I suppose it could be described as a 'scam', but it was a simple birthday present... what annoyed me was not so much the VAT being levied as I expected that from previous experiences but Amazon being unable to ship by the cheapest postage rate.
Luckily this does not apply to books into the UK since they are zero rated.
Unless it involves tobacco or alcohol coming into the UK. But that is duty rather than VAT is it not?
Once returning from the US to the UK via Schiphol, I had a couple of hours lay-over and so nipped out of the 'duty free zone' (sorry, can't think of a better name) to buy a couple of bottles of jenever and korenwijn... technically I suppose I was importing them from Holland although probably some law exists which makes this illegal... or rather duty payable as I was only on 'Dutch soil' for 15 minutes or so.
Axel