Purchase advice for non-uk citizens.

[Suzpaz]

I have spent a few weeks now researching where to buy my first telescope.

(I am using a 200pEQ5 telescope as an example, because that is what I initially researched, and my mails were about that scope.)

In Norway, everything is more or less double the price. Litterally. I compared three telescopes, and found that after VAT and shipping, I payed half the price of what the telescope was listed in Norway.

I found that buying from UK is not viable at all. FLO charges £175 for shipping of this telescope to Norway:

Homepage - Skywatcher Explorer 200P EQ5

(Other stores will probably have different shipping charges).

I presume this is partly because of boat or plane shipping is included from the British Isles.

The VAT is also not subtracted from your purchase, regardless of where the package intends to ship from. So if you live in Norway, you will be paying 20% UK VAT, in addition to the import VAT of 25% (of item price and shipping cost) to Norway. That is an added 20% of the price!

Finally, to buy this 200p with mount, from FLO I would be paying £690 to get it to Norway.

Where to buy from then?

I found, buying from Norway, the cheapest place is Germany.

Sweden is cheaper to ship, but has slightly higher prices.

Take this telescope f.example (the 200pEQ5).

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2891_Skywatcher-Explorer-200P---200-1000mm-Newtonian-on-NEQ-5.html

This costs (using Google conversion) £373.

Now, the shipping for this item is only £35, compared to FLO's £175 for the same package.

In Germany, they remove domestic VAT from purchases intended for outside Germany. This means our £373 goes down to £302. Add the £35 for shipping (£337) and your local VAT (25% here).

Totally, from Germany I pay: £421 (or close because of currency fluctuations).

In conclusion

So, to anyone not from England, these are my experiences.

You will have a much better time buying from mainland Europe (especially Germany), than you would from England. Not only are the shipping charges extremely high, the extra 20% VAT really seals the deal for me

England: £690

Germany: £421

You (I) save: £269

- Suz

[Kai]

If you are buying for outside the Eurozone then you should be able to apply for your Vat to be refunded leaving you to pay Vat in your country.

Taken from the Uk Customs and Revenue Website

VAT on exports of goods to non-EU countries

VAT is a tax charged on goods used in the EU, so if goods are exported outside the EU, VAT isn't charged. You can zero-rate the sale, provided you get and keep evidence of the export, and comply with all other laws. You must also make sure the goods are exported, and you must get the evidence, within three months from the time of sale. This can be longer for goods that need processing before export and for thoroughbred racehorses.

The time of sale is the earlier of:

• the day you send the goods to your customer
  
• the day you receive full payment for them (if earlier)
  

You mustn't zero-rate sales if your customer asks for them to be delivered to a UK address. If the customer arranges to collect them from you - an indirect export - you may be able to zero-rate the sale as long as certain conditions are met

HTH

[Suzpaz]

Hmm, in Germany they remove the tax before purchase. Registering on f.example teleskop-express's website, and logging in, the prices are adjusted to have the 19% tax removed.

[daz]

This is something you should be discussing with FLO....

Shipping that heavy from UK to mainland Europe will be expensive - Parcel force is in excess of £100.

It is quite probable that FLO's website is not set up to account for Euro-zone customers - hence you should be talking to FLO directly

[Suzpaz]

I did. I talked to then via mail. Martin told me £171.00 normal Fedex 3 day, or 156.00 economy, and that the British VAT would also be payed.

It is still the best shop I've found for British customers, but if you're not, the added VAT + shipping costs should be taken in to account.

[Stephen]

What would a ferry cost to come over and fetch it yourself? (I am not taking the michael honest!)

[daz]

I'm not an accountant or VAT expert, but I think you should not be charged UK VAT being outside of the EU.

However, the goods would be subject to Norway import duties and/or tax.

Do I charge UK VAT if selling to Norway? - ... Advisors 4 Free - online answer on the question

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Thanks Suz, you just saved me nearly £200

Ed

In fact, as I'm in France, I just had a look on Google.fr, best price for what I'm looking for is €530+shipping.

Teleskop express price is €399 + €20 shipping!

Thanks again!!!

[Suzpaz]

I'm not an accountant or VAT expert, but I think you should not be charged UK VAT being outside of the EU.

However, the goods would be subject to Norway import duties and/or tax.

Do I charge UK VAT if selling to Norway? - ... Advisors 4 Free - online answer on the question

That is what I thought as well. I e-mailed 4 different stores. The german stores said the VAT would be subtracted when I was logged in to my account, or when I entered my shipping information.

When I receive the package from Germany, it will go through customs. The price+shipping cost will be used as a base for the 25% VAT in Norway I will have to pay. If you then include 20% off the items cost in Britain, I'm paying a lot more.

If I was able to get the 20% British tax back, who would give that to me? Would I have to contact the British government?

I had always assumed I would be charged without the British VAT added, but was told by FLO that I would have to pay the British VAT.

This, and the shipping costs, meant I bought my scope from Germany instead.

I ended up buying the 130P SynScan AZ GOTO from Germany. €24 shipping, and the 19% German VAT was subtracted from the invoice. I have to wait a week extra for them to get it back in stock, but the money I save will be worth it. Gonna be some time before I get clear skies here anyway

@ Orion_the_Hunter You're welcome

[daz]

As I say, I am no expert, but my understanding is that you should not be charged the VAT and the reseller has to submit export documentation to that effect.

To be fair, this is probably not something FLO have had to do before so may be unaware of this.

[Suzpaz]

I can only go by what FLO told me in the two mails I received from them.

The £174 shipping and the 20% British VAT on top of my local 25% VAT made it financially stupid for me to buy from FLO. The €50 shipping and removing the local German VAT made it a lot cheaper to buy from Germany.

I would suggest they make sure they understand what they can do when selling over the channel. The VAT should be removed, as I'm pretty sure they can note that sale as VAT deductible in their tax returns.

And I'm sure there are cheaper shipping options to mainland Europe than FedEx, which would also probably increase foreign sales.

But I'm happy with Teleskop Express. They will ship my scope within a few days, and it may take a few days longer than FedEx (but UPS is pretty good too), but I would have saved a few hundred pounds.

[moadib]

Suz,I live in Norway too.I checked a lot of scopes from Astroshop in Germany.Is it a good idea to order from them?If not-give me some place to order from ,please.