This is an absolute disgrace, US vs UK prices

Lenovo UK, T400 starts from 1,052 pounds
Lenovo US, T400 starts from $739 = 461 pounds


How the hell can they get away with that!?!?

 

I'm sorry, but you put asterisks over bloody and not hell?

 

Your power in your relationship with Lenovo is to buy something else until they get the message. I'm sure if they could figure out a way to pay less they would.

 

The interesting thing is that Lenovo have no presence in the UK whatsoever, so they cannot claim they have costs of some sort here.

I think i shall drop them an email and tell them how rediculous it is.....

 

Off topic....

Operating environment is different in the US vs the UK. Market pricing for laptops in general is different as well.

Don't just blame lenovo.

 

the cost of doing business in UK is more expensive, in addition to the smaller customer base and higher tax/tariff, all of which means you will pay through your nose for your Thinkpads.

But before we curse again, spare a thought for the Chinese customers, whom pay slighter more for a thinkpad then UK customer does for the same product that is made in China by a Chinese company....

In Australia we ship out our Holden Sedan to USA for a price that is 15000 dollars lower than what it would have been if we sold it in Australia. This is apparently done to earn export revenue........

So lets admit the fact that we will never get anything high tech as cheap as our American counterparts.

 

I know somebody in the UK who bought a t61p from the US, saved atleast 40% even with the expensive shipping - of course all you need is the different power adapter.

 

this just in: the gbp has fallen quite a lot. i think they should have voted for the euro when they had the chance to.

 

Indeed. Computers in China are sometimes more than double or triple their cost in the US (particularly higher-end machines), after currency exchange. Compounded with the fact that the average city worker in China earns far less than in America (even for the same type/amount of work), the cost of technology there is far greater, even though the vast majority are in fact manufactured in plants over there.

 

When i get my x200/x201/x210/t400/t410 (not made up my mind yet) I shall purchase it on ebay or another US website (using paypal so I am protected) and ask for them to declare the value much lower. I'll still only pay 30 GBP shipping and 70 GBP customs tax for a laptop probably 400-500 GBP more expensive in the UK!

 

If you can do it, then do it. But remember the warranty might not cover you.

 

this is why grey import of electronics like laptop and mobile phone is such a lucrative business in China. You can easily buy a Thinkpad in China from these people for slightly higher price that you would pay in USA, there is around 10 to 20% commission, but it is lot cheaper than the legitimate retail store prices (usually 30 to 40% cheaper). Lenovo combat this by requesting the sale invoice and your passport if your machine is from overseas, which prevents many of these grey imports from getting serviced in China.

 

In Australia the situation is very similar to the UK. It is such with lots of hardware and software. We are used to it. It would be great to have trans-national price equalization; but markets are local. Manufacturers can decide on local prices as they see fit. One learns to live with it - or works out a way to get round it. You can always go to the USA to buy it (and pay tax on return)! I would rather pay the local price and stay here... .

 

Not just the UK in Belgium and Holland Lenovo has the same exorbitant prices like 3000 US for X301 etc. and the T400 costs over Euro 1,000 and the more recent T400s almost Euro 2,000. Again I fail to see why it has to be that expensive. On top of that at least in the UK they have a 7 day cancellation policy. if you buy in Holland or Belgium and you want to return it ...forget it! So the solution seems to buy in the USA and take your chances. Use a service called MyUS or something. That is what I am looking at now. Apparently the TopSellers sold not through Lenovo themselves carry an international warranty.

 

Where's the news?

 

They sell cheap as dirt in the US, with coupons as well, spoiling people. The rest of the world is treated second hand, compensating the US low profit per unit by having the double or triple prices.

 

I don't mind that much the higher prices than the fact that some models are not available here.

The R400 and Sl400/410 are for example not available in Belgium (per Lenovo's policy).

The funny thing is that they advertise the sl410 on their Belgium website.

 

Thinkpad Edge AMD = £363 ($579), we pay £502.
Thinkpad Edge intel = £501 ($799), We pay £705.

I think its terrible. I know it costs money to ship here, and then there is tax, but its not £200 per unit.

 

but to be fair, it may also be because they don't sell much notebooks of a particular model. the higher speced top seller models are "close to reasonable priced" right now. maybe lenovo has a problem to position their notebooks outside of the business market in other countries.

i just configured this loaded t510 which is available in germany for 1565€ (and 1465€ for students):
https://www.lapstars.de/product_info.php?cPath=668&products_id=5486

the same machine would cost 1783 usd, which would translate to 1477€ including tax. this is reasonable methinks.

 

in germany we pay 705€ = 635 gbp. subtract 19% tax and it's 533 gbp. i don't see why this should be unreasonable (and there might be better deals).

 

Well no on the Thinkpad Edge there is not that much of a difference but have a look at X200 X200s T400 etc ... T400 starts at about US 700 and here it's more like Euro 1,000 (VAT included). That is about double ... ouch !! For the person in Belgium there is a dealer in Holland where you can get them cheaper but with US style keyboard ... and there is NO X100e to be seen in Europe yet and that is really the machine I want.

 

ThinkPad is still the most reputable brand in mainland China hence the Chinese pay way more for it.

 

I know there isnt as big of a difference between the edge pricing for us/uk, but its pretty much the nail in the coffin for me. I'm going to order a Vostro v13 as soon as I get my paycheck for a nice £400 (roughly).

 

that is way grey import of Thinkpads are such a large business in China or indeed in many countries where price difference is large enough. Even in Australia, some of the people i know are buying hundreds of thinkpads from USA, and selling them in Australia.

 

Eh, yay for LOW prices in the USA!

(I realize that I have contributed nothing to this discussion)

 

You guys should try buying ANYTHING here in Norway. I gurantee you that it will be more expensive here.

Whenever I'm doing larger purchases I always regret moving here. It dosen't even help with private import from other countries as the toll and taxes are rediculous here.

We got a beautifull countryside though