New laptop VAT treatment EU

[Lance]

I am looking at a new Macbook Pro M3 Pro.
Amazon do a 9% discount, which is not be sniffed at on that sort of price.
But Amazon will bill from Luxembourg.

How does that work? The boxes for VAT are doing my head in.
Do I get full VAT back and therefore the Amazon choice is a no brainer?
Or am I better paying the non-discounted price and get from the Apple store with UK VAT I know I can reclaim?

[BigDataPro]

+1

[northernladuk]

This help?

https://sellercentral-europe.amazon....41c06b13656644

[Lance]

This help?

https://sellercentral-europe.amazon....41c06b13656644

thanks. I did not know this.
Now I need to check if I can add a VAT number to a personal Amazon account. I have an Amazon business account but don;t use it as I collect points on my BA Amex card.

[woody1]

But Amazon will bill from Luxembourg.?

Where's it being shipped from? If from within the UK, then Amazon should add UK VAT as normal. It's only if it's being sent from the EU that things can get a little complicated post-Brexit.

[Lance]

Where's it being shipped from? If from within the UK, then Amazon should add UK VAT as normal. It's only if it's being sent from the EU that things can get a little complicated post-Brexit.

usually shipped from Ireland.

But it does appear to have a UK VAT #

Invoice Apple Distribution International Ltd. Hollyhill Industrial Estate Hollyhill, Cork Ireland VAT No: GB117223643

and now I look deeper, I can see I reclaimed VAT from that iPad purchase in Dec '22
so maybe just overthinking this.

[woody1]

EU retailers importing goods into the UK are meant to register for VAT with HMRC. Many don't, especially smaller ones.

Strictly speaking, they only need to add VAT to orders under £135. (Obviously this doesn't happen if retailers haven't even registered)

Over £135, they can omit VAT and leave Customs/Courier to collect it on import. (Sometimes the VAT isn't collected)

Big retailers like Amazon will probably add VAT to all orders, even if they're over the £135 threshold. I've heard that occasionally this can lead to a double-charge where Customs add VAT again.

It's all a bit of a dogs dinner.

PS. orders over £135 can sometimes get stuck in Customs, as I found out recently with a package from Germany. Took 6 weeks to clear.

[cojak]

And let’s just hope the courier device doesn’t ‘play up’ just before he hands you the box, or the warehouse doesn’t do the old switcheroo with a plank of wood.

I no longer trust Amazon with high-value purchases.

[Lance]

And let’s just hope the courier device doesn’t ‘play up’ just before he hands you the box, or the warehouse doesn’t do the old switcheroo with a plank of wood.

I no longer trust Amazon with high-value purchases.

that's why I always buy using a credit card. It's not my problem as I'm not entering into a contract to purchase. Amex are the purchaser so it's their battle.