Originally Posted by naamanf
Would you actually have to pay duty fees for something you sent off to get repaired?
No, not for the value of the whole item, but in Germany you'd have to pay customs fees and import VAT for the value of the replacement part, the labor costs and the costs of the return shipment.
Especially the part with the duty fees for the costs of the return shipment is unbelievable, I know, but it's an odd fact.
The whole process is a pain in the arse since you have to fill out forms in advance, add a copy of the original customs receipt as proof that you have already payed the duty fees for the whole item when it was imported, and you are dependant on the good will of the customs officer.
Bad mood means the copy of the original receipt has to be attested, you have to prove that the combined costs are not underdeclared (which is impossible to do), the headphones vanish into a dark hole at customs for several weeks and in the end they are inspected to death.The latter is a team sport.They kick them around until they fall into pieces and when you complain they tell you with a grin in the face :
"It's your constitutional right to sue the government.Good luck.Oh wait, there's no way to prove that they were in perfect working order at time of shipment.Or maybe the parcel service messed it up.Who knows ......."
That's certainly the worst case and not the usual procedure but something similar has happened to most people here that deal internationally on a regular basis.
Besides of that it's quite expensive to ship them into the U.S. (more than $120 for a fast, reliable service with tracking number) .Insuring for more than 500 Euros (~$730 ) is unpracticable as far as DHL is concerned.The parcel has to be sealed in a special way almost undoable without the appropriate skills and tools.
When you utilize UPS insuring up to $50000 is no problem but you get hit by the infamous customs handling fee.
I do import and export quite often across the EU borders . I'm quite experienced and I know ways to circumvent some of the costs and hassles.Ways that are different dependant on the country of origin and the particular circumstances.
I'm ready to take the risks and stand the hassles in order to get what is unobtainable or unreasonably priced on our local european market, but all those potential costs and hassles to get some pads replaced? Regularly?
I'm not thrilled about it .......
I do understand that professinal pad locking mechanisms we are used to like bajonet joints etc. might be undoable due to economies of scale effects, but something simple and cheap like the removable Stax Lambda pads that are glued onto the headphones with double sided tape is certainly doable.
Nowadays there are even way better glue technologies.I have some very powerful double sided glue strips made by the german company Henkel.I believe 3M produces something similar.This stuff should be easily sufficient to glue leather pads onto headphones in a firmly manner and nevertheless this strong stuff is detachable without a residue or other traces by twisting it.
