What did you order or the post deliver? (Japanese N Gauge)

[roadstar_na6]

Air Small Packet, iirc it's uninsured tho.

[bill937ca]

9 minutes ago, roadstar_na6 said:

Air Small Packet, iirc it's uninsured tho.

It's not a train. 

[James-SNMB]

Ah, I see. That seems like a reasonable explanation. Certainly there are some flights going, even if there's not enough to sustain regular mail service, it would make sense for the mail services to at least make use of what little is available. Under promise, over deliver kind of thing maybe? Just adding my own meaningless speculation...

 

Last I checked Hobby Search there were only DHL and surface options to Canada, but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean other sellers aren't offering something else (if something else is available from Japan Post). Evolving situation, and all that.

 

I've noted that this was a Plaza Japan order, so I'm off to browse!

Edited April 14, 2021 by James-SNMB

[kami_illy]

Got myself something to keep me busy for a little while.

1st bit arrived. Rest is on the way (from a wild mix of bay-vendors and YA) 

I decided to ship them as individually as possible to avoid detection by customs (they don't check/charge if the stated value is low). This way is cheaper though shipping costs increase (here the postal service carges extra for "customs handling")

 

[disturbman]

Did it work? Were all your packages under 22€ in value? If not, did they escape the attention of the Bundeszoll?

In my experience, size of the package and/or amount declared doesn't exactly matter. I have had to pay custom duties on packages with less than 35€ declared value and others pass unnoticed with a declared value above 100€. I don't think Zoll evasion is an exact science.

The trigger seems to be more how the box looks like. There seems to be a slightly higher chance to be hit if the package looks professionally packed rather than packed by a friend or your grandma. That said, my last package from RG-R came without any additional surprises. Maybe the "no battery" was a good deterrent.

I'm not sure it's worth having multiple packages fly in. Shipping costs can quickly add-up and the additional 6€ per packages renders any possible saving moot. I have opted for a pray and pay approach. Outcome is too unpredictable. Shipping method might also make a difference. 

[kami_illy]

The TomyTec ones were under 22€, the Shorty wasn't. 

The difference I noticed is that the smaller packages come with the Post (most of them without ransom) and the bigger ones go through DHL. All of them were sent by SAL if I remember correctly... so it's not too expensive and shipping times are not so important for me. 

With package consolidation fees, higher shipping cost due to bigger box and the additional import taxes + ransom handling fees by DHL it'll add up too.

 

Maybe the way I do it, is not really cheaper, but at least I don't feed the pirates... 😆 or have to go to their cave to free the hostages. 

[defor]

Green Max Seibu 20000 Series (Galaxy Express 999)
Super excited to have this release!

Edited April 15, 2021 by defor

[disturbman]

Mine will take a while to arrive. RG-R is sending it back to GM to correct the lightboard issue.
 

2 hours ago, kami_illy said:

The difference I noticed is that the smaller packages come with the Post (most of them without ransom) and the bigger ones go through DHL. All of them were sent by SAL if I remember correctly... so it's not too expensive and shipping times are not so important for me. 

With package consolidation fees, higher shipping cost due to bigger box and the additional import taxes + ransom handling fees by DHL it'll add up too.

My experience varies. I have had bookcase brought to my door by the Postbote, and I have had to go pick up variously sized packages at the post office. However, maybe due to the pandemic, DHL has become quite the norm at the moment.
 

2 hours ago, kami_illy said:

With package consolidation fees, higher shipping cost due to bigger box and the additional import taxes + ransom handling fees by DHL it'll add up too.

 

Yeah, consolidation fees can change a bit the equation.

[chadbag]

16 hours ago, bill937ca said:

In the corner it says "Air". I suspect some type of hybrid service. Something like Fed Ex out of Japan and Canada Post after the arrival in Canada.  eBay often does this type of thing now.

 

SAL = surface air lifted or something like that.  Goes by air over the longest distance but "slow boat / train / truck" everywhere else is my understanding.

[bill937ca]

55 minutes ago, chadbag said:

 

SAL = surface air lifted or something like that.  Goes by air over the longest distance but "slow boat / train / truck" everywhere else is my understanding.

It goes on air on a space available basis, whereas courier shipments go first.

Edited April 15, 2021 by bill937ca

[lighthouse]

After a long time I bought a train made by Microace and I love it!

[chadbag]

3 minutes ago, lighthouse said:

After a long time I bought a train made by Microace and I love it!

 

 

Awesome.  I'd like to get that one (when my moratorium is lifted).  We actually rode it in July 2019.

 

 

[bill937ca]

Another order from Plaza Japan, shipped April 5, 2021 via Japan Post Small Packet arrived April 16, 2021. Eleven days!!

 

More Tomix Wide Tram Super Mini Rail R103 curves and a 5538 Wide Tram Track undertrack feeder.

 

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by bill937ca

[brill27mcb]

Next time, you need to get some cobblestone street pieces, Bill!  😀

[bill937ca]

1 minute ago, brill27mcb said:

Next time, you need to get some cobblestone street pieces, Bill!  😀

I looked for those and 3076 and 3079 seem to be out of stock everywhere.  😒

[Dinosbacsi]

On 4/15/2021 at 11:05 AM, disturbman said:

Did it work? Were all your packages under 22€ in value? If not, did they escape the attention of the Bundeszoll?

In my experience, size of the package and/or amount declared doesn't exactly matter. I have had to pay custom duties on packages with less than 35€ declared value and others pass unnoticed with a declared value above 100€. I don't think Zoll evasion is an exact science.

The trigger seems to be more how the box looks like. There seems to be a slightly higher chance to be hit if the package looks professionally packed rather than packed by a friend or your grandma. That said, my last package from RG-R came without any additional surprises. Maybe the "no battery" was a good deterrent.

