A 1/72nd Roden C-123B kit.

As a matter of fact, I like the looks of this new kit and would really like to get one. So I went shopping on the mail-order sites.
Squadron has the kit on for $44.09US, which to me seems a little over priced still, but, I was willing to pay. At least until I saw the shipping cost; $35.95. That makes a total of $80.04US for the kit.

I have patience. I'll wait until I visit the city and purchase at the LHS.

Ben

I feel your pain Ben, the Canada-US shipping costs have become ridiculous. We could have something mailed across the pond from England cheaper.

Have you checked out the Asian Mail Order sites like Hobby Link Japan or Lucky Models? An alternate to Squadron for me is Sprue Brothers. When I do an order I sometimes create a cart at both Squadron and Sprue brothers (they seem to use the same web server technology) and whoever is lowest including shipping gets the order. Sometime Squadron wins sometimes Sprue Brothers wins. I also partake in the use of ebay

Cheers

Hi Ben

If it's the same story your side of The Pond, LHSs have long been something of an endangered species. There'll always be some stuff they simply can't stock, but your story is a classic example of why it's important to support them when and where we can. To coin a cliché, the best LHSs are run by modellers for modellers - and we'll all be so much the poorer if they become a thing of the past.

All the best

Rowan

Oddly, I always thought that a similar statement was used as the Squadron Shop's motto. They will not be sending this, though, even if they had it in stock:


Believe me, I do not like discrediting any business that is trying to survive in today's market-place. However, if the product selling vs. s/h costs are nearing criminal dimensions, then the hillbilly just starts coming out in me. This is not a rant, though, this is a signal to shop around for your own sake.

The story on the above kit:
I traveled to the city yesterday, where the LHS cost would be $42.99cdn.. Not in stock, but, I would have paid that because I like the store. Bought other things.

Squadrons price: $45.60us + $38.16us S/H if they had it in stock. Total = $83.76us.

Dragon USA: $16.99us on sale + $6.00us S/H.. Total = $21.09us. Yahoo!! It was in stock

Now, why would one outfit have S/H costs $32.16 more than the other?

Needless to say, one of these outfits now has some of my hard earned money, and soon enough, the photo will be in another thread.

Ben,
Believe me I feel your pain and frustrations. Anything going across the border is nearly highway robbery in shipping costs these days. Makes absolutely no sense to me. Are they charged a fee by customs to scan the packages before entering the country?

90% of my online purchases are from Sprue Brothers. Almost everything is in stock, and ships in real time within 24 hours. Tracking is included. The Squadron is out of stock on nearly everything, especially their sale items, I have no idea why they keep on running sales. No tracking info is supplied nor offered, their shipping/handling is very expensive, and takes several days for them to ship. Needless to say I never purchase anything from them, when I use to buy everything from them. Go figure.

A new player is Scalehobbyist.com. Excellent prices, usually the cheapest shipping costs. Smaller accessory stock. I've been buying more and more from them.

My LHS has mostly older kits, new one sell out quickly, and are generally never restocked in a timely manner. Basics such as Tamiya paints can be out of stock on a hit and miss kind of deal. I'm certainly not buying colors I don't need nor want, and I'm not switching manufactures just to get a certain color. It's an hour round trip by car. Offer to order what I want doesn't do me any good, as I have to wait for him to put together a min order, then drive back down when he eventually gets the kit and or supplies in.

Even though this is a hobby, my free modeling time is limited and thus valuable to me. At my age I no longer have a unlimited amount of it. My once every few month trip to my LHS is done on the weekends as I usually run into old modeling friends that I've known since the 70's. More then half the time they don't purchase anything either, so it's just not me.

I've long ago stopped settling for what I really didn't want. I don't ask for anyone to order it for me, as I can order it for myself, get it cheaper, and quicker, and it's delivered to my door. I make sure I have everything I need for a modeling project before I start the kit, that way there are no surprises. Nearly all the time that involves a min of one online order even after buying the kit from my LHS.

Joel

About a year ago the US Postal Service cost of postage for parcels really took a big jump, especially international. I understand USPS is broke, but does anyone have insight why the INTL' s/h took such a spike?

Ben, PM sent.

In the mail box I usually get bills and bad news; in the PM box I usually get good news. Thanks, Fred. PM answered.

This thread would make a great counterpoint to the ongoing "What the postman brought today."