Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!mcsun!ukc!dcl-cs!gdt!gdr!exspes
From: exspes@gdr.bath.ac.uk (P E Smee)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: European software purchase procedure from the U.S.A.
Message-ID: <1989Nov13.112800.14752@gdt.bath.ac.uk>
Date: 13 Nov 89 11:28:00 GMT
References: <891108.09364408.070835@SFA.CP6>
Reply-To: exspes@gdr.bath.ac.uk (P E Smee)
Organization: University of Bristol c/o University of Bath
Lines: 35

In article <891108.09364408.070835@SFA.CP6> Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET (Z4648252) writes:
>    Many of the European ads offer to sell product internationally
>but don't give the procedure:  1) Do we convert $$$ to European currency?
>2) Is there an airmail option rather than ocean mail? 3) Is there an
>internation reply coupon option?

You should write to them and ask.  The answers are (1) probably, (2)
probably, and (3) probably not.  Sure worked for me (in the opposite
direction) in dealing with the Smithsonian mail-order shop and with
L.L.Bean.  Though I've probably got an edge since I still have a
checking account in my Boston bank.

>    Secondly, what about American duty charges?

You pay them.  If duty is due, you'll have to pick up the package in
person at the Post Office where they will collect the duty.  (Sometimes
this seems to get ignored for smallish packages, depends how lucky you
are.)

>    Finally, why is it that the more polished European ST magazines
>are CHEAPER than the U.S. magazines?  

Probably to compensate us for the fact that the hardware tends to be
more expensive. :-)  Actually, it's probably just competition.  There
are probably about 10 ST-specific mags in the UK, plus of course other
'general computing' mags which give the ST more or less cover.  The
population of the UK is on the order of 50 million (not all of whom own
ST's :-).  In short, there are a lot of mags fighting for a share of a
small market.

-- 
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