Hedzlone wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:25 pm That's odd. The cheapest oak leather strap is $80 for me on the CW website. Where do you see the $48 / $37.50?

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:13 pm Hi all -

I'm sure this is basic, and looking at prior posts (and speaking with my son who was lucky enough to live in London for three years) I believe the general rule for US buyers of CWs is to use a credit card that does not charge an FX conversion fee and buy in GBP--seems everyone is convinced that will result in a lower cost purchase. That's easy.

My (new) question is from today's purchase of a Vintage Oak Leather Strap. Looking at the CW site in USD it showed $37.50 earlier, and £30. So I ordered it as GBP and by the time I hit checkout it was priced at £25! Then, in the email confirmation it shows £26.66! And, now that I re-checked USD the price is up to £39 and $48. Talk about hitting a moving target!

I know that FX rates change second-by-second, but I'm thinking that's not what's happening on the CW site? Or is it?

If someone can help me better understand what I saw today that would be helpful (not that I anticipate making any future expensive CW purchases after picking up my first two last week, mind you... this is purely an academic exercise, and no one (including my better half) should be thinking I'm hooked on CW ).

Many thanks!

rkovars wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:34 pm

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:13 pm Hi all -

I'm sure this is basic, and looking at prior posts (and speaking with my son who was lucky enough to live in London for three years) I believe the general rule for US buyers of CWs is to use a credit card that does not charge an FX conversion fee and buy in GBP--seems everyone is convinced that will result in a lower cost purchase. That's easy.

My (new) question is from today's purchase of a Vintage Oak Leather Strap. Looking at the CW site in USD it showed $37.50 earlier, and £30. So I ordered it as GBP and by the time I hit checkout it was priced at £25! Then, in the email confirmation it shows £26.66! And, now that I re-checked USD the price is up to £39 and $48. Talk about hitting a moving target!

I know that FX rates change second-by-second, but I'm thinking that's not what's happening on the CW site? Or is it?

If someone can help me better understand what I saw today that would be helpful (not that I anticipate making any future expensive CW purchases after picking up my first two last week, mind you... this is purely an academic exercise, and no one (including my better half) should be thinking I'm hooked on CW ).

Many thanks!

So, I am thinking there are probably a couple of things going on.

I think there may have been more than one being added to the sale. One old stock (still up there at $48) and one NN.

As for the one listed at £30: When you go to check out, after you enter your shipping address as the US, the system will subtract the $20% VAT. VAT is included in all of the listings in GBP. It isn't exactly 20% because I assume there are some banking fees involved (£30 -20% is actually £24). At least that is my experience.

rkovars wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:34 pm

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:13 pm Hi all -

I'm sure this is basic, and looking at prior posts (and speaking with my son who was lucky enough to live in London for three years) I believe the general rule for US buyers of CWs is to use a credit card that does not charge an FX conversion fee and buy in GBP--seems everyone is convinced that will result in a lower cost purchase. That's easy.

My (new) question is from today's purchase of a Vintage Oak Leather Strap. Looking at the CW site in USD it showed $37.50 earlier, and £30. So I ordered it as GBP and by the time I hit checkout it was priced at £25! Then, in the email confirmation it shows £26.66! And, now that I re-checked USD the price is up to £39 and $48. Talk about hitting a moving target!

I know that FX rates change second-by-second, but I'm thinking that's not what's happening on the CW site? Or is it?

If someone can help me better understand what I saw today that would be helpful (not that I anticipate making any future expensive CW purchases after picking up my first two last week, mind you... this is purely an academic exercise, and no one (including my better half) should be thinking I'm hooked on CW ).

Many thanks!

So, I am thinking there are probably a couple of things going on.

I think there may have been more than one being added to the sale. One old stock (still up there at $48) and one NN.

As for the one listed at £30: When you go to check out, after you enter your shipping address as the US, the system will subtract the $20% VAT. VAT is included in all of the listings in GBP. It isn't exactly 20% because I assume there are some banking fees involved (£30 -20% is actually £24). At least that is my experience.

Hedzlone wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 4:25 pm That's odd. The cheapest oak leather strap is $80 for me on the CW website. Where do you see the $48 / $37.50?

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:54 pm Thanks all for the education on buying GBP and VAT, etc. Will come in handy quite soon (how many days till the July sale?).

jkbarnes wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:57 pm

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:54 pm Thanks all for the education on buying GBP and VAT, etc. Will come in handy quite soon (how many days till the July sale?).

That’s assuming the exchange rate is still dramatically favoring the dollar in July! Good for us, bad for our UK friends.

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:53 pm

jkbarnes wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:57 pm

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:54 pm Thanks all for the education on buying GBP and VAT, etc. Will come in handy quite soon (how many days till the July sale?).

That’s assuming the exchange rate is still dramatically favoring the dollar in July! Good for us, bad for our UK friends.

Good point. Perhaps we can hope for the rate oscillating every six months so everyone on either side of the pond is happy.