Think twice shopping in Hong Kong / EHobbyAisa vs MILLSIG
 

Think twice shopping in Hong Kong / EHobbyAisa vs MILLSIG
________________________________________
I made some comparison shopping between EHobbyAisa (EHA) & MILLSIG.
I was looking for the Thunder B Sound Grenade. I set my purchases @ 300$ with MILLSIG for free shipping.
MILLSIG
Thunder B Sound Grenade ( Kit ) 5 x 34.95$= 174.75$
Thunder B Sound Grenade (Shell, 12 pac) 5 X 24.95$= 124.75$
Cr123 Battery 1x 3.95$ = 3.95$
Total 303.45$ (over 300$ Free shipping) under 299.99$ shipping is 24.95$)
Quebec add 5% GST + 303.45$ CND = 318.62$ CND
Free shipping
Total 318.62$ CND

With EHA
Thunder B Sound Grenade( Kit ) 5 x 29.99$= $145.95 USD
Thunder B Sound Grenade (Shell, 12 pac) 5 X 18.00$= 90.00$ USD
Cr123 Battery 1x 3.95 = $3.95 USD
Sub Total 242.45$ USD
Shipping 99.00$ USD
Total 341.45$ USD
Canada Customs
Exchange rate 0.953600 x 341.45$ USD = 325.60$ CND (Rate form my last order) today’s rate 1.01900 it would add 20$ more)
GST /HST 5% + 325.60$ CND = 16.28$ CND
325.60$ + 16.28$ = 341.88$ CND
UPS Brokering fees 40.00$ CND + 341.88$ = 381.88$ CND

EMA to Canada Total cost 381.88$
MILLSIG 318.62$
------------------------------
Difference of 63.26$
Don’t get me wrong I like EhobbyAsia, they have lots of cool stuff and I would probably buy there again.
Even if the difference was the same, I would encourage a Canadian company first.

What?.. Canadian retailers would always be cheaper..

Not only that, I'm pretty sure there's cheaper prices from other Canadian retailers too.

Why did you pick UPS for shipping versus regular post? That appears to be where the difference is coming from.

The grenades would not have made it through customs anyway, they are prohibited items.

EHobby is only offering UPS as a shipper.

more then likely because of the grenades... which more then likely won't make it through the border anyways...

you could probably get standard speedy post .. without the restricted items (grenades)

Ehobby have always under-declared the value of my items even though I never ask them to, so I never had to pay customs fees unlike with ASGI or Evike.

And like RECKLESS said, you probably had to get service from UPS due to the nades. But if you take a Guarder Infinite Torque-Up Motor for example, it is $75 on airsoftparts before shipping and taxes. On Ehobby, its only $36. If you dont mind taking the slow shipping, its probably less than $50($42 for me) in total.

Lastly, do you have an account at Ehobbyasia? You know they give you 5% off your total order for just being a member right? I don't see that discount on your calculations.

I've never heard of Thunder B Grenades being seized; and I've witnessed (and executed) several orders of them. Got any references as to why they'd be prohib?

This whole exercise wasn’t about the grenades it was about comparison shopping between a Canadian and Asian Supplier. And I can agree with some of you that sometimes receiving goods from china to Canada via HK Post or EMS, Canada Post does not charge the Custom Fees Duty + GST/HST. This was maybe because your order was under a certain dollar amount or Canada Customs did not clear the item they only do so many a day it’s a numbers thing. If not there would be a backlog of parcels. Like driving back from the US they can’t cheque every car.

And even if you remove the 5% discount that’s under 20$ for this example, and the 5% discount is only on the goods sold not the shipping.

Comparrison
 

I have ordered form the orient, the U.S, and Canadian retailers. Some things are cheaper here, not guns but thats another issue all together. The grenades are cheaper here for sure I have bought silencers here in Canada that were the same price as the Orient with out the large shipping charge. Like everything else you need to shop around.

Where did you see UPS?

I just placed a large order with eHobby and got EMS.

UPS shipping quotes are always higher + add the brokage fees... thats where your price difference is...

And you forgot the 5% off that ehobby gives to their "members"