Hobby king shipping increase ...wooow !

[alcarafa]

Have you guys noticed how much shippping prices @ HK increased and less options ?

Thats crazy now a HK SLICK is almost as expensive to buy as a 3DHS SLICK.

Big mistake from HK, they'r going to see how planes demand will drop like they never expected.

In some cases shipping price equals 87% of plane price , what da are they thinking ?

[gramps2161]

New shipping prices went into effect. I shipped a envelope the other day with tracking it was just shy of 6 bucks. Had to go priority mail for it to be tracked with the new increases.
Most all the forums have this grumbling about the cost of shipping, and it not just HK that is raising the price to ship.

[Brick]

i just placed an order with Hobby King. i didn't see anything outrageous ? i didn't order any really large items though

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Guess it depends where in the world you are. I've not noticed any increase at all. For me in the UK including shipping and taxes the 3DHS 51" Slick is about $350 and the HK clone version is $145
I'd not call that close (though the ethics of the clone version is highly questionable, obviously)

If the US postal services put up their prices you can hardly blame HK for that, plus all vendors will have to pass on the cost sooner or later.

Steve

[stevecooper]

Their ship'in and handle'in charges have always been higher than anywhere else I've bought from the last 8 years or so in E-Planes,, They have had 3 or 4 name changes since then, Back in the Hobby-City days I would wait a few months before I'd worry about my stuff ( yes they were the slowist in the world ), and longer a few times (never a backorder from me,, ), Heads-Up is my fave as 2$ shipping + cost of part and at my door in two or three days is about the same and often cheaper than HK all and all, I can email Jeff or call on the phone and get an answer right away, I still piggie back orders with friends that are getting something at HK,, bubsteve

[TopSpin]

They have always padded shipping charges but in the past it was not a large amount and even with the higher than average shipping costs you could still get a deal.

Today the scale is tipping the other way with many companies offering very attractive prices, free shipping, $2.00 shipping, and real customer service it comes down to defining a good deal. When it costs almost as much to buy something half as good I personally don't see that as a deal.

[alcarafa]

Originally Posted by JetPlaneFlyer

Guess it depends where in the world you are. I've not noticed any increase at all. For me in the UK including shipping and taxes the 3DHS 51" Slick is about $350 and the HK clone version is $145
I'd not call that close (though the ethics of the clone version is highly questionable, obviously)

If the US postal services put up their prices you can hardly blame HK for that, plus all vendors will have to pass on the cost sooner or later.

Steve

This have nothing to do with USPS is HK who choose their shipping company, e.g. same plane I bought in novembre 2012 , now shipping cost is 60% higher you call that a deal ?

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by alcarafa

This have nothing to do with USPS is HK who choose their shipping company, e.g. same plane I bought in novembre 2012 , now shipping cost is 60% higher you call that a deal ?

I'm guessing that HK are passing on increased shipping charges as noted in post #2. I've not noticed any significant increase lately so I guess it's a region specific thing.

But it's a free market out there, if you can get the same stuff for less money elsewhere then no point complaining, just go buy it.

Steve

PS.. and I meant 'US postal services' in the wider sense of the words, not specifically USPS

[TopSpin]

Originally Posted by JetPlaneFlyer

I'm guessing that HK are passing on increased shipping charges as noted in post #2. I've not noticed any significant increase lately so I guess it's a region specific thing.

But it's a free market out there, if you can get the same stuff for less money elsewhere then no point complaining, just go buy it.

Steve

PS.. and I meant 'US postal services' in the wider sense of the words, not specifically USPS

They are not just passing them on, they are inflating them to make extra profit.

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by TopSpin

They are not just passing them on, they are inflating them to make extra profit.

I've compared HK prices to the actual cost of shipping and in the examples I tried it come out within a $ or so (based in the USA on published USPS priority mail prices and also the UK Royal Mail prices), and that could be argued covers packaging. I published some of those examples in another thread a week or two back. As noted in the second post it costs a lot to mail anything these days.

In any case.. The only price that matters is the bottom line price. They could give the stuff away for free and inflate the shipping, or they could do free shipping and bump up the price of goods to subsidise it. IMHO it really makes little difference, it's the bottom line cost that you pay and if you can get a bottom line cost cheaper than HK then without question, go for it.

FWIW I've generally found HK very hard to match on bottom line price on medium to large orders but for small orders some of the places that offer subsidised shipping do come out cheaper. It pays to shop around.

And before I'm accused of being some sort of HK 'fan-boy' I'd be the first to agree that HK are far from leaders in the customer service stakes, but that's probably for another thread

[BrianW517]

The USPS has had an increase in business this past quarter including junk mail. There in the black in that area of business. There problem is in the increase in retirement expenditures, and disability payments. My dad retired from the USPS and said that it was common for a few USPS Employees would go out on disability shortly after passing probation, and were permanent employees! These expenditures eat of profits very quickly!

[TopSpin]

The thing is that the shipping cost shown on the checkout page somehow changes when you submit your order. I have seen it time and again but like I said if you add the cost of the shipping to the cost of a plane that is half as good as other companies are offering and with free shipping the price comes out to within twenty bucks or less guess who I'm buying from. You got it, the guys who have real customer service and spare parts.

[alcarafa]

Originally Posted by TopSpin

The thing is that the shipping cost shown on the checkout page somehow changes when you submit your order. I have seen it time and again but like I said if you add the cost of the shipping to the cost of a plane that is half as good as other companies are offering and with free shipping the price comes out to within twenty bucks or less guess who I'm buying from. You got it, the guys who have real customer service and spare parts.

I'd buy a 3DHS SLICK rather than HK SLICK, price difference is almost 23 dls shipping incl, but quality and customer service is by far better than HK

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by alcarafa

I'd buy a 3DHS SLICK rather than HK SLICK, price difference is almost 23 dls shipping incl, but quality and customer service is by far better than HK

You are comparing a HK plane shipped from China vs a 3DHS one shipped within the USA. Its patently obvious that the postage will be more for the one sent from China one

For me the tables are turned, 3DHS would have to be shipped from overseas and the HK version is available in the UK. Price difference is $200 ($150 vs. $350). And I don't have access to the excellent customer service 3DHS are famous for.

[TopSpin]

I guess it depends on where you are but here in the US shipping a plane from China can almost double the price and often times they arrive broken and/or missing parts which you can't get from HK.

On the other hand small stuff like connectors, cables, and glue can be a pretty good deal by just taking the cheapest shipping option through Hong Kong post. Another problem HK has is that the price of shipping out of the US warehouse is sometimes higher than it should be, don't know why.

But there are so many companies (here in the US) offering free or very cheap shipping, and have real warrantys, and real customer service, and prices nearly as low as Hobby King. When you look at the total cost in an objective way, including quality of merchandise and service, Hobby King looses a lot of lustre. Here in the US that is. We don't live where you do so can't say and don't really care.

[pattern14]

When Australia was first settled by the British, escaped Irish convicts became Bushrangers and desperado's who'd rob anyone they could. 200 years later, their descendants all work for Australia Post, and still rob you blind. The worst criminals were banished to Tasmania, with no hope of escape, so shipping costs here are worst of all. The skull and crossbones that fly from the masts of freighters are not there for fun....