Rail Gallery Rokko

[Yavianice]

@Arcticyup, they did, wanted to add that too but you beat me to it. 

[Yavianice]

Railgallery-Rokko has several of the E4 TOKI head car sets on sale.

 

These were event only and not obtainable online.

 

Price 7272 Yen (currently 6908 yen for the 40th anniversary sale) for a set of 2 (not sold separately)

 

 

 

Contact Railgallery-Rokko for details

Edited April 30, 2022 by Yavianice

[JR 500系]

And Rail Rokko was REALLY kind to help out with this!   VERY grateful to them for their impecable service!!!

[Yavianice]

Railgallery Rokko from now on offers FedEx shipping in addition to the regular DHL + Japan Post shipping. In some cases, FedEx can be cheaper than DHL, and similar to shipping with Japan Post EMS.

 

Because RG-R is still figuring out the exact pricing scheme, FedEx shipping quotes are calculated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Please contact RG-R for further info!

Edited July 21, 2022 by disturbman

[James-SNMB]

I got a package this week from RG-Rokko, and FedEx shipping was 30% cheaper than the DHL option. And it arrived in just 3 days (almost got here in 2, if not for a "local delay") while DHL has been averaging 7 days from Japan to me. Not only that, but the brokerage handling fee was much lower with FedEx. So I am very pleased with this unexpected shipping option!

 

(I'm sure results vary depending on where you live, but FedEx is a much more active carrier in my area compared to DHL, which could partially explain the difference for me.)

 

This was also my very first package from RG-Rokko, and you can add me to the list of very happy customers. Amazing service, great packaging, and lovely pen and tote bag bonus. So thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and letting me know about this fine retailer!

[chadbag]

Received my RGR package today.  First one I got from them.  I had several pre-orders plus some stuff he had in stock.  I paid for the in-stock stuff and as the pre-orders came in I paid for them.  Finally the last pre-order came in last week so he told me total shipping and final item cost and I paid that last Thursday evening late, US Time (Mountain time -- Eastern time would have been just past midnight 30 min).

 

I chose fedex and he had already uploaded the shipment details to Fedex so once I paid he gave it to the driver Friday afternoon (Japan time).  I received it already today in Utah.  Super fast, and the shipping charge, thanks to the strong USD, was probably less than US$ 30 for about 5.5 US lbs.  DHL was close to twice as much.  Great service.

 

The stuff was various KATO RhB -- both new stuff and stuff he had on shelf.  I'll get around to posting later the pics.

 

Great service from RGR...

[arkh]

2 hours ago, chadbag said:

...

 

I chose fedex and he had already uploaded the shipment details to Fedex so once I paid he gave it to the driver Friday afternoon (Japan time).  I received it already today in Utah.  Super fast, and the shipping charge, thanks to the strong USD, was probably less than US$ 30 for about 5.5 US lbs.  DHL was close to twice as much.  Great service.

 

...

Did you have to sign for the package since it is from FedEx? I've been using DHL mainly because they have a nice option to "pre-sign" for packages so that the carrier will just leave the package at your doorstep. Which is nice so you don't have to worry about being available right when the package arrives, haha. But I did notice that my last package through DHL was more expensive than usual so I've been thinking of switching to using FedEx in the future. 

[cteno4]

Here in suburban DC FedEx and DHL never ask for a signature from japan, even it it’s stamped signature required. FedEx use to be very diligent about signatures but it started going away precovid and stopped with covid. With DHL they were diligent with signatures and deliveries when we had true DHL here in the states, but now it’s a real crap shoot as they just contract with various local delivery services. For a long while the DHL here was leaving stuff in the mailbox (illegal and pisses off our mailman) and even on the ground at the mailbox on the street. For a short while they were leaving them in the driveway right behind the car, which if I came out of the garage would have never seen and just backed over them! Got no response from their customer service on the issue so I noticed they had an email the president of DHL link so I tried that and had the local dispatcher call me the next day! They have been doing better lately and one from Amazon.jp just was dropped at the door w.o signature. I expect here in the DC area we have more DHL deliveries than many areas of the us.

 

luckily our house is well off the street and nothing ever stolen (so far).

 

cheers

 

jeff

[chadbag]

3 hours ago, arkh said:

Did you have to sign for the package since it is from FedEx? I've been using DHL mainly because they have a nice option to "pre-sign" for packages so that the carrier will just leave the package at your doorstep. Which is nice so you don't have to worry about being available right when the package arrives, haha. But I did notice that my last package through DHL was more expensive than usual so I've been thinking of switching to using FedEx in the future. 

 

No.  It was not sent with signature required.  (The track said that no signature was required)  The guy came and left it without even knocking 😠 but I had seen him on my camera so knew it was there.  

 

 

[chadbag]

1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

Here in suburban DC FedEx and DHL never ask for a signature from japan, even it it’s stamped signature required. FedEx use to be very diligent about signatures but it started going away precovid and stopped with covid. With DHL they were diligent with signatures and deliveries when we had true DHL here in the states, but now it’s a real crap shoot as they just contract with various local delivery services. For a long while the DHL here was leaving stuff in the mailbox (illegal and pisses off our mailman) and even on the ground at the mailbox on the street. For a short while they were leaving them in the driveway right behind the car, which if I came out of the garage would have never seen and just backed over them! Got no response from their customer service on the issue so I noticed they had an email the president of DHL link so I tried that and had the local dispatcher call me the next day! They have been doing better lately and one from Amazon.jp just was dropped at the door w.o signature. I expect here in the DC area we have more DHL deliveries than many areas of the us.

