particularbrick Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Thought I'll start a new thread to discuss buying from overseas. As I get most of my stock, sets locally, the only experience I have buying overseas are for polybags from brick link and they have been all good so far. I know some of the more senior Aussie brickpicker have experience buying overseas. Care to share? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausleigh Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I've bought from Toys R Us (US) previously and had no issue with damaged boxes; more issues with the package bought via Myer locally, to be honest. One Toys R Us package did get lost, but the money was refunded no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 I've bought from Toys R Us (US) previously and had no issue with damaged boxes; more issues with the package bought via Myer locally, to be honest. One Toys R Us package did get lost, but the money was refunded no issues. Did you find the shipping to be reasonable? The thing I see with toys r us US is that we can't use any of the sales codes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrickPick3r Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I just placed 2 orders recently, TRU US and bricklink, but haven't arrived yet. These two are my first orders out of ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 I just placed 2 orders recently, TRU US and bricklink, but haven't arrived yet. These two are my first orders out of ebay. With brick link, the longest I had to wait was about 4 weeks and it still got here. I wasn't worry, in the end I still got my stuff. But generally pretty good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrickPick3r Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Did you find the shipping to be reasonable? The thing I see with toys r us US is that we can't use any of the sales codes. Recently they have buy 1 and 50% off for the second (excluding the hard-to-find and expensive one). I order the hulk and get 50% off for DeLorean Time Machine. - LEGO Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine (21103) : 24.6061 - LEGO Marvel Super Heroes The Avengers Hulk's Helicarrier Breakout (6868): 71.1050 The shipping was 32. The total was about $127 US. I really want to have the HULK set and the local price is $99 and yet hard to find one. The DeLorean machine is selling in AU for around 70-100. So i think it's pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrickPick3r Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I've bought from Toys R Us (US) previously and had no issue with damaged boxes; more issues with the package bought via Myer locally, to be honest. One Toys R Us package did get lost, but the money was refunded no issues. Do they have any confirmation of the shipping? The email that i got after placing an order told me that i'll be informed again for the order. But they recently deducted money from my account and still no email. Is this normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-311 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hey guys I have ordered from most parts of the world, have family scattered all over as well. TRU can have some good prices, compared to us here, but compared to somewhere like Walmart, Kmart etc they suck *****. If you order from them they ship through iparcel and any issues you have, have to be taken up with them as TRU will disavow any knowledge of your order. You are looking at on average 6 weeks from time you place to order to when they arrive. Allow 4 weeks to get to iparcel warehouse and 2 weeks to ship. The debit your CC on shipment. I would look at when BOGO 50%, but sometimes they jack up their prices so much, when they dont have that sale on the prices can be cheaper. Obviously the larger the set the more to ship. BN.com are good but take on average 6 weeks. SHipping rates are great, but harder to find decent deals. Amazon.com will only ship certain sets internationally, shipping prices are average, and around 4 weeks. Thats my 5 cents for american shops that ship here, worth a mention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrickPick3r Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hey guys I have ordered from most parts of the world, have family scattered all over as well. TRU can have some good prices, compared to us here, but compared to somewhere like Walmart, Kmart etc they suck *****. If you order from them they ship through iparcel and any issues you have, have to be taken up with them as TRU will disavow any knowledge of your order. You are looking at on average 6 weeks from time you place to order to when they arrive. Allow 4 weeks to get to iparcel warehouse and 2 weeks to ship. The debit your CC on shipment. I would look at when BOGO 50%, but sometimes they jack up their prices so much, when they dont have that sale on the prices can be cheaper. Obviously the larger the set the more to ship. BN.com are good but take on average 6 weeks. SHipping rates are great, but harder to find decent deals. Amazon.com will only ship certain sets internationally, shipping prices are average, and around 4 weeks. Thats my 5 cents for american shops that ship here, worth a mention Amazon won't ship the set like modular (or the one that I really want LOL). For the set that they ship, I think the total cost is similar to here having the discount or clearance. Barnes and noble will give you the US retail price plus their shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hey guys I have ordered from most parts of the world, have family scattered all over as well. TRU can have some good prices, compared to us here, but compared to somewhere like Walmart, Kmart etc they suck *****. If you order from them they ship through iparcel and any issues you have, have to be taken up with them as TRU will disavow any knowledge of your order. You are looking at on average 6 weeks from time you place to order to when they arrive. Allow 4 weeks to get to iparcel warehouse and 2 weeks to ship. The debit your CC on shipment. I would look at when BOGO 50%, but sometimes they jack up their prices so much, when they dont have that sale on the prices can be cheaper. Obviously the larger the set the more to ship. BN.com are good but take on average 6 weeks. SHipping rates are great, but harder to find decent deals. Amazon.com will only ship certain sets internationally, shipping prices are average, and around 4 weeks. Thats my 5 cents for american shops that ship here, worth a mention Do Amazon take care with their packaging? Have you had experienced with Damaged Boxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-311 