importing parts vs paying the inflated fees at shops
 

I apologize if this is in the wrong place, or if I am breaking any rules by asking about this here, but I am looking at buying a PGC slide (this one: http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/pgc-cnc-g...g17-black.html). I can either buy it in person from my local shop for 120$ plus tax, or order it in from over seas, paying 8$ or 25$ on shipping (for 10-20 day or 3-5 days), then the taxes and duty for importing.

I'm wondering what the better deal is. This is my first time possibly importing and ordering from ehobby/ overseas, so I don't know how much duty or taxes will be. Does anyone have any experience/ advice with this?

Either way I would be ordering the necessary springs and rods from ehobby or redwolf for the slide, would it be more cost efficient just to buy all at once?

i would say buy in country, support your local dealers and keep Canada's economy running

I usually try and support the local retailers. But once in awhile I'll dip into the Asian market. IF you had to choose between ehobby and redwolf I'd go with ehobby.

Buy overseas. Im all for supporting our canadian stores but 120 + tax is highway robery if we are talking about the SAME product.

$70 + $25 3day shipping = $95 total cost. This is still 30 bucks cheaper than a local hobby store. If you got the cheap $8 shipping your cost is $78 which is 42 cheaper than the store.

Plus the slide you want is under 100 so it shouldnt come under the radar of the CBSA for tax purposes.

even if you went with the cheaper shipping thats 77$ + tax and duty, 10-20 days to get to the BORDER then however long CBSA decides to sit on it for. are you sure its 120?

buy local support local get it faster

Did you forget about duty and brokerage as well? And taxes? You'll have to pay all of that when you ship from overseas.
Plus everything RITZ said.

Sorry I disagree. I've paid for the more expensive EMS shipping before on several purchases and its always been in and out of customs within an hour when I look up the tracking info.

I try to keep everything I buy under $100 so it's not worth their attention. I've never had taxes or duties or anything like that. But maybe Im lucky that way.

But thats just my experiences.

Yeah unless it's an actual gun, stuff doesn't usually sit for long. If I'm in a huge rush to get the parts and can't afford to wait for it to come from Asia, I buy local.

Only problem is the airsoft stores near me all suck. So then my option is order it from somewhere out east and pay shipping anyway, or get it from Asia. And unless I'm in a huge huge hurry, paying $40+ more for the same thing just makes me feel like a chump.

TBH Personally at that price I'd go overseas. If it was 100+tax in country then you could say there's an argument for/against in country vs overseas but at $120 vs $70+shipping+tax/brokerage I'd go overseas and wait the couple of weeks (plus personally Ive only gotten charged duties/brokerage for about 60% of my items coming stateside or overseas, YMMV).

If I can get it from overseas without too much of a price increase, I do. I'd even be willing to pay a little more when all is said and done (Shipping, customs, brokerage) simply to keep money out of the hands of the price jacking hyenas we label as "retailers".

I'd run around spouting the "Support community/Canadian retailers!" line, but I won't, since their prices are stupidly inflated for the most part. I've legally imported AEGs for significantly less that retailers sell them for. So at this point in time, fuck the retailers, if you can import it, you're usually better off doing so.

If I'm buying a whole lot of parts, I usually go overseas. But if it's just an item or two, then local.

Most packages going through Canada post get none of those tacked on.

Yeah, that would tend to be my opinion too. Canadian retailers really, really need to adjust the hell out of their prices to stay competitive with the new import regs. One Canadian site has an A&K Mk. 43 up for $580, another for $435. Same exact gun is listed on EhobbyAsia for $289US plus shipping and fees. How in god's name do the local companies think they can still get away with charging what they do?

Because there is a sucker born every minute ^

This one guy I know shops at the shitty pacific mall stores because he doesnt want to come out and meet with someone to get AV'd. So he's willing to pay for the over inflated prices because of lazyness. Weird some people eh?

FYI, we are talking like $500 for a full metal M4 that we can get on here for a fraction of the price.

I am willing (and have) supported local retailers. But only if their price is right. I want to buy Canadian but not pay more than what is fair.

Buying overseas is more worth it the more stuff you buy, tbh i haven't been charged by CBSA at all from just buying mags and parts from Ehobby.

Slides are hard to obtain in country most people just import them from over seas since they are legal to import anyway

And if they are in country, there is usually a high mark up because shoppers may associate a slide as a restricted part and "play it safe" and pay the marked up price.

This is where it really pays to know your import laws. Or should I say SAVES.

After shipping it's $390, and that's before any possible tax or duty (if it's applied). The $435 price is more than reasonable. The $580 maybe not as much, but neither are too far off.

^$100 just for shipping? Oh my.

Yes, its the exact slide. If I buy from ehobby I would probably just buy all the parts and mags I need at once. So I would probably be spending about 300$ plus shipping/ bounty

I just bought the TM G17 from the same retailer for 310+ tax, instead of buying used because I wanted to support the local shop/arena. I was in there again today with some questions, and they discovered a few metal slides left over in the back. The owner told me the slide was for sale at 120$. Unless they give me some sort of discount for giving them so much money in such a short time, I don't think I could be persuaded at that price. I also bought the display model at full price.. Something about slim profit margins prohibited them from giving a discount...

Honestly I think I would rather buy over seas at this point. I'm in no rush to upgrade my stock gun, and I have plenty of duster, so getting a metal slide STAT isn't a big deal. Also, I was planning on ordering a new recoil rod, hop up rubber, mag catch, etc.. and a few mags from ehobby anyways, so I might as well save on shipping and bundle it all together.

Am I more likely to pay bounty/ tax on a 200-300$ order? Or would you suggest i split up the orders so they remain under 100$, and just pay a little extra for shipping.

If you don't ship it using UPS you're usually fine.

Ive sent a l86a2 ( wich is around the same weight ) to Ontario ( closer then HK ) and it cost me 50$. So yeah 100 for crossing whole canada+Pacific seems to be legit.

For Op , buy local when its reasonable, otherwise chinese are your friends!

Most I've ever paid was $70 for EMS express out of Hong Kong..

Was it a small item or a 23 pound gun in a fairly big box ?

Full metal WE HK416?