Larsen Importing Corp. v. United States

25 Cust. Ct. 366, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 631
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 2, 1950
DocketNo. 7855; Entry No. 701809
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 25 Cust. Ct. 366 (Larsen Importing Corp. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Larsen Importing Corp. v. United States, 25 Cust. Ct. 366, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 631 (cusc 1950).

Opinion

Cline, Judge:

These are cross-applications for review of the-decision and judgment of Judge Lawrence in Larsen Importing Corp. v. United States, 22 Cust. Ct. 465, Reap. Dec. 7709.

The merchandise herein consists of watch hands intended for repair' purposes imported from Switzerland. They were entered at the invoice prices, less varying discounts depending on the quantity purchased, plus majorations or increases of 10 and 14 per centum, less a-trade discount of 25 per centum, less a cash discount of 5 per centum,, packed. They were appraised at the invoice prices, plus majorations' of 10 and 14 per centum, less the cash discount of 5 per centum, packed.

Larsen Importing Corp., the plaintiff below,- hereinafter called the-importer, claimed in the court below that it was entitled to a trade or wholesaler’s discount of 25 per centum and a quantity discount of 3-per centum. The court held, however, that the trade discount could not be allowed since it was not granted to all purchasers in the usual, wholesale quantities in the ordinary course of trade but depended upon the status of the purchaser and that the quantity discount of 3 per centum could be allowed only as to item 605, since this discount was-not allowed on all sales of 5 gross of items 523 and 593.

The importer now concedes that the trade discount of 25 per centum, was properly disallowed, but claims that it is entitled to a trade discount of 5 per centum and a quantity discount of 3 per centum on all items. The Government claims, on the other hand, that the trade discount of 3 per centum should not have been allowed on item 605.

At the trial the importer called Robert Larsen, who testified that at the time of these importations he was operating under the name of Larsen Importing Corp.; that he purchased the watch hands involved herein from Cosmo Corporation, the Swiss manufacturer; that the Cosmo Corp. and another concern known as Universo have 80 to 90 per centum of the business in this commodity. He described the method of purchase as follows:

* * * An order is placed with a manufacturer, and when the order is completed by the manufacturer, the charges are based upon a definite price list which is applicable to all purchasers. Then we are entitled to a certain discount, depending on the quantity we buy of that particular item. Besides that, we, as wholesalers, are entitled to a general discount, which we call trade discount, of 25 per cent, and then there is a 5 per cent discount for payment upon receipt of the goods, or cash discount.

[368]*368As to the trade discount, the witness stated that there is an Association of Watch Hand Manufacturers in Switzerland which imposes sales rules and works out prices in the most minute detail as to base price, additional charges, and discounts; that such prices apply both to sales for home consumption and for export; that in order to obtain a trade discount, a purchaser must be passed upon by the association; that the highest discount is 25 per centum given to first-class importers, those who do a big business in watch hands; that the discount is not based on quantity but on the standing of the importer in the trade. In this connection, the witness testified as follows:

X Q. Do you know whether members of this association, including your exporter, freely offer their merchandise to buyers in the United States other than the eight firms you stated? — A. I know that anybody has the right to buy in Switzerland. They cannot refuse, even if a simple watchmaker would send in an order. They must sell him. Those are the rules and regulations.
X Q. If such an order were received by one of the members, the price that this watchmaker would pay would be what; the price set by the association? — -A. Catalogue price.
X Q. Together with the discounts, if any, that are mentioned in the cata-logue? — A. The quantity discount, yes, but in order to obtain a wholesale standing, or to be entitled to this trade discount, one has to be passed on in Bern, the capital.
X Q. So that if such a concern, this new concern you have just developed, would go to your manufacturer, he would have to pay a certain price for the merchandise; is that correct? — A. It will start off with the catalogue price. That is the basic price for everybody, but the manufacturer will intercede in his behalf; will state the facts in Bern at the meeting of the association, and then if his facts are correct there is no discrimination against anybody in particular, and he will be entitled to the same as we are.
^ # Hs í}í %
X Q. So that, it depended upon your status as to whether or not you get a 25 per cent wholesaler’s discount or a lower discount or no discount? — A. Yes, sir_

The importer introduced into evidence an affidavit of Emile Perrenoud, administrator of Cosmo, S. A. (plaintiff’s collective exhibit 1). It is stated therein:

3. Attached to this affidavit is a catalogue of Cosmo, S. A., entitled, “Tarif des Aiguilles d’Exportation pour Rhabillage” (Export tariff of watch hands for repair), effective during the first half of 1941, showing base prices of watch hands manufactured and sold by Cosmo, S. A.
* * iji % * :Ji *
6. At all times herein mentioned, the base prices in said catalogue have been subject to certain trade discounts, in addition to above quantity discounts, said trade discounts being granted on the following basis:
Classification Discount
Wholesale dealers of first importance_'_ 25%
Wholesale suppliers_ 20%
Less important suppliers_ 15%
Retailers_ 10%
Small retailers_ 5%
[369]*36922. In SCHEDULE B-2 (summarizing sales on the basis of trade discount, classification) those sales on which no trade discount was allowed were made at-net prices, because at the time of purchase the status of the purchaser (as described in paragraph #6) had not been determined by the officials (as described in. paragraph #8).

The only sales listed in Schedule B-2 are those in which a discount of 25 per centum was allowed.

The importer also introduced into evidence an affidavit of W.. Berthoud and G. Ramseyer, managing directors of Universo, S. A. (plaintiff’s collective exhibit 2).

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Bluebook (online)
25 Cust. Ct. 366, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/larsen-importing-corp-v-united-states-cusc-1950.