Shopping trip to USA ?

[Jan Eilertsen]

Living in Denmark, where both lens and camera prices are WAY OVER the American prices, I would like to hear if it is a good idea to take a trip over there and buy equipment ?

I haven't followed the Nikon rebates, that seem to end soon, but if I were to buy e.g.:

Nikon D-200 body
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 AFS-VR
Nikon 10½mm
SB800

Would I get great rebates ?

Where should I buy (WEB-shops would require long term fixed address - not good for e.g. a week visit) ?
Does any Danes know / think I would be picked up in customs ??

Just to give US citizens an idea how lucky you are with Nikon prices, I have converted some of our Danish prices to US $:

Nikon D-200 body US $ 1870
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 AFS-VR US $ 2700
Nikon 10½mm US $ 910
SB800 US $ 550

I gues rebates and your price level could pay for the trip.....

Jan

 

[IvanNava]

Hi there! I was in the same position that you're right now, but worse! Hahaha. I live in Venezuela and here the prices are much HIGHER than yours, to make a comparation a D200 here cost around $2500, and forget to find the 70-200VR, i have a friend who bought one just a few weeks ago in $2900, so as you can see...For me was cheaper, to buy a ticket, pay the Hotel in NYC, have a beautiful week there, buy me equipment and some clothing than buy my gear here, hahaha!

I just came from NYC, and bought the D200 and a 70-200VR in B&H, and i am happy with them, and i was able to get some good rebates too!

So, if you can go, you'll have a god time!

--
Ivan Nava - Ccs, Venezuela!

 

[David Banner]

Living in Denmark, where both lens and camera prices are WAY OVER
the American prices, I would like to hear if it is a good idea to
take a trip over there and buy equipment ?

I do it every year. I recently sold off all my canon gear here in France and bought new Nikon gear in the US.

Would I get great rebates ?

Yes, triple in fact. For the 12-24, consider the sigma 10-20 because 10 is much nicer than 12. Think about the 17-55 2.8.

Where should I buy (WEB-shops would require long term fixed address

• not good for e.g. a week visit) ?

This is a tough one cause you pay a lot more buying local, especially with 8% sales tax. If you're visiting someone order from B&H and have the lens waiting for you at your friends. B&H won't ship to a hotel or UPS location, but Adorama will ship to a Fedex location so you can order it that way and just go pick it up.

Does any Danes know / think I would be picked up in customs ??

I've been doing this for years and I've never had a problem with French customs but they are starting to get more serious with counterfeit items and are now doing random searches. make sure you don't go through customs wearing polo, van dutch, etc. (even if it's real). If you can mail yourself the receipts it's even better, you can say they were gifts. If not hide the receipts in another bag. If you can, go through customs with only your new camera gear and have your travel companion go through with the boxes & receipts a few minutes AFTER you.

Just to give US citizens an idea how lucky you are with Nikon
prices, I have converted some of our Danish prices to US $:

Why is Nikon ripping off Europeans? I see used lenses going for more than the price of new here.

 

[David Banner]

I forgot, the rebates are only valid for US addresses. So if you don't know someone in the US I think you're stuck. You can use my US address if you like for a small commission.

 

[ChuckNance]

The smarter thing is to send the boxes, labels and booklets through mail.

If Dutch customs finds these documents in your luggage, with your carrying your new toys, you are in for a very expensive surprise.

 

[jaba]

If Dutch customs finds these documents in your luggage, with your
carrying your new toys, you are in for a very expensive surprise.

Well, I think it would not be that much. If I am right, this is the tax to pay (way below the difference in price):

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds/cgi-bin/tarduty?ProdLine=80&Type=0&Action=1&Lang=EN&SimDate=20061126&YesNo=1&Indent=-1&Flag=1&Test=tarduty&Periodic=0&Download=0&Taric=9002110050&Country=US%2F0400&Day=26&Month=11&Year=2006

Can somebody confirm this is right?

 

[uwe_r]

Well, I think it would not be that much. If I am right, this is the
tax to pay (way below the difference in price):

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds/cgi-bin/tarduty?ProdLine=80&Type=0&Action=1&Lang=EN&SimDate=20061126&YesNo=1&Indent=-1&Flag=1&Test=tarduty&Periodic=0&Download=0&Taric=9002110050&Country=US%2F0400&Day=26&Month=11&Year=2006

Can somebody confirm this is right?

Plus VAT (if you take the red - something to declare - exit)
Plus VAT and fine (if you take the green - nothing to declare - exit)
I think VAT is 25% in Denmark.

Cheers,
Uwe

 

[Paul.R.Lindqvist]

No need to make that trip, no real risk to have to pay tax+customs.

Many lenses comes with worldwide warranty. If not they often have a International Mack warranty.

Kindest
--
Regards
Paul L.

 

[lawaetz]

I was in USA in october, and had my camera with me.

