at launch, you had to subscribe and pay for a 2-year plan. The iPhone 6 was only available SIM free in January this year: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/06/apple-sim-free-iphone6/ - nearly 4 months after launch.

Thanks, I didn't realise this.
I'll just see what happens whilst I'm out there but if they don't initially launch sim-free in the US, I'll consider buying one from the UK.
 

severnside gull

Well-known member
May 16, 2007
24,540
By the seaside in West Somerset
I have read somewhere that courier firms are offering a USA postal address, for forwarding mail.. no idea if legit, mind..

We've used one for years to access US online purchasing where overseas delivery is either not available or is prohibitively costly
Totally legit and works a treat although not sure I would set it up for a one-off buy
 

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