When it comes to buying goods from America, we have never had it so good. Last week the greenback fell to $2 to the pound, and when the dollar starts falling, the smart go shopping.

But while airlines reported record numbers of transatlantic passengers heading for Saks and Barneys in New York, web-savvy shoppers need not leave home at all, because browsing US websites where prices are in dollars is just as likely to land you a bargain.

But there are pitfalls, such as shipping costs and tax; some items, such as DVD players, attract higher tax than others. Happily, the web can help here too. Unless stated all costs given below exclude shipping and tax, though even with these added all items cost substantially less than their UK equivalent.

BEST BUYS & HOW TO FIND THEM

Electronics have nearly always been cheaper in America. Digital cameras in particular are often half the price, and the weak dollar further exaggerates the savings. A good place to start for such hardware is www.pricerunner.co.uk, which compares international prices. American price checkers such as www.pricegrabber.com operate similarly.

Computer software offers big savings too. Adobe Creative Suite 3 software costs £788 compared with £1,003, including delivery, in the UK, according to www.kelkoo.co.uk. Even with shipping and Vat you should make a saving. Similarly, Microsoft’s Windows Vista Business Upgrade is £155 here and £100 over there – a saving of £55.

SHIPPING TIPS

Buying goods can be straightforward, but you still have to get them delivered. As many sites can’t, won’t or don’t ship internationally, you’ll need a mail-forwarding service such as www.myus.com.

This provides you with a unique American address (basically a suite number in its Florida offices), the American retailer sends your goods to Myus, and Myus sends them to you. “If it’s legal, we will ship it to ya!” says company president Eric Baird, who deals with 1,200 packages a day, 15% of which come to the UK. Postage costs about £12 for 1kg.

If a site will send only to the registered address of your credit card, ask your credit card provider to add your new US address. If this still doesn’t work, Myus can buy goods for you for a £5 ($10) fee, and www.usabox.com is a smaller company that offers a similar service.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Whatever you buy it is vital to check the small print. Check a store’s refund policy, how long you have to return the goods, and bear in mind that you will have to pay the return postage.

Other things to watch out for are whether you are covered by a warranty, and the eccentricities of international electrical configurations. For example, don’t buy a television as US ones don’t work in the UK.

Anxious about using an unheard-of American store? Call it first, or use a well-known name such as www.amazon.com. The American site (which you need to make the most of your sterling) won’t ship to the UK, but 30% of Myus packages come from Amazon. For purchases over £100 use your credit card, which offers the same protection globally as it does in the UK – you will have protection if the company goes bust or the goods fail to arrive.

DUTY & TAX

Most goods from non-European Union countries are liable for duty and Vat. To work out how much you will be charged visit the “internet shopping” section of www.hmrc.gov.uk , which lists the most commonly purchased groups of items and the charges they attract. Unfortunately, the list hasn’t been updated since May 2005, although it will give you an idea.

To find out the exact amount you will be charged on the specific item you have bought you’ll need the 10-digit tariff classification code of the item. It is available at the Taxation and Customs Union (tinyurl.com/tlfw7), but since things such as PlayStations are listed with parlour games, the chances of finding what you want aren’t high.

An easier option may be to call the Tariff Classification Service on 01702 366 077. Gifts up to the value of £36 are allowed in under the Vat/duty radar (see the guide at www.hmrc.gov.uk for international post).

SERVICES & SUBSCRIPTIONS

It’s not only consumer items that allow shoppers to take advantage of sterling’s current buying power: you can subscribe to American magazines or services. A subscription to The New Yorker (www.newyorker.com) is £56 for a year. You can get online access to The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) for £39.50 a year, or the National Review (www.nationalreview.com) for £11 a year.

Many museums offer deals, such as unlimited admission to all Guggenheim museums (New York, Venice, Berlin, Bilbao, Las Vegas) at £62.50 from www.guggenheim.org.

But beware, the dollar may not stay so low for long, and some speculators are already betting on its rise: www.travelex.com reported a 150% rise in demand for dollars last week.

All prices converted at a rate of $2 to the pound

Hot US buys

Gibson V Factor electric guitar UK £719 US £274 From www.music123.com Saving £445

Gibson’s v-shaped guitar is the ultimate rock’n’roll accessory, championed by axe legends from Hendrix to Van Halen. This faded-pink model is less than half the price of its UK equivalent and comes with a carry case

MacBook Pro 15in 2.33GHz UK £1,699, US £915 From www.compudirect.com Saving £784

This latest version of Apple’s PowerBook laptop has an upgraded Core 2 Duo processor. Apple’s costly warranty offers good international support too

Canon EOS 400D camera UK £470 US £375 From www.butterflyphoto.com Saving £95 InGear recently rated the EOS 400D as the best digital SLR camera (see tinyurl.com28lho4). You don’t have to pay duty on digital still cameras, making this an even better bargain

PlayStation 3 60GB UK £420 US £270 From www.electronicsplus.com Saving £150

When it was released here last month, Sony’s PlayStation 3 impressed with its excellent graphics while raising eyebrows for its high price. By buying from the States you can save more than one-third on the price