I'm way up north, so paying for the gas to drive to Amsterdam would be just as expensive as ordering online. Sometimes an item gets though customs without taxes being charged and I'm lazy so ordering online is easier. I've never bought throught EvilBay though, just HLJ.
Nightbat is also from the Netherlands, he might even be somewhere around your neighborhood, not sure.
I've never bought online from any Dutch shops because it's just too expensive IMO.
Depending on what the item is worth HLJ will ship with SAL. It takes a little longer and you don't get a tracking number but most of the time, you won't have to pay the 20% tax.
Maybe we could meet up at some anime con, but I might stand out a bit, being 33 and all.