FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,214
UK-based online merchants are not required to charge VAT on purchases shipped outside the EU. Some will charge the same price irrespective, and of those, some will still pay away the VAT to HMRC, others will pocket it. As mentioned above, most US states say you're supposed to pay use tax (not sales tax, but usually the same rate) on your tax return. Few people bother.
You cannot, however, reclaim VAT from HMRC on items shipped out of the EU.