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Generally Amazon are good for shipping, but anything coming from US has higher chance of being damanged. If you have ever been to US and watched the bahage handlers handle luggage they throw them around like footballs. Once watched my own suitcase get thrown and watched it break from where I was sitting in plane waiting to disembark. When I picked it up they had covered it in packing tape to hold together. So made huge complaint got $50 and a voucher to get a new suitcase up to $120 in value. Was not impressed. Transit time from US is generally longer as well, so more people or companies that handle an item the worse condition it will be in. Only ever had slightly damaged boxes, but if you complain to many times to them you will get a mark against your name and they can decide not to ship to you in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 Generally Amazon are good for shipping, but anything coming from US has higher chance of being damanged. If you have ever been to US and watched the bahage handlers handle luggage they throw them around like footballs. Once watched my own suitcase get thrown and watched it break from where I was sitting in plane waiting to disembark. When I picked it up they had covered it in packing tape to hold together. So made huge complaint got $50 and a voucher to get a new suitcase up to $120 in value. Was not impressed. Transit time from US is generally longer as well, so more people or companies that handle an item the worse condition it will be in. Only ever had slightly damaged boxes, but if you complain to many times to them you will get a mark against your name and they can decide not to ship to you in future. Geez, kinda scares you to buy stuff especially for resell if you dont get them in one piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-311 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Risk you take, only way to ensure you get pristine boxes is to buy within AUS or from shops, but then you have to wait for sales or risk paying our retail. Most people dont care if the box has a little damage as kids build the sets and box never gets kept, I throw mine away with the sets I build. Worst case scenario is you part out a set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 Yeah i know what you mean, depending on which sets though. i was thinking of getting some batcave sets. Whats the worst damage you ever got from US? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-311 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Just some squashed boxes, i find the less you order ie smaller the delivery box the less damage. Though the more you order cheaper shipping gets per item. Worst was from Europe got 3 x SW sets and the whole cardboard box was wet as were the sets inside 2 outa 3 were useless, instructions wet, 3rd was ok, but still damaged. It was held together with sticky tape that australia post put on the box. Looked like it had had a bottle of spirits broken on it and then washed or dunked in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 Probably worth it getting a freight forwarder then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkness Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Yeah i know what you mean, depending on which sets though. i was thinking of getting some batcave sets. Whats the worst damage you ever got from US? Is there any place that actually has the Batcave plus shippng reasonably priced? Doesn't seem to be that great a saving when I have looked into it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-311 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Have looked at freight forwarding but they are very expensive. If you have any luck let me know. Works if parting out and not keeping original boxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 They are selling for $69 on Amazon, hard to find some good priced batcave in Aus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkness Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I didn't realise it would ship here. It dropped $20 two weeks ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 I didn't realise it would ship here. It dropped $20 two weeks ago I filtered it to global shipping, not much stuff, but 30-40 bucks for shipping 2 sets plus the price, i thought was pretty good. i see people selling it here for at least $120 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickingbad Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Just wondering if any of you have purchased from U.S. eBay sellers before? What was that experience like? Was it cheaper even with the shipping cost? I recently sold a LEGO set to a buyer in Austrlia and I was surprised how much the combined shipping cost was. The transit time was a total of 10 days from when I shipped it to delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkness Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I filtered it to global shipping, not much stuff, but 30-40 bucks for shipping 2 sets plus the price, i thought was pretty good. i see people selling it here for at least $120 Yeah keeping an eye on it. If it drops in price I will grab some. $96 apiece still is a bit rough Just wondering if any of you have purchased from U.S. eBay sellers before? What was that experience like? Was it cheaper even with the shipping cost? I recently sold a LEGO set to a buyer in Austrlia and I was surprised how much the combined shipping cost was. The transit time was a total of 10 days from when I shipped it to delivery. I have and haven't had a problem. Shipping costs always are a serious pain when posting here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
particularbrick Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 Yeah keeping an eye on it. If it drops in price I will grab some. $96 apiece still is a bit rough I have and haven't had a problem. Shipping costs always are a serious pain when posting here Nah its $69 and shipping is about 30-40 for both units. is that rough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkness Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 When I put 2 of them through Amazon and it did their currency conversion at $188.16 so $94.08 each. That is paying full US retail though, yet it is still $35 than what we get here. That being said, any dip in the US price is a bonus and missing out on the $49.60 US price a couple of weeks ago hurts. The set has been under $60 often. All depends what you are prepared to pay for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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