"The pound is up against the dollar.” The nightly market reports have a familiar ring about them, and for gadget lovers they mean one thing: bargains. With the US dollar currently trading at just 48p, many consumer electronics items are in effect half price. Record numbers of people are travelling to America to take advantage; flights to New York between now and Christmas have nearly sold out. For those used to internet buying, the temptation to order from across the pond is often overwhelming.

But things are not quite so simple. In a survey carried out last week on some of the most popular gifts, we found that, while some items could be bought for less than they typically cost in Britain, many others cost significantly more once taxes and shipping charges have been taken into account.

When buying from America, it is important to bear in mind that import duties vary from item to item and, together with Vat at 17.5%, can sometimes add nearly a third extra onto the original cost. While some items (certain cameras, for example) may be exempt from import duty, others, such as some MP3 players, attract duties of almost 14% of the price of the item. A full list of import duty classification can be found at www.uktradeinfo.com ; alternatively, call the Tariff Classification Service on 01702 366 077.

For example, you can buy a top of the range Apple MacBook Pro in America for $2,799, equivalent to £1,349.80. Laptops are exempt from import duty, so even after Vat (£236) and shipping (about £22) the laptop still costs just £1,607.80, a saving of almost £200 from the UK list price of £1,799.

However, for an iPod Classic 80GB costing $249 (£120.28) in America, the result is very different: import duty at 13.9% (£16.68), Vat (£21) and shipping (£20) mean that the total cost comes in at £177.96 – almost £30 more than the same iPod would cost in Britain.

The price is not the only thing potential buyers should bear in mind. Warranties are often limited to the country of purchase, so if there is a fault with the item there is no recourse for the consumer. Some products come with an international warranty, but you should check if Britain is covered (sometimes it isn’t).

Other warranties cover replacement in the UK but repair can be carried out only in America. The Apple care plan is one of the best, offering full international warranties that allow the consumer to take the product to the closest authorised Apple dealer.

Power requirements are also worth noting: the US uses 110/120V, whereas the UK uses 240V. Some products support both systems; others would require a power adaptor. Again, it pays to check before buying.

Once you have done the maths and checked the warranties, you need to find online retailers that will ship them to you. Many will send to only US addresses. However, there are several companies that arrange international delivery and allow American purchases to be sent to a US address then forwarded to Britain with all taxes and duties taken care of. For further details visit www.usabox.com and www.myus.com.

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