Buying pushchair in the US?

[terrywoganstrousers]

DP is going to New York in August and we are wondering if it will be cheaper for him to buy a buggy out there?
It's a long time since I bought a pram (DC1 is nearly 10 and just had a second hand silver cross) and I'd like to get a nice one, preferably with a carrycot bit on, as im due in December and I think the carrycots are nice and snugly for little ones.
I can see the Baby joggers and Uppababy brands are cheaper in the US but wondering if anyone had any recommendations / know of any others which are cheaper there or if they had done anything similar?

I do drive so getting on buses etc won't be a consideration, and we both have fairly reasonable sized boots.

I have done that on holiday but had kids. With so I know you can bring a stroller back. Check an on line calculator fora currency converter. I bought back a bee and they still honoured the warranty. There are some lovely strollers as they call them. Orbit, bumbleride, baby jogger, I am sure you would have to pay duty. Maybe some one else can. Tell you. I had used the stroller so there weren't issues. I also bought back Lego and americangirl doll to. You could order the stroller and have it delivered to. The hotel that is what i did.

It's looking like at least £150 cheaper for the Baby Jogger City Select, for instance, according to my iPhone currency converter. How much is the duty generally? He won't have a baby with him so maybe won't get away with taking it out of the packaging, although I suppose they wouldn't know his i wasn't round the corner holding the baby

I never thought about Lego, how much cheaper is that?
His hotel is opposite a big Gap maternity store so he is going to get me a load of stuff from there, he was also going to try and get some baby clothes, bits of clothes for DD and maybe some Heeleys! Going with large list and empty suitcase! But he is flying as the guest of the captain so I think possibly the stroller can go through as the pilots baggage IYSWIM so may be subject to less customs checks?

To be honest, if he has to pay duty then you may as well buy here plus at least buying here you will get the warranty (I believe it won't be valid in the UK if you buy a BJCS) plus you get a pushchair which meets British Standards. Duty can really add up.

I wouldn't fret about the duty to be honest, how likely is it he will get stopped or declare his purchases?

I have a baby jogger city elite, brilliant, brilliant bit of kit.

Not sure if the duty will be a problem as it can be processed with the crew baggage? Anyway I would think it unlikely he will be stopped, I can get him to take out of the box.
So bugaboo definitely honour the warranty- but do we know if any others do? I'm not too worried about the British standards thing as I would only get a buggy we have tried out first in a shop here so it will be the same, won't it?

Hermione, does the city elite come with a carrycot? I really want a carrycot bit but can't tell online if it has a compatible one,

I dont believe Baby Jogger do - Kooltrade used to specifically check if a pushchair was bought in the UK or not.
The City Elite has several options of carrycot - the hard bodied bassinet, the compact carrycot and the compact plus carrycot. All are extras.
The one to look for really is the new Baby Jogger Versa which will be out in the US soon.

Ooh, thanks- you are a fount of knowledge! I'm currently perusing the Buy Buy Baby website as they have a shop in Manhattan near DPs hotel so should be easy enough for him to nip to.
I'm making a list of whats available and prices and then we will have a look in John lewis or somewhere to see which we prefer in RL.
I've never been this organised!

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Quinny Moood as DP says he likes the look of that one?

Hmm...I am not keen. It's wide, the hood is tiny and flimsy. The carrycot is shallow. Its very like the Buzz although the fold is better. I woudnt get one personally...at least go and see one here first.

I've had a look at the City Elite and I quite like it, it works out at about the same price as the Select once you add the bassinet and rain cover into the mix for both, but looks easier to push? Hopefully will be able to try both out.
All the ones we like seem to be working out at about $700 which is just over £400 I think. So quite a saving from here.
And I have been informed by DP that duty definitely won't be a problem.
Not sure about the warranty issue though.

Just found this on the US Baby Jogger website-
Are your strollers covered by a warranty?
A. Yes! Our frames are backed by a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. The fabrics, wheels, tires and other components carry a one-year warranty. When calling in a warranty claim, please have your item number, serial number, manufacturer date stamp and proof of purchase on hand to expedite the process.

Q. What is the warranty if I live outside of the United States?
A. The warranty of your stroller or jogger is covered by the country in which you purchased it. If you purchased your Baby Jogger from a US retailer while living in another country, you are responsible for any shipping charges that may incur to fulfill a warranty claim.
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My bugaboo had to have 2 replacement bits the seat unit and chassis all I did was email the copy of my e receipt to bugaboo and they sorted it. I also bought a car seat while we were out there as we travel to the us and the have the hook and loop system. there are so many good and unique things saw this in www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12319172 Graco FastAction Fold LX Stroller thinking of getting one of those as it folds like baby jogger. I f it isn't traveling in the box buy a travel bag for it as they don't treat pushchairs nicely on airplanes.

All I would say is get mega organised and order ahead or reserve stuff the us stores are really great with customer services and made a real effort. Walmart and target are great to for all kinds of baby stuff and you can click and collect if you want. Really jealous as I love the us stuff. Always thought their car seats on separate chassis were really good idea.

