Hilmersen
Established
There is a new one here: https://butikk.foto.no/leica/105960/leica-mp-sølv-072-søker
The price of a Leica M-A in EU countries is, "as we speak", 4.400 Euros (about 5.300 US$), incl. a 19 - 20% VAT from seller's country. In Norway, where VAT is 25%, the price is even a bit higher.
So who in the EU is eating that cost?
If I understand you, a VAT of 19 to 20% is built in to the price of the M-A in the EU, which means that the total cost of the M-A in most of EU (Norway excepted) is roughly comparable to the untaxed retail price of the camera in the US for a US buyer. (4,400 EU vs $5195 US)
In the US, because most sellers are now required by state governments to collect and remit sales tax (the state tax rate plus local municipal and county rate based on the address of the buyer), most US purchasers will end up paying a little more total for the camera than someone in the EU would.
The sum of state plus local tax rates varies considerably in the US, but is typically in the 6 to 9% range. Nowhere do I think it exceeds 10%.
It seems as though the camera price is being subsidized for EU buyers to offset the higher VAT tax rate in order to keep the out-of-pocket cost to consumers roughly comparable in the EU and the US. We know the government gets its cut. So who in the EU is eating that cost?
Keep on dreaming and good luck with that.you may consider buying relative expensive stuff from EU e-stores, asking them to not charge you their VAT.
Keep on dreaming and good luck with that.
Grateful if you could share the source of this information. I've lived outside the EU in a variety of countries and I have never been able to convince an EU seller to forego the local VAT. Not for any merchandise. Thanks for your feedback. Cheers, OtLAny goods sold in the EU to non-EU buyers can and should be sold with no VAT.
Grateful if you could share the source of this information. I've lived outside the EU in a variety of countries and I have never been able to convince an EU seller to forego the local VAT. Not for any merchandise. Thanks for your feedback. Cheers, OtL
Grateful if you could share the source of this information. I've lived outside the EU in a variety of countries and I have never been able to convince an EU seller to forego the local VAT. Not for any merchandise. Thanks for your feedback. Cheers, OtL
Thanks for all your tips folks! I just bought the black M-A that I was looking for. And of all possible places (which actually weren't that many), I didn't need to go any further than to another RF forumer, who had a spare one and could let it go.
I see it is already up for sale. What happened?