Buying from the US

Not sure if this has been posted before but I can't find it on any searches so apologies if this has been covered.

I'm waiting until after christmas to get a digi camera but keeping my eyes out for bargains in the meantime. My flatmate tells me he has a friend in the states who could buy it and send it over.

So my wonderings...

Is it worth the hassle to get someone to buy it over there and ship it over here all things considered i.e hassle, shipping, duty etc?

 

I am myself considering importing speakers from the US, at the current rate of exchange and keeping the middle man out of the loop you are bound to save some, if import duties are not excessively high. But:

for a camera, keep in mind that the AC adapter will be 110 V and not necessarily self-switching

make sure the original purchase is made by mail order from a state different from where the dealer is located, in order to not to pay sales tax (on small, expensive items, shipping will generally be less than sales tax)

Cheers