How To: Shop in the US

SHOP TILL YOU DROP - that's the motto in the temples of consumerism in the US. And they do everything to make spending money as pleasant as possible for their customers. From friendly staff to free delivery, from customer-friendly opening hours to the readiness to let out or hem the bought clothes over night without any additional charges - here, the customer is king. And thanks to the strong Euro, Germans and other Europeans can really enjoy their shopping trips in the US at present.

If you have decided to visit one of these great shopping malls in the US - first off, take a deep breath, put on your most comfortable shoes and make a mental note not to buy everything you see. A shopping spree costs money, even if everything seems to be on sale.

The sales in the shopping centers and the regular prices of the factory outlets promise savings of up to 60 percent. Usually, however, things will be off by 20 or 30 percent. It is especially worth it to buy clothes of American designers (Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren etc). Jeans are available in every in-between size and length. Levi's are about one third cheaper than they are in Germany. Shoes by Asics, Nike and Reebok are also considerably cheaper here than they are in Europe. Products of the leading US cosmetics companies (Estée Lauder, Clinique, Elisabeth Arden, Revlon) are up to 40 percent cheaper. And suitcases are up to 30 percent cheaper (Samsonite, Delsey).

ADDRESSES:

PRIME OUTLETS OF NIAGARA 1900 Military Road,
Niagara Falls, New York 14304
Tel: 001/716/2 97 09 33

About 150 stores and boutiques with mostly branded goods of the clothing and recreation-oriented variety. Well-known brand names: Adidas, Benetton, Burberrys, Danskin, Donna Karan, Eddie Bauer, Fila, Gap, Jockey, Levi's, Liz Claiborne, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Samsonite, Timberland.

More on www.greatmallbayarea.com

BUY A PORSCHE IN THE US - save up to €44,000 Due to the weak Dollar, it is really worthwhile buying a German car in the US and re-importing it. The Euro that has become continuously stronger since June of 2001 has made German manufacturers lower their prices in the US in order to remain competitive. The prognosis institute B & D has determined the kinds of problems that arise from this. Since German manufacturers offer their cars between 30 and 50 percent cheaper in the US, it is very likely that there will be a new re-import wave. However, there even are price differences of up to 80 percent, which means, for example, that you can acquire a Porsche Carrera GT for €100,000 less. Even if you take all taxes into account, you will still save €44,000.

Something to keep in mind during your shopping spree - there's still customs when you go back home.

Customs regulations in Germany The following products are duty free when you return to Germany:

-200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of smoking tobacco (for persons of 17 or older)
-1 liter of spirits over 22% or 2 liters of wine (for persons of 17 or older)
-50g perfume or 0.25 liters of eau de toilette
-500g coffee or 200g coffee extracts, essence or concentrate (for persons of 15 or older)
-medication in a dosage necessary for the duration of the trip for personal use
-other goods worth a total of €175, with the exception of gold alloys and gold plating and fuel (unless it is in a standard fuel tank or a spare can holding up to 10 liters).

Please especially make a note of the last limit, since it is a duty-free limit. In case it is exceeded by one entire product such as a dress or a piece of jewelry, you have to pay customs duty for the entire value of the product. Even goods that have been bought as a necessity in the US or have already been in use in the US (clothes, sports equipment etc) fall under this duty-free limit. The value of several acquired products is added together. The limit is per person, and cannot be shared by several travelers (a couple who have bought one piece of clothing in the US that is worth €200, have to pay customs duty).

The limit is determined by the value of the product plus the foreign sales tax. It is advisable to keep the sales receipt for the products, otherwise their value will be estimated. If quantity or value limitations are exceeded, you will have to pay customs duty. You have to declare all good with a customs officer. The duty will be paid as a lump sum if the following conditions are met: the value of all goods is no higher than €350 per traveler, the goods are in the travelers own luggage and are meant for his or her personal use or as a gift.

The lump sum is 13.5% of the entire value of the goods. There are no preferences for imports from the US or Canada.

If you exceed the €350 limit, it might get really expensive for you. You will have to pay the individual customs tariff for each product, and in addition there's import sales tax (currently 16%, for books, foodstuffs and some other products 7%) and maybe excise tax (petroleum tax, tobacco tax, duty on spirits, beer tax, tax on sparkling wines, taxes on other alcoholic drinks, coffee tax). So you might end up paying a lot for all your bargains.

Some examples of customs duty for Germany (no guarantee):

Outerwear 9-14%
Jeans 13.2%
Sunglasses 3.5%
Shoes 8%
Watches depending on the value
Golf clubs 3.4%
Tennis rackets 5.2%
Cameras 4%
Video cameras 4.9%
Laptop free
Computer accessories free
Software (discs) free
Software CD 1%
DVD 1%
Music CD 3.5%

Find out about the rates of duty online with the Taric-Code:

europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/dds/cgi-bin/tarchap?Lang=DE

You have to pay customs duty right there at the airport. In case you cannot pay, you get 10 days, during which your imported goods will be kept as a security, they won't be released to you before you have paid the entire sum. This only applies if you transport the goods yourself and they are meant for your own personal use or as a gift.

If you are planning some large purchases, you might want to contact your local main customs office first, the German tariff and tax law isn't exactly the easiest in the world.

Find current information on the customs website:
www.zoll-d.de