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Buy abroad
U.S. Dollar and Pound Sterling are going badly, very badly. We all know, talk about the TG and newspapers, but few take advantage of this crisis to save on their purchases.
If the U.S. we have half the risk of a possible set of customs and a wait of between 15 days to over a month, you can not say the same thing when we buy in a country outside the European Union. As English is the most popular foreign language, we will consider your purchases made in England.
Delivery time:
One of the first myths to dispel is that the long lead time for delivery. In fact, in most cases, the packages sent by air-mail from England arrived in Italy the next day as shipping. A slow are the Post Office then, as happens for our own packs. In a nutshell this means that, with air shipments, the package usually arrives in just 4-6 days, ie more than courier but the same time with the Post Office parcel or registered mail (but deliveries of the same standard of some couriers, see UPS).
The overspending:
False. As for video games, hardware and peripherals are not too great, the shipping costs are generally in line with the prices of domestic shipments. In addition, with regard to video games and other objects not too big / heavy, often the shipping is free!
There are taxes to be paid:
False! For purchases made in other European countries there is no additional customs or other taxes.
The guarantee is not valid:
False. In this case it is directly the producer has to guarantee for the 24 (+2) months European warranty. The only difference is that - in some cases - you can not go directly to the nearest service center without having first contacted by telephone or email the manufacturer. Also the time of repair / replacement are the same. In any case, first visit the manufacturer's website and read the warranty information. If they mess about, get smart in your turn and ignore that brand!
So, where to buy? This also makes the difference, both as regards the prices of shipments for the time of receipt of the goods. If you are making your first purchase from abroad, I recommend to do it big online store, already widely known in Italy.
Games
For video games are the most famous and thehut.com play.com, honestly I'd rather walk into a store and touch, as for books. But when I do not find title available from play.com I use, so I'll look at this.
Shipping times vary. Sometimes the fly and send the game I get in 3-5 days. Other times latitano a bit 'and need more time. And if the package is lost? No problem. If you do not arrive within 20 days, contact them and you'll send another copy.
Shipping? zero.
The games are all multi-lingual? Not all. To find out if you are interested in the game it is, I suggest you check this site: http://lixxars.com/sito/
Hardware, peripherals, and everything else
For everything else, the most convenient place is Amazon.
Already very popular store when dispatched from the USA (zero customs duty), has also opened a few years of European sites (Germany, France, England) with its stores. What I explore here is the English site.
Shipping times are 1-2 days, to which are added those for delivery. These vary according to the type of shipping chosen, 3-5 days for normal airmail (3.99 £) and the expressed (16.99 pounds / 18 €) which takes 2 days. In summary, since the order about a week for normal delivery and three days for the espresso. On Amazon it is rare that the shipping is free for Italy.
Also in this case, if the package were lost, there send another, without charge. Insurance is included in postage.
But you'll save on everything? No. We must be wary of offers. Amazon works like a real mall. This means that sometimes slashing prices to gain on the amount or hoping that people will order that item orders even more. Just as in malls, in fact.
On RecensioniVere, on top of each review, found a small banner with Amazon reviewed including the object (if there is, please refresh this page), while in the review talking about the price for Italy. If you see a big difference, then it's time to buy it on Amazon. For example, the Yamaha Pocketrak CX costs 300 euros in Italy, on the Amazon pagareste 200 pounds, equivalent to 218 €, a great saving. The Logitech MX Revolution mouse costs about 80 € in Italy, on Amazon costs £ 51 / € 55.
As we are preparing a review of the Nintendo Wii, here too there is a difference, with 180/199 € the Italian price and the offer of £ 139.99 from Amazon, or a little over 150 €.
Difference is less than if we take a new PS3 or PSP GO, which have not been charged yet discounts. So the advice, since Amazon discounts them often does, is to keep an eye on items that are of interest and click the "grasshopper" just get cut.
eBay
Chapter and separate discussion applies to eBay. Here the shipping costs, time, problems in case of loss, vary from vendor to vendor, just like the normal buying "home". In addition there is the threat of the parallel market, which we mentioned here . My advice is to be gained only used and the accessories, especially for expenses "important", ie from 150 euros upwards.
I hope this little guide has been helpful to many of you were skeptical about buying abroad. Course will be updated if new laws were to emerge or a new site!
