Kindle UK Information and Help

[Sweepy]

Originally Posted by waingateman

I have tried using a US address in My Kindle, which allows me to see the US pricing but when you come to buy it does not allow you to complete the transaction as the browser shows a different country - unless someone knows how to fool this we will all be charged the $1.99 charge whether we use wireless delivery or computer download.

I faced the same problem, and the solution is to convince Amazon that you are in the US using a VPN which emerges onto the Internet in the US. I did this last night and purchased a book from the US Kindle store using a gift certificate and it was delivered wirelessly to my Kindle in the UK and there was no delivery charge.

[waingateman]

Was it a VPN anyone can use?

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by Sweepy

I faced the same problem, and the solution is to convince Amazon that you are in the US using a VPN which emerges onto the Internet in the US. I did this last night and purchased a book from the US Kindle store using a gift certificate and it was delivered wirelessly to my Kindle in the UK and there was no delivery charge.

I presume you were using an International Kindle? I tried desperately with mine last night and failed miserably using hidemyass.

I got the "Are you travelling outside your country?" message if I didn't use a VPN and the "this book is geographically restricted in your country (United States)" when I did!

[Sweepy]

Originally Posted by waingateman

Was it a VPN anyone can use?

I used a private company VPN for this, logging into our network in the US as opposed to the UK.

I would have thought any VPN service should work though...

[pilotbob]

You might want to try something like TOR (the onion router) but I'm not sure if you can specify the country you want it to enter the internet on.

BOb

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

You might want to try something like TOR (the onion router) but I'm not sure if you can specify the country you want it to enter the internet on.

BOb

Thanks for that - I'll definitely give TOR a go.

However I'm starting to doubt that this is an ISP problem. Fair enough when I don't hide my ISP I get the message querying whether I've moved but when I do hide it, Amazon acknowledge that I'm in the US but tell me the book isn't available there.

Others have mentioned having the same problem but I haven't seen anything about a solution.

Oh well, I'll keep trying.

[waingateman]

I've tried TOR, ZEND2 and a couple of others but Amazon obviously know these and say the books aren't available

So what I really need is a nice friendly US university or similar which would allow me to go via there VPN but I suspect it won't happen.

I'll just have to make sure next time I am in the US I go on a spending spree LOL!

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by waingateman

I have tried using a US address in My Kindle, which allows me to see the US pricing but when you come to buy it does not allow you to complete the transaction as the browser shows a different country - unless someone knows how to fool this we will all be charged the $1.99 charge whether we use wireless delivery or computer download.

This was not my experience. In the last few days, I have makde a couple of purchases from the UK, using my normal Kindle account (registered with a US address). In both cases, I was charged the (lower) US price, that is, without the extra wireless fee or VAT.

I don't know if this was because I was using an original US Kindle rather than the international model, or because I set up my account before the system was changed to cater for international sales. But whatever the reason, it still treate me as being in the US.

[allenlux]

Originally Posted by waingateman

Having now purchased 10 books for my 2 x Kindle 2 International whilst in UK and France, this appears to be the way it works.

EU countries get charged US price plus $1.99 wireless charge plus 15% VAT (amazon US do not have to charge different VAT rates for each EU country they can register in one EU country typically one with lowest VAT rate and just charge that).

It would appear that you can then wirelessly download each book multiple time (don't know whether there is a limit but I have download 1 book 5 times to try this out) for the $1.99 plus VAT charge.

So delivery is not free, including if you download to your computer as amazon US use your browsers country detection to check if you are in the country you say you are.

I've also been to Germany (I Live on the French, German, Switzerland border) and get the same pricing as France/UK

I have tried using a US address in My Kindle, which allows me to see the US pricing but when you come to buy it does not allow you to complete the transaction as the browser shows a different country - unless someone knows how to fool this we will all be charged the $1.99 charge whether we use wireless delivery or computer download.

I'm a bit confused by this. My International Kindle is registered to me in Luxembourg. When I shop in the Kindle Store, a fixed single price is quoted which includes wireless delivery and VAT. For example, yesterday I bought Sara Paretsky's novel Hardball. The price which I see on the amazon.com site is $13.79, and this is exactly what I have been charged, nothing else is added visibly (ie the delivery and VAT are included in the $13.79).

The US Kindle price is $9.99, so it is evident that there are $3.80 of extra charges - which equates to $1.99 delivery plus 15% Luxembourg VAT on the whole cost - but they are not shown separately.

Amazon.com has always charged VAT on shipments to the EU (eg for DVDs), so this should not be a surprise.

The US dollar is so low at present that the Euro prices still look pretty good to me.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by allenlux

Amazon.com has always charged VAT on shipments to the EU (eg for DVDs), so this should not be a surprise.

Are you sure about that?

In general, when a non-EU retailer sends physical goods to the EU, the VAT is collected at the point of entry. The vendor doesn't collect it. They don't even need to know about it.

With electronic deliveries, my understanding is that the VAT is charged at a composite rate which applies to the whole of the EU. The fact that you are in Luxembourg (which I believe has one of the lowest VAT rates in Europe) doesn't mean that you will pay less VAT on electronic content than if you were in Germany or the UK.

[adriatikfan]

Please excuse me if this is a stupid question - if I purchase a knidle for my wife who is a French teacher and a second one for my daughter who is studying French and I then subscribe to Le Monde, can it be transmitted to both devices?

Actually, as I was typing it seemed more and more like a stupid question but I'll post anyway.

A second question - is it likely that the range of newspapers and magazines will increase?

Best Wishes
David

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by adriatikfan

Please excuse me if this is a stupid question - if I purchase a knidle for my wife who is a French teacher and a second one for my daughter who is studying French and I then subscribe to Le Monde, can it be transmitted to both devices?

Non... subscriptions are for a single kindle only.

BOb

[adriatikfan]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Non... subscriptions are for a single kindle only.

BOb

Thank you - I feared as I Was writing the question that that would be the answer.

Is it possible to gift purchase items for someone else?

If my daughter were to have her own account, would I be able every Sunday to purchase a single edition foreign paper for her?

Again, as I type the question I think I'm getting a picture of what the answer might be - presumably any item can only be purchased for the device an account is registered to?

Best Wishes
David

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by adriatikfan

Is it possible to gift purchase items for someone else?

No.

Originally Posted by adriatikfan

If my daughter were to have her own account, would I be able every Sunday to purchase a single edition foreign paper for her?

No, but you could buy her a gift card and she can apply that to her own account, then subscribe to the periodical. Then the cost will be deducted from her gift card balance.

Originally Posted by adriatikfan

presumably any item can only be purchased for the device an account is registered to?

Correct.

BOb

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by adriatikfan

A second question - is it likely that the range of newspapers and magazines will increase?

Best Wishes
David

those are always increasing.