Genelec is too expensive in the USA

[orange_juice]

A rare 20% black Friday discount on new Genelecs from Finnish design shop.

That's a good deal and I seem to have missed it.

I recently (last week) got my first pair of Genelec speakers (Genelec G Three) from a local dealer and got a 5% discount on them (price without tax was $695 each for black and $795 for white) and since it was local dealer, I picked them up so no shipping cost.

Total was $1450 with tax.

 

[genesisaudiorack]

might not be the case, but maybe there is a import ban from importers lying about value. i bought from thomman a vintage 30 cab and they lied on import documents to reduce all shipping and import fees. i got a call one day from customs to release my package and had to pay a delta and a small penalty. i wonder if the import issues with packaging, insurance, and customs declarations are or have been a issue here. also there are re-shippers in all over uk and europe and south africa that will accept the package and re ship it to you. never used it but i had customers do it before.

 

[Randyman...]

Same for Neumann speakers - USA pricing is outrageous. Thomann has been blocking Neumann sales to USA customers for some time, but MusicStore was still allowing it. I just snuck in and got (3) KH-150's from MusicStore.com and saved like $1600 or 1/3 total cost with basically zero tariffs! But as of this week, MusicStore is also showing the "Manufacturer has asked us not to ship to your country" for Neumann. Not sure if a phone call to them would provide any "un-official wiggle-room" on this. That was a buzzer-beater on my part, but seems the party is over...

 

[Xyrium]

Are those models imported from musicstore autoswitching on voltage/frequency input as well (120/240V and 50/60Hz)?

 

[Vacceo]

now you know how the rest of the world (outside of america) feels

eg, here' popular un-named consumer product

USD$699.99 | £699.99 | AU$1,200 | €799.99 | ¥119.980

MacIntosh over Europe: 50% more for the exact same product.

 

[DMill]

I'm visiting Finland early next year. Is there a good way to bring a pair of Genelecs home for a lot less?

How big is you suitcase? lol. To ensure any chance they arrive in decent condition you’d need to ship them through the normal channels and pay associated costs.

 

[Mort]

How big is you suitcase? lol. To ensure any chance they arrive in decent condition you’d need to ship them through the normal channels and pay associated costs.

yah, big ones are not realistic. I was looking at the lower end models that could actually be transported.

 

[Randyman...]

Are those models imported from musicstore autoswitching on voltage/frequency input as well (120/240V and 50/60Hz)?

Yes - The Imported KH150's are universal 100-240v 50/60Hz. Only difference was the IEC cord they came with...

 

[Haskil]

It's simply that Genelec, Neumann and others had an official distributor in the United States and to protect the latter's activity, it asks its distributors in other countries not to sell outside their own catchment area.

But it should be possible to buy speakers in Europe under bond, complete all the necessary paperwork to get the European VAT refunded and then have the speakers shipped to the United States where American customs will apply local taxes and duties. local customs...
In Europe, the VAT on these products is 20%.

 

[Roland68]

It's simply that Genelec, Neumann and others had an official distributor in the United States and to protect the latter's activity, it asks its distributors in other countries not to sell outside their own catchment area.

But it should be possible to buy speakers in Europe under bond, complete all the necessary paperwork to get the European VAT refunded and then have the speakers shipped to the United States where American customs will apply local taxes and duties. local customs...
In Europe, the VAT on these products is 20%.

A manufacturer not only invests in a distribution network, but also in support, as well as repairs and warranty processing on site.
What is common practice is that customers order cheaper abroad or on another continent and then complain about the evil manufacturer because they do not provide a warranty or support on site, which the customer has not paid for in their country.

 

[Waxx]

That is the big catch on importing on your own, the waranty you get is where you bought it.

If you live in the USA and bought in Finland, you will have to talk to the Finish customer service and send it on your own costs and risks to finland. While when you pay for the higher US prices, you also get access to the US support and repair network that is paid with that. That and tax differences are mostly what makes up the price differences.

 

[DavidEdwinAston]

And I paid about three hundred pounds duty, to get my Sierra LX's into the UK.

 

[Randyman...]

That is the big catch on importing on your own, the waranty you get is where you bought it.

If you live in the USA and bought in Finland, you will have to talk to the Finish customer service and send it on your own costs and risks to finland. While when you pay for the higher US prices, you also get access to the US support and repair network that is paid with that. That and tax differences are mostly what makes up the price differences.

This might be the case for Genelec, as another member mentioned this to me when I was researching my KH150 import situation.

However, reviewing Neumann's warranty page before my purchase did not seem to have any wording supporting this limitation for KH speakers. Fellow ASR member @Wavez called Sennheiser to check in the 120II thread and was told Neumann/KH warranty is global as long as purchased from an authorized dealer (he specifically inquired about importing 120II's from MusicStore/Germany to USA). Hoping a Neumann/Senheiser warranty won't be needed - but seems to be honored if purchased from authorized dealers. I'd think Neumann would mention it clearly in the warranty page if it was a specific exclusion. Maybe Genelec spells this out more clearly - I haven't checked their warranty page.

