Need a HOW-TO buy/sell used!

[Henmyr]

I am starting to think about buying a new amplifier and maybe a source. Buying new is expensive so I want to buy used. I now have some questions about buying and selling used stuff.

Buying:
1. Is it safe to buy $1000 worth equipment in respect to the transportation? Is it safe for an Opera to be sent from USA to Europe or have anyone had problems with it?

2. Have anyone ever had to pay taxes and customs for used stuff?

3. What is the usual shipping cost from USA-europe and europe-europe, and do everyone use insurance?

Selling:
4: Is paypal the best way to recieve payment.

That's all questions for now.

 

[tk3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henmyr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am starting to think about buying a new amplifier and maybe a source. Buying new is expensive so I want to buy used. I now have some questions about buying and selling used stuff. Buying: 1. Is it safe to buy $1000 worth equipment in respect to the transportation? Is it safe for an Opera to be sent from USA to Europe or have anyone had problems with it? 2. Have anyone ever had to pay taxes and customs for used stuff? 3. What is the usual shipping cost from USA-europe and europe-europe, and do everyone use insurance? Selling: 4: Is paypal the best way to recieve payment. That's all questions for now.

You are better off buying an Opera straight from Meier Audio, shipping will only be 2-3 days and no hassle with customs.
No sense in buying it used from outside EU, you'll still have to pay around 20% customs tax and 2% import duty + some "handling" fees, and the package could take 2-3+ weeks to arrive if it's held up by customs.
With such an expensive item, insurance is required, and thus you will have to pay for the full declared value at customs.

If you can buy it used from an EU country for a reduced price, that's great if the seller has good feedback here, else I would just buy it new from Meier Audio, it's not worth it to buy it outside EU.
In short, it'll take much longer to arrive, and accounting for customs charging you won't be much cheaper off, if at all.


For me, the only reason to buy an item from overseas is if the item costs a lot more locally.
For example, the Shure E500 PTH used to go for €600 here (now only €500, yay!), while in the US there were some super deals to get them for around $250, that's nearly 1/4 of the local price.
So even with international shipping and possible customs fees, you'll be much cheaper off (not accounting for fakes, warranty, hazards of long distance shipping, etc).

Same thing goes with headphones like Grados, or Stax, that have outrageous prices over here.
Like the store price for Omega II is around $3900 for just the headphones!

Yes, the Europeans are crazy.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henmyr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Buying: 1. Is it safe to buy $1000 worth equipment in respect to the transportation? Is it safe for an Opera to be sent from USA to Europe or have anyone had problems with it? 2. Have anyone ever had to pay taxes and customs for used stuff? 3. What is the usual shipping cost from USA-europe and europe-europe, and do everyone use insurance? Selling: 4: Is paypal the best way to recieve payment.

1. Nothing is 100% safe. But buying from a seller with good feedback, either here or on eBay are relatively safe.
Get him/her to pack double boxed, and it should arrive safely as well.

2. That highly depends on the declared valued set by the seller.
I have been "lucky", and have paid far less VAT than I should have. Or no VAT at all.

3. For an Opera? Around $50 maybe? I really don't know, since it depends on the weight.

4. PayPal is easy for both parts. But there might be cheaper ways to transfer money, especially for large sums.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Same thing goes with headphones like Grados, or Stax, that have outrageous prices over here. Like the store price for Omega II is around $3900 for just the headphones! Yes, the Europeans are crazy.

I hear you!
Both Grado and Stax are insane priced over here. As an example the Stax 4070 retails for $3380 in Norway, while I got my pair for $1350 (incl. shipping and VAT) from Japan. Thats just insane!

Approx. same price difference for Grado, compared to the US prices...

 

[Henmyr]

Thanks for the answers. So if I'm not as lucky as I was with my ms2s (no tax at all

) then a used opera from the US will be much higher.

Will be looking for a used in europe then, as there should be no taxes if I understand it right. Or I might even buy a brand new one

Thanks again.

 

[tk3]

Yeah, no customs charges in EU, because the VAT is already included in the retail price.
That's partly why products are so expensive in EU compared to outside EU, besides the outrageous markups from importing foreign goods.

 

[Dzjudz]

Within the EU there are no financial borders, i.e. no customs or taxes.

 

[vcoheda]

my advice is buy used, always request photos, and buy from someone reliable - this means someone with good and recent feedback. i trust the feedback on audiogon and here, not so much on ebay. oh and always ask how the item will be shipped - i.e., what type of packaging will be used. nothing worse than receiving an item through the mail that is damaged in some manner -even if it's minor - because of poor packaging. good sellers will pack stuff well, very well.

good luck.