Getting cheap gear from the states

morganism

AKA OLMEC
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I'm looking to buy some gear from the states, mainly cause the price is most definately right!! Especially with the exchange rate at the mo.

Has anyone done this before?

If i spend $500 on a CDJ800 (about £280) will i have to pay extreme import costs? (that's an example, if i was to go ahead i'd probably be spending more like $1000)

Can i get around issues by getting family in the states to buy them and send them as a "Gift" to me?

Obviously i'd need to adjust power supplies etc. but has anyone imported hi-tech stuff (CDJs, Mixers, Synths etc.) from the states?

I'd like to know any experiences people have had with stuff like this.

Morgan
 
yeah it is a lot cheaper, definitely. just remember, large electric appliances mite need a transformer for the power, not just one of those little jack converters. i'm definitely not sure about that, make sure u can get it powered without too much hassle, cause theyre 110 and we're 220 or the other way round. :)
 
Whenever I've looked at stuff (guitars, hardware filters etc.) from the States, the postage alone is either not possible or astronomically expensive. Are you planning to go out there yourself and bring the kit back, or am I just looking in the wrong places?
 
yeah, the carriage on kit is the crippler along with the duty. Depending on how heavy the item is it may not be worth your while.
 
There seem to be a few places in the states that do international delivery at a reasonable price, so i don't think that will be a problem (even with shipping i'll still save money). I'm just wondering whether i will have to pay any sort of import tax because that may make it not worth while.

Thanks for the replies, i'm going to speak to some family out there see if they have any ideas. (keep any info coming though :P )

Morgan
 
Tip: Read up on your country's import rules

I live in the Netherlands and ordered a sample-cd from an American website once. The cd itself cost me about $99, but a few weeks after that, I got a letter from FedEx about the import tax I was to pay... an additional $37 :?
 
Thanks for the info, the website was helpful (even if it went a bit over my head)

It looks like the import tax is different depending on what type of good you're importing, it seems to import a soundcard there is no import tax, however if i wanted to get some cdjs i'd have to pay 4% which doesn't sound that bad.

I'm going to get in touch with some retailers in ther states who might be able to help.

But any additional info would be appreciated, is there anyone with experience of importing music tech type equipment from the states?

keep it coming!!!

morgan
 
I would be extremely careful.

A couple of years ago I bought a 2nd hand bass from a shop in the U.S. for what I thought was a really good price.

By the time the shipping costs were added it was starting to look less of a bargain, but still cheaper that I'd have paid in the UK.

But then came the final kick in the bollocks - I got charged duty at the standard VAT rate. I felt I'd been mugged. Almost all my savings got wiped out by shipping and VAT. :mad:
 
Yeah import tax is 17.5% like VAT. If you are a VAT-reg business this makes sense, but otherwise I think only buy from the US if u are there and u can be bothered with power transformers (for electric stuff). The best way is to get someone in the States to buy it and send it as a present avoiding tax on it. ;)
 
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