hi all...

as the topic suggested..

maybe some of us bought their toys/model kits/replica/hobby stuff from online due to the "hard-to-get" nature of those thing... so we turn to online for sourcing...

so can anyone share your experience in dealing with these online store.

i know that some of use here prefer to get from Hobby Link Japan maybe due to their many stock and collection. or maybe due to the cheaper shipping rates? or currency rates (now RM1 = Y0.0329)

while other maybe prefer to get from a USA based retailer.

and others maybe prefer to get from Singapore (for example www.timemachine-studio.com)

or maybe your toys got stuck at Kastam.. how do you get settle it etc.. our forumer Kastam experience

what are the DO's and DONT's etc...

so can anyone share your experience because some of us here maybe (me raise my hand ) thinking of getting from online shop but just a bit paranoid about it.

thanks.. hopefully this can be helpful to all of us

kuman

This post has been edited by jhcj: Jul 3 2006, 03:10 PM

luck you la judge-the.. its good to have someone abroad that can get a lot of those cool toys for you...

i regret not getting a lot of toys when i was there...

now i wish i have someone in Japan that can help me getting those model-kits at a much cheaper price...

this is a quotation i got from an online Japan retailer...
for a Gunze-Sanyo Mr Linear Airbrush set (regulator, compressor & handpiece)

Delivery method & cost(estimated):
A) SAL - 4300yen
AIR - 5700yen
C) EMS - 4500yen

---------------Copy & Paste End-----------------

A) SAL usually takes 2-6 weeks. (Not insured)
AIR takes 1-2 weeks. (Not insured)
C) EMS takes around 5 days.(Insured, Restricted delivery, Tracking Web

i dunno how much all of those item combined weight.. but will that be a possible approximation?
and will there be anymore increase in the cost?
hidden cost maybe?

if everything is ok... i might try to order something from HLJ.com and see how it turn out..

whats the best shipping rate from Japan to here?

thanks..

kuman

good to hear the good experience from a customer of HLJ..
i'm thinking of getting some aircraft model from them since i calculated the total is cheaper then getting it here....

below is the calculation i made(since the HLJ provide us with the basic weight of each model)

HLJ Shipping Info Page

Calculation:
4 items (1:72 scale aircraft model kits)..

Total weight (item only): 1270g
Weight of the shipping material: 600g
Total Weight for shipment: 1870g (still less then 2Kg, can use SAL )
Total item cost: YEN 7300
Total cost for shipment: YEN 1780 (estimate to the max of 2Kg for using SAL)
TOTAL cost: YEN 7300 + 1780 = 9080 * 0.0329 = RM298.73

maybe will add in a couple more items... a marker maybe..

i guess this is going to be cheap.. will that be all the charges will be incured for the above transaction.. since the item is not taxable?

They can open the shipment just as long as they didnt take the decals for their kids.. but the feeling of not being the first to open a package sure is dissappointing..

anymore experience guys..

kuman

This post has been edited by kuman: Nov 22 2005, 08:20 AM

maybe the credit car is using an updated currency exchange but at least we can have an estimated cost then can compare with the credit card.. in your case then its good for you since the cost charged is lower then expected..

Jackygwh
Ya.. i also heard about Kastam not really like the bulk thing.. and will tax us for it.. another thing is that.. if we're living in the same are then ok laa.. if we're far apart... then have to courier through Poslaju would incur some additional charges...

as for the local shop.. yup the stock and selection is a lil limited.. but we certainly save on the shipping cost though..

my 0.0329 YEN --> current currency exchange for YEN
kuman

hmmm..

so far it seems that most of the ppl here having a great experience with Hobby Link Japan (HLJ).. so i guess i'm goint o get some stuff from them and hoep that everything is smooth sailiing for my order..

as for Kastam, they didnt tax toys.. as long as it's not in bulk..
and if ANYTHING might go wrong with kastam, i guess Kastam Penang is the place to go since i'm my address would be in Kedah... and Penang Airport will be the entry point.... right?

off to HLJ..

kuman

UPDATES
HLJ already shipped my order via SAL yesterday... the shipping charges is around RM35... and see how long i have to wait for it to arrive in my sweaty hand..

i placed another order... but unfortunately they didnt manage to include it in this shipment.. .... maybe i'll instruct them to on-hold it first...

tak sabar already....

