Pricing & Transparency

Why Authentic German Trachten Costs What It Costs — Simply German USA
Simply German USA · Pricing & Transparency

Why authentic
German trachten costs
what it costs.

We import directly from Germany. We charge shipping based on your order total. And right now, we collect a US import tariff on your behalf. Here's exactly what goes into the price of every dirndl, lederhosen, and blouse we ship to your door.

You could buy a $40 "dirndl" on Amazon. It would arrive in two days, it would look fine in a photo, and it would fall apart before the second Oktoberfest.

Or you could buy the real thing.

Every item at Simply German USA is sourced directly from Germany's finest trachten makers — Krüger, Berwin & Wolff, Faustmann, Sima, and others. They're made the way they've always been made, in the same factories, by the same families, to the same standards that Bavarian men and women have worn for generations.

That comes at a real cost. Currency conversion. Air freight. US import tariffs. We don't hide any of it. This page exists because we think you deserve to understand exactly what you're paying for — and why it's worth it.

The four factors

What goes into
every price on this site.

Every product price at Simply German USA reflects four real costs. None of them are padding. All of them are unavoidable when you're importing authentic goods from Europe.

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Factor 1
Currency Conversion
Our suppliers price in euros. Every purchase we make converts at the current EUR/USD rate — right now approximately $1.18 USD per euro. When the dollar weakens against the euro, costs rise. We absorb short-term fluctuations but major shifts in the exchange rate do affect pricing.
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Factor 2
Air Freight from Germany
Every order ships air freight from Germany — arriving at our store in 3–7 days, then 2–4 days to your door. In-stock items ship same day. Items shipping from Germany take up to 10 days total. We charge economy shipping based on your order total — not per item, not a flat fee regardless of what you spend.
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Factor 3
US Import Tariff
The US government currently imposes a 15% import tariff on goods imported from Germany. This is a federal charge — we don't set it, we can't negotiate it, and we don't profit from it. We collect it transparently as a separate line item and pass it through at cost, no markup.
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Factor 4
The Product Itself
Authentic German trachten is not cheap to make. The fabric, the construction, the embroidery, the hardware — these are garments built to last a decade, not a season. European labor standards, sustainable materials, and genuine craftsmanship are built into the price before we ever place an order.
Real numbers

What it looks like
on a typical order.

Here's a real example of how costs stack up on a mid-range Krüger midi dirndl — one of our most common purchases. We're not showing our wholesale cost, but we are showing you every other number that goes into what you pay.

Example: Krüger Midi Dirndl 60cm · Retail ~$249
Product price (Germany, in euros, converted to USD)
—
Currency conversion rate (EUR → USD)
~$1.18 / €1
Air freight from Germany (per item, divided across shipment)
~€25 / item
Your economy shipping charge (order up to $250)
$12.75
US Import Tariff (15% on product value)
+15%
Your price — authentic, direct from Germany, at your door in up to 10 days
~$249
We don't disclose wholesale product costs. Every other number on this list is exactly what it says it is.
Why not just raise
the prices and hide it?
Plenty of retailers do. They bake the tariff into the sticker price, call it a day, and let customers assume that's just what it costs. We don't do that — because the tariff is a real, current, changing government policy that might go away next month or double next year. Showing it separately means your base price stays honest, and when tariff policy changes, you'll see it reflected immediately. You deserve to know what you're paying for and why.
Delivery timelines

When will it
actually arrive?

We ship air freight from Germany. Items arrive at our California store in 3–7 days, then ship to you in an additional 2–4 days — up to 10 days total for items coming from Germany. Items we have in stock at our California location ship same day.

If you see sizes listed in parentheses on a product — like (36,40) — those are sizes we currently have in US stock and can ship same day. However, stock levels are managed manually and we get extremely busy during peak season, so always verify availability before ordering. Call us at 1-714-910-6980 and we'll confirm what's on the shelf.

Economy Shipping Rates
Order total up to $49
$5.00
Order total $50 – $250
$12.75
Order total $251 – $400
$16.00
Order total $401 and over
$24.00
Shipping is charged once per order regardless of number of items. Air freight cost from Germany is divided per item across the shipment — not passed to you per item.
In Stock
Items
Same day
Ships from our California location. Items we have physically in stock at our Huntington Beach store ship the same day your order is placed. Look for sizes listed in parentheses on product pages — e.g. (36,40) — as an indicator of US stock. Always call to confirm before ordering during busy periods.
Berwin & Wolff
5–11 days
Consistent year-round. Berwin & Wolff ships reliably regardless of season — 3–7 days to reach our store, then 2–4 days to your door. Even during Oktoberfest season their fulfillment stays on schedule. If you need your dirndl by a specific date, Berwin & Wolff is your most reliable option.
Krüger
5–11 days
Standard delivery outside peak season. Krüger ships reliably at 3–7 days to our store plus 2–4 days to your door for most of the year. Fast and dependable — until Oktoberfest season changes everything.
Krüger
3–5 weeks
Oktoberfest season — plan ahead. As Oktoberfest approaches (July through September), Krüger processes thousands of orders simultaneously for customers across Europe and the US. Fulfillment stretches to 2 weeks — sometimes up to a month — before the product even leaves Germany. Add 2–4 days to your door on top of that. If your event is in September or October, order Krüger no later than early August.
⚠ Oktoberfest 2026 — Order Deadlines
Berwin & Wolff: Order by mid-September 2026 — consistent 5–11 day delivery year-round.
Krüger: Order by early August 2026 — fulfillment slows to 2–4 weeks during peak season, plus 2–4 days to your door.

Not sure what's in stock or which brand to order? Call us at 1-714-910-6980 — we'll tell you exactly what's on the shelf and when it will reach you.
The bottom line

Is it worth it?

That depends on what you're buying it for. If you need something that looks like a dirndl for one night and you don't care what it's made of — there are cheaper options. We're not the right store for that.

If you want the garment that Bavarian women actually wear — made by the same families who have been making trachten for generations, cut to proper proportions, built from quality fabric, and sized correctly — then yes. It's worth every dollar. And now you know exactly where every one of those dollars goes.

We ship direct from Germany to your door. We charge a flat rate. We pass the tariff through at cost. We tell you the truth. That's the deal.

Ready to shop?

The real thing.
At your door in days.

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