@mulveling I guess it doesn’t concern you that this vendor is able to somehow source these cartridges and sell them at prices that are far less than anyone else...and is able to do so consistently through time. Yet, we have the factory disavowing any knowledge of him, which again begs the question...how is he sourcing these gray market goods?? Consider this: In some areas, receiving/selling stolen goods is an illegal activity. |
I don't know anything about the seller in question, but consider the fact that the Japanese yen has been severely devalued compared to baseline averages, with respect to many foreign currencies, for the past several months or more. Then add the fact that a foreign national can purchase goods in Japan free of their VAT just by displaying a foreign passport and at a further discount based on quantities and methods of payment. So, the seller in question could be buying in bulk from legitimate brick and mortar emporia in Tokyo or Osaka or other cities goods that are perfectly OK and perfectly legal, and then re-selling those goods at a profit. The prices we pay in the US are often greatly inflated in retail cost by US-based distributors and forms of import taxation that are invisible to us as buyers. If the seller has an excellent track record, it is probably a sign he is honest. |
As long as the buyer knows what the risk factors are for gray market and is buying from a reputable seller, it presents a decision. I know that Koetsu supposedly will not work on any gray market cartridge even out of warranty, or so I'm told. A lot of people go the third party retip route, which raises a different set of issues. My Airtight Supreme, which had a lot of miles, got repaired by Peter L.- he did not change the factory cantilever but instead inserted a new stylus into the original cantilever and realigned the motor assembly. That was money well spent. On the Koetsus, I'd send them back to the factory for full refurbishment, rather than have a third party work on them (though there was one vendor in France who was known for its impeccable work on them). It's all trade offs, cost and risk. You, the buyer, have to be the judge. High end cartridges are now crazy money. |
The Koetsu distributor in the US might not honor any warranty on these cartridges, but Koetsu the company in Tokyo might well do so, if the cartridge was sourced in Japan. I bought an Urushi in person from a reputable salon in Tokyo, and when I got home I found the cantilever was misaligned. I had a certificate of warranty from the selling dealer, and Koetsu honored it. Within a few weeks I got back a new cartridge. I don't know whether this seller offers any sort of warranty that resembles what I received, but in his case he might exchange a brand new item if it is defective out of the box. |
