It's far more attractive to personally import from Europe to the US than vice versa. Into the US, imports are on an FOB basis where (as long as they are paid/enumerated separately) freight and insurance costs are not included in the dutiable amount.
In addition, VAT/Sales tax is not chargeable the point of entry - however,as I understand it, data is supplied to local authorities so the importer may or may not get a subsequent sales tax bill.
Two other points to note. It is important to check freight costs, especially for heavy items such as speaker as prices have literally gone through the roof.
Second, it it wise to buy a loudspeaker unheard? The alternative to go and audition the speaker at a bricks and mortar store, but that raises all kinds of free riding dilemmas.
Lastly, many high end manufacturers look very unfavourably on transshipping. One of the main reasons they do is that the price charged in individual markets reflects the cost of doing business in that market which include all of the logistics, distribution and product support costs. So what is cheapest for one individual in the short term may not be best in the long term for a broader cohort of consumers in the market in the longer term.
PS Gobel do have a US distributor.