They ofcourse looked in my bags in security at the airport, but they never asked any questions.

I had both my laptop and camera, flash etc. packed in one bag, that was my handluggage.

I would have bougt a 17-55 while i was there, but i couldnt find anybody that had it in stock :-(

My plan was to simply leave the package behind, and mail the invoice / warrenty documents to myself.
The package isnt worth the risk of getting cought in custom.

Vat here in Denmark is 25%, but you also have to pay importduty around 7%...

And if you try go through "nothing to declare" and get cought, you also have to pay a fine.....

 

[Phil_L]

Sorry, that is a no no imho, the customs will hit him for VAT!

Happened to me with shipments from the USA.

Ended up paying 25% VAT plus import duties, despite the fact that the lenses were used. :-((

Why would Hong Kong be exempt?

I had a new AFS 17-55 f2.8 DX sent to me via a friend.

No problems with the customs.

Bit nervous that it might be a lemon, which would have been a real mess, but it dose'nt seem so.

--
Phil_L

 

[David Banner]

No need to make that trip, no real risk to have to pay tax+customs.

There is a bigger risk of customs this way.

Many lenses comes with worldwide warranty. If not they often have a
International Mack warranty.

Many come with hong kong warranty only. I'm not sure if one has to be a US resident for Mack or not.

 

[jewson37]

Hi.. I have just got a MBD200 battery grip from Hong Kong £79.00. Arrived HK to UK 4 days + no tax...! Twice as quick as my local Jessops could get me one and half the price..!!! Will definatly use them again
--
If it ai'nt broke don't fix it..!

 

[David Banner]

Hi.. I have just got a MBD200 battery grip from Hong Kong £79.00.
Arrived HK to UK 4 days + no tax...! Twice as quick as my local
Jessops could get me one and half the price..!!! Will definatly use
them again

How do you like it? I was debating about getting one. I do a lot of portraits, candids of the baby around the house and then more formal ones in the studio with strobes. I think it'd be good for in the house. Would it be easy to take it off when going out to the city for the day?

 

[tom graham]

Did you say 25% VAT? Lord help you.
regards - tom
and Merry Christmas

 

[Carlos_S]

Up to now I received two shipments from the US, for both I had to show up at German customs and pay VAT and import duties, app. 25% all together The chances of paying all this when carrying the items is much lower I guess, I never did it with things bought abroad, but I traveled a lot with my D70s and glas and nobody ever asked me, where I bought them and/or if I could prove anything. Of couse you should place everything in a camera bag, perhaps you can make it look a little bit used somehow...

Kind regards,
Carlos

 

[Phil_L]

Buy it in the USA including a backpack, throw away the boxes after you test the lenses, keep all the papers, guarantees, instructions.
I'm assuming you want to keep the equipment and not sell it at a profit??

Pack the backpack with your camera equipment as cabin luggage.
Walk through the customs > Green.

No problems if you dont look guilty or act in a suspicious way.

Been through customs multiple times with camera equipment. Never been questioned.

They mostly want to catch drug smugglers, then go home! Not necessarily in that order of priority.
--
Phil_L

 

[jewson37]

Hi David, I have only had mine about 2 months, goes on and off easy as anything. It does add a bit more weight though, holding two batteries, but you also get the AA battery holder for when you run the two en-el3 out. Personally I fitted mine and it's not likely to come off.
--
If it ai'nt broke don't fix it..!

 

[dubber]

To be more creative

One can buy all the intended equipment locally (your home country) paying with say Visa, LEAVE the equipment at the store for 'later pickup' but take receipt home, make a copy of the receipt, came back next day and get full refund. They should not have any problems with that as equipment has never left the store = never been used. Then go to US, say NY and buy the same equipment, enjoy the trip, SHOOT lotsa pix... and on the way back home show customs that COPY of the receipt you got back home )

Happy end.

 

[Jan Eilertsen]

Thanks for all the tips !

Now all I need is to find an american friend that I really trust, order and pre-pay all the equipment, get it delivered to his/her place, and plan a vacation to pick it up!

Best regards,
Jan

 

[Paul.R.Lindqvist]

No need to make that trip, no real risk to have to pay tax+customs.

There is a bigger risk of customs this way.

No, cause the invoice declare that its a repaired product in europe, so there is now way the customs can charge anything. Iv bought over 10 items from hongkong not once have i had to pay any tax or customs.

The larger hongkong stores, knows exactly what they are doing, and they clearly state this in their listings.

Many lenses comes with worldwide warranty. If not they often have a
International Mack warranty.

Many come with hong kong warranty only. I'm not sure if one has to
be a US resident for Mack or not.

No you dont have to live in the us for a Mack warranty, its international.

Unless you buy grey market glass, all Nikkors have a ww warranty card, Nothing special. Same thing applies to BH.

Kindest
--
Regards
Paul L.