Avoiding US dealer markups

there are parallel posts on this and other forums, bemoaning the loss and lack of availability of brick and mortar retailers, can’t hear this, can’t try that, can't see the other, gotta shell out money, then risk no lik-eee...

then there is this...

like so many outcomes in our world, our lives, we get what we ask for, often times

Depending on the gear needing to be imported it can make a lot of sense. In the case of the OP, perhaps not as the unit would be as blackdoghifi pointed out, but in the case of a cartridge, or cables, or furniture...that would be a different matter.

If the dealer is providing a service or benefit for you, they're worth it. In this case, easy to see dealer is providing value. Some non-US equipment may have switchable voltage on power supplies, so ok on this front, but then you have shipping costs, possible duty and warranty issues.

There are some manufacturers using different business models in that they sell direct, bypassing distributors and dealers.

I purchased the PRO-Ject pre box s2 when it first came out from A UK dealer for $299. The price here was $479. It had a wal wart  with multiple plug adaptors for whatever country it was being sold in. Shipping was only $20 some dollars. 

@builder3 + 1