Non-US Kindle wireless delivery charge dropped

[lene1949]

Originally Posted by fastesthamster

That book is still $2 in South Africa...

Completely free here in Australia..

[K-Thom]

In Germany it's working, in neighboring Austria seemingly not. Strange ...

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by lene1949

Completely free here in Australia..

Really? Cool.

[Blue Tyson]

Actually, this one :-

http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Forward-Fiction-Cutting-ebook/dp/B002D48NUA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1275616005&sr=1-8

Shows as $9.59 when using an American address

and

$11.59 when using Australian

Which books don't?

[lila55]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Actually, this one :-

http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Forward-Fiction-Cutting-ebook/dp/B002D48NUA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1275616005&sr=1-8

Shows as $9.59 when using an American address

and

$11.59 when using Australian

For Germany it shows $ 13.33. To me it does not look as though the wireless charges were dropped here.

[adreamer]

Originally Posted by fastesthamster

That book is still $2 in South Africa...

$2 in India also. Looks like the charges are dropped only for selected countries

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by lene1949

Completely free here in Australia..

Which books did you look at that are now cheaper, Lene?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by lila55

For Germany it shows $ 13.33. To me it does not look as though the wireless charges were dropped here.

$11.27 = $9.59 + VAT here in the UK.

It does seem that the removal of the $2 fee isn't universal as I'd been led to expect by the links I posted in the first post.

They do seem to be completely gone from the UK store.

[K-Thom]

Originally Posted by lila55

For Germany it shows $ 13.33. To me it does not look as though the wireless charges were dropped here.

Don't confuse wireless charge with VAT. VAT is still added.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

They do seem to be completely gone from the UK store.

I wonder if this is a prelude to launching a UK-based Kindle Store? That was stated to be coming at some point when the Kindle was launched internationally.

[lene1949]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Which books did you look at that are now cheaper, Lene?

Only the 'free' ones seem to not have the $2 whispernet fee.

[Blue Tyson]

Ah, ok.

[neilmarr]

***not exempt from VAT, but charged at 0%. There is a difference, apparently***

I was running a freelance press agency on Merseyside when VAT came in, Harry. I think it was around 1972. As I remember, pictures we sold to newspapers, magazines and TV had to have VAT added to the bill. Words, on the other hand, were zero rated, which meant that we were paid VAT on these, but it had to be immediately returned.

Being VAT registered, though, (even zero rated) meant that we could claim back the VAT charged on business stuff -- equipment, phones, fuel for travel, etc, etc.

Maybe the system's way different now, but at the time it seemed pointless red tape and was one heck of a lot of messing. Even our local VAT man, appointed by the government to visit small businesses and explain the ins and outs, thought it was all very silly. I remember his name well. It was Charles Chaplin. I guess he had to have a sense of humour.

Cheers. Neil

[pietvo]

It is $2.30 in Holland and $2 in Bolivia.

[lila55]

Originally Posted by K-Thom

Don't confuse wireless charge with VAT. VAT is still added.

You are right, but then we should be in the vicinity of the UK-price, which is $ 11.27, and not at $ 13-something, which is the price tag in Germany ?