I'm not sure it's worth having multiple packages fly in. Shipping costs can quickly add-up and the additional 6€ per packages renders any possible saving moot. I have opted for a pray and pay approach. Outcome is too unpredictable. Shipping method might also make a difference. 

Customs really is inpredictable. Last year my single box of a 205 series B Train Shorty got charged when I ordered it from HobbySearch and got it delivered by DHL. Since then I've ordered many stuff from eBay and Yahoo Japan Auctions via FromJapan, some were even higher in price than the 205 was, yet they all slipped through customs without a charge. All of them were shipped by Japan Post though.

 

Now I have another order from HobbySearch with several items in it, it's already in the country according to the tracking, I wonder if it will get charged at customs. I used simple Air Mail now, so if it slips through, then it's likely connected to shipping method. But if it still gets caught, then it might be because it's from HobbySearch and they are more of an official seller than the Yahoo Auction proxy sites, for example and the packaging might be different.

 

I mean I don't remember how HobbySearch packages look like, but I wonder labelling has something to do with it. The orders from FromJapan handled by JapanPost all have japanese labelling on them and I wonder if it confuses post/customs office workers and they end up not paying that much attention to the package as they don't understand it. Because last time I was at the post office, the poor lady had a real hard time trying to give me my package with all the japanese writing on it, lol.

[gavino200]

On 4/15/2021 at 3:42 PM, chadbag said:

 

Awesome.  I'd like to get that one (when my moratorium is lifted).

 

I hate to say it Chad, but it doesn't look like that's ever going to happen! 😛

[IST]

11 hours ago, Dinosbacsi said:

But if it still gets caught, then it might be because it's from HobbySearch and they are more of an official seller than the Yahoo Auction proxy sites, for example and the packaging might be different.

 

As I experienced, it does not depend on that. As we live in the same country I can tell you that in the past few years Hobby Search's packages went through the custom process without paying any custom fee and VAT (and this one hurts more with as it is 27%), but only if the package's weight was less than 2 kilograms and arrived via not tracked post. If it had a tracking number then it was charged. Beside of this every package shipped by DHL is charged, there is no exception. And from July this year, every package has to be charged with VAT and custom fee.

[DD13]

4 hours ago, IST said:

 

As I experienced, it does not depend on that. As we live in the same country I can tell you that in the past few years Hobby Search's packages went through the custom process without paying any custom fee and VAT (and this one hurts more with as it is 27%), but only if the package's weight was less than 2 kilograms and arrived via not tracked post. If it had a tracking number then it was charged. Beside of this every package shipped by DHL is charged, there is no exception. And from July this year, every package has to be charged with VAT and custom fee.

That is. All the packages with tracking number will be charged.

[Dinosbacsi]

6 hours ago, IST said:

If it had a tracking number then it was charged. Beside of this every package shipped by DHL is charged, there is no exception.

 

2 hours ago, DD13 said:

That is. All the packages with tracking number will be charged.

But my eBay and FromJapan orders were all registered air mails with tracking, yet they were never charged so far. The tracking even showed them going through customs inspection, but then they always arrived without extra charge. And I think most of them was over the 22 or 25 euro price limit as well.

 

Or are you guys only talking about HobbySearch orders?

 

Anyway my HobbySearch package I mentioned should arrive in a day or two as it's already inside the country, but it hasn't reached the customs inspection yet. When it does and it arrives, i'll inform you guys if it slipped through or not.

 

And just to stay on the topic of "what did you order", I'm currenly waiting for the delivery of a B Train Shorty rolling chassis set as well and also ordered a few junk items from Yahoo Japan Auctions, including a pair of front skirts, a spare 201 series cab car and a EF64-0 series. It's going to be my first time waiting for several won auctions and shipping them together.

Edited April 18, 2021 by Dinosbacsi

[chadbag]

2 hours ago, Dinosbacsi said:

 

But my eBay and FromJapan orders were all registered air mails with tracking, yet they were never charged so far. The tracking even showed them going through customs inspection, but then they always arrived without extra charge. And I think most of them was over the 22 or 25 euro price limit as well.

 

Or are you guys only talking about HobbySearch orders?

 

Anyway my HobbySearch package I mentioned should arrive in a day or two as it's already inside the country, but it hasn't reached the customs inspection yet. When it does and it arrives, i'll inform you guys if it slipped through or not.

 

And just to stay on the topic of "what did you order", I'm currenly waiting for the delivery of a B Train Shorty rolling chassis set as well and also ordered a few junk items from Yahoo Japan Auctions, including a pair of front skirts, a spare 201 series cab car and a EF64-0 series. It's going to be my first time waiting for several won auctions and shipping them together.

 

 

I think they are talking DHL.  SInce DHL makes a proactive effort to report it to the authorities and pay any duty and charge you a fee for doing so. 

[Sheffie]

Received—via DHL, who never seem to add any kind of duties—the housing that I need, to flesh out the Japanese village area. 
 

[roadstar_na6]

DHL is a courier service that has the parcel in possession from pick-up to delivery including the customs presentation whereas stuff that travels via UPU is more likely to slip through customs as it's going through a lot of "hands" and because it's only handled by customs at the destination countries airport and is probably hand-processed by people who may not be bothered as much as a company that tries to get the stuff to you wihtin a few days.

Edited April 18, 2021 by roadstar_na6

[chadbag]

1 hour ago, Sheffie said:

Received—via DHL, who never seem to add any kind of duties—the housing that I need, to flesh out the Japanese village area. 
 

 

 

That is because you are US based and model railroads don't have a duty on them (and no one seems to care about small private imports on most things anyway).  Our non US compatriots have a lot more aggressive customs services.

[disturbman]

Yes, I suppose that we more or less agree that taxes can be used for the common good.