In the UK, on Apple.com, you can order a 16 inch Macbook Pro M2 with 64GB of RAM and the 30-core GPU upgrade for 3900GBP.
On the Taiwan site, it is 115,900 TWD.
From what I can see, both prices include VAT. Excluding VAT from both you get 3250 GBP in the UK and 2727.02 GBP in Taiwan.
So I could buy the Taiwan one, reclaim the 5% VAT, and pay the 20% VAT and import duty (0% on computers, it seems) and be around 800GBP better off (if I was going there anyway), right? What am I missing, what’s the catch?
UK prices are really expensive along with euros. I’m guessing VAT of 20% and above in these places have to do with it. Probably also corporate taxes in these places and generally more expensive to operate.
I think a while ago Apple decided that they were going to peg the UK prices against the US prices, so basically ignoring the 1.20 dollar per GBP currency difference.
Besides, if I order it, it comes via Incheon anyway, so it’s not like any carbon emissions are being wasted or anything.
I’ve bought multiple MacBooks and iPhones at Taiwan department stores (not official Apple stores) and shown passport to get VAT back and coupon deals and/or employee price. In general, the products were discounted around 10% from official Apple prices. It’s easily doable.
Signs point to yes