Majestic Electronics, Inc. v. United States

84 Cust. Ct. 38, 488 F. Supp. 897, 1980 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1220
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJanuary 30, 1980
DocketC.D. 4839; Consolidated Court No. R66/12103
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 84 Cust. Ct. 38 (Majestic Electronics, Inc. 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
Majestic Electronics, Inc. v. United States, 84 Cust. Ct. 38, 488 F. Supp. 897, 1980 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1220 (cusc 1980).

Opinion

Re, Chief Judge;

In this case, consisting of 27 appeals for reappraisement, the question presented pertains to the correct dutiable value of certain wigs and other products of human hair imported from Italy between 1964 and 1967. The merchandise was manufactured by Ital-wig S.A.S. of Rome, Italy (Italwig), and was purchased by the plaintiff, Majestic Electronics, Inc. (Majestic), which later changed its name to Brentwood Industries.

Based on the price of “such or similar” merchandise, it was appraised on the basis of export value as defined in section 402(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956 (19 U.S.C. 1401a(b)), at unit values higher than the invoice unit values, as entered.

Plaintiff agrees that export value as defined in section 402(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, is the correct basis of appraisement, but contends that the invoice unit values, as entered, represent the correct export value. Plaintiff urges, alternatively, that, if it is determined to be a selected purchaser within the meaning of section 402(f), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, the invoice unit values represent the prices which fairly reflect the market value of the merchandise.

The question presented, therefore, is whether plaintiff has succeeded in establishing that the invoice unit values, as entered, are the correct export values for the imported merchandise. After careful considera[40]*40tion of the testimony of plaintiff’s witnesses and the entire record, it is the determination of the court that plaintiff has failed to bear its burden of proof, and these appeals for reappraisement are therefore dismissed.

At the trial, Mr. Herman Krissman, vice president of Majestic during the period in question, testified as to the facts which pertain to the purchase of the imported merchandise. As vice president of Majestic, Mr. Krissman visited Italy regularly to purchase wigs and other products of human hair. Although he visited approximately 10 manufacturers in Italy between 1964 and 1967, and purchased from 4 companies other than Italwig, the great majority of his purchases were from Italwig. With the exception of the first purchase in December 1964,1 none of the merchandise purchased from Italwig was from existing stock but, rather, had to be made to Majestic’s specifications. Majestic’s first purchase, which was from Italwig’s existing stock, was made to provide Italwig with additional working capital.

The price for all purchases by Majestic from Italwig was determined by arm’s length negotiation based on the cost of production plus profit. The cost varied and depended upon the quality of the materials used, and whether the article was hand tied or machine made. Hand-tied wigs of Italian hair were the most expensive articles, and machine-made wigs of Oriental hair were the least expensive.

Mr. Giovanni Borghese, general manager of Italwig, negotiated the prices of the merchandise at issue with Mr. Krissman. Mr. Borg-hese, an Italian citizen who testified in English, described the negotiation process and the manufacturing process. Mr. Borghese corroborated Mr. Krissman’s testimony that prices were determined by arm’s length bargaining, and that they represented their respective companies in these negotiations. The price for all the merchandise purchased by Majestic, including the first order, was negotiated by the parties. Mr. Borghese testified that he negotiated the price for most sales for exportation to the United States. The degree or amount of negotiation, however, depended on the size of the orders.

Although the defendant introduced an Italwig pricelist, dated June 1, 1966, as defendant’s exhibit A, Mr. Borghese stated that he did not have formal printed pricelists. He explained that the price-lists were only for whatever merchandise Italwig had in its showroom at the time. He stated that although some small orders were at list prices, the pricelist was used as a beginning point for the negotiation process. Although the pricelist would change to reflect the models Italwig had in its showroom, it never contained a list of models Italwig would manufacture at stated prices.

[41]*41Mr. Borghese explained that prices would vary depending on the quality of materials and the construction of the specific article. According to Mr. Borghese, the qualities of hair varied, and there was a great difference in price among the various types of hair. The price of a wig would also depend upon the color desired since the lighter colors required more processing, and hence were more expensive.

Mr. Borghese also stated that there was a great difference in price between hand-tied and machine-made hair products. The price not only reflected the quality of the product, but also the amount of labor required to complete it. As an illustration, Mr. Krissman testified that although it would take 16 hours or more for one worker to produce a single hand-tied wig, at least 10 wigs could be machine made by one worker in a single day.

The merchandise in issue, purchased by Majestic from Italwig, consists of various models of products of human hair, including wigs, a fall, and a wiglet. Mr. Borghese corroborated Mr. Krissman’s testimony that, with the exception of Majestic’s first order, all articles were specially produced to Majestic’s specifications.

Mr. Borghese testified that there were considerable differences between the merchandise Italwig manufactured for Majestic, and that which it manufactured for other customers for export to the United States. The testimony is conflicting as to what merchandise the witness considered “similar” to the merchandise sold to Majestic. On cross-examination, he stated that the articles sold to Majestic were “similar” to items on an Italwig pricelist. He stated that he understood “similar” merchandise to be of the same specifications as to hair quality, color, and construction. He made it clear, however, that although he considered products with the same specifications to be “similar”, there was a “very considerable difference” as to the actual product. As an example, Mr. Borghese stated that although the wiglet model sold to Majestic was similar in specifications to one sold to another customer, it was “an entirely different article.” The wiglet for Majestic would not be acceptable to Italwig’s other customers, and the model for other customers would not be acceptable to Majestic. Mr. Borghese stated that wigs with the same specifications could be “similar” although they would have entirely different values depending on the processing. Mr. Borghese did not testify as to the similarity of merchandise based on the statutory definition of similar merchandise contained in section 402(f) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.

Mr. Borghese also testified that Italwig’s prices were generally determined by negotiation on the basis of cost of production. Small orders were generally made at list prices. He stated that the order would have to be beyond a certain quantity before he would nego[42]*42tiate. Although there was no strict rule as to volume determining price, he admitted that prices were lower for volume purchasers.

Except for a small number of missing invoices, which Mr. Borghese could not account for, defendant introduced a complete record of Italwig’s sales for the years 1964 to 1967.

Defendant called no witnesses at trial, but introduced two exhibits.

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Bluebook (online)
84 Cust. Ct. 38, 488 F. Supp. 897, 1980 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1220, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/majestic-electronics-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1980.