Amazon Prime Bargains - Chat Thread

loyatemu

talking to CS about the same issue on a different item - it's like talking to the wall frankly.

the "import fees deposit" doesn't seem to relate to anything - it's not 23% of the original or deal price, either with or without UK VAT. I've no idea where they're getting it from. Bloody Brexit.

They should be taking off 20% and adding on 23%, that's it for anything under €150. How can they be getting it so wrong?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119733538#Comment_119733538

See my post above then work it out for the item you have bought.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119733538#Comment_119733538

The import fees makes it not really a sale is my issue with it.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729340#Comment_119729340

Anyone??

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119733951#Comment_119733951

Have to say I gave up on fire devices and I've a 4k cube sitting in a cupboard. Great hardware but the interface is ruined by all the paid content you are bombarded with. The whole UK/Ireland region content copyright with Amazon is too much of a pita to deal with.

The better hardware is faster. That seems to be the problem you are trying to solve.

https://www.androidpolice.com/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-vs-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-whats-the-difference/

KilOit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119733430#Comment_119733430

This was happening a lot to me last year, a few weeks would pass and I'd get a lump sum credited to my account. I figured it was teething issues with Brexit ,so I'm surprised it's still happening

darkside71

Seem to be having the same issue trying to buy a Robot Vacuum Cleaner. Have gone to purchase a good few at this stage, but as outlined Import duty fees seem based on RRP. Two examples below, but many more affected. Onto CS as noticed it with one I purchased initially last night, but the chap was clueless when I tried explaining, he just said I could cancel the order if I wasn't happy.(i ended up cancelling as no other option) Fairly bad that this issue seems to have come back around again.

Roomba-i315240 (£229 discounted price listed on Amazon, UK Customer Price)

Then Checkout for Irish Customer

Order Summary

Items: £374.99

Postage & Packing: £0.00

Import Fees Deposit: £96.40

Total: £471.39

Promotion Applied: -£184.16

Order Total: £287.23

Lefant M210 Robot Vacuum Cleaner (119.99 listed cost UK Customer and extra 20 off at checkout)

Order Summary

Items: £183.32

Postage & Packing: £0.00

Import Fees Deposit: £47.12

Total: £230.44

Promotion Applied: -£103.33

Order Total: £127.11

The Continental Op

Worked example of an Amazon Screw up

POCO M4 Pro - Smartphone 8+256GB - offer may have ended?

RRP: £249.99

Deal Price: £135.00

You Save: £114.99 (46%)

Amazons incorrect Order Summary which doesn't at first glace make much sense.

Order Summary

Items:           £208.32  RRP MINUS UK VAT

Postage & Packing:       £0.00

Import Fees Deposit:     £47.91  VAT added before discount! - WRONG

Total:           £256.23  WRONG

Promotion Applied:      -£95.82  Stated Discount £114.99 MINUS UK VAT

Order Total:        £160.41 £22 Error in Amazons favour

How it should work out.

Item Deal Price:   £135.00  RRP 249.99

Deal Price less UK VAT  £112.50

Postage & Packing:      £0.00

Import Fees Deposit:    £25.88  Irish VAT

Order Total:        £138.38  This is what you should pay.

Edit> Sorry couldn't get the figures to line up :-(

loyatemu

see if you can figure out mine (a Garmin Cycle Computer):

Full price: £169.90

Prime Price: £109.99

Irish total should be around £112

where have they pulled £37.09 from though?

bromley52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729340#Comment_119729340

I changed the 3 I have to the max version last Nov and I am delighted with them. Currys Ireland were selling them for about €45 + delivery. They might do the same again this year and you could even sell the 4k version for more than you you purchased it for.

Overall I think he firestick is the best device out there at that price point.

cullenswood

All this talk has made me want to fight CS for a phone I don't know if I even want!

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119734552#Comment_119734552

That makes no sense Edit> but comes from same logic as I applied above

Using https://www.vatcalculators.co.uk/ to remove the VAT

Remove UK VAT from 109.99 = 91.66

Add IRL VAT (23%) = 112.74

So £112.74 and not £128.75

darkside71

After a very long Customer Service Chat/Phone support call to Amazon about this issue, I did manage to get a refund on my last prime membership charge or at least that's what they told me after I argued that Irish customers through no fault of their own are getting overcharged on various items on their so called prime day.

