18 replies to this topic

[upwinddan]

I see some interesting scopes available from online auctions in Japan. Does anyone have experience with these auctions? How expensive is the shipping to the U.S.? Do they take PayPal?

 

[Eric P]

I use Buyee and I believe most on here use Zenmarket. The services are fairly straightforward to use and Buyee at least allows PayPal. Shipping can get prohibitively expensive as you are not only paying for the shipment to the US but also the shipping the seller pays to the proxy warehouse. Last year I purchased a Takahashi TS-65 setup which weighed about 35 lbs. Shipment to the US was about $350 on top of the $80 the seller paid to Buyee.

[upwinddan]

Thanks for the info!

[sdedalus83]

Package size has a big influence on shipping cost. My ED102S was about $100 to ship for an 8x8x48 16lb package.

 

I’ve found UPS through Zen to be the lowest cost, followed by Buyee Air Delivery. Buyee doesn’t automatically repackage if the original packaging is inappropriate. They sent me a Vixen Porta and tripod wrapped in corrugated paper and no box. You have to pay to have pictures taken and pay to have them repackage. Zen is generally very good at repackaging without asking for it and they don’t charge extra unless you ask for corner and edge reinforcement.

[deSitter]

I use Buyee and I believe most on here use Zenmarket. The services are fairly straightforward to use and Buyee at least allows PayPal. Shipping can get prohibitively expensive as you are not only paying for the shipment to the US but also the shipping the seller pays to the proxy warehouse. Last year I purchased a Takahashi TS-65 setup which weighed about 35 lbs. Shipment to the US was about $350 on top of the $80 the seller paid to Buyee.

Argh! Lewis Black had a pandemic-based routine about Free Shipping. I've gotta watch that again.

 

-drl

[RichA]

I see some interesting scopes available from online auctions in Japan. Does anyone have experience with these auctions? How expensive is the shipping to the U.S.? Do they take PayPal?

It's almost preferable for other countries because shipping costs from the U.S. (unlike domestic costs) are horrific.  I can ship a 10lb package to the U.S.for about $22.  The other direction is $80.00.  And the USPS still loses money.

[CHASLX200]

It's almost preferable for other countries because shipping costs from the U.S. (unlike domestic costs) are horrific.  I can ship a 10lb package to the U.S.for about $22.  The other direction is $80.00.  And the USPS still loses money.

Nothing i am ever gonna do.  Just not into this stuff anymore unless local. Shipping prices and all these new payment methods have put me out of the game.

[YourNotSirius]

I'm not certain that I would trust Zen or Buyee to do the job well. Not for optical stuff which is delicate. To do so properly requires stupidly expensive add on fees.

 

Oh well. If you want it bad enough then I guess you will have to pay for it. We are looking forward to moving to Japan or, maybe Thailand, in the not too distant future so, we will have a ring side seat, eventually. LOL

 

 

Q

[Dave Trott]

I'm not certain that I would trust Zen or Buyee to do the job well. Not for optical stuff which is delicate. To do so properly requires stupidly expensive add on fees.

 

Oh well. If you want it bad enough then I guess you will have to pay for it. We are looking forward to moving to Japan or, maybe Thailand, in the not too distant future so, we will have a ring side seat, eventually. LOL

 

 

Q

I disagree. I have bought a lot of items through Zen and had them shipped via UPS. Yes, it's expensive. But, Zen has done a superior job on packing nearly every item. Only one purchase was a bit of a mess but it was a bunch of heavy steel parts for a massive Takahashi TS80 pier. Nearly all of the Takahashi videos I have posted over the last few months have been Zen purchases. Zen has been far superior to all but a few obsessively careful CN folk in terms of packing. By the way, I think the UPS 2 day shipping is great. It results in less handling time than UPS ground. I get things more quickly from Japan, and more safely.

[flywing1]

I have used both Zen and Buyee to ship large packages, and they both packed pretty well. However Zen did a better job Not making the package larger than necessary, thus saved some shipping cost.

[65&Counting]

I've found small items with Buyee are easy (with PayPal) and the excessive shipping doesn't 'feel' as bad though it's excessive. I've gotten a few prize scopes I've always wanted and the shipping was eye popping - so only do it if you can absorb.

 

But - I will say if you do the 'insured' box they really do an incredible overpacking job - I mean blown foam in large heavy boxes and way overkill. I want to try Zen directly but how does shipping work with them? Probably less expensive then Buyee which is kinda a 'concierge' service on larger items.

[AstroKerr]

~130 orders with / thru Zen, roughly twice as many packages, ~90% UPS 2nd Day, no fails, couple surface-scuffed boxes. No surprises from Zen or Japanese sellers ever. Shipping to NAz okay; overall cost compared waiting to find something stateside at inflated prices plus shipping plus risk is really peachy.

 

Zen packs tight, secure, minimal volume. If I need something from Japan - EPs thru Sets and even snacks, I go to Zen if at all possible. YAG is not always involved. I am never disappointed or given a reason to regret a purchase thru Zen or from a Japanese seller - cannot say the same about any domestic venues or markets. 

 

Artis Leon Ivey Jr.

 

I'm a educated fool with money on my mind
Got my Kaisers in my cache and a gleam in my eye
I'm a scope'd out gangsta, set flippin' banger
And my Zennies is down, so don't arouse my anger, Foo'

[65&Counting]

That's great info - I'm going to give 'em a try - do they communicate easily about what to do? With Buyee you have to figure out their system and can be confusing - customer service is great though and helpful.

 

Zen is next!

[upwinddan]

All of these comments are interesting and appreciated. It’s looking like the cost to ship a refractor to the U.S. is about $200-350. Does that seem about right?

 

[MGAR]

Here the cost for a 6x30 Vixen finder I just received from Zen

 

900 ¥ Winning bid

300 ¥ Zen fee

950 ¥ Shipping from seller to Zen

3,500 ¥ Shipping from Zen to moi via UPS

 

$40 in all...

[65&Counting]

MGAR - that's definitely better than Buyee - charges are much higher.

 

With Buyee (about the shipping a refractor comment about) it can be way higher than $350 depending on the size/weight. And they have an 'insured' tick box that I think leads to overpacking and additional costs - probably better with Zen.

[AstroKerr]

Full Set ~$315 UPS 2^nd Day, 2 pkgs

 

36cm × 27cm × 144cm - ~20kg for the OTA & legs
53cm × 61cm × 31cm - ~17kg for the Mount et al.

 

Solo OTAs or 1 box sets are of course a good bit cheaper, a 102mm f/13 OTA, 22cm × 22cm × 132cm - 8.2Kg was only ~$95.

 

Get a good dimension estimate and use the "How much will it cost?" pop-out on the right side of the Zen screen. Play around for best/worst cases. 

Edited by AstroKerr, 26 May 2023 - 11:44 PM.

[MGAR]

Zen has it's own shipping now for smaller packages, maybe not faster but more affordable.

 

Gary

[RichA]

Zen has it's own shipping now for smaller packages, maybe not faster but more affordable.

 

Gary

Worst shipping costs by far are U.S. to any other destination.  I shipped a package to a guy in the U.S., 5lbs, $27.  The same to me via USPS would have been $65.00.  Horrible.