# Buy a tax-free Mac at Heathrow....



## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

The UK isn't exactly known for its devotion to Macs and it's a pain to find a store that sells them (apart from the on-line store). I know cos my Mum has a lime iMac. In terminal 3 (the one that our national monopoly airline flies out of) Dixon's now has iBooks, Titaniums and iPods on clear display (front and centre in the store). The tax free price for the 10 Gb iPod is about UKP280. Not too bad (haven't compared it with the Canadian price). The 800 MHz TiPB is UKP2800. The exchange rate is around 2.3 so these aren't firesale prices..... There again, everything in the UK seems so expensive. Can't remember how I afforded to live here once.


----------



## islander (Jan 31, 2001)

OK, according to Calculator's exchange rate your GBP280 converts to CAD681.19, compared to Apple Store Canada's current asking price of CAD629.00 for the 10 GB iPod. So, since you'd also have to pay GST (and possibly duty, 'cause your purchase was made in the UK) you'd likely not come out ahead.


----------



## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Last time I was in the UK, Jim, I noticed that prices of some groceries were way higher than here in the Great White North. Meat seemed to be roughly double our cost. I think rents are quite high, as well.

I wasn't into Macs back then so I never checked the prices of those, but these things are all relative, are they not?

BTW-England (the UK) has a VAT tax which is the equivalent of our GST. You need to add that into most items bought there to get a true price comparison. Duty free is another thing altogether. 

The last time I was in Merry Olde a lot of folks were talking about flying to the Netherlands and staying just long enough to take advantage of the really good duty-free shopping there. One guy I spoke to even bought a BMW motorbike while in Rotterdam for a weekend!

Is this still going on?


----------



## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

Dixons at Heathrow is tax-free (no VAT) but, even so, the prices aren't great. That said, twas nice to play with a few Apple goodies in Blighty while waiting for the plane.


----------

