Did my research, and here's what I found:

1. VAT rate in UK now is 20% as of 2011.
2. Apple Store offers tax-free shopping through Global Blue.

I know the procedures to claim the VAT.
But anyone has the actual experience on how much actual VAT is refundable? I know it wont be full 20% due to commission charges by Travelex.

Please share your real-life experiences as I know some LYN members went through the length of buying apple stuffs in other countries as Msia is always behind launch date by miles!

I am planning to get iPad2 from Apple Store in Regent Street, London.

Thanks guys

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Added on March 20, 2011, 10:42 amnobody?

Did my research, and here's what I found:

1. VAT rate in UK now is 20% as of 2011.
2. Apple Store offers tax-free shopping through Global Blue.

I know the procedures to claim the VAT.
But anyone has the actual experience on how much actual VAT is refundable? I know it wont be full 20% due to commission charges by Travelex.

Please share your real-life experiences as I know some LYN members went through the length of buying apple stuffs in other countries as Msia is always behind launch date by miles!

I am planning to get iPad2 from Apple Store in Regent Street, London.

Thanks guys

I'm also interested in this, as I will be having a friend in the UK ship the Ipad 2 to me. Has anyone done this sort of thing before? How do you go about claiming the VAT (20% is kinda high)?

I've sent an enquiry to HM Revenue & Customs, will update here if I get any useful replies. Cheers!

thanks man, update us if any info available. i might even help some LYN forumers bring in some iPad2 if possible.

Right, after some hard reading, came across the following info (mainly from here). Some interesting points, after having a chat with HR Revenue and Customs:

i. VAT is intended for the consumption of goods within the EC. So it doesn't matter if you leave the country or not, as long as the item does
ii. The rate of VAT (as stated earlier) is 20%
iii. Buying an Ipad, and then shipping it overseas is considered an 'indirect export', meaning the retail Apple store (NOT Apple online store, they don't deliver anywhere, and they DONT provide refund of VAT!!) doesn't send it overseas directly
iv. It's still possible to get a refund on VAT (zero-rate VAT) for indirect exports, but you will need to provide both official (documents) and commercial (store receipt, courier receipt/shipment info) proof of export
v. The refund of VAT will have to be made by the supplier (in this case the Apple store itself ( ) , you claim back the money from them after the item has been shipped out of the UK.
vi. The official proof is another potential problem, as you need something similiar to this
It seems the easiest way to do this is by using Parcelforce (a company part of Royal Mail that does parcel shipments), but this will need to be verified as well.

So right now, for me points v and vi are the problems, as receipts and proof of shipment can be gotten easily. Will update more after looking into these points

I'm a bit worried that Apple might not do refunds, even in their retail stores, mainly (Apple is not known for their excellent customer service )

Hope that helps anyone else who might be in a similar situation!

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Added on March 23, 2011, 6:59 pmYup, after some checking, seems like the commercial proof is pretty simple to get, both DHL and Fedex can give you tracking and shipment details, and you can even print out the tracking information. The only question that remains unanswered is whether the Apple retail store will actually cooperate, I was unable to confirm this as of now.

Hopefully Apple isn't too greedy, otherwise it should be fine

This post has been edited by echineko: Mar 23 2011, 06:59 PM

I think this is based on export of goods from EU to other parts of the world (like asking your friends who live there to send the goods to you in Asia)

If I personally fly there, buy the iPad2 from Apple Retail Store, get the tax-return form from Apple, then claim the VAT at Heathrow Airport. As claimed by a forumer on the other thread, he managed to claim 11% only, leaving the balance 9% as commission charge by tax-refund operator.

11% return is a bit too low IMO...

Yeap, as I won't be going there myself, I'll be getting someone else to send the Ipad to me. Managed to talk to Apple, they mentioned that they'll provide the forms for the VAT, and then you'd have to claim it yourself. The only problem is getting Apple to refund you, they don't seem to know anything about it.

