Would it be legal to buy this way?

[Prevost]

Well, some manufacturers do not sell direct or ship outside the US. However, I'm paying a monthly fee for a courier service from Miami to Panama that includes a physical address at Miami. To make internet purchases, I specify this address and the courier takes over to Panama.

Could this procedure for buying goods that are not intended to be shipped outside the US be considered ilegal in any sense? Take as an example purchasing a PC or a PPC.

[karen]

Well, some manufacturers do not sell direct or ship outside the US. However, I'm paying a monthly fee for a courier service from Miami to Panama that includes a physical address at Miami. To make internet purchases, I specify this address and the courier takes over to Panama.

Could this procedure for buying goods that are not intended to be shipped outside the US be considered ilegal in any sense? Take as an example purchasing a PC or a PPC.

This isn't necessarily the best place to get a legal ruling.

I am aware that this sort of thing is done on a regular basis. Mail forwarding services are available at many mail centers, including the USPS.

But, again, if you need a legal opinion you'll need a lawyer.

[Alexis]

No, It is not Illegal.
When shipping a product, a company usually has to charge you tax according to where it is being shipped. It also has to adhere to rules and regulations of the place it's shipping the item to.
It's just like having a friend ship you something. It's not illegal.
Amazon.co.uk can't ship Palm's outside of the UK, amazon.com can't sell it outside of the US.
While it is illegal for a japanese company to sell a cell phone in the us (without fcc aproval etc ) , it is perfectly normal for another company to take the cell phone / laptop modify it and sell it to you.

Even if it was made illegal, The federal government would have to hunt you, get you in american territory, press charges against you, pay their prosecutors, go to court with a full jury, have to convince most of the jury that you commited a crime, then sentence you. Would probbably cost thousands, won't happen

[PetiteFlower]

You'll still need a US based credit card though.

[Prevost]

You'll still need a US based credit card though.
What does "US based" mean? (Sorry, some typical English terms are new to me :D )

Has to do with the "carrier" of the card (I mean, Master Card, Visa, etc), or with the billing address?

[Kati Compton]

You'll still need a US based credit card though.
What does "US based" mean? (Sorry, some typical English terms are new to me :D )

Has to do with the "carrier" of the card (I mean, Master Card, Visa, etc), or with the billing address?
Billing address in the U.S.A. Many companies only accept U.S. credit cards, especially if they only ship to the U.S. anyway.

[Prevost]

Then I'm fine, since my service also provides me a billing address in the US. Now...
Does this mean that, as long as you have (for any means) a billing address in the US, that companies take your credit card as US-based although it is actually issued in a foreign country?

[Kati Compton]

Actually, I think it usually has to be U.S.-issued too, but I'm not sure.

As for the legality, some places make you promise you're not planning to ship it to another country, so there may be issues there. Just FYI.

[PetiteFlower]

No I mean the bank that issues the card has to be from the US, and it needs to have a US billing address.

Also you may be voiding the warantee by shipping it to a country where it was not intended to be sold. But I'm not sure about that, you'd have to read the fine print.