Experience of purchasing UK hub from the US site?

💬 Lounge
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I'm in the UK and am hovering on the edge of getting a Hubitat. The main Hubitat USA site has the hub on sale at the moment, including the UK version, for $115 (down from essentially $150) but the site is commendably clear that tax & duties might be applicable to overseas orders and in my experience are usually paid via a demand from the courier once the package arrives in the UK depot. I am assuming that there would be 20% VAT to be paid prior to delivery but is there any other import duty to be paid? I am trying to work out just how much saving (if any) buying from the US would give me vs the £135 (I assume inc VAT) that I would pay if I purchased locally in the UK.

It's probably going to be a few weeks before I have switches to try it with and before I allocate time to play with it so the 2-3 week shipping time is not an issue for me assuming the UK deliveries are done by the US Postal Service although the product page does mention UPS ort DHL for Canadian shipments so maybe those are used for some other regions too. I just hope it isn't DHL because DHL keeps getting my address mixed up with another address about a mile away and often delivers my packages to the wrong person at the wrong building name on the wrong street with the wrong postal (zip) code. I hate DHL with a real passion!

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You have 2 other alternatives.


OR
This guy from Poland.
This is where I got mine from and would use him again if I needed to purchase another.

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FWIW I'm UK-based and got my C7 from Vesternet a month or so back (another Smartthings refugee).

Prompt delivery, no problems (beyond a few Fibaro driver issues, now mostly resolved), and from past experience with Vesternet they're very good on support and the return of faulty devices when necessary.

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Thanks Ian. Vesternet was the source of the £135 UK price that I quoted in my original post so good to know that they are a good supplier.

If I'm honest with myself I think I'm trying to talk myself into buying from Vestement for convenience and to support a local company, plus they are based in the area where I grew up in so some irrational sentimentality there too! I feel I should do a bit of due diligence on pricing though before placing an order and I'm waiting until the actual Black Friday in 5 days time just in case of any discounts emerge. My guess is that I'll be following your lead by the end of the week though.

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Thanks to you too Bobbles. That is definitely another possibility.

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If imported I believe you may have 6.5% duty too plus VAT and the 'handling charge', and this is applied to the total cost inc. shipping. (+$35)

I think the import will cost more - The Vesternet price seems very reasonable and their support is good, worth supporting them.

It's a shame Hubitat can't push some sort of promotional price through Vesternet / PL perhaps a voucher for the backup service or something...

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I've bought one from each - no problems with either supplier.

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Got my c-5 from Poland no problems. Not even thinking of getting a c-7 until all the fibaro issues are sorted. My hubitat is rock solid at the moment :sunglasses:

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