Will anyone be buying a bike / bike related gubbins before the VAT increase? Or is the extra percentage not worrying you too much?

They won’t change

Pricing is already at 2011 VAT on new products so there will be no increase.

You may find though that dealers will be more keen to do deals now though when they have an extra few % to play with.

I remember reading an interesting tweet from @Lord_Sugar recently. Went along the lines of retailers have set pricing points, £9.99, £99.99, £199.99 and so on. These will never change so retailers will either swallow the increase or more than likely they will put the squeeze on their suppliers in order that they pay less for the goods in the first place!
Kinda makes sence when you think about it….

I try not to let it get to me. We’ve always had to pay purchase Tax / V.A.T. at various rates over the years and the extra this time amounts to £25 for every £1,000 spent. Most food remains at 0% and heating fuels I believe remain at 5% so the only essentials that are affected are bikes / bike parts 8)

Pricing is already at 2011 VAT on new products so there will be no increase.

So manufacturers have been ripping us off for the past few months by overcharging us instead of a price rise in Jan? Nice

I found when the drop in VAT came in the stores had to be conspicuously showing a reduction (either at the till or on the stickers); but way before the rise again everything seemed to be at those price points again e.g. classic example were video games. I swear nothing changed when we went back to 17.5%. So I’m sure margins were increased for a few months running up the increase back to 17.5. Of course with the changes happening around the January sales anything can be hidden.
Shall be interesting this time.

I needed a new motorbike for work, and have ordered it and will be paying on the 31st (last ‘proper’ working day).

Whether its saved me anything, who knows – but its another £400 that I didn’t have to bargain off.

Can’t genuinely believe the major stores are going to change all the prices on their items from £9.99 to £10.24 or whatever.

Might find the online items that often have random seeming prices might get on with it as it’ll be an easier task, and often VAT isn’t included until checkout anyway.

Yes but £199.99 just becomes £209.99 etc etc. Thus the shop actualy manages to put up its price by £5 and just blames it on the VAT man, they’ll probably tell their suppliers to absorb it as well for a double whammy.

with vat changes wouldnt it just be more transparent and more honest to the buyer and cheaper/less hassle for the retailers to just show the list price without vat?

with vat changes wouldnt it just be more transparent and more honest to the buyer and cheaper/less hassle for the retailers to just show the list price without vat?

But do you know what is and is not vat exempt?