2. amps-preamps
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Avoiding US dealer markups

Looking at a phono stage by a UK manufacturer. The US authorized dealer monopolist seems to mark up by ~30% from what I could buy this for locally. On a $2200 unit, that's not nothing. 

I am considering shipping it to a friend who is local and having them ship it to me, at a relatively small cost.

Seems like a logical approach. I could buy 25-50 LPs with the savings.

Am I missing something?

saulh
dinov's avatar
dinov
831 posts
 

Voltage? Import duties and taxes etc. risky

divertiti
225 posts
 

Typically the UK price already includes VAT, so if the US dealer price is another 30% above the already VAT included dealer price from UK, that's a lot. Then again, you will have to consider international shipping cost if it's a heavy unit, as well as possible import duties however I believe amps and dacs and duty exempt in the US.

pmiller115's avatar
pmiller115
96 posts
 

Don't we complain that there are no -or not enough- brick and mortar stores to shop audio equipment but are now begrudging that store earning enough money to keep the doors open? I don't like paying higher dealer prices for gear either but I also don't and wouldn't work for free -why should they?

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