talkmagic.co.uk

Tomo wrote:Serious question: If you buy an ebook from the US, are you importing it?

No, because the ebook is actually stored somewhere on the internet, which is an international storage system. Therefore, you're not importing it from the U.S., you're merely accessing it from whatever country you are in.

Tomo wrote:If you buy an ebook from the US, are you importing it?

As far as I'm aware, a 'thing' has to exist and be tangible to be taxed on import but it's a good point. If you can access that e-book any time you like as per a printed book then perhaps some tax liability could be invoked. If you can only view on screen and not print off then I'd say it shouldn't be taxed as it only exists electronically and not in actuality. Anyway individual personal imports of books are usually exempt from duty and VAT so it's a moot point !

Even more sidelined, if you buy goods from overseas, the supplier insures the stuff and charges you the extra fee for that insurance on the invoice then it's taken into account for charging VAT on import. If you have your own insurance arrangements with a UK insurer (which is usually not a VATable cost) to cover such imports, you're supposed to tell the carrier and/or Customs & Revenue so they can arrange to charge you the additional VAT on the cost of insurance. Pathetic, totally pathetic.

And yes, I wear glasses as well and have no objections to wearing them to read bills and invoices so no there's no need for huge fonts. The idiot phrasing gets up my nose. Phrases like, 'We sent you this bill on...' instead of 'Date' - whatever happened to common sense?