Here is a quick tour of the new Leica Store Milano. Same location as before but bigger, better, in every way. Worth a visit if you are ever in the area.
The location across the street form Milan's famous Duomo is amazing. Your non photography friends and family will be well entertained touring and shopping giving you plenty of time to enjoy the store. The streets around the store are so rich in architecture, people, and activities, that I can't think of a better place to take advantage of the free loaner program the store offers to try out any Leica gear you have an interest in. The store is now open for the public so stop by. Worth the visit.
This is one direction of the first floor showroom. Lots of products on display to handle, and try.
The other direction. A very elegant and comfortable place to shop.
Part of the new Gallery space which is large and covers both floors. A great space for shows, parties and events.
Part of the large multi media room. A perfect place for relaxing and presentations. The cases in this room have amazing items shipped from the Leica Museum for display.
The large classroom upstairs. I am sure I will be spending some time here. The doors lead to office and storage spaces.
I shot this street image from one of the two large windows in the second story classroom.
Thanks for the report Steve! I'd almost think you're on Leica's payroll.
rsolti13 wrote:
I’d love to visit, getting a refund on the VAT for a large purchase (also avoiding tariffs) pays for the trip in itself
Knut. wrote:
Interesting. Don‘t you have to pay VAT and tariffs on reentry into the US?
At least that is what happens, when I reenter the EU from Japan.
I haven't followed Leica pricing variation across regions that closely, but some other brands such as Zeiss and Voigtlander can have considerable price differences. For example between Japan and the US. The US doesn't have a national VAT system, therefore one would only be subject to relevant tariffs/duties IF one declared the purchase(s) upon return. Individual states require payment of 'use tax' as follows:
"Each of the 45 states with a state sales tax also has a complementary use tax, designed to prevent out-of-state or online purchases from escaping the state sales tax. Unlike a sales tax, the use tax is self-assessed by individual taxpayers, and in most states people are expected to voluntarily pay any use tax due on their state income tax returns."
For an out of country purchase brought in by a traveler, it would be very difficult for a state to identify such a purchase as there isn't an online paper trail to follow like there can be when purchasing online from another state within the USA. They'd have to examine your credit card and banking accounts to find that, and at least at the moment, it hasn't come to that.
rscheffler wrote:
Thanks for the report Steve! I'd almost think you're on Leica's payroll.
I haven't followed Leica pricing variation across regions that closely, but some other brands such as Zeiss and Voigtlander can have considerable price differences. For example between Japan and the US. The US doesn't have a national VAT system, therefore one would only be subject to relevant tariffs/duties IF one declared the purchase(s) upon return. Individual states require payment of 'use tax' as follows:
"Each of the 45 states with a state sales tax also has a complementary use tax, designed to prevent out-of-state or online purchases from escaping the state sales tax. Unlike a sales tax, the use tax is self-assessed by individual taxpayers, and in most states people are expected to voluntarily pay any use tax due on their state income tax returns."
For an out of country purchase brought in by a traveler, it would be very difficult for a state to identify such a purchase as there isn't an online paper trail to follow like there can be when purchasing online from another state within the USA. They'd have to examine your credit card and banking accounts to find that, and at least at the moment, it hasn't come to that....Show more →
European custom officers can get quite pesty. They intermittently check the serial numbers of electronic goods imported to the EU and compare that with manufacturer‘s information. If the camera was built for or primarily sent to a different market (Southeast Asia or US) you have to prove tnat you actually previously bought it in the EU. In principle this is possible (gray market imports) but you have to prove the legality. Fur undeclared imports you can incure penal tariffs. Thus coming back with a lot of camera gear in new boxes might not be a good idea (ignoring the unadressed ethic side of this).
Knut. wrote:
European custom officers can get quite pesty. They intermittently check the serial numbers of electronic goods imported to the EU and compare that with manufacturer‘s information. If the camera was built for or primarily sent to a different market (Southeast Asia or US) you have to prove tnat you actually previously bought it in the EU. In principle this is possible (gray market imports) but you have to prove the legality. Fur undeclared imports you can incure penal tariffs. Thus coming back with a lot of camera gear in new boxes might not be a good idea (ignoring the unadressed ethic side of this)....Show more →
If you are going to arbitrage purchasing in multiple locations, VAT refunds, Currency advantages, then in theory one is best to also arbitrage residency, National identity, with multiple passports, including between spouses, and with frequent independent travel itineraries.
1bwana1 wrote:
If you are going to arbitrage purchasing in multiple locations, VAT refunds, Currency advantages, then in theory one is best to also arbitrage residency, National identity, with multiple passports, including between spouses, and with frequent independent travel itineraries.
I love your response, especially the part with the spouses 😂
How true …Glad I have a rather tolerant one, that sees my photographic expenditures as an investment in communal memories.
Knut. wrote:
I love your response, especially the part with the spouses 😂
How true …Glad I have a rather tolerant one, that sees my photographic expenditures as an investment in communal memories.
