yea...my items have been shipped after 10days..whooosh..

cheers

atul g.

I booked the spare parts for my crashed Heli on 31st (last last sunday) and it reached my home today

Yes... You are not just lucky.. You are very lucky... 

Quote from: Shrikant on February 09, 2010, 02:46:22 PM
I ordered some stuff (bunch of props and brushless motors, servos - without a particular application in mind) from Hobby city on Jan 22 (friday) and it was out of their warehouse on 23rd. Am impressed with their speed (hope its not a one off case). I am still patiently waiting for my order to arrive. I have forgotten that i have ordered stuff. Lets see when it comes.

My stuff ordered came in on Feb 20 (friday again).. so 4 weeks all inclusive... The parcel was opened at foreign post office and examined and re-packed.. no duties charged.. So barring the wait, overall a decent experience.

Hi Shrikant,

Your parcel was opened up in the customs ? Did your parcel contain a lipo battery or a motor ?

what happens if you have a lipo battery in your package do these guys detain it or let it through ?

any experience anyone ?

thanks

atul g.

That's the best way to deal in a polite manner with Hobby City Order. Just Order - Pay and Forget, and if you are lucky like me....ONE DAY you will definitely get your parcel.... my last order came to me auto in exactly 18th day....no hazels no worry..., but try to keep order in under 3.5K all inclusive.....

what about lipo batteries ? Do these guys detain your package if lipo's are found ?

Lipos are not Bombs, they cant detain it. Its present in every mobile phone/laptops.

lipo's can explode and also catch fire under certain circumstances..yes they are present in every mobile phone/laptops but importing them is a different ball game..

I agree, but the whole world ships them through air, including laptop batteries mobile phones through air. Not sure if anyone faced problems. I have not faced problems though.

true..even I have imported some batteries before..fortunately without any customs or any trouble..just wanted to know whether anyone faced any kind of problem with customs regarding the lipo's..

keeping my fingers crossed as I have ordered some lipo's this time although the order is below 3k..

  Just relax.....i have also ordered two batteries this time with HC ....along with some other material...i hope if batteries are problematic...then they should deliver me rest of the material................

Quote from: atul_pg on February 22, 2010, 03:04:12 PM
Your parcel was opened up in the customs ? Did your parcel contain a lipo battery or a motor ?

Nope No Lipos. But motor, yes - 1 No. No issues though.  All was properly packed and delivered.

I agree with Sandeep. Just order and forget. Easier said than done. Either because of the fact that you've paid for it and what if..... or anxiety to receive stuff and get going with building....

Dont worry about registered parcel, it will reach. I have recieved parcels as big as 3 KGs with tools from HC.

Quote from: sandeepm on February 22, 2010, 04:33:36 PM
Just relax.....i have also ordered two batteries this time with HC ....along with some other material...i hope if batteries are problematic...then they should deliver me rest of the material................

Thats the problem with our Customs 'Babus'. If they find even one of your item under 'Restricted', they would hold the entire package. So order wise.
BTW Mr Sanjeev told that they pay additional 'Disposal cess' for Lipo, which you may be averting ordering from HC individually. For how long ? don't know... But yes, Batteries have no restrictions and are good to go under Customs HS code.

How long does EMS usually take ? A couple of shipments have reached me within a week, but there is one, thats been over 2 weeks and still no sign.
The status says " Departed HK for India ON Feb 10th ". Should i still keep up hope for this ? Anyone had their EMS delayed so much ?

EMS reaches us much faster than that. Since its shipped on 10th, then it should have been here, wait for a day or 2 max. It will reach you. Most of the times parcels reach our cities very soon. As soon as 2 days once it reaches india. But the package will be in the customs ware house for the rest of the time before it reaches you.

I purchased several times from HC and many orders were Li-Po Batteries only and I never had any problems with customs.

Hi,
All types of rechargeable batteries, whether Ni-cd, Ni-Mh, Li-ion or Li-Po...none should be shipped in 100% charged state, i have read somewhere that this is a safety measure to ship batteries in air, land or sea and that too in a special cases meant for batteries only....
i have seen new Nokia and Sony mobile batteries....they are normally charged only 50%....
so i don't think that customs should have any problem with batteries as shipment......

Its not only that reason why they are charged at 50%, but also because at 50% charge, the battery tend to survive longer on the shelf and have better life rather than a fully charged state on the shelf for a long time.

Quote from: atul_pg on February 22, 2010, 03:04:12 PM
any experience anyone ?

i have received My parcel without open....this time i had ordered 2 lipo battery..all battery have came without any problem

congrats laxman..glad to hear that you got your parcel without any hassels..I wonder where my parcel is its almost like a month now..sob..

Hi guys, I am a new joinee to this forum, i have been reading for a while though. I am also new to this hobby but just about to take the leap. It will most probably be cars (trucks/buggy/truggy). Must say that this is the best thread a newbie could read, assuming that he will definitely come across the dilemma of ordering online. Well for a trial i placed an order with tower (some random tools/accessories) worth $42 on the 09/02/10 and haven't received the parcel yet. The reason could either be customs or the limited space they provide to enter the address. I chose the Priority Mail option (the cheaper one) and could hardly enter the whole address. Has anyone come across the same problem? Any solution?

I think you need to wait a bit more   Many stores even clarify that they will entertain queries about shipping delay (or lost items) only after 30 to 45 days.

Quote from: vinay on February 22, 2010, 07:02:33 PM
....
...
Most of the times parcels reach our cities very soon. As soon as 2 days once it reaches india. But the package will be in the customs ware house for the rest of the time before it reaches you.

Truly agree, Airmail/Airparcel/EMS ... they take more or less same time to reach India (as ALL use Airplanes and not Ships to 'Ship'). Its the whims and fancy ( and load on customs to clear them) which causes the actual delay for the package to reach us. Its all luck and timing (festive etc).

Good that we don't order Eggs thru Towers/HC, else they might get incubate at customs warehouse, and you receive hatched chicks instead!!.

Quote from: ujjwaana on February 24, 2010, 04:33:50 PM
Good that we don't order Eggs thru Towers/HC, else they might get incubate at customs warehouse, and you receive hatched chicks instead!!.

or may be a 12 new eggs instead of 6
[for those who didn't understand-i mean that even not chicks but we get the next gen. of eggs]