Has Anyone Ever Imported HU Tobacco from Pfeifen Depot?

[marlinspike]

Good day, all - I've had my interest in HU Tobacco piqued, and it looks like the pfeifendepot.de is a recommended seller. In looking to place an order, the prices listed have 19% VAT included, and when I tried to check out of their online shop, the final sales price (before shipping) still included the VAT, even though I had clearly listed that the tobacco was being shipped to the US. Has anyone had an issue with this before?

 

[Casual]

Sounds like you’re asking the wrong people!

 

[marlinspike]

Sounds like you’re asking the wrong people!

Here or at the pfeifendepot.de website?

 

[Casual]

Here or at the pfeifendepot.de website?

Well, here someone might know. But there they will know.

I haven’t ordered from them. I have had to email after an order to other non-pipe places to get the VAT refunded a couple times myself.

 

[marlinspike]

I've never done much in the way of overseas ordering, but when I have, the sites have automatically deducted VAT from the price prior to shipping costs. I put in a request to them about it, but haven't heard anything back yet.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I have ordered from pfeifendepot, and everything showed up as ordered, but I much prefer Esterval’s as a source for HU Tobacco. Bigger selection, better prices, more other blenders and pipes as well. Just be aware that you have to start an account (free) to see discounted prices, and shipping can take anywhere from 2 to 7 weeks. Shipping from either is pricey $30-50, so larger orders provide a better value. There are a lot of EU only tobaccos from other blenders that can help with that, as well as better prices and selection on things like SG, Rattrays, and DTM than you would see stateside.

Can’t recommend HU enough. If I had to pick one blender for the rest of my life, it would be hard not to pick HU. Especially at their pricepoint.

 

[marlinspike]

I have ordered from pfeifendepot, and everything showed up as ordered, but I much prefer Esterval’s as a source for HU Tobacco. Bigger selection, better prices, more other blenders and pipes as well. Just be aware that you have to start an account (free) to see discounted prices, and shipping can take anywhere from 2 to 7 weeks. Shipping from either is pricey $30-50, so larger orders provide a better value. There are a lot of EU only tobaccos from other blenders that can help with that, as well as better prices and selection on things like SG, Rattrays, and DTM than you would see stateside.

Can’t recommend HU enough. If I had to pick one blender for the rest of my life, it would be hard not to pick HU. Especially at their pricepoint.

I actually created an account at Esterval's, and then balked when I saw their shipping costs. I've really been interested to try out Director's Cut and Fayyum Kake, though, so I may just end up biting the bullet.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I actually created an account at Esterval's, and then balked when I saw their shipping costs. I've really been interested to try out Director's Cut and Fayyum Kake, though, so I may just end up biting the bullet.

Shipping shouldn’t be much cheaper at pfeifendepot but I could be wrong, I can’t recall if there was a big diff. Order enough stuff and the savings will cancel out your shipping costs. Especially if you like/buy Vauen pipes. My last order a discount on a single pipe Paid for my shipping twice. Gotta spend to save! (Thats how they get ya!) hahaha.

Fayyum and Fayyum Kake are currently my favorite english blends on earth. Directors Cut is one of a few excellent vapers HU makes (Louisiana Broken and Old Fredders are quite food as well).

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I bought my first several orders for HU through Pfeifen Depot. They performed well but their shipping is similar to Estervals. Estervals in about half the price if you create an account and then see the discounts. Once I discovered Estervals, I've only purchased HU from them.

Yes, the shipping is expensive if you're accustomed to getting free shipping from the big internet retailers here. Well, you can't get HU here nor is it likely that you ever will. And they aren't shipping from Europe either. You can get around 2 Kg (around 4.4 pounds) for around $40 or so shipping. So that works out to be about $10 per pound. If you only want to order a couple of tins, the shipping price will likely seem very expensive. You have to put together a big enough order to amortize the shipping.

Then when you look at buying some of the 50 gr HU blends for less than $7 per tin and 100 gr tins for less than $13 per tin, it starts to get kind of attractive. Particularly when you consider what you are getting. You can purchase bulk Capstan Blue or Gold dirt cheap. You can get a kilo of Directors Cut for $133, $66.50 a pound for some of the best tobacco on the planet. Save your money, place a $300 or more order and the price per tin will be cheaper than comparable tobaccos you can purchase here in the States. I've never seen VAT at Estervals, I remember that crap at Pfeifen Depot. I don't think he was even supposed to charge that for US Shipments.

 

[marlinspike]

I bought my first several orders for HU through Pfeifen Depot. They performed well but their shipping is similar to Estervals. Estervals in about half the price if you create an account and then see the discounts. Once I discovered Estervals, I've only purchased HU from them.

Yes, the shipping is expensive if you're accustomed to getting free shipping from the big internet retailers here. Well, you can't get HU here nor is it likely that you ever will. And they aren't shipping from Europe either. You can get around 2 Kg (around 4.4 pounds) for around $40 or so shipping. So that works out to be about $10 per pound. If you only want to order a couple of tins, the shipping price will likely seem very expensive. You have to put together a big enough order to amortize the shipping.

Then when you look at buying some of the 50 gr HU blends for less than $7 per tin and 100 gr tins for less than $13 per tin, it starts to get kind of attractive. Particularly when you consider what you are getting. You can purchase bulk Capstan Blue or Gold dirt cheap. You can get a kilo of Directors Cut for $133, $66.50 a pound for some of the best tobacco on the planet. Save your money, place a $300 or more order and the price per tin will be cheaper than comparable tobaccos you can purchase here in the States. I've never seen VAT at Estervals, I remember that crap at Pfeifen Depot. I don't think he was even supposed to charge that for US Shipments.

All very good points, and as you and @alaskanpiper said, the value proposition falls in favor of making up a large order to reduce the price per tin and to “justify” the shipping costs. And you’re right - if Pfeifen Depot is selling to a buyer outside the EU, they’re not supposed to be charging VAT.

 

[BROBS]

I bought my first several orders for HU through Pfeifen Depot. They performed well but their shipping is similar to Estervals. Estervals in about half the price if you create an account and then see the discounts. Once I discovered Estervals, I've only purchased HU from them.

Yes, the shipping is expensive if you're accustomed to getting free shipping from the big internet retailers here. Well, you can't get HU here nor is it likely that you ever will. And they aren't shipping from Europe either. You can get around 2 Kg (around 4.4 pounds) for around $40 or so shipping. So that works out to be about $10 per pound. If you only want to order a couple of tins, the shipping price will likely seem very expensive. You have to put together a big enough order to amortize the shipping.

Then when you look at buying some of the 50 gr HU blends for less than $7 per tin and 100 gr tins for less than $13 per tin, it starts to get kind of attractive. Particularly when you consider what you are getting. You can purchase bulk Capstan Blue or Gold dirt cheap. You can get a kilo of Directors Cut for $133, $66.50 a pound for some of the best tobacco on the planet. Save your money, place a $300 or more order and the price per tin will be cheaper than comparable tobaccos you can purchase here in the States. I've never seen VAT at Estervals, I remember that crap at Pfeifen Depot. I don't think he was even supposed to charge that for US Shipments.

Great advice.
Just go with estervals IMO.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

All very good points, and as you and @alaskanpiper said, the value proposition falls in favor of making up a large order to reduce the price per tin and to “justify” the shipping costs. And you’re right - if Pfeifen Depot is selling to a buyer outside the EU, they’re not supposed to be charging VAT.

I inquired with the PD guy one time (Hans?) about the VAT and why it wasn't refunded. He ignored my inquiry. I suspect he was just pocketing that as added profit.

 

[twoonefive]

Hans told me it became too difficult to explain to the local tax authority why VAT was not collected for what was being exported. I still deal with him from time to time and everything arrives as expected. Its a smooth transaction but it does seem like Estevals is the go-to these days.

 

[marlinspike]

Hans told me it became too difficult to explain to the local tax authority why VAT was not collected for what was being exported. I still deal with him from time to time and everything arrives as expected. Its a smooth transaction but it does seem like Estevals is the go-to these days.

Given that other EU-based online retailers offer buyers outside the EU a lower price without VAT on a regular basis, I'm not sure I buy that (his explanation, that is, not yours). I asked him about the VAT charged to a US buyer, and he hasn't yet responded, even when he emailed to ask why I hadn't completed my purchase.

 

[pappymac]

I just checked out Esterval's website. I found several blends I'd like to try but not nearly enough to offset the shipping. Shame we can't get some of these blends at US on-line retailers.

 

[B18]

I have no experience with overseas ordering (ordered from NL) , but you can email pfeifendepot with enquiry and skip the online ordering process.

 

[marlinspike]

I just checked out Esterval's website. I found several blends I'd like to try but not nearly enough to offset the shipping. Shame we can't get some of these blends at US on-line retailers.

Yes, it's a bit of a leap of faith to order a passel of tins without knowing you'll really like them enough to make it worth the outlay. HU doesn't seem to be interested in having a distributor in the States, though.

 

[pappymac]

Yes, it's a bit of a leap of faith to order a passel of tins without knowing you'll really like them enough to make it worth the outlay. HU doesn't seem to be interested in having a distributor in the States, though.

I was thinking more of the Rattray's and Kohlhase & Kopp blends that aren't available in the U.S. but are in Europe.

I'm going to have to find someone to combine orders with to make it cost effective.

 

[briarbuck]

Seems like about $250 is the magic number when Estovall's shipping cost come back in line.

 

[craig61a]

Yes, it's a bit of a leap of faith to order a passel of tins without knowing you'll really like them enough to make it worth the outlay. HU doesn't seem to be interested in having a distributor in the States, though.

In the scale of tobacco manufactures, I don’t know where HU sits, or if it’s part of a big conglomerate with $$$$.

I would imagine that they don’t want to get bogged down with the licensing, permitting, packaging redesign, advertising and dozens of other issues that importing their product into the US would involve and would rather reinvest that money in their own business.