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Ordering overseas from Thomann?


slammer

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Curious to know if anyone in the US has ordered from Thomann over in Germany and specifically whether or not you had to pay a customs tax for the product to the US gov't.

 

Any experiences with Thomann or with the customs tax question are appreciated.

 

Thanks!

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I bought my guitar from Thomann, and it worked almost perfectly.

 

The only issue was, that I had first ordered a Faded G-400 (expected in stock in a couple of weeks), but some days after my order the status was changed to "unknown delivery time". But after contacting them, they immediately cancelled it so I could order another guitar.

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My guess Slammer is GASsing for one of these

 

EPIPHONE RIVIERA LIMITED EDTION CH

 

Epiphone Riviera Limited Edtion CH , E-Guitar, Maple Body, Set Neck Mahogany, Rosewood Fretboard, Parallelogramm Inlays, Scale 628 mm, 2x Mini Humbucker Pickups, Chrome Hardware, Limited Edition Logo on back of headstock, Color Cherry gloss

 

http://www.thomann.de/se/epiphone_riviera_limited_edtion_ch.htm

 

224007.jpg

 

Am I right Slammer?????

 

Otis has got one.....shame they don't have a LH edition

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]
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Sheesh! I just checked my account with Thomann, I've made 33 orders with them in the last 2 years. I live in Germany though. You will most likely have to pay import tax on items going into the States. I almost always have to pay import tax on items coming from the States to Germany. RSGuitarworks, Axesrus, GFS, Allparts, fleabay purchases, etc.

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Thanks everybody for the replies... sorry for not responding sooner.

 

Great to hear of the good experiences with Thomann.... checked out their website and seems like a great music store. In reponse to the earlier question, I wasn't looking for a Riviera but was trying to get my hands on one of the '59 Ltd Edition Les Paul's. I could not seem to locate one in the US..... until I got a tip from Rewddawg [cool] to look at Sam Ash.

 

Initially I tried Sam Ash direct (their online store) and they said they're completely sold out and were not taking new orders... pretty much the same story as I got from the other big online chains in the US. That's when I started looking at Thomann.

 

Was pretty much going to pull the trigger and thought I would give my local Sam Ash store in Atlanta a ring as I remembered the Sam Ash online store is not really affiliated with the retail outlets. A great guy named Zander works there (bought a Les Paul Robot from him a few months back) and he tracked down what he claims is the last '59 in stock in any of their stores.

 

I snapped it up and it should be here next week! Thanks for the tip Rewddawg... in the end Sam Ash came through.

 

BTW - those pics with AC/DC are killer... really jealous.

 

Slammer

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All other countries' date=' so the US, too should be the "German-Price" less that 19% and you have to pay the "import duty" from your country.

At least it is described that way on the thomann page for people from "Eastern-Europe" who wanna buy equipment there, they must go to the german "custom-office" in Bamberg for the papers.[/quote']

 

This is a good point. Make sure you don't pay the 19% VAT tax which is included in the advertised price. You'll be paying:

 

Advertised price of guitar minus 19% of the advertised price of the guitar plus customs and shipping. Only the residents of the EU have to pay this extra 19%.

 

Congrats on the guitar. Enjoy it!

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Advertised price of guitar minus 19% of the advertised price of the guitar plus customs and shipping. Only the residents of the EU have to pay this extra 19%.

 

Actually, it may be anotehr VAT than 19 %.

 

When selling goods as distance sales (webshows, mailorder etc) from one EU country to another, there is a reference value. If a company sells more to a country than this reference value during a year, they have to register for VAT in that country and charge the local VAT, not the VAT for the country of sale. The reference value is different in every EU-ountry and it is lower in countries with high VAT.

 

For Thomann I would guess they sell too much to most other EU-countries to stay below the reference value and therefore may charge your "local" VAT.

 

Actually, there are some webshops that only sell to certain coutrnies until they have reached the referenace value and then stop until the next year starts just to avoid having to register for VAT in another country.

 

But it is correct, export from EU should be charged with no VAT.

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Thanks everybody for the replies... sorry for not responding sooner.

 

Great to hear of the good experiences with Thomann.... checked out their website and seems like a great music store. In reponse to the earlier question' date=' I wasn't looking for a Riviera but was trying to get my hands on one of the '59 Ltd Edition Les Paul's. I could not seem to locate one in the US..... until I got a tip from Rewddawg [biggrin to look at Sam Ash.

 

Initially I tried Sam Ash direct (their online store) and they said they're completely sold out and were not taking new orders... pretty much the same story as I got from the other big online chains in the US. That's when I started looking at Thomann.

 

Was pretty much going to pull the trigger and thought I would give my local Sam Ash store in Atlanta a ring as I remembered the Sam Ash online store is not really affiliated with the retail outlets. A great guy named Zander works there (bought a Les Paul Robot from him a few months back) and he tracked down what he claims is the last '59 in stock in any of their stores.

 

I snapped it up and it should be here next week! Thanks for the tip Rewddawg... in the end Sam Ash came through.

 

BTW - those pics with AC/DC are killer... really jealous.

 

Slammer

Glad you finally found one. Post pics when it arrives and let us know what you think. Congrats!

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Actually' date=' it may be anotehr VAT than 19 %.[/b']

 

When selling goods as distance sales (webshows, mailorder etc) from one EU country to another, there is a reference value. If a company sells more to a country than this reference value during a year, they have to register for VAT in that country and charge the local VAT, not the VAT for the country of sale. The reference value is different in every EU-ountry and it is lower in countries with high VAT.

 

For Thomann I would guess they sell too much to most other EU-countries to stay below the reference value and therefore may charge your "local" VAT.

 

Actually, there are some webshops that only sell to certain coutrnies until they have reached the referenace value and then stop until the next year starts just to avoid having to register for VAT in another country.

 

But it is correct, export from EU should be charged with no VAT.

 

According to his location entry, "slammer" (the buyer) lives in Atlanta (U.S.A.). That means he pays no VAT.

 

When an American tourist buys goods in the EU, any VAT he paid is refunded upon returning home. This also applies here.

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