It used to be very common to do this with bikes. To bring one home without paying duty, you had to take one out with you. People used to take out old boneshakers, dump them, buy new bike, cover it in mud and bring it home. Customs wised up a few years ago. No longer worth while once taxes included. It could be similar with buggies.

DP thinks customs wont be a problem as buggy will be travelling as crew baggage and he recalls on the way home from a South Africa trip a pair of granite work surfaces for someones kitchen being stood up in the staff loo!

So... have narrowed it down to three buggies we like and we are going to test them all out in John Lewis (fingers crossed they have all three in stock!)
Its between the Uppababy Vista, the Baby Jogger City Select and the Babyjogger city Elite. We quite like the Bugaboo Bee too but it doesnt seem to have a bassinet which I would like.
All three are about the same price in the US once you add in a bassinet and raincover if it doesnt already include it.

Ok- i live in the US and have the babyjogger Citi Select.

#1 - It comes with a carrycot. I preferred it to the uppa because it is easier to fold and has a much bigger basket (uppa can only hold 5lbs which is nothing).
#2 - I got mine from buybuybaby using the 10% discount that is given to parents who open a registry. The 20% coupons that you get don't apply to babyjogger, britax, bugaboo or uppababy (use the 10% discount for these) but do apply to other brands such as maclaren.
#3 - The warranty isn't worth the paper it is written on.
#4 - For maternity clothes take a look at the destination maternity website. GAP USA has a completly different range to GAP Europe and it isn't as good.
#5 - Call the buybuybaby store to make sure they have the stroller you want in stock.
#6 - Compare prices to Amazon (who can deliver directly to the hotel or DH's NY office). No sales tax so might be cheaper than buybuybaby with a 10% discount but where you have to pay salestax.

The NYC flights are all full these days and they are starting to get funny about checked baggage. As he isn't flying with a baby he needs to check in the stroller.

Forgot to say that the 10% discount coupon for opening a registry is sent in the last month of your pregnancy. I fudged my due date so I got the coupon when I was 7 months along (open your registry online and see if there is a collegue who can collect mail for you). You get the 10% discount on anything you have on your registry. They allowed me to add things to my registry when I did my final shop so I got the 10% discount. On items where I could use a 20% coupon they were happy to ring them through in separate transactions.

I have pulled out a just out of date coupon. The coupon says,' The discount cannot be applied to gift cards, shipping or sales tax. Offer excludes the following: Argington, babybrezza, Baby Jogger, Beaba, Bugaboo, Bumbleride, Ergobaby, Foundations, iCandy, Maxi-Cosi, Mountain Buggy, Oeuf, Orbit Baby, Phil & Teds, Plan toys, Quinny, Svan, Teutonia, Under Armour, Uppa Baby, diapers, wipes, formula, baby food or portrait studio services. Valid for 10% off Dutaliler or Peg Perego products.'

When is your DH going? I am fine to mail the 20% off coupons to your DH's office in NYC if I am around.

Want2be- thanks, all that is really helpful.
I'll have a look at the GAP US website and see what they have although TBH i was just going to let DH loose in there as he has always had a good eye for what will suit me, so if they dont have anything nice then no harm done really, I'll just pick up a few bits here (i'll only be 21 weeks when he goes so I'm getting by with mainly normal clothes still at the moment).
Thanks for the coupon offer but it sounds like we wont be able to use it on any of the buggies we like anyway (and DP doesn't have a NYC office, he's just tagging along with his pilot friend for the journey as his flight is free, he just has to pay airport taxes and thats it. Its just a glorified piss up really, and the shopping thing is probably just to butter me up because he's going away for three days, but TBH I'm not really bothered!)

I'm being thick i think but what is sales tax? Is it like VAT? So the advertised prices on the buy buy baby website, for instance, are they excluding sales tax?
Will everything be 10% dearer than i thought?

Sales tax is VAT... In Manhattan it is 8.875% and you need to add that onto the price shown on their website. The easiest way to avoid the sales tax is to order the stroller through Amazon and have them send it to the hotel. You can order it before your DH arrives at the hotel. I would just give the hotel a call ahead of time. I checked and shipping is free within the US with their 3-5 day free super saver shipping.

For maternity wear I found pea in the pod to be the best but it is pricey. Their sales are very good and the prices are the majority of things are better than anywhere else for the same quality of clothing. Motherhood maternity is their cheaper range and it isn't bad either. You can get cute dresses for $30 or from $15 in the sale. Again go on their website and take a look at what is on offer (the destination maternity website shows everything). There is a sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear that costs less than $110 in NYC. If the item costs $110.01 you pay the full sales tax (8.875%) on the whole amount.

Update...
We have an Uppababy Vista, currently on its way home in the cockpit of the plane
Even with sales tax it was much cheaper in the US so well worth it.
And DP said he was going to try to claim the sales tax back in the airport, not sure how he got on yet but may be another saving.
We tried a few prams out in John Lewis and the Uppababy ended up as our favourite. I like the fact the carrycot is suitable for overnight sleeping, too- so no need for a travel cot initially either.
Now also hoping that DP has had time to visit the diamond district

That's good news! Fingers crossed re the diamonds!