My Wife has expensive taste, and a high end competition horse habit. Her taste has been trained by being a very high place executive in the beauty industry. So, she is used to a multi-million dollar a year travel and entertainment budget and hanging out with those kinds of people. I could never match that on a personal spending level, plus I am a simple guy by nature. My spending will never catch up to hers. She tries to push me to spend more on myself including cameras. She being meaningfully younger than me tries to intimidate me into spending more by saying things like "You know I am going to spend all that money you have in the bank on animals and other men when you die". But I like to have few things so I don't have to manage them. I tend to buy good products, but few of them.
1bwana1 wrote
My Wife has expensive taste, and a high end competition horse habit. Her taste has been trained by being a very high place executive in the beauty industry. So, she is used to a multi-million dollar a year travel and entertainment budget and hanging out with those kinds of people. I could never match that on a personal spending level, plus I am a simple guy by nature. My spending will never catch up to hers. She tries to push me to spend more on myself including cameras. She being meaningfully younger than me tries to intimidate me into spending more by saying things like "You know I am going to spend all that money you have in the bank on animals and other men when you die". But I like to have few things so I don't have to manage them. I tend to buy good products, but few of them. ...Show more →
I can only imagine your lifestyle, living as I have with a hand-to-mouth existence in my squalid little artist's garret.
1bwana1 wrote:
If you are going to arbitrage purchasing in multiple locations, VAT refunds, Currency advantages, then in theory one is best to also arbitrage residency, National identity, with multiple passports, including between spouses, and with frequent independent travel itineraries.
I’m not sure I understand the bit about arbitraging spouses. Or am I misunderstanding in some way?
(That aside, it’s great advice. Although I fear that those of us in the UK may have a terminal currency disadvantage ….)
KLaban wrote:
I can only imagine your lifestyle, living as I have with a hand-to-mouth existence in my squalid little artist's garret.
;-)
My personal lifestyle is not extravagant at all. When I relocated to Europe from California last year I took only 3 airline bags and shipped only two small boxes of personal stuff. I live simple. I spent a great deal of time in my life living in cars, vans, and boats, when traveling surfing, in tents in the African bush, and in simple hotel rooms when traveling to races.
My Wife although not wasteful is used to more creature comforts than I am. She refuses to let me pick our homes, her car, or make travel arrangements when we travel together. She won't even let me know what those things cost when we go. Better that way for everyone involved.
Andrew CD wrote:
I’m not sure I understand the bit about arbitraging spouses. Or am I misunderstanding in some way?
My Wife has different citizenships and therefore passports that I do (although we both have U.S.). She has some of her own charge cards, but also carries some from my accounts but with her name on them (important for VAT refund). She often travels internationally separately, and more frequently than I do. She has offices and employees in most major Countries on Earth. So she has resources and can purchase things for me in other Countries to take advantage of exchange rates and tax refunds or exemptions. So, I can take advantage of arbitraging her opportunities when I want something.
1bwana1 wrote:
My personal lifestyle is not extravagant at all. When I relocated to Europe from California last year I took only 3 airline bags and shipped only two small boxes of personal stuff. I live simple. I spent a great deal of time in my life living in cars, vans, and boats, when traveling surfing, in tents in the African bush, and in simple hotel rooms when traveling to races.
My Wife although not wasteful is used to more creature comforts than I am. She refuses to let me pick our homes, her car, or make travel arrangements when we travel together. She won't even let me know what those things cost when we go. Better that way for everyone involved....Show more →
There's a danger that this could morph into a Monty Python sketch.
1bwana1 wrote:
My Wife has different citizenships and therefore passports that I do (although we both have U.S.). She has some of her own charge cards, but also carries some from my accounts but with her name on them (important for VAT refund). She often travels internationally separately, and more frequently than I do. She has offices and employees in most major Countries on Earth. So she has resources and can purchase things for me in other Countries to take advantage of exchange rates and tax refunds or exemptions. So, I can take advantage of arbitraging her opportunities when I want something.
That's a situation the average person will never be able to set up, therefore they will just have to pay up and eat the VAT/tariffs, etc. It's actually the cheaper option. But if you already have that all in place, then sure, use it!
rscheffler wrote:
That's a situation the average person will never be able to set up, therefore they will just have to pay up and eat the VAT/tariffs, etc. It's actually the cheaper option. But if you already have that all in place, then sure, use it!
I would think many opportunities exist for a creative and flexible person should be able to somehow take advantage of VAT refunds, market price , currency differences. Especially if one travels abroad for other purposes so travel costs do not figure in.
1bwana1 wrote:
I would think many opportunities exist for a creative and flexible person should be able to somehow take advantage of VAT refunds, market price , currency differences. Especially if one travels abroad for other purposes so travel costs do not figure in.
Opportunities certainly exist. In my case, I plan to arbitrage such factors when I visit Japan in a few months, where many Voigtlander lenses in particular are extremely attractively priced compared to over here. Zeiss too, but unfortunately there is not much from Zeiss that currently interests me.
