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Buying electronics from another EU country: VAT, warranty and returns

Updated · Tech Store Europe

The short answer: inside the EU you pay no customs and no import VAT, you keep the consumer protections of your own country, and you get at least two years of legal guarantee from the seller. A few practical details, such as plugs and keyboard layouts, are worth checking.

VAT and customs

Goods sent from one EU country to another are not imports, so there are no customs duties, no import VAT and no handling fee from the courier. The VAT is already inside the price you pay. Depending on the seller’s sales volume, that VAT is either the seller’s home-country rate or the rate of your country, declared through the EU One-Stop Shop. At our store the price you see is the price you pay, wherever in the EU you live.

Your rights as a consumer

  • Your own country’s protections apply. When a shop sells to your country, EU rules mean a contract cannot take away the mandatory consumer protections of the country where you live, and you can take a claim to your own courts.
  • At least two years of legal guarantee. The seller must fix, replace or refund goods that were faulty at delivery and show it within two years. For the first part of that period the fault is presumed to have been there at delivery: one year in the Netherlands and Germany, two years in Belgium and France.
  • 14 days to change your mind. You can cancel an online purchase within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason, then return the goods within a further 14 days.

Our details are on the warranty and returns pages. Returns are free.

Plugs and voltage

Mains power across the EU is 230 V at 50 Hz, and most electronics accept 100 to 240 V. The Netherlands and Germany use Schuko (type F) sockets; France and Belgium use type E sockets with an earth pin. Most plugs sold in continental Europe are hybrid E/F plugs that fit both. Small chargers often use the flat two-pin Europlug, which fits everywhere on the continent. UK plugs are different and need an adapter.

Keyboard layouts

Keyboards differ by country: QWERTZ in Germany, AZERTY in France and Belgium, and QWERTY in the Netherlands, where many people use the US international layout. Enthusiast keyboards are very often US ANSI. Check the layout on the product page, especially for laptops, where the keyboard cannot be swapped.

Safety marks

Electronics sold in the EU must carry the CE mark, which shows the maker declares conformity with EU safety and radio rules. Be wary of very cheap imports without it, especially chargers and power supplies.

Delivery

We deliver to every EU country. The delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay, and in-stock orders usually leave within 1 to 3 working days.

Questions about an order from your country? See our FAQ or contact us.

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