Ordering From Overseas Still?

[Spooker]

Very confusing on all levels, it seems.  I just purchased a rare old slot car on e-Bay, paid for 08/21, shipped from Portugal 08/22, e-Bay tracking began giving me notices that $$ would be due at my P.O. on arrival, arrived today 09/02 in my P.O. box, no additional charges assessed.  I think I got in just under the deadline, but was afraid e-Bay was trying to pro-actively add some $$.  I do believe my overseas purchasing, as far as possible, will be on hold for a while. 

[LDO]

I found out what happens. The letter carrier goes to your house, doesn’t knock or ring the doorbell, then leaves a missed delivery notice on the door. I would guess it’s the same guy who damaged two packages marked “Do not bend” by folding them up on the same day. 

[SpeedAndViolence]

2 hours ago, Spooker said:

Very confusing on all levels, it seems.  I just purchased a rare old slot car on e-Bay, paid for 08/21, shipped from Portugal 08/22, e-Bay tracking began giving me notices that $$ would be due at my P.O. on arrival, arrived today 09/02 in my P.O. box, no additional charges assessed.  I think I got in just under the deadline, but was afraid e-Bay was trying to pro-actively add some $$.  I do believe my overseas purchasing, as far as possible, will be on hold for a while. 

My situation is almost identical... I ordered a Chinese manufactured product on 21 Aug and it arrived today with no additional fees attached.(??) I think I snuck in under the wire as well. 

 

 

[bytownshaker]

I recently ordered a car part from the US on e- bay, it arrived today via DHL with no extra charges also.

[iamsuperdan]

I had a UPS guy show up and he had a portable debit machine, so could collect the COD payment right there on my front step. Just like paying for pizza delivery.

Maybe the postal service does the same?

 

 

[niteowl7710]

1 hour ago, SpeedAndViolence said:

My situation is almost identical... I ordered a Chinese manufactured product on 21 Aug and it arrived today with no additional fees attached.(??) I think I snuck in under the wire as well. 

Products from China would not be affected by this change as their de minimis ended back on May 5th. They adapted to it and figured out ways to collect what was owed on their end (or deflect around the tariffs in some cases). 

When purchasing on eBay they have added a feature back in May which states whether or not the tariffs are pre-paid or due upon delivery on overseas items. I expect that feature will expand to cover all overseas items now that de minimis has ended universally.

Edited September 2 by niteowl7710

[PatW]

Recently bought a Yamaha Race Bike kit from China, 5 day delivery free through TEMU.

Edited September 6 by PatW

[SpeedAndViolence]

18 hours ago, PatW said:

Recently bought a Yamaha Race Bike kit from China, 5 day delivery free through TEMU.

Ok...but how much..total cost...did you pay to take it from your front porch to your hobby room? 

[PatW]

None for only a distance of 15 feet.

[SpeedAndViolence]

2 hours ago, PatW said:

None for only a distance of 15 feet.

Awesome!! 👍   But...How much did you pay to get it here? 

[bobss396]

I buy a lot on eBay and set a filter for US sales only. I will buy from trusted Canadian vendors.

[Rodent]

10 hours ago, SpeedAndViolence said:

Awesome!! 👍   But...How much did you pay to get it here? 

Pat is in The U.K.

[PatW]

Yes I'm in the UK. The TEMU kits were shipping free. We find this normally with most things from China!

[niteowl7710]

On 9/7/2025 at 7:20 AM, bobss396 said:

I buy a lot on eBay and set a filter for US sales only. I will buy from trusted Canadian vendors.

Those trusted Canadian vendors are now under a 35% tariff or $200 flat fee.

[SpeedAndViolence]

I also build 1/48 scale aircraft, and I literally just got this in my inbox.

Your mileage may vary:

[niteowl7710]

Ooofa International Priority is quite a bit more expensive than International Economy. Both of which are substantially more than the (albeit unavailable) Postal rates. 

[meechum68]

On 9/9/2025 at 5:45 PM, SpeedAndViolence said:

I also build 1/48 scale aircraft, and I literally just got this in my inbox.

Your mileage may vary:

That's great to see! I build 1/48 aircraft too, nothing in the works atm, but im gonna check em out!

 

[john sharisky]

I ordered a $119.00 part for my GR86 from Japan. UPS sent me an invoice for $80.60 tariff and brokerage fee. 

[SpeedAndViolence]

Another update from one of my suppliers in Australia: 

 

[oldcarfan]

For what it's worth I follow USCP on Facebook so I messaged them to double check and they say they are indeed shipping to the US with 10% added to the item's price. They have several things I'd like to have. 

Edited September 14 by oldcarfan

[PatW]

On 9/7/2025 at 10:12 AM, SpeedAndViolence said:

Awesome!! 👍   But...How much did you pay to get it here? 

They are £9.35 each but as Paypal won't pay below £10, I bought two, so paid £18.70total no shipping costs from China! 

[SpeedAndViolence]

55 minutes ago, PatW said:

They are £9.35 each but as Paypal won't pay below £10, I bought two, so paid £18.70total no shipping costs from China! 

That's fantastic. Thank you. And just to be clear, I assumed you lived here in the US at the time I posted that. I now stand corrected. The old saying about making assumptions, once again proves true in my case.

Cheers! 

[Rodent]

3 hours ago, SpeedAndViolence said:

I assumed you lived here in the US

You are kinda new here, but some of us have been around long enough to remember when members' locations were shown. Now that they are not, I just have to go by memory (or context clues) to know whether folks are posting from EU, the UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, or wherever. We used to have a very talented builder from Brazil posting, but he doesn't visit much anymore 😞

 

[peteski]

45 minutes ago, Rodent said:

You are kinda new here, but some of us have been around long enough to remember when members' locations were shown. Now that they are not, I just have to go by memory (or context clues) to know whether folks are posting from EU, the UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, or wherever

Yes, I found member's location useful to the conversations (unless someone entered something like the Moon).  That info is now hidden (for privacy reasons?), but if someone doesn't mind they can include their location as vague or as accurate as they want, in their signature.  Like I did.  It would be handy if others would follow.

[PatW]

9 hours ago, SpeedAndViolence said:

That's fantastic. Thank you. And just to be clear, I assumed you lived here in the US at the time I posted that. I now stand corrected. The old saying about making assumptions, once again proves true in my case.

Cheers! 

We don't live in the USA we live and have always lived in the UK! Although we know from buying other Chinese products that various Chinese retailers have huge warehouses in and around our largest airport Heathrow on the outskirts of London!

Edited September 15 by PatW