Garage kit hunting Japan (when they won't export)

[keithwwalker]

The internet has made the world a smaller place, but there are still some manufacturers and shops in Japan that won't export overseas. Notably Studio 27, but there are other shops that have interesting selections that don't export.

First thing to do is always email, and see if the shop owner is amenable to shipping overseas. This almost always works.

Second, you can see if there is an online auction or sale for what you want. http://www.amazon.co.jp Japan lets you register in English (and site navigation)) and has paypal for payment. Easy enough, and quick too. Just like regular Amazon, they ship quick. I got a package from Japan to the West Coast of USA in 2 days recently. Some sites may sell on Amazon or Yahoo Auctions even if they have their own site.

Yahoo Auctions (which is the ebay of Japan), is a bit tougher, but there is a service called http://www.buyee.jp that serves as a translator/proxy for Yahoo Auctions (as well as many other sites such as Rakuten), and they will also perform as a freight forwarding service for an additional fee. Basically, you place the bids, but Buyee handles the payment, then Buyee receives the package, and then Buyee mails it to you. This is a great resource for out of production items that rarely come up for sale in the west. Expect to pay $30 per package (1/20 scale kit), including tax, and the cost for shipping from the seller to Buyee. Not cheap, but if you really need that kit...

The parent company of Buyee is Tenso, and they have another service. Tenso will set up a Japan domestic address for you, for those shops who sell independently through their own website only. Again, there is a charge for freight forwarding.

They also have a helpful site to help out with entering your freight forwarding address:
https://www.tenso.com/en/my_page/address

This last service, in particular makes it possible to order from quite a few Japan only shops. Use the google translate plugin to make things easier.

I will report back on this thread of particular successes and failures when using these methods.

Also, Japan Post has a listing of freight forwarders that are available:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/link/sougou_en.html

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In the old days before credit cards and paypal, you could pay with international money orders. Here is a FAQ detailing which countries accept which type of MO from the USA (dates from 1995):
http://www.cardfaq.org/faq/#s1.4
fwiw, the last time I checked (long time ago), Japan Postal service accepts USPS Money Orders (and does the currency conversion for you). I don't know of any vendor that will accept these anymore.

[JamesB]

Wow!!! great, useful and well done brief!
Thanks!

[keithwwalker]

First order was from Amazon.co.jp for a voltage converter to run a Mr Hobby compressor on 120vac. It arrived in 2 days!
DHL was the shipping service.
Credit card payment.

[keithwwalker]

Next order was a Yahoo Japan auction, handled by Buyee for a Modeler's MCS8 Leyton House kit.
Purchased on 02/17.
Arrived at Buyee on 02/21.
Shipped on 02/21 to me.
Received on 2/25!

Well packed, shipped by EMS. Smooth transaction.

[keithwwalker]

Purchased a SMP24 Lancia Montecarlo garage kit from http://www.4porte.net/

Emailed them about foreign post, they responded negative on 02/20, but they suggested a freight forwarding service.
Ordered on 02/20
Paid with credit card
Dispatched on 02/22
Delivered to Tenso on 02/23

[gp-models]

Great links!!!
Thanks for sharing them!

[racingkars]

So to be sure if i understand everything (English is not my native language).

If you decide to buy through Buyee.

You buy, but Buyee contacts the seller and pays the item and costs of shipping to the seller. And you pay Buyee for these services/the item/costs of shipping from seller to Buyee /costs of shipping from Buyee to you?

[keithwwalker]

Kars, you are correct. In essence, Buyee is your 'agent'.

To set up a Buyee account, you authorize Buyee to charge to your paypal account (the payment shows up as 'Tenso', the parent of Buyee).

When the auction is won, you payment to Buyee is automatic, there is no paypal invoice to approve.
Buyee recieves the package, then sends you a paypal invoice to pay. After you pay the paypal invoice for shipping, the package is mailed to your address.

Here is a breakdown of costs for the purchase of the MCS8 kit:

Auction ID q145952211
Item Name [梱0.1]モデラーズ 1/20 '88レイトンハウス88S MCS8/プラモ
Item URL http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/q145952211
Unit Price4,100yen
Buyee Service Fee 205yen
Payment Fee 200yen
Plan fee> Standard Plan 500yen
Total Purchase Costs, including shipping to Buyee >(5,005yen)

Shipment to myself:
International Shipping Fee
(From Buyee to your Address) 2,360 yen
Shipping Insurance Fee 0 yen
Package Consolidation Fee 0 yen
Protective Packaging Fee 0 yen
Domestic Shipping Fee (From seller to Buyee) 740 yen
Consumption Tax 328 yen
Shipping Cost Total US$31.41 (3,428 yen)

This is by no means, an inexpensive method to purchase something. The fees add up, and the double shipping as well. Roughly US$10 for auction transaction, and US$10 for shipping fees and then US$20 for shipping to final address.

So to be sure if i understand everything (English is not my native language).

If you decide to buy through Buyee.

You buy, but Buyee contacts the seller and pays the item and costs of shipping to the seller. And you pay Buyee for these services/the item/costs of shipping from seller to Buyee /costs of shipping from Buyee to you?

[keithwwalker]

OK, I ordered from Studio27. They are the reason I started this whole process to find out how to order from Japan, since they have not been responsive to emails - still a mystery....

Anyway, S27's online automated ordering process works for domestic Japan shipping only. They do note in their order confirmation that it is possible to have foreign shipping, but their automated process doesn't allow for that(?). In the past I have just emailed, and they have issued a Paypal invoice for foreign order, but that isn't working currently.

I use google translate plug in in Chrome browser to translate their ordering process. You have the option to register your account during the ordering process. I used my Tenso 'address' for shipping and registration (but retain my email address). We'll see if that causes problems as my paypal address is different from the Tenso address...

Note that when you order direct from S27, payment is not made until after order confirmation. Then payment is accomplished with Paypal or Bank Transfer.
Note S27 will not pay the paypal fee. You must absorb the payment. I did it by forwarding them money as 'friends and family', thus losing the paypal protections.

Ordered on 02/23
Order confirmed on 02/23
Paid with paypal on 02/24
Shipped to Tenso on 03/03 (after I emailed them on order status)
Arrived early on 03/05

I ordered some items that other online outlets just don't have, but S27 has in stock. Much easier to order from HLJ, TNT Icaro Best Balsa Spot etc. Again do this as a last resort.
The side benefit from ordering from S27 is that they have a points system that you can apply to your current order or future orders. This gets the cost down to approximately what HLJ costs are.

[Indy1977TX]

Would it help if you to add Tenso's address as an optional address in your Paypal account?

Jordan