Does anyone know of a web store within the EU that might sell the original Japanese YKK books? I also travel to London fairly often so suggestions of stores there are also appreciated (I live in Finland; not many Japanese bookstores that I know of here).
Shipping from the US (or Japan) often tends toward pricey plus dealing with the customs isn't much fun (the more you hate people, the easier it is to get a post as a customs agent, apparently).
- vuori
Saturday, February 5, 2005
I bought the artbook at Sasuga. Not the first thing I got from overseas, so I knew what to expect: 2 additional weeks delivery time, getting it personally from the post office to pay taxes and custom fees, etc...
But I was really surprised when I found the package in my mail box just one week later. Sasuga declared the package value only with 25$ (it was actually 39.20$ + 12$ shipping). So it wasn't processed by customs. Nice trick... :-)
I live in Germany and don't know if it is the same in Finland, but I suggest to give Sasuga a try.
As for buying imports, I don't know a good EU source either. (Unless you have a good local dealer.)
- Beaker
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
I bought my copies at www.archonia.com... but they dont sell it anymore, dunno why >_<!!
Then i had to order vols 9 & 10 and did it at http://www.aclimatesolution.com/
The site looks crappy, but they do a good service, and you can order "used copies" i think, which are in good shape :D
- Gololo
Sunday, February 27, 2005
You're absolutely right in your assessment of customs officials, vuori. In Denmark, it's even more painful...
Assuming an order placed outside the EU (e.g. the U.S or Japan), you run a risk of about 70% that an otherwise unremarkable package will be picked up by local customs and subjected to import duties. For packages marked with the Amazon logo, the risk is significantly higher - close to unity.
If it gets detected by the customs weenies, they start by slapping a 25% import tax on it. Then they slap on a 40 kroner (= approx. USD 7) surcharge. They call this a "customs service fee", as if they were doing you a favour by taxing you. And... hehehe... since it's a "service", it's subject to a 25% sales tax, or 10 kroner additionally. So, you get to pay the original price (including the shipping cost, which as a "service" is also taxable), times 1.25 plus about USD 8.60.
In other words, a package ordered in the U.S. containing a book valued 10 USD and shipped for 16 USD will get a 6.50 USD tax slapped on it, plus 8.60 USD in service fees and tax of this, for a total of 41.10 USD.
Isn't that EXTRA special?
- abunai
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
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