how to figure price on dvds (1 Viewer)

[Patrick_M]

Hello.
I recently purchased a daewoo 5700 player, and am interested in getting some dvds from the uk (particularly The West Wing) Is there a way to figure what the price would be it dollars. I know the exchange rate varies, is there a website that has an up to date currency exchange rate. The West Wing seems to run about 34 pounds...and I have no idea how many american dollars that is. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Bob Graham]

There's a currency converter in Yahoo that will convert any currency into dollars and vice-versa.

Also be aware that most DVD prices listed include an EEU Value Added Tax. Some dealers will deduct it when shipping to America (I know Amazon.uk does, I'm not sure about Blackstar or Benson's World). When the VAT is deducted, you get a discount of almost 18%. (In Amazon it doesn't show up until the final calculation, just before you are asked to confirm your order). If you want to shop around, just e-mail the company and ask them if they deduct VAT on orders shipped outside of Europe.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Also be aware that most DVD prices listed include an EEU Value Added Tax. Some dealers will deduct it when shipping to America (I know Amazon.uk does, I'm not sure about Blackstar or Benson's World).

I've ordered from Blackstar and Amazon UK before. Blackstar does NOT deduct the VAT, Amazon UK does. I've also asked Bensonsworld, they do NOT deduct VAT, the payoff being that they don't charge shipping either -- in effect the amount they save on tax goes towards the additional shipping cost. same thing with Blackstar, since they charge a flat rate per disc regardless of where they ship to.

hence, generally I've found that it's cheaper to use Blackstar (or I suppose Bensonsworld, depending on which has a lower list price) for buying a single disc, but if you're buying a big-ticket box set, Amazon UK is cheaper. reason is that you are now saving even more money on the VAT, and Amazon's shipping costs for box sets are cheaper: Amazon treats a box set as a single item, whereas Blackstar treats a box set as a "multiple item", i.e. a 6-disc set, e.g. Friends season 7 or Sopranos season 2, is charged as 6 individual discs.

but YMMV. do the sums and decide for yourself. to get Amazon's price without tax, divide by 1.175, the UK VAT rate being 17.5%.

 

[Mark_vdH]

I usually use this currency converter. It's from ezydvd.com.au, a Australian on-line dvd-store.
If you try Link Removed, you can also choose your preferred currency. You can see, for instance, that Link Removed, which provides free shipping to the States, sells the box for GBP 31.45/USD 46.04.

 

[Yee-Ming]

BTW, just found my Amazon UK invoice, I was charged 26.37 pounds for the West Wing 1st half season one set. shipping was 8.05 pounds, but this was for 4 items: two sets (West Wing & UFO), and two single discs. overall I'm sure it was cheaper (for me), just do the math first before deciding.

 

[Patrick_M]

Thanks for all the tips guys!! My player will be arriving next week and I am looking forward to getting some of the cool dvds that are out there in other regions.

 

[andrew markworthy]

If you want to do a quick check of several sites, try:
Link Removed
It will also do currency conversions for you. At the moment, it only calculates shipping to the UK, but it promises this is changing in the future.

 

[Mark_vdH]

If you want to do a quick check of several sites, try:
Link Removed

Hey, I already provided that link!
Anyway, I think it indeed is the best price comparison site for multi-region buyers. I always use it, but after I determined the best available version through Link Removed.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Mark, sorry! Pathetic excuse, but my hayfever (bloody tree pollen - why can't trees have sex like any sensible living thing?) was bad yesterday, and my eyesight wasn't brilliant! I misread your address and thought it was a different site. D'oh!

 

[Anders Englund]

Best currency converter I know: www.x-rates.com (yea, I know. It sounds like the url to a totally different kind of site).
--Anders

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

Lots of converters...
My favourite is http://www.xe.com/ucc - very fast to just enter the sum, select the currencies and click.

 

[Bob Graham]

BTW, I noticed Amazon.uk.co does a sneaky little thing on their orders to the US. They convert the price in British Pounds to Euros and then convert the Euros in US Dollars. This results in a price increase of approximately .5% over the direct British Pound to US Dollar exchange. Not enough to grouse about except on principle.