Good luck in customs.

 

Where? Outbound customs in Japan didn't check any of my tax free purchases the last 4 times I went.

 

Not really if its anything like my experience with stereo and cameras, not much cheaper. The dollar is strong though so the exchange rate will help. Oh yeah, watch for customs, if you go too crazy buying stuff theyll start looking at you

 

Unless you know where to go, don’t expect walking into a local mom and pap bike shop and they will have xtr in abundance growing on trees. Same deal occurs as here, they can order it for you if you can wait. The one shop I was in had bridgestone bikes. You should import that and sell it here for profit instead.

If I recall correctly the REI equivalent there is call NEOS.

 

So 3-4 cassettes for example is ok with customs? Japanese authorities are pretty strict I heard so instead of Shimano maybe I will just get some blue fin and bring it back.

 

So instead of trying to dodge just customs, you'll be dodging customs AND ag? You're usually allowed a certain dollar amount of stuff to bring back, I'm sure you can find that info online. Raw meat and produce is a no no.

 

What's an optimal exchange rate for you?

 

Well Siri says $1 = 134 yen at the moment so I guess would be a little less if I were to do it at Bofa.

 

I play Roland vDrums (electronic drums), and there are some sellers on eBay from Japan that sell Roland stuff in the box considerably cheaper. Maybe when you are in Japan, buy some stuff and send it back home with the paperwork marked as repair parts or something, think that avoids import duties

 

Not one bit cheaper from my experience.

 

I overnight parts from Japan for racewars

[honestly: look up how much product value you can bring back. And if you can take apart, you can state their repair parts. Will carry a lesser value since they go by MSRP if its the whole item with packaging]

 

I overnight parts from Japan for racewars

[honestly: look up how much product value you can bring back. And if you can take apart, you can state their repair parts. Will carry a lesser value since they go by MSRP if its the whole item with packaging]

I have 4 people total so each can have a certain amount? So the tax would be from both Japan and US side?

 

If my reading comprehension is correct I see 10,000 yen = $75.20 @ 10:30pst per person is duty free which isn’t much. Most likely will be a carry on since I cant get a carbon w/o duties fees. Please verify thanks.

Procedures of Passenger Clearance : Japan Customs

Edit
Feels like I need to find out customs duty fees for the states lol

 

Feels like I need to find out customs duty fees for the states lol

Yup...last I heard it was like 11% for a whole bike after a certain threshold (this was a looong time ago when I'd done some research). No clue on parts, but when we went like 7 years ago IIRC the max total goods you can purchase and bring back was like $10K and only for personal use. If you're picked for a random inspection and an agent thinks it's for resale you're pretty mush SOL and will have to pay duties. We mostly came back with some snacks, food, and T-shirts. They took a few of our food items in our packed bags that had pork as one of the ingredients even though it was cooked...ah, so many rules.

 

Here is what I found $800/person it seems

CBP Customer Service

Also the sample of the CUSTOMS DECLARATION handout also says $800:

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%206059B%20English%20%28Sample%20Watermark%29.pdf

So the value is based in MSRP from the states not Japan?

 

I've done some stop-overs in Japan.
I always got the detailed departure experience.
I thought it was normal.

 

I'm surprised bike parts aren't cheaper. I have bought Shimano fishing parts online from Japanese vendors/sellers and usually save ~15-20%. Worth it if you can wait an extra couple of days.

 

The way the industry forecasts are looking, you just might start seeing parts at close to wholesale again via grey market channels (eBay from Taiwan, China, Europe, etc). But there won’t be a glut of XTR as compared to GX level, IMO.
I do predict the next iteration of XTR might drop this fall, so usually that means deals on existing generation products.