RE: Import Fees: I received a $4 customs processing fee for a single imported KH150 (Invoice clearly stated no tariff, even specified the value over $1200! Was only assessed a $4 fee for the processing), and have yet to receive any bill/fee for the pair that came in 2 weeks later. That pair was held-up in US Customs for a few days, so I'm expecting a bill for 2%-4% for "Electronics" Tarriffs, but it's been over 2 weeks (delivered 12/16), and I got the $4 fee/invoice for the single KH150 about a week after it arrived...

Anywhoo - I got a good deal via importing, and simply would not have purchased KH150's at US prices. I would have poached something off the used market instead...

 

[Roland68]

And I paid about three hundred pounds duty, to get my Sierra LX's into the UK.

But that's the 20% sales tax and not customs or import duties. That's the same in the EU. You pay that on every item you buy.
The product prices in the USA are always quoted without tax.

 

[Trangbar]

Same for Neumann speakers - USA pricing is outrageous. Thomann has been blocking Neumann sales to USA customers for some time, but MusicStore was still allowing it. I just snuck in and got (3) KH-150's from MusicStore.com and saved like $1600 or 1/3 total cost with basically zero tariffs! But as of this week, MusicStore is also showing the "Manufacturer has asked us not to ship to your country" for Neumann. Not sure if a phone call to them would provide any "un-official wiggle-room" on this. That was a buzzer-beater on my part, but seems the party is over...

I was curious about this restriction and if the same rules applied to Canada. I went and added a KH310 to the basket, filled out all my shipping information and no messages came up regarding restrictions. The price of a KH310A is $2300CDN (plus $89CDN shipping) vs. a Canadian retailer price of $3250CDN.

 

[Randyman...]

I was curious about this restriction and if the same rules applied to Canada. I went and added a KH310 to the basket, filled out all my shipping information and no messages came up regarding restrictions. The price of a KH310A is $2300CDN (plus $89CDN shipping) vs. a Canadian retailer price of $3250CDN.

I would not plan on these options being available much longer. I'm glad I was able to "sneak in" before MusicStore followed suit with Thomann regarding blocking Neunamm exports to USA - so I'd probably purchase sooner rather than later, or plan on saving-up for the domestic pricing.

 

[Haskil]

A manufacturer not only invests in a distribution network, but also in support, as well as repairs and warranty processing on site.
What is common practice is that customers order cheaper abroad or on another continent and then complain about the evil manufacturer because they do not provide a warranty or support on site, which the customer has not paid for in their country.

I am not saying the opposite for all brands distributed normally. Maintaining a maintenance network is expensive.
However, as you know in Europe, a resident can buy a product in any of the 27 countries of the Union and the guarantee must be applied in the buyer's country of residence.
But you also know that some importers of extra-European hifi products cause the devices they sell in Europe to take a huge tumble. An Accuphase device costs much less in Japan than in Europe, for example. Whereas in Japan it enters into commercial competition with branded products whose price hardly changes in Europe. And this is how an Accuphase device and a Sony or Pioneer device no longer belonged to the same range in Europe because the first had seen its price doubled during its trip and not the other. Ditto for McIntosh products in Europe... And all this is locked...

 

[hege]

However, as you know in Europe, a resident can buy a product in any of the 27 countries of the Union and the guarantee must be applied in the buyer's country of residence.

Not sure what you mean by this? If I buy from different EU country, most of the time it means I need to ship it back there for warranty.

 

[Roland68]

I am not saying the opposite for all brands distributed normally. Maintaining a maintenance network is expensive.
However, as you know in Europe, a resident can buy a product in any of the 27 countries of the Union and the guarantee must be applied in the buyer's country of residence.
But you also know that some importers of extra-European hifi products cause the devices they sell in Europe to take a huge tumble. An Accuphase device costs much less in Japan than in Europe, for example. Whereas in Japan it enters into commercial competition with branded products whose price hardly changes in Europe. And this is how an Accuphase device and a Sony or Pioneer device no longer belonged to the same range in Europe because the first had seen its price doubled during its trip and not the other. Ditto for McIntosh products in Europe... And all this is locked...

It is a company decision how to deal with it.
The manufacturer/distributor can add all costs that arise in the country of sale, as well as the additional profit from sales.

For example, a Japanese manufacturer who sells his product in Japan directly or through a dealer network and whose calculations are based solely on this.
All costs then come abroad, customs, taxes, transport costs, insurance, sales costs and profits of the separate company, guarantee, repairs, etc.
The price can actually double.

Other companies aim to have the same prices as possible in all countries and pass the costs on equally to all buyers. In some cases, luxury taxes or lower income are evenly offset.

Everything in between is possible.

 

[Haskil]

Not sure what you mean by this? If I buy from different EU country, most of the time it means I need to ship it back there for warranty.

What I'm saying is very simple : if I buy a car in Finland, any official garage of the vehicle brand will be required to apply the legal guarantee in all European countries where the brand is present.
If I buy a hi-fi device in Finland and I live in France, as soon as this device is distributed in France, the official representative of the brand will be required to apply the warranty.
In all cases for hi-fi devices, I would have to either take the device to the approved repairer myself, or send it to him.