For you, that shouldn't be an issue, since you're heading back directly. And the surcharge is a bit high, yeah. But keep in mind, it is in pound sterling, for the 64Gb model the VAT comes to about 116 pounds, even half of that is nothing to sneeze at.

So I'm still not sure if I'll be able to get back the VAT, but I'll get my friends to get the form and receipts, just in case. Good luck with your purchase!

Btw, how long are you going to be there? You're flying all the way there and back just for the Ipad?

This post has been edited by echineko: Mar 24 2011, 12:37 AM

I am actually flying over on 16th April, vacation, free and easy. And by then, iPad2 is readily available there, so why not? Rather than waiting for Msia launch, no?
Well, since I am there for 5 days, probably I will post back the actual price minus VAT, and I may even piggyback few of them to LYN forumers.

Good luck with that, seems like the Apple online store is already quoting 2-3 weeks delivery for online orders, don't know how long the actual stocks will last. And I believe the US is still completely sold out till now, I'm even nervous whether my friend will be able to get one later today >.<

Worst case, I may be one of those forum-ers requesting a piggyback favour later on

i think it would be cheaper buying in singapore next month?

the price in europe is so expensive, the cheapest one 489euro x 4.2

Good idea, if we could get confirmed dates, so far it's still "will be in April". The price should be about the same (last time someone I know got the original iPad in UK, the price difference was about RM200 from Singapore once we convert to RM and minus the VAT). But mainly I want one now, so I'm hoping today works out

Otherwise, Singapore is definitely an option, good point

This post has been edited by echineko: Mar 25 2011, 11:30 AM

Anyone report in from Coventry garden? Please find a guy with purple jacket
That's me

ipad2 cant get VAT refund...lol

how's the queue over there? All sold? Managed to fetch any?
If you are coming back to Msia, pls let us know how much VAT is refundable.



How come? Real life experience?

I just went there to visit my gf.. She's the 4th one..

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Added on March 25, 2011, 9:52 pmCovent garden queue wasn't as hectic as I thought it would be.. Only around 100+ ppl when I go there see 2 hours ago

This post has been edited by eugenechiuu: Mar 25 2011, 09:52 PM

Nah, don't worry, Ipad 2 is DEFINITELY VAT refundable, talked to the Apple store guy myself, they are providing VAT forms at the stores today for people who are taking them back home. Also, my order's reserved!

Thanks so much to my friend, who's due for a huge treat when they get back

Consider the VAT refundable is 11%, UK still isn't very cheap

Oh, I never claimed it was cheap, I'd just rather get one now while they're available, and not wait for later on. It's ok, it's all been budgeted

I was just responding to an earlier poster who claimed they weren't VAT refundable, which is false

This post has been edited by echineko: Mar 26 2011, 01:47 AM

i got mine iPad2 16gb wifi only - (2 black, 2 white)

Brought from U.K, just launched yesterday 25th march. The price my sister told me from U.K is RM2000 after refund GST = RM 1600 only.

^^ She is MAS stewardess -.- nextmonth my sister malaysia flight roster to AU, UK, HK, FR

This post has been edited by Kar Leong: Mar 26 2011, 02:45 AM

Wow how can u get 4? Apple store only sells 2 maximum to each person... U got from oter apple retailers? Actually it just launched 2 hours ago lol

My sister & friend's can queue up again n again, they all flight attendant from malaysia airline. Yup i got my sms from somewhere from U.K (really donno which state she is? probably in London). She just sms me about iPad2 and calculating the tax refund too. sms here there then decided grab 4 unit o

so after tax refund 20% will be RM 1,600++

My mom - 1 unit
My mom friend's - 1 unit
My wife - 1 unit
then last one - its mine

Notes: I don't re-sales, just want share news from U.k. (well LYN KL sell 16gb wifi RM2050 each yet still consider cheap coz u don't need to wait they launch in Malaysia)

This post has been edited by Kar Leong: Mar 26 2011, 03:42 AM