Having recently been trying to decide whether to change my camera or not, I have been looking at prices of various models and came across an American website that has some really good prices.
I checked the customs and excise website and it seems that there is no custom duty payable on digital cameras. Even taking into account paying VAT (if the parcel gets checked, that is) it still works out cheaper than buying one here.
Has anyone had any experience of purchasing a digicam from abroad?
I know about the situation with the Coolpix's different coloured flashes depending where it's purchased, and that Nikon UK would probably not want to service an imported camera. Can you tell the source of any brand of camera? The one I'm eyeing up looks exactly the same as on the UK sites.
Of course this could all be academic if I have, as it appears at last, got the hang of the 995!
I would be careful as there are some really dodgy American sites that will try and do you over good and proper. I have the impression that American consumer protection law is rather weak in comparison with ours.
This site has a page with customer feedback for a huge number of photo stores:
Photo Net
Note that of you buy in the States, you will have to pay import duty, shipping and VAT. The tax demand will come in the form of a letter after you receive the goods.
I bought my Fuji Finepix in Singapore was about £200-00 cheaper than Dixons at the time of purchase. But as with everything the prices in this country do come down, I haven't as yet come across any problems with the camera. I brought the camera in through Customs myself and bypassed the scrutiny of actually shipping it in from America with all the Customs Declaration forms, which almost infer you are going to get charged.