“So, why does the new ZMF ATRIUM – for example – cost $ 2.800 in the US and €3.100 in Euro ???”

OK, let us take a closer look: Google says today that USD 2.800 is EURO 2.760 !!! (in early September ’22)

Hmmm, so why on earth does your favourite head-fi dealer ask €3.100?

Let’s calculate:

We start with €2.760

At the moment of import duty 3% and VAT 21% is due – and just like that we come out at €3.422,- 

Add exchange fees, shipping cost and think of currency fluctuation and quickly you are at the 3.500,-

When you order a product from outside the EU you will have to pay import duty and VAT as well.

OK, you say, but in that case I will bring my new headphone with me on the plane back from my next business trip:

In that case you will have to take into consideration that many US states have a sales tax of up to 9.5 percent. Now your $2.800 just became up to $3.050.

And then of course you are legally obliged to still pay the import duty and VAT at the airport. The fine for smuggling your equipment across the boarder is – if I read the regulations correctly – 30% of the value. Should that happen your $2.800 become close to €3.640,- …
And then the coffee in that customs office is just not as good as in my shop!

But that story doesn’t end here:

Fast forward 3, 6 or 18 months: Your amplifier just stopped working! Products sold in the EU automatically have a warranty of 2 years, while outside the EU, in many cases the warranty is limited to 1 year. At this point you start to send you defective product overseas, … you get the idea…

Which brings us to another frequently asked question:

“Stefan, why don’t you import product XYZ? The reviews are fantastic…!”

EU regulations like the 2 year warranty or the C.E. quality and safety audit make it impossible to sell many brands and products inside the EU. Some brands refuse to extend the warranty beyond 1 year or are not able to get the C.E. label.