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If you wonderful people across the pond feel hard done by - try Parcel Force which deals with foreign shipping too big for the Royal Mail. The Chinese vendors such as LuckyModel stick a "low value invoice" which basically means whatever it is - it only costs £14 which is below the duty thresh-hold. Parcel Force feel they haven't been properly remunerated for the job they are paid for - so decide that the contents are subject to £12 in duty. They then charge a handling fee of £8 for the privilege of them paying to HMRC money you didn't have to pay anyway.
Ironically, the Trumpeter 1/16 Panther cost 8 Euros to ship from the Netherlands via DHL within 2 days. and being within the European union - was duty free. Somehow , this kit was £50 below the best price I could find from Hong Kong vendors which is just bizarre.
I cruise around on Ebay a lot, (I have trouble with sleeping) and it really is "bizarre" as far as shipping rates versus ETAs, versus actual arrival times are concerned. We have an expression here in the U.S.: "Ya can't fight City Hall...", which basically applies to anything our government or its manifold "agencies" choose to inflict upon the American Taxpayer. Many Americans just shrug and then go on with their lives, knowing that it isn't going to get any better. Complaining generally doesn't do any good...
U.S. citizens and/or residents:
This morning, I was reading an editorial on another hobby site, CYBERMODELER. The writer claims to have seen plastic model kits on "the list" of "higher-tariff" items; we will supposedly see a price-hike of 25% on models coming from China in the near future. Chew on THAT for a few minutes. Do the math; it isn't too hard to figure out...
For those of you who can't, here's an example:
$75.00 x 0.25 = $18.75
$75.00 + $18.75 = $93.75
So on top of waiting for nearly ONE FOURTH of a YEAR for your model to arrive in the United States from China, and then waiting for your domestic shipper to do the "Round-Robin" with your parcel, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE THE THE PRIVILEGE OF PAYING MORE FOR IT...
Now consider this:
Domestic and the "other" foreign model-manufacturing companies, their distributors, wholesalers AND LOCAL HOBBY SHOPS will want to cash in on our addictions to plastics, adhesives, putties, paints, thinners and all of the other claptrap and gobbledigook that is associated with said addictions. "They", the people who want your hard-earned do-re-mi, will ALL want to ride the "gravy train", as well...
So if you think you're paying through your nose for plastic model kits now, think of what it may cost you in a few months...
Maybe it's high time to dust off all of those moldering "to build someday" models in your "stash", (I HATE that word) or on your shelves and start building THESE, instead of ordering more models which will potentially molder on your shelves in the future!!!
More good news, later! But FIRST, a word from our sponsor!...
