Sony Reader outside US

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by maxk

I'm referring to a post someone made in the CyBook forum about them adding VAT automatically to the price when the consumer was in Australia. If that gets worked out it might be a nice buy.

There is a post from someone in AU saying that being charged in Euro is more then being charged in US Dollars given the conversion rates. So it seems Bookenn is trying to get more then the going rate for the Gen3 depending where you live.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by maxk

I'm referring to a post someone made in the CyBook forum about them adding VAT automatically to the price when the consumer was in Australia. If that gets worked out it might be a nice buy.

If you live in Australia you won't be charged VAT. VAT is only applicable if the customer is in the EU.

[maxk]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you live in Australia you won't be charged VAT. VAT is only applicable if the customer is in the EU.

I was only relaying what I thought was the perceived issue while reading this thread *click here* which put me off the CyBook as more immediately available alternative.

[mrsp]

Originally Posted by maxk

I'm referring to a post someone made in the CyBook forum about them adding VAT automatically to the price when the consumer was in Australia. If that gets worked out it might be a nice buy.

BTW I just got an update from Adorama, maybe automatic, an apology that they're still waiting for shipment of the 505/blue.

I'm really quite happy to wait in order to get it at a reasonable price.

Hi Maxk

That was my post and by way of clarification:

The price to by a Cybook for Australia is 295 euros which is about $US425 so Australians have to pay $US75 MORE than US customers.

I had hoped that perhaps the reason for the discrepancy (given their claim that their pricing is "fair") was that the website was adding VAT because the price was in euros.

I wrote to them and asked them but 4 days later they haven't bothered to reply and the subsequent comments from Michael Dahan (who sent a read receipt to my email) suggest there is no error. Also if you look at the prices for european countries like UK & Germany, their price is higher which suggests the Aussie price does NOT have VAT added.

It was only speculation on my part that VAT was getting added so apologies if I confused you.

[maxk]

Originally Posted by mrsp

It was only speculation on my part that VAT was getting added so apologies if I confused you.

Thanks for the clarification, it was the whole business of different prices for different customers that really annoyed me, after all the ebay PRS-50x scalpers I guess I was just hoping for something better from another manufacturer with a global business model.

[CommanderROR]

I just went to ebay...just for fun...to see what I would have to pay for a sony 505 in Germany.

I found a seller that has decent shipping rates and everything. The problem however is, that they charge 279€ for the reader and claim that "since the device is being shipped outside the US no tax is added".
This is actually quite misleading.

US tax might not be added, but you can count on German customs adding 19$ VAT and (if you are really unlucky) another 5-10% customs.
So, if you take the 279€, add 25€ for shipping (their cheapest rate) and then add 29 percent to that (worst case)...then you pay over 390€ for the Reader.
Now, translate that to USD at the current rate of approx. 1.4 you get a whopping 550$

Nice isn't it?

If you do the whole thing yourself, buy the Reader via some US webshop that sends it to Germany, you'll pay 299$ for the Reader. Translate that to € and you get 214€. Add the 25€ for shipping, add the (worst case) 29% we calculated earlier and you pay 308€
Amazing isn't it?

What really worries me though is, that the shop selling the Readers on ebay has only one of 10 left...



Update:

this is the auction http://cgi.ebay.de/SONY-Reader-PRS-5...QQcmdZViewItem
and this is the line that sounds very dangerously misleading to me...

Da der Versand aus den U.S.A. erfolgt, faellt keine Mehrwertsteuer an.

[shondark]

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

Update:

this is the auction http://cgi.ebay.de/SONY-Reader-PRS-5...QQcmdZViewItem
and this is the line that sounds very dangerously misleading to me...

I think that the really dangerous line is the price.. Think that it's en EUROS not in DOLLARS!!!

[CommanderROR]

That's what all my calculations were about...^^

[HarryT]

Why not get a CyBook?

[Liam Nolan]

Hi I have read all the posts over the last few months about buying from the states and let me tell you what I did
First I tried smarthome.com they sell to Europe and they took my order but they came back to me and said that sony dont allow them to ship outside US
Then I tried datavis but they wanted funds transferred by wire.
The same with Bongo.com the forwarding crowd but they also wanted a 3 month contract with them for a PO box
Next I tried B&H but they were out of stock.
So I went onto ebay and found a shop odditycommodities which had 16 in stock at $349 the delivery to Ireland for 1 was $36 but I wanted 2 so it was $50, This is by post so they should bypass customs here
so I ordered them and they are being shipped by post marked as gifts for the grand total of €515 for both ( if the customs dont get me).
I will let you know how it goes.

[Liam Nolan]

PS to above post
In Their customer feedback he has sold ereaders to Italy Russia Australia Spain France Slovenia Austria UK and the Netherlands. They have sold over 30 of the 500 and 505 readers to the above Countries since July 07.

[friendly]

Hi,

I have just found an offer on ebay for 279,90 Euros.

http://cgi.ebay.de/SONY-Reader-PRS-5...QQcmdZViewItem

Does anyone know anything about them? It seems that they have shipped a couple or PRS-500s.

But on the other hand, no, the price is quite a rip off, isn't it? Thinking of the current exchange rate, it's the equivalent of about 400 bucks. Or am I wrong?

I've already ordered with Adorama, but I fear that as soon as the readers are available, they will send me a friendly email regretting not being able to ship because Sony doesn't like it too much.

What do you think?
Friedhelm

[CommanderROR]

Look above..it's a total ripoff...

[Liam Nolan]

I think you should avoid at that price though delivery is cheap

[Surfergirl]

Originally Posted by Liam Nolan

Hi I have read all the posts over the last few months about buying from the states and let me tell you what I did
First I tried smarthome.com they sell to Europe and they took my order but they came back to me and said that sony dont allow them to ship outside US
Then I tried datavis but they wanted funds transferred by wire.
The same with Bongo.com the forwarding crowd but they also wanted a 3 month contract with them for a PO box
Next I tried B&H but they were out of stock.
So I went onto ebay and found a shop odditycommodities which had 16 in stock at $349 the delivery to Ireland for 1 was $36 but I wanted 2 so it was $50, This is by post so they should bypass customs here
so I ordered them and they are being shipped by post marked as gifts for the grand total of €515 for both ( if the customs dont get me).
I will let you know how it goes.

The information regarding BongoUS.com isn't correct. They offer two options, one is a monthly contract (minimum 3 months), but they also offer a one-off "as required" option, for which there is an initial $5 fee but you only pay when you want to use them. I use Bongo on the 'as required' term, and have found them very good, and their operators extremely helpful.

Irene