 

 

I've never had any of my DHL from Japan require signature that I can remember.  Amazon.jp and also Ami Ami or someone else that I forget the details on.  It is possible that pre-covid they did ask for a signature but that is ancient history and I don't remember.   I do remember talking to the guy though when he came.  They had a yellow DHL marked truck and DHL marked uniform.

 

But they always leave them by the front door in any case.

 

[cteno4]

DHL when they were a full shipping company in the us use to always require a signature from all Japanese packages for me. But when they left us as a major shipper they stopped totally even if the package said signature required. It’s funny now as all my DHL packages get a scheduled deliver email always followed by an email about you can presign for this package as it requires a signature! For a couple of years there we lost DHL painted trucks and uniforms and service was atrocious here. The postman says they use to joke that DHL was the bottom of the barrel around here and they would hire any warm body (or maybe just moving, zombies ok) to deliver. But the last year I’ve noticed now always DHL painted trucks and uniforms and service is on par with all the other usual suspects.

 

the horror was the three times DHL packages were left right behind the car in line with a wheel. Almost felt they were going out of their way for the most outrageous place to possibly leave a package! 
 

cheers

 

jeff

[arkh]

Oh wow, where I'm at, both FedEx and DHL are very adamant about signatures unless I leave a note on the door (which also sometimes doesn't work) or I have the pre-sign option done. I've yet to have a package from Japan that didn't require a signature, unfortunately. At the beginning of the pandemic, FedEx here particularly was a bit annoying about it and, at one point, they told me they didn't need my signature due to COVID protocols but they needed to at least hand it directly to me - which I feel like defeated the purpose. So I've mainly been using DHL when I have the choice. For some packages I specifically get an email asking me to pre-sign for the package while others, I need to log in to my DHL account and find my package and the signing option through there.

I'm not super worried about packages getting stolen here but we do have mail carriers that will tend to not wait very long (I've opened the door to see them literally running away) even if I'm home, so I've missed packages that way and just prefer them to be left at the door so it's less hassle, haha. 

I will say that I've had issues with most carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS) wherever I've lived but DHL has been the least troublesome where I currently am, at least. There was one time they delivered a PlazaJapan package to the completely wrong side of our area, but that got figured out quickly, haha.

[cteno4]

Our zip code apparently has the highest package per residence in the country—no jokes my train buying is skewing this number! This is from our postman and seeing FedEx and ups come down our side residential road at least 2 times a day it’s probably true across the board, so this may add to no one wanting to collect signatures, especially with covid.

 

jeff

[chadbag]

 

Needing a signature is usually, in my experience, either because the seller requested it (and pays a fee) or there is insurance on it above a certain amount.  It is possible certin classes of service also automatically qualify for it.

As I said, my RGR Fedex specifically said on the track that a signature was not required.

 

[Kiha66]

Does anyone have the RG Rokko contact ?  They have some items on their Japanese site that I'd like to buy.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Kiha66

[bill937ca]

This is their contact page.

 

https://rg-rokko.com/contact

[Yavianice]

You can also contact him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/railgalleryrokko/ , on which he is very responsive. Otherwise e-mail is the way to go (from the contact page linked above)

[JR East]

On 8/16/2022 at 7:27 AM, chadbag said:

 

Needing a signature is usually, in my experience, either because the seller requested it (and pays a fee) or there is insurance on it above a certain amount.  It is possible certin classes of service also automatically qualify for it.

As I said, my RGR Fedex specifically said on the track that a signature was not required.

 

They offer DHL (where they requireed every time a signature from me) and Fedex ( did not tested it)

Edited October 29, 2022 by JR East

[Kiha66]

Thanks all!  Does anyone know if they're still doing a discount for using direct bank transfer?

[cteno4]

Last time I ordered from them a few months ago they were doing the wise discount.
 

Beware the wise system from us>japan may puke at the very end if you use a saved recipient or resend. For some reason the saved info is missing some bit of data that will let you get to the end, then puke… so you have to fill in all the banking and address information a new, blank transaction each time. I’ve gone round and round with their cs (which is sort of script and aI based so can’t handle an issue like this) and they say the mailing address is not needed, but it is from the us (some searching it looks like us wants a mailing address attached to all foreign fund transfers now) and this seems to be the bit of data that is not stored as a filed recipient or from a resend. I tried to escalate it but the last guy said he didn’t think there was an issue at all (obviously there is as it’s not working as they say it should) and he would not send it on. I gave up at that point. Hopefully it was fixed by now.

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

Thanks Jeff!  I'll ask them about trying it out then, maybe pick up a few extra freight cars with the savings.

[disturbman]

The extra wise discount only apply to items that were released less than two weeks ago.

[Yavianice]

On 10/30/2022 at 1:23 AM, Kiha66 said:

Thanks all!  Does anyone know if they're still doing a discount for using direct bank transfer?

Everything I wrote in this post is still current. 

 

Small update is the VAT requirement for the U.S.. RG-R is currently figuring out what the new rules mean to future sales to the U.S. UPDATE: RG-R is too small to declare the VAT directly, so it is up to the client to take care of this (if the situation arises).

Edited October 31, 2022 by Yavianice

[JR East]

16 hours ago, Yavianice said:

Everything I wrote in this post is still current. 

 

Small update is the VAT requirement for the U.S.. RG-R is currently figuring out what the new rules mean to future sales to the U.S.

 

I do confirm. What @Yavianicewrote is still current. I've ordered few weeks ago for a France delivery. 

[cteno4]

On 10/30/2022 at 12:04 PM, Yavianice said:

UPDATE: RG-R is too small to declare the VAT directly, so it is up to the client to take care of this (if the situation arises).

that’s good!

 

jeff