UK - USA Price Comparision.

[Shultzy]

Off to USA next week and so I did a bit of research to see what the dollar - pound comparison was like for a few small tools to bring back. I was surprised that the K3 was only 17% cheaper and the wonder dogs at 15%. The smaller tools however seem to have the biggest markup over here.
If I have to pay state sales tax that K3 is best bought here.

-----------------------------------------UK-----------Doller-equiv.-USA--------Pound-equiv.—Saving--%
Kregg-K3-Master-Jig--------------£99.00-----$168.30-------$139.99----£82.35----------£16.65---17
Wonder-Dogs-----------------------£22.95-----$39.02---------$32.99------£19.41---------£3.54------15
Earth-Magnets-(10)---------------£10.00-----$17.00---------$5.99--------£3.52-----------£6.48------65
Bushes-(7)---------------------------£35.00----$59.50----------$34.99-----£20.58----------£14.42----41
Wheel-Gauge-----------------------£19.95----$33.92----------$9.99-------£5.88-----------£14.07-----71
Kreg-Step-Drill-Bit-----------------£14.95-----$25.42---------$17.99------£10.58---------£4.37-------29
Hold-Down-Clamp----------------£13.95------$23.72---------$11.99------£7.05----------£6.90-------49
4'-T-Track-Kit--------------------------------------------------------$14.99------£8.82
4''-Precision-Double-Square-------------------------------------$19.99------£11.76

If I buy them from a shop do I have to pay the state sales tax or are foreign visitors exempt.

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Used to be exempt if armed with passport - though that may have changed.
If natural stones are on the list, check those too - especially stone files and slips were worse than pound for dollar last time I looked.
Cheers
Steve
(Now to the pub)

 

[Grinding One]

Only way to get around the tax is to ship out of state.Buy it over the phone from one state and have shipped next day air to where your at in another state.Any body else is going to pay tax unless your 300 miles off shore then its duty free.But thats mostly ships
Although you could have someone ship it to you from over here but then your back on your sales taxes :roll: import duties.... :arrow: :!: :?: :idea:

 

[Grinding One]

BY the way check out Sommerfeldtools.com they have pocket hole joinery system for $59.90 and its better then kreg it has an ajustable hole drilling guide.Page 11 in the catalog....on another note same family just a fight over who got what when,fight is now over and Mark Sommerfeld went on his Merry Way...he by the way was the guy promoteing kreg all over the U.S. before they split the company.Now he has his own tool line he promotes and is a nice guy to do business with.
In this kit comes A adjustable drill guide for different lenghts of screws
A drill bit 3/8"
A driver bit #2 x 6
A toggle clamp
A stop collar
Sample screws and instruction book
Pretty smooth operation

 

[RodN]

I have done this sort of thing a few times with high value stuff.

You pay the state sales tax (that varies per state... a lot)
Then at the airport of exit, you find the tax desk, present your receipts and claim back the tax. It doesn't matter if the airport of exit is in an different state. Sometimes the tax desk isn't easy to find at the airport, but it is there.

Then on entry into the UK, you would declare the items (right?) and pay 3.5% import duty and 17.5% VAT.

That's the way that things work.

Rod

 

[chippy1970]

Regarding the Kreg stepped drill bit I think you can get them cheaper if you buy the smallest single hole jig it comes with a drll bit.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... =1&jump=44

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks you all for the info. I only looked at the Kregg jig as I thought that the highest value goods would produce the most savings - obviously not. If I pay by credit card do you know if they charge or just do their own currency exchange rate or both?

 

[Peter T]

Thanks you all for the info. I only looked at the Kregg jig as I thought that the highest value goods would produce the most savings - obviously not. If I pay by credit card do you know if they charge or just do their own currency exchange rate or both?

Paying by credit card is usually cheaper than using cash that you bought from a currency exchange.

The CC always seems to give a better exchange rate.

 

[Inspector]

Shultzy

Not all the American states have a sales tax (Oregon is one). So if you buy in one of those states you won't need to try to get back the taxes.

