Pro and cons for an foreigner to buy a MacBook in the states.

September 13, 2007 12:47 AM

Pro and cons for an foreigner to buy a MacBook in the states. How do I calculate the VAT? Can I get a student-price with swedish student-ID? Will it be worth the hassel to save appr. 400 dollars?

Okey - I'll be in the States (yeah!) in the spring 2008. And I'm thinking about buying some new hardware: Specifically a new MacBook.

But I'm really uncertain about the gains and need help:

a) I'm a student and have a swedish student-ID. Can I get a university-rebate in an american AppleStore with this? Would it work with an international student-ID? Or are the student-rebates only valid in the country you study in?

b) This VAT-thing. I can't work it out. Is it included in the price-quotes I see online in american AppleStore or do I have to add it myself? How much is the VAT for electronics? (I'm sorry for being an newbie in this question.)

c) As far as I've calulated I will save approx. 400 dollars if I buy a MacBook in the states. (Largely due to a weak dollar against the swedish krona right now.) But the million-dollar-question is: Is it worth the hassel? What can go wrong in buying a US-MacBook and use it in Sweden - looking for Mefits experiences.

One apparent drawback is that the keyboard lacks diacritical characters (å, ä and ö), but I can live with it. What else?

posted by Rabarberofficer to computers & internet (14 comments total)

The US doesn't have VAT (except for Michigan which is repealing theirs Dec 31), instead it has sales tax which is paid at the time of purchase, and varies from state to state ~(0% to 6%), with additional (small) sales tax sometimes added by cities and counties. So the location you buy is important in determining the tax. The tax is not usually included in advertisements or online quotes until you have entered a shipping address so that it can be calculated.

I don't know about whether the EU collects a tax when you bring personal electronics back. I've heard it depends on the price of the product.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:03 AM on September 13, 2007

Student discounts usually work best when you buy through an university. I'm not sure you can get the discounts in physical apple stores. Know any US students?

You will obviously need a travel adapter to plug your computer in. The macbooks take 120V and 240V indintinctively, so you won't need a transformer. A replacement European cable will cost you about €20.

The Airport card will have a US firmware, which means you won't be able to access networks on channel 14.

Your warranty is valid worldwide. If you're planning on getting Applecare, it's cheaper in the US too.
posted by stereo at 1:09 AM on September 13, 2007

(a) You certainly can use US student ID to get a discount in physical Apple stores. This thread suggests that it's up to the store's discretion whether they accept international student ID.

(b) Sales tax in California can be up to 8.75%. I don't know about other states.

(c) If you bring back the Macbook in its original packaging, it's possible that you'll get hit for Swedish taxes when you import it. If you unwrap it, obviously that's extremely unlikely.
posted by beniamino at 1:32 AM on September 13, 2007

I don't know about whether the EU collects a tax when you bring personal electronics back. I've heard it depends on the price of the product.

And on whether you declare it, or just toss the box, load up lots of software and documents, and act as if you travelled out with it.

This list of state sales tax rates can be matched up with the list of Apple Stores and your itinerary. For instance, if you're in Philadelphia, it may be cheaper to go to Delaware; if you're in Seattle, consider a trip to Portland.

Also note that if you order online for delivery to a state without an Apple Store, you won't pay sales tax. However, last time I checked the online store doesn't allow payment with a non-US-issued credit card.
posted by holgate at 1:32 AM on September 13, 2007

if you're not going to get it with the student discount, and the state where you are going has a sales tax, you can also try ordering it through amazon.com. you'll avoid the sales tax this way. I'm not sure whether they'll work with international credit card or not.
posted by unexpected at 3:50 AM on September 13, 2007

The Airport card will have a US firmware, which means you won't be able to access networks on channel 14.

posted by stereo

Care to elaborate on this? Is the European standard for wifi different than it is here in the states? Are there hacks for this?
posted by wile e at 3:54 AM on September 13, 2007

Having bought both an IPod and laptop (but not Mac) for my daughter who lives in Sweden (I live in the US), I can tell you that the Swedish government will hit you for tax if you import it legally into Sweden. We found this out when she had her IPod replaced under a US AppleCare contract and I mailed it back to her. Sweden hit her for tax. Of course, if you don't declare it at customs....
posted by TheRaven at 4:40 AM on September 13, 2007

I'm an American currently studying in Sweden, and my local US Apple store told me before I left that they could not give me a student discount for a Swedish university - I would need a US university ID. But I just kept going back and asking different employees until one of them gave me the discount. They seem to have some flexibility.

So it CAN work, but the "official" line is that you would need to buy through Apple Sweden.

And after seeing the prices here in Sweden, I think it's worth it.
posted by monkeystronghold at 5:20 AM on September 13, 2007

Also I wonder if you know about the Apple Developer Connection A student ADC membership is $99, and comes with a steep 1 time hardware discount on an Apple System.
posted by Comrade_robot at 7:34 AM on September 13, 2007

My local Apple store told me that I could not use my student ID for in-store purchases. Not sure if that's right, but there it is.
posted by Addlepated at 10:23 AM on September 13, 2007

Thanks all - it would seem that I'm out of luck on making that "great save" on Mac.

I'll surely look into ADC-membership here in Sweden and see what I can get.

FWIF - I'm going to Texas. Does anybody know the current salestax for electronics there?
posted by Rabarberofficer at 11:49 AM on September 13, 2007

Texas has a base 6.25% sales tax, and there are smaller local rates added on top. Amazon may be your best bet (I think they accept foreign credit cards) though there's always the option of getting a friendly student to do the buying for you in-store or online.
posted by holgate at 12:47 PM on September 13, 2007

I don't think you should worry about import taxes or anything like that. discard (or mail home) the box and just carry it with you. you might even be able to get the sales tax back at the border but I am not sure if that's really true (I remember seeing tax-free for tourist stickers at some place once or twice). you probably will have to spring for a swedish power chord but that's it.

as far as the student discount goes ... you could put something on craigslist (get me 200 off, make 50). walk with someone who has a valid student ID into the store, buy it with that person and there ya go.

finally - ebay. I just got my brand-spanking new macbook pro there and it's kickin'. if you're in a big place like NYC, you should be able to find a seller there and save another few hundred bucks on something you just pick up.
posted by krautland at 1:59 PM on September 13, 2007

you might even be able to get the sales tax back at the border but I am not sure if that's really true (I remember seeing tax-free for tourist stickers at some place once or twice).

New Orleans? Louisiana is the only US state that has that system.
posted by holgate at 2:54 PM on September 13, 2007