Helping Out An Import CD Newb

[DaemonCorps]

While I'm a fan of the Japanese version's music and am particularly interested in picking up Kageyama's latest release with the English versions of the Sparking! Meteor and Burst Limit themes, I've yet to actually get my hands on a legit CD. So, before actually making a purchase, I figured I should consult the forum here to ask how one would get started.

Checking online retailers cdjapan and play-asia, I noticed significantly big differences in the prices for the same CD. Is this because play-asia already incorporates the shipping? Which retailer (if either) is the more reliable of the two? I remember in a recent podcast, Mike talked about getting multiple purchases to justify paying for the ridiculous shipping prices. I'm guessing this is something one should always do when importing something that's somewhat cheap? If it is, what would you consider picking up as the item that justifies the shipping?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Kula]

I've only ordered from CDJapan once and I got hit with import tax. I buy most of my JP stuff from yesasia.com. They have free international shipping and I've not had to pay any import tax on any shipments.

Also, 'Legend Of Dragon World' is a good first purchase. It has all of the DBZ openings, closings, movie themes and some of the more popular image songs.

[DaemonCorps]

Thanks for the info. I completely forgot about yesasia.com.

I buy most of my JP stuff from yesasia.com. They have free international shipping and I've not had to pay any import tax on any shipments.

There's still some kind of tax, though, right? I find it hard to believe that you'd only have to pay for the item's price alone.

[Ash]

I order very regularly at YesAsia and you don't have to pay import tax (in the EU at least). They ship all their European orders bulk to Germany first (so it's in the EU) and send the orders from there to other European countries. As it's already inside the EU, I don't have to pay customs when it arrives in the Netherlands :3