Forum

Buying software from abroad

25 January 2007 19:14

Hello there!
Found the website and forum yesterday very useful i must say, I hope I can offer more advice than I ask :)

I was just wondering if there was any legal stuff stopping me from buying software from abroad? such as from the USA. Its even with abit of extra postage and packaging you can still save alot of money

Thanks

redman 25 January 2007 21:12

There is no problem with buying software from abroad, some vendors will refer you to local distributers if they cant handle the transactions.
HTH
MickeyFinn 25 January 2007 21:30

Is it not the same as buying anything else from the US though? Sometimes it gets through with no problems, sometimes customs stop it and slap some tax on it... I have had this when buying clothes and bits and pieces from the US, not sure if it would apply to software though.

Of course, if you buy software to download then this is not an issue.
tyler 26 January 2007 10:25

Thanks :)

Just buying a adobe bundel deal is a hell of alot cheaper fromm the US than it is buying from the UK
MickeyFinn 26 January 2007 10:34

How much cheaper?

I was looking at the Adobe Creative Suite:
# Adobe Photoshop® CS2
# Adobe Illustrator® CS2
# Adobe InDesign® CS2
# Adobe GoLive® CS2
# Adobe Acrobat® 8 Professional
# Version Cue CS2
# Adobe Bridge
# Adobe Stock Photos
# Plus Dreamweaver 8

£1,051.62 inc VAT = £895 ex VAT

As I am VAT registered then I could get all these products for £895. Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Acrobat Pro individually cost more than this so seems like a bargain to me.

How much for all this from the states?

Have you checked to see if import tax can be levied on software? If not and the package does get stopeed then your bargain could turn out to be more expensive than just buying in the UK.
journoman 29 January 2007 13:27

I agree with Mickey - I have bought quite a few bits and pieces from the US and whilst they are very cheap on the face of it (especially with the exchange rate being what it is), if they do get stopped at Customs they can really whack on the charges with the import duties, handling charges and so on.
tyler 30 January 2007 19:23

in that case it may not be worth the risk but after browsing a few site you can save a good few hundred quid
for adobe creative suite 2.3 bundel which comes with studio 8 and creative suit it costs
£1,655.58 from adobe website
where as ihave found it on some US sites for $1,900 which converted into £'s is £970 saving of nearly £700!!!

for creative suite on its own iv found it for $1,214.99 = £620