MB Klein getting into Japanese prototypes?

[Yavianice]

27 minutes ago, chadbag said:

I think it matters where the recipient is. They are not offering postal based offerings to the US now. Europe may be different. 

Japan Post has been offering Air Small Packet to CONUS again for close to half a year now. Packages up to 2kg are accepted.

 

only catch is that it doesn’t have a tracking number, which is a problem when you pay with PayPal since it complicates matters when a parcel does not arrive.

 

I don’t use tracking numbers for RG-R but perhaps it’s because I’m a good client? That’s what I’m gonna ask now and I will get back to the forum once I get an answer.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Yavianice

[cteno4]

Has anyone done airmail small packet to the us lately?

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

I haven't seen any shops offering airmail small packet, at least hobbysearch/mtp/rg-r/banzai have not offered it.   If someone knows how to get it that'd be useful!

[roadstar_na6]

8 hours ago, gavino200 said:

 

Not that it's an important question to solve, but I'm a bit curious. Let's put it to the test! Pick an item from RG-R and post the link. We can both add it to our cart and see what the shipping is! 

I have to correct myself: Shipping a single loco cost me 1600¥/$15 through their online shop back when there were other options than DHL available to choose.

However since I only do mail order with them nowadays and Tokonami-San then calculates the shipping fee to the gramm it'd probably be a bit cheaper. I can't say how much because all my orders done that way included multiple items.

[disturbman]

30 minutes ago, roadstar_na6 said:

I have to correct myself: Shipping a single loco cost me 1600¥/$15 through their online shop back when there were other options than DHL available to choose.

RG-R still are offers other options, at last when ordering per mail. Last week, Tokonami-San proposed me DHL, EMS & ePacket.

[roadstar_na6]

Yeah, I ship all my stuff with ePacket 🙂

[Yavianice]

@Kiha66 RG-R has confirmed to me that he will also use Air Small Packet for people other than myself if you specifically ask him about it and understand that it does not have a tracking number or any kind of insurance (in the case that the parcel goes missing, though myself and I'm sure @cteno4 will happily point out that this has never happened) because Japan Post does not offer that at this time. That is also the reason why it is not posted on the website. The Air Small Packet without insurance and tracking is from Japan Post is also accepted to CONUS and takes approx 2-3 weeks (real world, tested, and recent 2021 experience, though depending on the exact location this may vary somewhat). The costs are approximately 2450 yen for a 2 kg (approx 2 cases + small add-ons) parcel (may vary slightly, he did not quote an exact price but this is what I found).

 

When using Air Small Packet then it is still cheaper than what @chadbag has with MTS.

 

Though I acknowledge that since this is not a published option on his website (because he does not want to take responsibility if a parcel goes missing, and the buyer holds them responsible even though tracking number and insurance is specifically not accepted by Japan Post), I'm guessing MTS is better.

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Yavianice
added here and there

[Martijn Meerts]

On 2/16/2021 at 1:27 AM, cteno4 said:

How are you going to ship it from texas? I just had to send a small package to the Netherlands and Usps was the cheapest even with global priority over cheapest DHL, FedEx or ups.

 

jeff

 

MBKlein's shipping to the Netherlands is weird at best. My GG1 is from there, and I paid something like 15USD in shipping. Trying to order some couplers there recently, they quoted something like 45USD in shipping, for 2 packs of 2 couplers. I've also had shipping costs of well over 100USD from them for small things. I have no idea what they base their shipping cost on.

 

 

 

[chadbag]

Interesting about Japan Post offering Airmail Small Packet to the US currently.   I'll have to ask my sister in law -- she tried to send a package (not airmail small package) and was told by the post office that they are only shipping surface to the US now.   (I was not there and it may have been specifically about her package, which would have been larger, but it sounded like they were talking about it in general).   The problem was explained as lack of aircraft availability to the US.

 

[cteno4]

I think all japan post that go air use passenger planes so yes few of those to the us to fill the bellies of.

 

@Yavianice sure I’ll happily point out I’ve never had a SAL or EMS post lost out of hundreds (maybe close to 1000, scary to try to shirtsleeve) sent to me in DC in the last 20 years (and more before that in California). That’s just may data, don’t think I’m the super lucky guy. Same goes with all our club members here in DC, I don’t remember any lost packages, Sal or EMS. Had one get soaked a few boxes beat up badly, but never any damage that was not easily fixable. Only real package damage I’ve had was from Amazon jp and dhl with a larger tomytec train box shipped in a bubble envelope and all the box edges were crushed but the trains inside survived!

 

I remember not too long back many of the us shops really threw their hands up at sending outside the US. now all packages have to use the longer customs form that either have to be filled out online (tedious and fails partway thru sometime) or filled out by hand and reentered at the post office (time consuming). Also since 2 postal services involved most senders now want tracking so no first class.

 

Prices also in the last few years for USPS overseas packages have also skyrocketed. Small package recently to the Netherlands last month was $56 and it was only priority, not express, took about 2 weeks. I checked and retail rates for all private shippers were significantly more expensive.

 

jeff