Another method is for said contact member (not vendor) in the States to repackage item and indicate "gift" along with a greatly reduced $ value on the declaration.
Since it comes from a private entity one is not obligated to include the vendor's/manufacturer's original invoice.
I have done this several times on various items, including some Corbin seats for one of my other bikes.
The US taxman is not interested and the EU taxman doesn't know better.
