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Post by Blaze on Jan 24, 2010 17:45:41 GMT -5
Shipping charges in general seem outrageous anymore -_-b
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Post by Comrade Vargen666 on Feb 8, 2010 10:50:46 GMT -5
Just a heads up: Today I recieved my parcel from Ami Ami Shop. It was huge, and again I wondered why they couldn't just have picked a smaller box and shipped SAL. But at any rate it all went very well, I ordered and paid over the weekend, and they shipped my parcel our first thing on monday. I got tracking info that even extended beyond the boundaries of Japan. So I could actually see from what date to what date the Dutch customs were greedily holding my parcel for their slow money-hauling process.
Coming back to the to-big-for-SAL issue: I recommend just asking them to ship SAL and if they only give the EMS option, go some place else like HLJ. Ami Ami are cheap, but after customs hit you you'll be a lot cheaper off with a shop that will actually ship your stuff SAL.
The only advantage of EMS is that it's supposed to be fast, but as stuff always gets hold up by customs it'll generally take as long as SAL to get to me anyway. So, EMS just sucks alround.
Customs taxed my stuff at 44 euro (which would be about right I guess). I had to pay 13.11 euro extra for tax (fair enough...), and uhm, 17 euro for "handling costs" (f*kcing money milking bastards). That makes me pay 2/3 of the total value extra, which is insane if you ask me.
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Post by Blaze on Feb 8, 2010 14:18:01 GMT -5
That makes me pay 2/3 of the total value extra, which is insane if you ask me. Yeah, totally not cool  |
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Post by La Volpe on Feb 8, 2010 15:02:23 GMT -5
Wtf, this is why I hate Customs >:
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Post by Comrade Vargen666 on Feb 8, 2010 16:05:41 GMT -5
Yes, I don't mind having to pay the actual tax (which is only fair, though I'd rather not of course), but the extra cost is rediculous. Especially considering they hold a parcel up for more than a week. This makes a SAL parcel not only cheaper, but also about as fast as EMS to my place. The downside to SAL is no tracking, but really the chance of a parcel actually getting lost is so slim it's neglectable. I've only had this happen once from Hong Kong, but under dubious circumstances from an eBay-seller. He did refund me though, so no problem with me.
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Post by Comrade Tilly on Feb 8, 2010 18:40:10 GMT -5
EMS is worth it if you're in the US and want something quickly, I think—for some reason our customs people are reaaally lax on toys and I've never tripped over taxes.
But England does that "handling" fee on top of the taxes thing sometimes too, and it's like...what. What are you charging me £14 for, looking at the outside of the box? You didn't open and inspect it or anything!
I also hear Italy is Slow Trapped In Customs Death for any type of shipping D:.
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Post by Comrade Vargen666 on Feb 9, 2010 14:11:05 GMT -5
Italy is only good for icecream, pizza and old ruins. ;D
But they did actually open the box this time. I think that was a first for me. Normally I think they just let it lie around for a week or more, then print out the "you gotta pay us bigtime sucker!"-form, slap it on, let it lie around for a couple more days before sending it on to the postoffice.
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Post by GhostLiger on Feb 9, 2010 14:54:24 GMT -5
Hmm... the question is, do I cancel the Ami Ami one, or the HLJ one... I'd be going EMS either way.
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Post by Comrade Vargen666 on Feb 9, 2010 15:56:34 GMT -5
If it's going EMS either way, the choice is easy: Cancel the most expensive one.  But there is an other option: www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/They have the Great Saber in their new release list for 6800 yen. I'm pretty sure they can ship it SAL, as I've gotten my regular Saber from them shipped SAL. And that included over 20 bottles of Mr. Hobby Color as well, so it was even a pretty heavy parcel. The good thing about R10 is that they will mark down a low value on the parcel, as well as send as "gift". Unfortunately they don't give pre-order discounts or anything, and they use an e-mail form for ordering but in all other respects they are absolutely the best japanese shop I've ever dealt with. They simply rock, and for regular items I will always look if they have it first. Well, that's the last of my secret favourite shops out I think. Or at least the ones that are of any interest to Zoids fans. |
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Post by GhostLiger on Feb 9, 2010 16:03:18 GMT -5
Well in that case, I'll cancel the HLJ one and stick with the Ami Ami one.
Thanks Vargen! I'll look into that other site as well.
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