Alberta is the only province in Canada that doesn't have a Provincial sales tax but you still need to pay the federal GST of 5%. Our dollar has taken a beating in the last few weeks against the US dollar and probably the Pound and Euro too! You might want to recalculate just before you leave or while in the States to see what the best deals are.

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks Inspector, I bought at a rate of $1.7 to the pound so its not to difficult to calculate.

Its good to know that the price of petrol is $2.80 that's £1.65 PER GALLON :lol:

 

[9fingers]

Thanks Inspector, I bought at a rate of $1.7 to the pound so its not to difficult to calculate.

Its good to know that the price of petrol is $2.80 that's £1.65 PER GALLON :lol:

That will be £2.06 for a real gallon Shultzy!

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks Inspector, I bought at a rate of $1.7 to the pound so its not to difficult to calculate.

Its good to know that the price of petrol is $2.80 that's £1.65 PER GALLON :lol:

That will be £2.06 for a real gallon Shultzy!

I make it £1.98 using 0.833 as the conversion but who cares that's still a lot better that £5 :lol:

 

[Shultzy]

Well just to update you all, I had a great holiday and came back with some small tools with a big saving. The sales staff at Rockler were great and it was just like being in a candy store, I could have come home with a container load

A set of Bushes-(7) @ $34.99 ( £20.58 ) instead of $59.50 (£35.00) a saving of £14.42
A Wheel-Gauge @ $9.99 ( £5.88 ) instead of $33.92 (£19.95) a saving of £14.07
A 4''-Precision-Double-Square @ $19.99 (£11.76)

So I saved myself £28.49 , nearly 50%, and bought the 4'' Precision Double-Square which I couldn't find in this country.
So a really nice holiday

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Now they sound like much better souvenirs than a dodgy lampstand or ashtray.
Glad you had fun.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Pete Howlett]

It's my understanding that if the item has been used by you there would be no import duty or VAT to pay so the Sales TAx may be the lesser of the taxes to pay...

 

[CWatters]

Sadly with the £ falling deals can't last long..

http://www.exchange-rates.org/Chart.asp ... &filter=30

 

[Grinding One]

Well just to update you all, I had a great holiday and came back with some small tools with a big saving. The sales staff at Rockler were great and it was just like being in a candy store, I could have come home with a container load

A set of Bushes-(7) @ $34.99 ( £20.58 ) instead of $59.50 (£35.00) a saving of £14.42
A Wheel-Gauge @ $9.99 ( £5.88 ) instead of $33.92 (£19.95) a saving of £14.07
A 4''-Precision-Double-Square @ $19.99 (£11.76)

So I saved myself £28.49 , nearly 50%, and bought the 4'' Precision Double-Square which I couldn't find in this country.
So a really nice holiday

You could have saved even more now as gas has dropped to 2.49 a gallon & if you wanted brushes they are cheaper at www.JerrysArtarama.com
Always pays to list thinks you want,before going off on a binge....

 

[Shultzy]

Pete Howlett, the C&E were not in evidence at the airport so no tax .

CWatters, I agree, I bought at $1.70 to the pound but could have had it at $1.85 a few weeks earlier.

Grinding One, we found gas at $2.35 somewhere around Pittsfield in the middle of last week. I couldn't find any BRUSHES to fit my router plate so I bought some BUSHES instead :lol: :lol:, that made me smile.

 

[Michael7]

Got one of these last year when a relative was coming back home:-

http://www.knivesplus.com/dmt-knife-sha ... 8fcwb.html

Worked out about £38 back then.

 

[Grinding One]

Pete Howlett, the C&E were not in evidence at the airport so no tax .

CWatters, I agree, I bought at $1.70 to the pound but could have had it at $1.85 a few weeks earlier.

Grinding One, we found gas at $2.35 somewhere around Pittsfield in the middle of last week. I couldn't find any BRUSHES to fit my router plate so I bought some BUSHES instead :lol: :lol:, that made me smile.

I thought you meant like paint brushes? You needed porter cable brushes for a router?? What size??Whats a router plate??Gas is still dropping every day.