Audio-Technica AT-ART9 phono cartridge

A communication from Audio Technica has confirmed that LP Tunes is an authorized dealer.  Very strange marketing on the part of Audio Technica USA which doesn't list the Art-9 among its offerings in North America.  Seems to me that biggest advantage of buying there would be a trade-in for a replacement when the stylus has worn.  Does anyone who has bought from LP Tunes know what the terms are for that?

No problem dealing with 2juki, ebay (buyer protection) always on the buyer side if something wrong with the cartrige, but he sell (for example) ZYX with fake serial numbers, i mean someone replaced the serial numbers makes them looks like it’s factory serials buy they are clearly not!

It’s a tipical grey market dealer’s trick to manipulate with serials, so indeed no support from the official dealers or manufacturers. It’s grey market war... Anyway it’s a strange feeling when you have a cart with fake serial number.

If AT recognizes LP Tunes as an authorized dealer then it is likely AT-US that imports the cartridge.  Normal business practice is that if a dealer imports an item directly, that is gray market, for that would cut AT-US out of a mark-up.

Actually, German dealers like hifisound and Thakker in Germany advertise the Art-9 for as little as 881 Euros (ex-vat) which is about $960.  The Euro trade in is at 60% of the Euro list price which is 1101 Euros.

The question remains as to the trade-in price (if available) in North America, for there is no such information on the AT-US site as there is on the European site.  A good trade-in price and policy, if there is one, would be the best reason for buying in the US even at a higher price than Europe or Japan.  

Is anyone in a position to compare the ART9 to an AT20SS?