Anybody that has bought from overseas (via Ebay, B&H etc), how much does it cost?

[Ricus.stormfire]

Hi folks

I was wondering, how much does it cost to buy stuff from overseas, duties, taxes etc... is it worth while?

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Seriously? anybody?

I am trying to figure out if it would make more sense to buy a certain piece of equipment from say the US, since the prices are better for that than in SA.... but there are duties and taxes (and shipping) to pay, right? Well how much is that? I have no idea.

 

[Janko]

Hey dude,

Buying from overseas is totally worth it, you can get amazing deals, and often material you can't find here in South-Africa.
e-bay is reliable, and has lots of good security. I struggle to pay with paypal on ebay though, but with a creditcard it's as easy as 1-2-3.

One of my friends builds his own guitars, and other than wood, he buys everything else from the U.S.A. to Japan, to anywhere else. Never has any trouble, only thing is, that if you choose free shipping(which ebay offers for most items) the shipping time can take up to two months, however, depending on the product, you can pay for speedy delivery and if it's not heavy, it's cheap.

Give it a shot.

Janko

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Ok, thanks Janko, Tax and duties on items, is that a major issue/cost? (I have no idea).... welcome to the group by the way.

 

[Janko]

I don't think you get taxed after payment, most items you buy online are tax included, on ebay you mostly buy second hand, which doens't have taxes.
Shipping was free when I bought clothes(or included in the price) and I didn't have to pay at collection.

Janko