Ireland versus UK versus US prices (Celestron)

Nexstar 11GPS
Base price (US) €2,625.00
Scope checking charge €150.00
Shipping (UPS COD) €400.00
Insurance €100.00
SubTotal €3,275.00
Customs duty (4.2%) €137.55
VAT (21%) €716.64
Clearance charge €20.00
SubTotal €4,149.19
+10% 'Problem Insurance' €414.92
Grand Total €4,564.10

Are you sure you need to VAT when it arrives here? I may be incorrect (ok, replace thet "may" with "definetly!" ) but my understanding was that if you pay sales taxes in the US/Canada, you don't have to pay VAT here unless you re-sell the telescope and the it's the buyer that pays it to you, who then needs to pay it to the taxman. But I'm probably wrong. Anyone have a contact phone no./e-mail address for the customs office just to confirm??
Michael

Are you sure you need to VAT when it arrives here? I may be incorrect (ok, replace thet "may" with "definetly!" ) but my understanding was that if you pay sales taxes in the US/Canada, you don't have to pay VAT here unless you re-sell the telescope and the it's the buyer that pays it to you, who then needs to pay it to the taxman. But I'm probably wrong. Anyone have a contact phone no./e-mail address for the customs office just to confirm??
Michael

You're right - You should only have to pay VAT once i.e. you don't get 'double-taxed'. So for example, if you're importing from the UK, if you've paid VAT over there, you only pay import duty here. If you don't pay VAT in the UK, you pay VAT at point of entry into Ireland - Different rules apply to companies (zero vat status applies if you import a certain amount every year) That's my understanding anyway. All the docs are on the revenue website. www.revenue.ie

For all these numbers I was quoting above - I was 'overestimating' everything. I didn't want anyone saying 'ah, but you forgot to add on X, Y and Z' - The real numbers are a lot less (and you can probably take off the 10% 'Problem Insurance' as well...

John.

You're right - You should only have to pay VAT once i.e. you don't get 'double-taxed'. So for example, if you're importing from the UK, if you've paid VAT over there, you only pay import duty here. If you don't pay VAT in the UK, you pay VAT at point of entry into Ireland - Different rules apply to companies (zero vat status applies if you import a certain amount every year) That's my understanding anyway. All the docs are on the revenue website. www.revenue.ie

Technically you are meant to pay the VAT once, to the Irish Government. You are not supposed to be charged by a UK company UK vat rates. Try ordering a video from amazon.co.uk and they will charge you the irish vat rate for example, books are exempt.

Practically this doesnt come up much as companies, I presume, find it easier to charge you vat at their end and put a green sticker on the box. But some places in the US in particular do not charge you tax and so you get a phone call from the customs folks when the goods get here looking for money.

Thats been my experience anyway.

Cheers,
~Al

Okay, I've emailed the revenue about the VAT/Import duty thing to get a definitive answer on this. I'll let you know the reply (if any :roll: )

Email addresses I used are: vatinfo@revenue.ie and ceadmin@revenue.ie

I tried their phone number, but it wasn't working: (01) 878 8811

John.

[Forwarding from the old (depreciated stop using it already!) IFAS mailing list]

Hi John

Please don't take my apparent defence of the prices as a criticism, quite
the contrary, I am agreeing with you but just fleshing out the facts which
cannot be disputed.

This is Ireland remember ( maximum profit is a religion , that said,
although we are a business we hold close the ideal that the promotion of the
hobby is high on our agenda, its not about selling scopes at all costs but
value for money and horses for courses ie. an LX 200 GPS is not what we
suggest to novices.

The idea behind Andromeda Optics is to keep our costs down and in doing so
we should be able to compete with the SHOPS ETC. and still supply all
enquiries.

But our biggest problem is awareness.

I will arrange a copy of the MEADE scope price list for you ASAP but it will
be on the site www.andromedaoptics.com within the next week or so.

MEADE - The full range is available together with all the accessories.

Our apologies, we have been very remiss in putting MEADE and other details
on our website but this is being rectified at the moment.

We intend to offer Monthly SPECIAL OFFERS to the clubs directly but are
conscious of the fact that SPAMMERS are the scurge of the net and need no
help from us in stressing everybody out.

We intend to contact each club separately to seek their confirmation of
interest.

We would be interested to hear from the populus / groupies of the IFAS
DISCUSSION GROUP as to whether they would be interested in us posting these
proposed SPECIALS to the discussion group site FOR YOUR/THEIR DELECTATION.

I cannot comment on one of the sites you mentioned as I honestly know
nothing about them ( they appear to be one of the UK shops looking for an
outlet here but I could be compoletely wrong - either way, competition is
good ) but we know N.Down well and they more than reccommendable.

Re ASTRO EXPO - We will not be displaying at this show as we have
not been invited although we would be
happy to attend if we were.

In saying that, anything you need we can supply either ex stock or by order.

We are distributors for MEADE
SKYWATCHER (also in the process of
being added to the site)
HELIOS
INTES MICRO
INTES

SOLARSCOPE

and also supply OPTICRON
B.C & F.Astro Engineering products

and others

We supply other brands as well but without wanting to bore you.....

I will revert with info on eyepieces available as we have quite a few and I
will have to get them organised in such a way as to be able to e-mail them
to you.

Talk to you soon and compliments on your action.

Regards

Jimmy
Andromeda Optics

Folks - all these numbers are are a little confusing and I'm not sure exaclty how to calculate how much I'd have to pay for the AP1200 mount I *may* order in the next two weeks.

Firstly, as far as I know there are no AP dealers in Ireland so I'm guessing that he mount comes direct from AP (my email notification is with them directly anyway). So I'm not importing through a dealer.

Second, if I pay the US tax, does the 21% IRL VAT go away?

Third - if the answer to the above is that I don't pay US tax but pay IRL VAT, then is this on the goods only or do I have to pay VAT on the shipping, insurance etc?

Fourth - I assume that the import duty (4.2%) is due only on the value of the goods.

Last - to add a twist, does anyone know what the numbers are to import to the UK/NI? (ie VAT and import duty). I would of course be using the mount up North and wouldn't dream of bringing it back down here. :!:


Dave

ps - anyone know how I can contact Jimmy Miller - I've been trying to get through to Andromeda Optics for a few days now.....