system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it ~40% more expensive to buy a laptop/phone in England than it is in the US? (Trying to bring mom out of stone age)

 Insane what it costs to buy the exact same phone/laptop from .co.uk (play store/amazon/e-shops) than from US.

(+Kudos for helping me make it affordable. Right now im trying to find if even with 'import fees', will it be cheaper than buying it in England).

Why is this? Regulation hurdles? Import tariffs? Exchange rate (this one i least understand)?
gpt
There are a number of things to consider:

* VAT (value added tax) adds 20% to the price of any taxable items, and unlike in the US, advertised prices have to include all applicable taxes.

* Warranty coverage. Within the EU, consumers can make a claim for faulty/misdescribed goods within the first two years, and British law goes beyond that in some cases. Because by law consumers essentially get a 'free extended warranty' and retailers/manufacturers have to bear the costs for that, this will usually result in higher prices.

* Manufacturers do set different prices in different countries partly because they can.