Smart SDR Upgrade fee - and national VAT

DL2KBQ

Hello flexradio folks!
I purchased my 6300 in march 2016, have some unresolved technical problems (to low output power) wich came back some weeks after repair. And now I have to pay 199$ + VAT 19% for Germany for a fuc**ing Software upgrade, really?
And the best, I did not know this until, the upgrade has been done!
You should place a hint to the upgrade fees before letting the user download and install the software! The second problem is the VAT calculation at your shopping site. You name a price of 199$ - you should place a hint that national VAT is additional! Third, I have a german VAT number, it should be possible to sell the upgrade without the VAT. I don ́t believe that the collected VAT is refundable by the german tax authorities. Finally I must say, that I am really unhappy! I went back to V1.10.16 and will use it in the future, I think this 6300 will be my first and my last Flexradio!

Best regards 73 de DL2KBQ

Ria

Respectfully, your beef is with your Government and the EU not anyone at Flex radio. Flex is required to collect tax on downloadable software per EU regulations. The VAT is not exempt except for B2B which means you'd have to be one of their resellers. The other option they have is to sell the upgrade through the dealer network and they would collect the VAT anyway. If you don't like VAT, tell your Government, either directly or at the ballot box.

Steve K9ZW

I don't get thus, that because of your own nation's tax collection you are off in a huff, and expect FRS to play games doing tax evasion in the boot? Unless you are using your FRS software for commercial use or for resale you get VAT assessed. I sure would never have gone on a public forum confirming your intent was the avoid VAT on a hobby buy. We all know it gets done, but seldom talked about. It isn't any skin off FRS nose that your local taxes ****. Nor should they have to even take the discount of having a VAT brokerage take a cut of their proceeds to process collected VAT. But that they do (I personally would have priced Europe to reflect those costs). Think you should rethink if for a tax of €34 ish you are really going to sit this one out. 73 Steve K9ZW

G0VLF

Ria is correct. Unfortunately, VAT rate charged is between 15% and 25% and is determined by the customer’s country of residence in the EU. FlexRadio has to comply with individual countries legislation.