European prices: Korg shouldn't wait until Frankfurt

SpIdErWeB · Post by **SpIdErWeB** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:47 pm

It's not forbidden... you just have to return your keyboard where you bought it if you want to enjoy the guarantee... and of course you have to import it by yourself which means paying the VAT and customs...

Never been a problem for me... And once you know how it works it's easy to have your local dealer to match a price. It's always better to buy to your local store, even if it's a little bit ($100-200) more expensive.

Phil

dokido · Post by **dokido** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:24 pm

Well the US dealer told me it was forbidden. I have send the question to Korg so we have to wait and see then. Perhaps its different to different countries in Europe?

The best way to find a good price is to relate to thomann, it actually works good. But now, when the price for Kronos perhaps will rise, to import from US could be a good way, if its allowed.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:26 pm

I guess the European prices will be moderate enough to keep us away from looking for alternatives, so I don't really worry, especially not after the Korg interview statement about a rough 3000-4000 Euro end user margin.

So don't worry, be happy, until a problem of that kind really shows up

dokido · Post by **dokido** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:04 pm

Yes, but what does that mean? 3000 - 4000 for 61k, or for 61k-88k?

sewa · Post by **sewa** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:50 pm

dokido wrote:But now, when the price for Kronos perhaps will rise, to import from US could be a good way, if its allowed.

Nothing prevents you from doing that. I mean we live in the free world but there are certain rules to respect: you have to pay your local VAT (around 20% of the price) + custom duties (not that much). For that reason it makes sense to import used gear from the US (much lower price, much lower VAT). Nevertheless, you might find a good deal for new equipment too. Last week I almost bought a new motif XF8 from a music store in New York (ebay). They offered a demo instrument for less then 2200 Euro while Thomann sells them for 3400 over here. With shipping costs+VAT+customs I would have reached 3000 but its still better then the European price. Luckily, Thomann happened to have a B-stock XF8 on offer for 3000 so I went for this.

The moral of the story is, buying new gear in the US can sometimes save you money even with all those extra costs included. I'm sure folks at Thomann.de are aware of that

dokido · Post by **dokido** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:36 pm

Yes everybody seems to tell me its allowed however the reseller from US I was in contact with refused to sell me any Korg gear and told me it was order from Korg.

And the bad thing about this was that the expansion board, the sampler board I was trying to buy from US was completly sold out in europe, so instead I had to sell my TR-61. I wont forget that.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:03 pm

dokido wrote:Yes, but what does that mean? 3000 - 4000 for 61k, or for 61k-88k?

Isn't it obvious that it means the price range from a 61 (~3000) up to a 88 (~4000)?

And concerning your other problem:
If a US reseller would answer me such nonsense, true or untrue, nonsense from the reseller or from Korg US, I would first contact Korg and tell them what I as a customer think of that nonsense, and if that wouldn't help, I would have no problem finding my way around it and get my replacement from the US for sure! And perhaps next leave Korg as a customer after such a bad experience.

You should act more self-confident and demanding and not swallow pseudo-authoritarian answers. In today's world you won't get far with that, because too many people are just a bit lazy lazy to get things going, or try to hide behind questionable sets of regulations, before they help you right away. Besides that, be a bit more optimistic that things will turn out to your favor, if necessary with a bit of help and pushing from your side!

dokido · Post by **dokido** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:56 am

its not obvious for me, but my english is not so good, but I shure hope youre right

well, I wasnt lazy, but I got your point. However, the US reseller (Guitar center) first took my money and then said it could not give me my ordered expantion board. But I paid with paypal so after two months, and a lot of complaining from me I finally got my money back. Didn't I fight for those money I never have seen them. Thats why Im not so gladely make buisiness with US anymore.

orpheus2006 · Post by **orpheus2006** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:06 pm

I trust in the market rules. You can import a Kronos 88 for approx. 3500€ from the US (shipping, tax and toll fee included).
Therefore I expect prices in the range of 2700€ (for a 61) to 3500€ (for a 88 ). Higher prices will not gain wide acceptance.

ozy · Post by **ozy** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:51 pm

import prices in Tschermany +12% (just fresh off my wife's bloomberg)

china sells cheaper goods... and prices go up 12%?

This means something's wrong in Europe - don't expect Kronos to be cheaper at Thoman than at Sweetwater.

If our girls qualify for the World Cup, hopefully next August I'll be on a plane to Ohio with a bat bag and... a empty flight case.

NOW I am strongly motivated to win!

Post by **Sharp** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:04 pm

This means something's wrong in Europe - don't expect Kronos to be cheaper at Thoman than at Sweetwater.

It will most certainly be more expensive in Europe. Just like everything else is. Thomann is a great place to get your base line price from though to go and beat over the head of local dealers.

Regards
Sharp.

dokido · Post by **dokido** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:34 pm

osy: of course, the european prices always cost more, but no one has sad otherwise

3000 euro for kronos is for me acceptable price though

...and yes thomann is a good reference, very easy to shop there also, I had more problems with UK when I bought my radias, trippel cardcontrol-wrong transformator-no manual-long time waiting, with thomann its always very smooth, except that I have to chase my packet when its arriwe, but thats always the case

ozy · Post by **ozy** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:44 pm

Sharp wrote:go and beat over the head of local dealers.

don't get me started on local dealers

Yesterday I went (by appointment) to the biggest local yamaha dealer, in order to test the cp-1 and cp-5.

After 30 minutes, I ran away: I will download the manuals, study them, and go back to the shop.

So I'll be able to edit an effect myself without asking a clerk who doesn't
know "why there's a 2000 eur difference between the two",

much less "how do I try adding a phaser to this rhodes sound".

Long live web stores...

sorry for the OT, but the "local store" buzzword set me on "search and destroy mode"

SpIdErWeB · Post by **SpIdErWeB** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:13 pm

orpheus2006 wrote:I trust in the market rules. You can import a Kronos 88 for approx. 3500€ from the US (shipping, tax and toll fee included).
Therefore I expect prices in the range of 2700€ (for a 61) to 3500€ (for a 88 ). Higher prices will not gain wide acceptance.

+1

Bart S. · Post by **Bart S.** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:44 pm

I just found the first dealer in Germany: seen at Music Store - 3.990€ for the Kronos 61(!!!)
That is similar to Keymusic (a Belgium dealer): Kronos 61: 3.990€ (±5.515 US $), Kronos 73: 4.719€ (±6.520 US $), Kronos 88: 5.129€ (±7.088 US $)
So, I hope the prices will fall til release date (according to Music Store: 15.04.2011)

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European prices: Korg shouldn't wait until Frankfurt

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