Usa Tax Refund

[auntie-bertie]

Thinking of getting an IPad in Miami. Can you get the tax refunded at the airport or is it a kerfuffle?!

[Buenchico]

Sales Tax in the USA is paid to individual states, not the Federal authorities:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/373/~/how-to-obtain-a-refund-of-sales-tax-paid-while-visiting-the-united-states

Miami chooses NOT to offer sales tax refunds to foreign travellers:
http://www.miamihabitat.com/sales-tax-refund-in-us.asp

Remember that the charger sold with an iPad in the USA will be designed for use at 120V on a 60 Hz system, rather than using our 230V/50Hz system, and will have a US plug on the end of the lead. Further, any apps pre-loaded onto the iPad will be designed to work with US-based services.

[Retrochic]

I really wouldn't bother. We brought some lap tops and pads back from Canada when we moved over and its a pain -no one wants to repair them they are not under warrant and even the spell checks won't understand UK English - and I've tried and tried to change it. You may get stopped at UK Customs and have to pay import duty which will be 20% I think.

[Milvus]

The chargers on the iPad are universal (input 100 - 240 volts) so wouldn't need to be changed. The plug (which is removable) can be changed for a UK 3 pin from Apple UK

[Buenchico]

As Retrochic points out, you're limited to £390 for duty-free goods imported from the USA. Above that you pay 2.5% Customs Duty (or the individual rate for the relevant type of goods on anything over £630), which is only waived if the total comes to less than £9. You then also have to pay 20% VAT, which is charged on both the value of the goods that you're importing and on the Customs Duty as well. (Yes, that is a tax on a tax!)

[auntie-bertie]

Thanks - my friend has also said about the keyboard being American.....I wont bother.

[Milvus]

I'm not sure what your friend means about the keyboard. iPads don't come supplied with an external keyboard. The on-screen keyboard can be changed to pretty much any language by a change in the iPad settings.

[auntie-bertie]

Yes, I know you can change the keypad in the settings, I think she like me was worried about warranty issues etc. £80 more to buy it here. Think I will just bite the bullet. An early Christmas pressie.

[mikey4444]

Save yourself even more money by not buying an iPad at all !

http://www.tesco.com/direct/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-101-tablet-16gb-wifi-black/639-6347.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=639-6347

I use the 7 inch version of this and it does everything I would want a tablet to do, and I paid £105 for mine. I am a firm believer in buying a computer for the tasks that you want it to perform. If you want do nothing much that is very complicated, like emails and general browsing, than buy a Tablet. But for sheer "computerbility", there is nothing to beat a large laptop, of a desk top.

[zebo]

I bought a Kindle a few years ago in the US and have had no problems with chargers and voltage, in the same way, my UK chargers work fine on 110v.

[ukbod2015]

I have to say that on many things now the USA is not cheaper than at home. I used to bring back a few things but their prices with their local taxes arent anything special- when China is offering even the smallest items post free.