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Post by dvenn on Jun 8, 2010 17:32:45 GMT
Hi Guys, im thinking of ordering some items from Lucky Model as their prices including postage are cheaper than the model alone here in the UK. I just wondered about a couple of things and would like to know your thoughts. First up i can either pay by Pay-pal or visa, i have set up a paypal acc but havent a clue how to use it, so which is best. Secondly did i read somewhere about customs duty and will i have to pay vat when it gets here,as to save a lot of money in the first place only to find that i have to pay customs ect when it gets here is to my mind false economy. I would appreciate any help and advice as i have not ordered outside this country before and am therefore a bit wary.
Many Thanks Dave
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Post by iansadler on Jun 8, 2010 17:47:34 GMT
Hi Dave , I have no idea about Pay pal, but as to customs , yes it all depends if they stop your parcel and judge the vat , plus a Post office leavy a fee for collecting the money . The limit is set at a stupid £18-00 for kits , but books are free of vat. I won my case with customs a few years ago , I ordered books and a kit as one parcel to save on postage . The kit was valued at £16-50 but because I had books in as well they charged me on the postage . I took my case to my MP and won . But I never got the post Office fee back . Best of luck you will need it cheers ian
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Post by The Hooded Claw on Jun 8, 2010 17:50:24 GMT
Hi Dave
I buy from overseas very regularly.
Depending on what you are buying I would compare prices with Lucky Model and rainbow10.co.jp
With regards Paypal. R10 does not take it but you simply show as you would with say hiroboy, click the paypal logo at checkout and it logs you into your account and the money is either taken off your balance or directly from an associated card. I find it more secure than say a direct credit card transaction as it puts another stage in the way of the scammers.
Speaking of scammers the inland revenue will hit you for charges on a seemingly random basis, the problem is that Parcel Farce are their handling agents so for instance I recently ordered a Wingnuts Wings kit from NZ. I got a letter today asking for £11 VAT, now I'm quite happy to pay that. However Parcel Force have applied an additional £8 handling fee making the total nearer £20!
Now I have never had a fee applied to a Rainbox 10 order but apparentl;y Lucky Model are a bit hit and miss.
Let me give you an example of how this may hurt or save. The Tamiya Lotus 79 I saved twently pounds over UK list. A bill like the above makes it pointless Unless you just want it that bit earlier.
HTH
THC
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Post by dvenn on Jun 8, 2010 19:26:39 GMT
Many thanks Guys i will certainly take on board what you have said, haveing just checked the price of the Kinetic Sufa on lucky model plus postage works out at £34, looking at hannants the same kit plus postage is £36 so there is no point in me sending as the saveing is not great enough, but there are other things where i would save between £11/16 per item so i guess its swings and roundabouts. Many thanks Dave
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Post by Simon Cornes on Jun 12, 2010 8:18:09 GMT
One thing I would say about using PayPal and that is give yourself a a very obscure password. I was very naive when I set up my account and it cost me! In practice, because my password was so simple, some delightful person from the Philipines used my account and bought $500 worth of mobile phone from someone in the USA! PayPal realised that something was wrong - after the money had been spent! and I then spent a couple of weeks sorting it out. I got my money back, changed my password to something more secure and that was that but dealing with PayPal, either by e-mail or over the phone, is an absolute pain. The lesson for me is to get good security and never have to communicate with them!
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Post by playtime on Jun 12, 2010 11:49:02 GMT
simon C. Totally concur. These 'dictionary attacks' are cheap to do - they pay sweatshop wages to a mass of people to just try common passwords on a login. Think of something obscure, then obfuscate it again with weird characters.
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Post by dvenn on Jun 12, 2010 21:11:31 GMT
Thats Paypal out then. Dave
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Post by playtime on Jun 13, 2010 10:41:45 GMT
And the difference between Paypal and any other bunch of playful people running a call centre is?
Simon is right - use good security - i.e. a really good password - and you never have to ring them. I haven't in 6-7 years of having an account.
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Post by The Hooded Claw on Jun 13, 2010 11:37:03 GMT
Paypal is a third party service. If you use sensible password security ie a random word and number combination. ie guacamole27 you should never have a problem. Using your credit card details directly with a third party puts your card details in their possesion. With Paypal you keep it central and in your control.
THC
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Post by playtime on Jun 15, 2010 8:59:04 GMT
typing... hoodedclaw@pitstop.com.... password.... guacamole27... bah! didn't work
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Post by The Hooded Claw on Jun 15, 2010 11:12:48 GMT
typing... hoodedclaw@pitstop.com.... password.... guacamole27... bah! didn't work I wondered how long it would take! THC
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Post by playtime on Jun 15, 2010 14:57:25 GMT
Just a penetration test - the invoice is in the post
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dingo
Moderator
Dog Day Afternoon
Posts: 559
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Post by dingo on Jun 26, 2010 11:37:15 GMT
Wow England sounds a crazy place for custom and having to pay extra tax on stuff from overseas, here in Australia providing I don't go over the $1,000 mark with my imports I can get all of my models in without any tax at all. Dingo
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Post by brightonrock on Jul 27, 2010 15:18:12 GMT
I would love to buy from Bilek in Czech Republic and HAD in Hungary as they have both some kits and decals that do not appear to be available in any sites here.
But it appears that neither company has facilities to mail to UK or come to that outside of their own country. Czech Rep to Slovakia seems to be ok Solution: Do I just jump in my car and go get what I want or Send them an email and try to get an order placed
A family friend got mugged in their camper van in Budapest this year, so car with loadsa kits in it might be too tempting for some locals
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Post by foxy on Aug 7, 2010 9:45:35 GMT
Just got two medium items from Japan Hobbylink and no extra did I pay other than the product's plus postage/packing, this to the UK.
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