Spec me: an American address

[~Divine~Wind~]

They were physically there, they have every right to purchase them. How you decide to deal with it at the border on arrival back to the UK is the issue.

But Delaware has no tax....

OK what about all of the random things purchase from eBay hong kong sellers that are under the £15 import threshold? Is that some for of theft?

When I was watching anime I purchased a Huge amount of DVD from US, Japan, korea and other countries. It wasn't very often I got charged import tax/duty. Even when I was the majority of it seemed to the the RM/courier "handling fee" rather than the tax that went to the government.

Back to my example above, if this was a physical collection people were buying from amazon there would still be no tax/import duty and no revenue going to the UK government as its under the £15 threshold.

I really fail to see why so many people are getting in a tizz.

Would it make you all feel better if I got my american friends to buy them for me and they then give me the keys ?

 

[Ian_Eb]

I normally use

1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408.996.1010

unless I need the key. Then i get it to someone in the guild and they photo the key and email it to me.

 

[spoffle]

OK what about all of the random things purchase from eBay hong kong sellers that are under the £15 import threshold? Is that some for of theft?

When I was watching anime I purchased a Huge amount of DVD from US, Japan, korea and other countries. It wasn't very often I got charged import tax/duty. Even when I was the majority of it seemed to the the RM/courier "handling fee" rather than the tax that went to the government.

Back to my example above, if this was a physical collection people were buying from amazon there would still be no tax/import duty and no revenue going to the UK government as its under the £15 threshold.

I really fail to see why so many people are getting in a tizz.

Would it make you all feel better if I got my american friends to buy them for me and they then give me the keys ?

It's also ignoring the fact that a lot small businesses don't even charge VAT (it's not a requirement until their turn over goes above £77,000).

The amount of ignorance displayed by people in this thread is just shocking, considering the things they are using to form their arguments.

 

[FoxEye]

It's also ignoring the fact that a lot small businesses don't even charge VAT (it's not a requirement until their turn over goes above £77,000).

The amount of ignorance displayed by people in this thread is just shocking, considering the things they are using to form their arguments.

How is that relevant when buying from Amazon.com?

 

[FrenchTart]

How is that relevant when buying from Amazon.com?

I love the way you ignored all the posts that pointed out how wrong you were and then picked up on another random one later.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

It's also ignoring the fact that a lot small businesses don't even charge VAT (it's not a requirement until their turn over goes above £77,000).

The amount of ignorance displayed by people in this thread is just shocking, considering the things they are using to form their arguments.

All of the stores I was referring to will be WELL over that

 

[FoxEye]

I love the way you ignored all the posts that pointed out how wrong you were and then picked up on another random one later.

I haven't ignored anyone. I've read all the replies.

People have entrenched positions and this appears to be a grey area with no case law to say one way or the other who is right and who is wrong.

I will continue to choose to buy from UK resellers as this is they only way to be unquestionably compliant with both the law and Steam's TOS.

It's not piracy; it may not be illegal. In my mind it's certainly unethical.

If you want you can say I was wrong.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Not saying anyone's wrong but theres certainly differing opinions, I certainly wouldn't say its unethical tho :/

Steams TOS says nothing about entering keys given as a gift from a long time friend in another country? Majority of the serial keys aren't region locked anyway *shrug*

 

[nshire]

But isn't it unethical that games publishers to charge more depending on which region your in?

 

[WingZero30]

But isn't it unethical that games publishers to charge more depending on which region your in?

This is what I thought aswell. But then this may depend on regional economy aswell.

 

[FoxEye]

Well if and when Steam respond to my ticket, will be interesting to hear what their take is.

I opened a ticket to ask them about cjs-cdkeys (TOS compliant or not), and followed up asking whether buying from Amazon.com was against their TOS.

Hopefully they'll answer both questions and then people can make their own decisions to keep doing it or not.

Ultimately, I'd rather stay inside the terms of their TOS then risk account bans/ game deactivations.

Steam sales are cheap enough to make waiting a couple months worthwhile.

And yes, I know TOS are not law. But publishers only release games to Steam on condition that their TOS are acceptable to them.

 

[spoffle]

How is that relevant when buying from Amazon.com?

Because of the moaning about lack of sales tax being paid, as f it's "wrong" or "bad" that people are buying and selling things without paying VAT. It's relevant because there are many many instances of people and businesses not charging or paying VAT completely legitimately within the UK.

 

[FoxEye]

But isn't it unethical that games publishers to charge more depending on which region your in?

Not really. In an ideal world we'd all earn the same for doing the same job, across all countries.

But this doesn't happen. Salaries differ from region to region, therefore it is natural for prices to differ too.

Would be fraudulent to buy from Russia/India where prices are dirt cheap and try to activate here. People are saying "it's different" because it's the US and not Russia/India, but I don't see exactly why "it's different".

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Because of the moaning about lack of sales tax being paid, as f it's "wrong" or "bad" that people are buying and selling things without paying VAT. It's relevant because there are many many instances of people and businesses not charging or paying VAT completely legitimately within the UK.

Were not talking small businesses here

But as said before many times, regardless of this being a download, if it was a physical product bought and shipped there still woudln't be any VAT to pay

At the current Exchange rates:
15.00 GBP = 23.8267 USD
British Pound ↔ US Dollar
1 GBP = 1.58845 USD 1 USD = 0.629545 GBP

Therefore anything purchased anywhere in the states and shipped to you that has a value of less that ~$23.82 will have no VAT/Tax/Import/Duty levied on it anyway.

So no-one at any point is being "cheated" or "fraudulently declined" Sales tax

 

[Omaeka]

This escalated quickly, all I wanted was an address.

 

[StriderX]

End of the day, no one cares.

 

[FoxEye]

Were not talking small businesses here

But as said before many times, regardless of this being a download, if it was a physical product bought and shipped there still woudln't be any VAT to pay

At the current Exchange rates:
15.00 GBP = 23.8267 USD
British Pound ↔ US Dollar
1 GBP = 1.58845 USD 1 USD = 0.629545 GBP

Therefore anything purchased anywhere in the states and shipped to you that has a value of less that ~$23.82 will have no VAT/Tax/Import/Duty levied on it anyway.

So no-one at any point is being "cheated" or "fraudulently declined" Sales tax

Import VAT rate
The percentage charged is the same VAT rate that applies to similar goods that are sold in the UK.
The import VAT percentage rate is applied to the total value of the goods. In the case of goods brought in this is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad, as shown on the receipt. In the case of goods posted from outside the EU, it is the amount on the Customs Declaration, which includes the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing, insurance and any duty that may be payable.

VAT is payable on the delivery charge as well, according to hmrc.gov.uk

In the case of a boxed game the cost+delivery charge would be above the threshold.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

This escalated quickly, all I wanted was an address.

Amazon.com have Prototype 1&2 and DLC for 2 for $9.99.

Just log in via your Amazon account and sign up here for an Tax free American address so you can purchase and add to your addresses.

It also can be redeemed on Steam, so win win for the price.

Just used this one provided by v1bez, worked a treat

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

VAT is payable on the delivery charge as well, according to hmrc.gov.uk

In the case of a boxed game the cost+delivery charge would be above the threshold.

Only ever been charged VAT/Import on the declared value.
Which is always (in my cases) the value of the item, I'd stop using a store if they were stating an item was worth $30 (the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing, insurance) when the item was in fact only worth $10.

 

[Omaeka]

Just used this one provided by v1bez, worked a treat

I know, I used the one mentioned earlier in this thread, but still, 59 replies later here we are.