I dont mean by waiting til Sony start selling it over here, I mean will we be able to buy it from the US over the internet (accepting the palaver of customs duties etc) and will it work here - presumably no reason why not other than it will need a UK AC charger (query - is the charger for the 700 the same as the 505?)? And do you get a Sony worldwide warranty??
Cos the way the $ is and the price of the 505 over here, there's not a lot in it, even with the vat. Is there anyone who has experience of importing the 505 before it was available here who may be able to offer some insight?

it will need a UK AC charger (query - is the charger for the 700 the same as the 505?)? And do you get a Sony worldwide warranty??
Cos the way the $ is and the price of the 505 over here, there's not a lot in it, even with the vat. Is there anyone who has experience of importing the 505 before it was available here who may be able to offer some insight?

Well, As its only going on sale in the US later this month, probably not before the end of the month / next month depending on which resellers get it. Keep in mind that many of the sellers will not ship it overseas.

Also, Sony has almost never had international warranty's on its products as far as I'm aware. They have usually been region / market specific and pretty limited. So, its probably going to be US only.

Importing it to UK, means that you'r going to be hit by a Customs charge, of probably £50-60 pounds, so keep that cost in mind when you do so.

I do believe that Sony will bring it to Europe soon, but weather or not they do so before Christmas is probably going to depend on how their supply is, and I'm not very hopeful.

I'm expecting it in the UK early to mid next year officially (just a guess, but I can't imagine them spoiling their relatively successful 505 launch here by launching a different one after just a couple of months

BHPhotoVideo ship internationally. I'm sure they'll stock it, just as they've stocked the 500 and 505.

I imported my 500 back in the early days I will definitely be imprting the 700, since as stated above, there is no way Sony would step on their own toes with the launch of a much better device so soon after launching the 505.

I bought my 500 via ebay. Luckily the PO never bothered to ask me for the import duty/tax, even though it had bright red stickers all over it with the ammount shown. Perhaps I'll get lucky with the 700 too ;)

I imported my 500 back in the early days I will definitely be imprting the 700, since as stated above, there is no way Sony would step on their own toes with the launch of a much better device so soon after launching the 505.

There is no toe stepping here. The 700 does NOT replace the 505. So, adding it to the UK sales channel would make perfect sense. Personally, I expect it would happen in time for the holiday shopping season.

BOb

There is no toe stepping here. The 700 does NOT replace the 505. So, adding it to the UK sales channel would make perfect sense. Personally, I expect it would happen in time for the holiday shopping season.

BOb

I'm actually doubtful for the same reason. While it will not compete directly with the 505, demand will still be high, especially when you take into account that
1) Readers are still very new here in the public mind
2) the 505 sell for £200 ($370)
3) the UK warranty is Europe Wide (I Think:chinscratch:)

So if the price difference was kept consistent ($100) a lot of people may choose to go for the slightly higher version.

And I'm really doubtful that Sony will be able to keep up with demand in the US and Canada for such a new product, with probably low production throughput, let alone meet European Demand as well.

So I figure an introduction Europ wide sometime in Q1 2009 with the sales channel already having been worked out with the 505

So if the price difference was kept consistent ($100) a lot of people may choose to go for the slightly higher version.


I'm not clear with what you are saying? Are you saying that you think most people would choose to buy the more expensive version so that is a reason that Sony will "not" release it to the UK soon? I've gotta say, that doesn't make sense to me.

BOb

I'm not clear with what you are saying? Are you saying that you think most people would choose to buy the more expensive version so that is a reason that Sony will "not" release it to the UK soon? I've gotta say, that doesn't make sense to me.

BOb

Opps, bad phrasing on my part. :smack:

I'm actually saying the reverse, that because the price is already high enough, the difference in price will not appear as apparent here. That more people may choose to buy the 700 as opposed to the 505.

Similar in the way that a lot of people will not get the lowest model in the range, but a step up. So that Sony may not be able to keep up with demand if they launched here before Christmas.

I'm actually saying the reverse, that because the price is already high enough, the difference in price will not appear as apparent here. That more people may choose to buy the 700 as opposed to the 505.


Somewhat unusually, the UK price of the 505 is actually pretty much identical (to within a pound of two) of the US price. It's one of the very few occasions that we've not been taken advantage of.

Somewhat unusually, the UK price of the 505 is actually pretty much identical (to within a pound of two) of the US price. It's one of the very few occasions that we've not been taken advantage of.

Is it Harry ?

well perhaps yes if you take off the VAT, but to most people they're going to see the take home price.

US Price of 505

List - $300 (£ 170)
Deals - Can be found for $250 quiet regularly (£ 142)

UK Price

List - £200 ($ 358 Aprox)
Deals - No deals to find which discount it further


US List price for 700

Lists - $400 (£226)

I know VAT will increase that, but the preception is there. Also, I calculated the price using more recent rates. If you take the rates for a few months ago when the £ was closer to 1.8-1.9 the difference looks even more stark.

Is it Harry ?

well perhaps yes if you take off the VAT, but to most people they're going to see the take home price.



Of course you have to add the VAT to the UK price. UK prices are always quoted inclusive of VAT, but US prices are quoted exclusive of sales tax.

The US price is $299, which is £168. Add 17.5% VAT and that's £197. The actual UK price is £199.

As I said, it's absolutely "spot on" to the nearest pound or so.

Remember that people in the US will have to pay sales tax if they buy it in a store.

Like Harry T says, you have to exclude sales tax/VAT in order to have a fair comparison.

bbusybookworm, however, has a valid point in that you can find cheaper offers in the US, whereas there is currently no discount offers in the UK.

It should also be noted that the 505 is newly released in the UK, whilst it has been available for 12 months in the US. Sony should be commended for setting the 'new-item' UK price so close to the 'year-old' US price. (I wonder what the UK price will be in a year's time...)

I'll be glad to help with importing PRS-700 as I have done before with PRS-500/505. Feel free to contact me for more details. :thumbsup: