It could be a combination of many things - shipping costs, import duties, keeping prices down to offset VAT, currency exchange rate. Obviously a Japanese vendor buying wholesale components made at home eliminates import duties and currency exchange, and minimizes his shipping costs. I think the VAT and currency exchange can be the big part of getting good buys from EU and UK. Q: How does CRC sell many of the same Japanese components for 40% less than US vendors? A: they're very likely the largest bike warehouse on the planet. They likely get a preferential wholesale price and operate with a smaller profit margin. A US merchant importing a handful of parts from Japan gets a wholesale discount and saves a little bit of shipping/piece, but likely has to pay import duties - to have a reasonable profit margin, he couldn't compete with you buying direct from Japan.
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