[quote]aduh after married hav to giv up our hobby edi... so dun married so early [/quote
if your wife is supporting your hobby, then why not marry early....
luck me.. my wife support my hobby as well..

and we'll be going to that Toy Museum in Penang this weekend.. (if everything is ok.)

kuman

let us wait "together-gether" see who's package reach us first..
maybe next week.... waiting....waiting..

on the other note....

other then the HLJ where else do you guys buy models from online?

i found a couple Japan online store (since i think their price is quite reasonable compared to others) namely Hobby World and 1999

those 2 have a cheaper kits but always no stock... maybe because their price is cheap.. a lot of people buy from them.. thats why always no stock..

maybe my next purchase i'll try from them and see...
anyone have experience getting from those 2 shops?

kuman

i'm still waiting for mine... maybe later next week.. since i'm way up here in Kedah...
hopefully the item arrived intact...
yea.. maybe the summit indeed contribute to a lil bit of delay i suppose..

kuman

yay!!!

i received my items as well yesterday morning.. intact.. but the box a bit crushed... but luckily yhe inside content just nice...

now.. need to find sometime to put it together..

and it seems that all the parcel have to go through KLIA Kastam... as mine wa chopped with KLIA Kastam in Sepang... becuase at first i thought for the northern g=region the parcel would come through Kastam Penang.. hmmmm... maybe KLIA is the main place for collection...

kuman

kuman

u purchased more ships after you just received the last shipment of ships? wow... you must be HLJ Prefered Customer..

i purchased..
1. Macross Zero VF-0S



2. Macross Plus YF-19



3. Also a set of Gundam Marker Basic


i think this will be my last purchase from HLJ for a while.... since i got tons of model-kits already...

all i can say it... my experience with HLJ is GREAT

i'll definetely buy again from them in any given time in the future...
although their price is a lil bit expensive compared to www.1999.co.jp, but the always have stock..

RECOMMENDED

kuman

This post has been edited by kuman: Dec 22 2005, 12:52 PM

i ordered from HLJ before.. if i understand correctly.. BULK meaning have a couple of same items.. for example.. item A got 2 units.. itemB got 4 units...

so far i havent got taxed on my shipment.. yet....

just to inform... I'm from Northern region.... initially i thought my shipment would come to me via Kastam Bayan Lepas but i noticed that they all came from Kastam KLIA... so i guess any dispute on the taxed item need to be resolved at Kastam KLIA..

3AAA


i guess the only get inspected by Kastam KLIA... but not by the local Kastam.. so anyone care to comment?


Jackygwh
i didnt have any plan to get anything from the internet... yet... if i do.. will let you know..





kuman

This post has been edited by kuman: Jan 11 2006, 04:37 PM

for me .. last time i order from HLJ it took me 1 week to receive my stuff..

i choose to ship with EMS

kuman

so far so good... but so far i only made 2 purchases from HLJ.. so maybe someone else out there have make more transaction to justify or clarify these..



what about their shipping charges??.. and the service..
some other option can try luckymodel... there are from Hong Kong..

kuman

me & my friend did bought some AFV & aircrft from LuckyModel... all them were intact....

my experience from HLJ also good..


kuman

so far it took me less then 1 week for me to get the stuff i ordered from HongKong hobbyshop.... that is pretty fast....

and i haven order anything from US/UK since i prefer to keep the deal on the APAC region.. cheaper shipping..

kuman

err... strider...

at which Kastam Office/Depot does your shipment being detained?
KLIA? or Penang?

wondering only..

kuman

can i add...

i usually order my model/kit from Luckymodel, they have an option of "declare low-value on invoice", so far so good... none of my kits have been detained by Kastam before...

just to add..

kuman

i've been waitin for my model kits mailed from USA via USPS for weeks now....

maybe it got detained at kastam KLIA... any possibilities where or how we can check if this is the case?
a Kastam helpdesk phone number maybe?

BTW the item cost only RM90..

thanks
kuman

i usually didnt have any problem ordering from them... usually it would take up to 2 weeks for them to ship ur order...

well at least for me

kuman

agreed... i prefer the old design... easy to navigate..
or maybe i'm just old-fashioned..

i usually get my model from Luckymodel & Hobbyeasy of HK... and maybe sometimes from Hannants UK...

kuman