No Acknowledgement that there is an issue on their system, other than say they would escalate the details of my call. Which probably means its already been forgotten about.

ablelocks

doesn't the pricing issue only apply to items with an original rrp of greater than £150?

horse7

i think its 150euro

horse7

the poco is coming in at 152.85euro. if the uk vat was taken off it would bring it down below 150euro

ablelocks

POCO original RRP:£249.99

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119734911#Comment_119734911

you could be right - it may be that they're adding on something for duty to the estimated fee, in which case it should be refunded as the actual price is well under €150.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735023#Comment_119735023

But you can see the maths that Amazon is using, is just wrong its the same on items sold under €150 rrp doesn't come into it. rrp is a makey uppy price anyway. I've laid it out as best I can. Its fairly obvious that the VAT is being added before the discount it applied and that the discount has had the VAT removed. Either remove the VAT from both or add the VAT to both to get the right answer.

Lujan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735012#Comment_119735012

Plus 54.24 import fees.

Total is 185.25

I have been trying to decide if it's worth getting all day.

I have the Poco NFC already and not sure if it's worth upgrading

buzzerxx

I have business prime and I get the digital only message on amazon uk

ablelocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735063#Comment_119735063

it's not just the VAT though.

if something is under 150, no import fee deposit is added on

if something is over 150 then there is an import fee deposit (+ the changes in VAT).

And while the RRP is often arbitrary, it's what they use to calculate the import fee deposit - not the sale price.

Then they seem to roll the VAT into the import fee deposit, which skews it too.

edit - and i just checked on multiple items too. Individually, I'll get the prime sale price with no import fee deposit to be paid (just small adjustment to VAT). But if i add the 3 items to the cart and the total cost goes over 150, import fees deposit is added and that brings up the total price substantially

total price as individual orders = £157.59

total price as combined order = £187.96

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119734687#Comment_119734687

I spent over an hour on the chat today (2 different agents) and could not get them to understand or follow the arguments. we even moved to sending screen shots and calculations by email during the chat). They finally told me the full import duties would be fully refunded within 180 days (€60 worth) but even with that the maths couldn't work out - I was still €25 over the basic conversion of the stg price for the item. They offered a gift balance of €25 to be fair to them but I'd have to overpay by €60 import fees in the hope/expectation of a full refund - no thanks. Its crazy the way they calculate the savings on Prime deals for items excess €150. They've had long enough now to update their systems. Ended up buying on Amazon Germany at €20 more expensive than I calculate I should have paid but, I wanted it and I know the final cost today - not after a series of refunds/gift voucher balances.

Flinty997

Why would full import duties be refunded?

Seve OB

D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119734571#Comment_119734571

Thanks

so the ones in Curry’s Ireland (international version are €59)

curry’s uk are £39

i assume they are basically the same thing? Just the usual Irish rip off difference?

blastman

I had this argument with Amazon before, it's not just on items that are over the 150 threshold that it happens on. For me the difference was a relatively small £5-6 (item cost about £45), but the explanations were ridiculous. Twice I was sent the calculations they used to arrive at the figure I was charged, but the price they started with was some arbitrary figure that wasn't appearing anywhere on the item's page. I sent screenshots, proper calculations based of the price displayed and eventually they refunded me the difference (actually slightly more as I ended up effectively paying UK VAT on the item) to go away, essentially. I was never told where they were getting the initial figure from.

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735166#Comment_119735166

Exactly!! But with them included I would be paying full UK VAT on the order and then Irish VAT included in those import charges I assume - so, I guess I get the UK VAT element back.

No way I am risking that...

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735171#Comment_119735171

Yes, one of items (a watch at £149 Prime Deal/£199 normal price) went to £165 in the basket that cannot be difference is Irish VAT - in the billing column on check out it then showed £199 to which import duties were applied and then they too off £50 for the discount.

Its all over the place but, CS just could not see that the structure was causing significant overcharging -total hit €251 with a base price of £149 - nuts!!

darkside71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735179#Comment_119735179

Very much how I felt as well as refund was also outlined to me, but didn't want to take the risk the in hope I'd get a refund for their mistake at some point in the future. I know people are on here saying you will get refunded, but If you don't! Not sure I could face into another Customer Service call or chat again looking for it!

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735140#Comment_119735140

If you can't see the way Amazon are doing it from my worked example on the previous page it won't matter how many items you put in your basket.

There is NO import fee deposit on the Poco. Its all Irish VAT at 23% nothing more nothing less. The problem is I as keep pointing out that Amazon take the VAT off the wrong figure when they make there calculation.