ordering Tamiya enamels from Ebay - Worldwide shipping?

There are issues with shipping enamels by air. But i am not sure if this a Eruopean thing or world wide. It may be the sellers are shipping by sea. Might be worth checking with your own post office.

I am in the business of shipping internationally.  My company ships all over the world.  We are based on the USA.  The issues we see with any international shipping for any country is how your customs treats imports.  

Almost all counties have duty free limits and it will depend on the products being shipped as to what that limit is.  Also all countries have a list of items that they will not allow to be imported.  Chemicals and paints tend to have stricter rules.  Your customs will also have a list of what fees, taxes and other costs they may impose on your shipment that has to be paid by you typically before they will deliver the package.

If the shipper does a poor job of filling the customs forms out when they ship the order, your customs may reject the shipment and send it back or open the package for inspection which they will charge you for.

The best thing to do is go to your countries official customs website.  There you can find out if the paint will be allowed in, if you will be charged anything and if there is a free duty limit. 

As the shipper how often they ship to your country and what issues they run into so you can try to get ahead of any problems.

Also don't be surprised by long delivery times.  We ship from the USA to Canada everyday and we see shipments take from 1 week all the way to 8 weeks for the same items using the same shipping services.  Customs officials have a lot of power much like police officers and they can use thier discretion to deterimine if a shipment is allowed or not.

route62

I am in the business of shipping internationally.  My company ships all over the world.  We are based on the USA.  The issues we see with any international shipping for any country is how your customs treats imports.  

Almost all counties have duty free limits and it will depend on the products being shipped as to what that limit is.  Also all countries have a list of items that they will not allow to be imported.  Chemicals and paints tend to have stricter rules.  Your customs will also have a list of what fees, taxes and other costs they may impose on your shipment that has to be paid by you typically before they will deliver the package.

If the shipper does a poor job of filling the customs forms out when they ship the order, your customs may reject the shipment and send it back or open the package for inspection which they will charge you for.

The best thing to do is go to your countries official customs website.  There you can find out if the paint will be allowed in, if you will be charged anything and if there is a free duty limit. 

As the shipper how often they ship to your country and what issues they run into so you can try to get ahead of any problems.

Also don't be surprised by long delivery times.  We ship from the USA to Canada everyday and we see shipments take from 1 week all the way to 8 weeks for the same items using the same shipping services.  Customs officials have a lot of power much like police officers and they can use thier discretion to deterimine if a shipment is allowed or not.

 

Thank you for the information!  I ordered 1 bottle to see if it would show up.  I figure I don't have much to lose if they send it back.

Smart way to go.  As you increase the amount of paint you order this can change how easy it gets through customs as the declared value will go up and the amount in .oz of paint increases which can change how it clears customs.  Good luck!

Not to confuse matters but humbrol enamels have been used for years and are more readily available as an alternative to both model master and tamiya. I know their range of colors is large.

route62

Smart way to go.  As you increase the amount of paint you order this can change how easy it gets through customs as the declared value will go up and the amount in .oz of paint increases which can change how it clears customs.  Good luck!

 

Thanks, I'll let you know if I get it.  The paint shipped, estimated delivery is 2-4 weeks.

modelmaker66

Not to confuse matters but humbrol enamels have been used for years and are more readily available as an alternative to both model master and tamiya. I know their range of colors is large.

 

Oh I know.  But, and it's quite silly, I like the Tamiya enamel bottles vs the tin with Humbrol  

However, if the Tamiya paint can't get delivered, then I'll definately try Humbrol.  Model Master enamels looks like they will be completely discontinued in the next few years.  

Have not had any issues shipping weathering powders or glues via post. Have never ordered paint though. As a Canadian myself I can tell you that shipping times vary a lot. Some items from Asia arrive in a week and a half, others have taken over 3 months and were refunded by the seller only to arrive weeks/months later. Have read that customs on the west coast is a bit overloaded and this is the cause of the horrible delays.

Sipping can be a gamble one package may get through the next might get confiscated. Paints both enamel and laquer paints are listed as non mailable. See the link below for more info. But that being said I have never had a package confiscated but they have all been 2-3 pieces not a big order. Other risk is damage in transit, both a uv plastic glue and a chipping fluid arrived ruined and leaking.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGnonmail-e.asp#1378258

Just an update:  I received the Tamiya enamels yesterday.  Took about 6 weeks.  Ordered Titanium Silver and Gloss Black.  They seem to brush on quite nicely!  I like the caps much better (they don't appear they will stick as much as Testors does).  

I'll definately be ordering some more (as long as I'm not in a hurry for them!)

bluenote

Just an update:  I received the Tamiya enamels yesterday.  Took about 6 weeks.  Ordered Titanium Silver and Gloss Black.  They seem to brush on quite nicely!  I like the caps much better (they don't appear they will stick as much as Testors does).  

I'll definately be ordering some more (as long as I'm not in a hurry for them!)

 

Given how long they took, i am guessing they were surface shipped.

Hi, Here's one for you..Over time I've tried to get Acrylics shipped to me from Ebay, like Vallejo and others because I like those paint sets they have and my local Hobby store doesnt carry them. Never and I mean NEVER made it to me(Canada) I always get my money back from Ebay and its fine but they never get here. They are non-flamable etc. So I wonder if Customs think they are and just throw them away as a matter of policy? Cheers.

OldSalty

oldsalty

Hi, Here's one for you..Over time I've tried to get Acrylics shipped to me from Ebay, like Vallejo and others because I like those paint sets they have and my local Hobby store doesnt carry them. Never and I mean NEVER made it to me(Canada) I always get my money back from Ebay and its fine but they never get here. They are non-flamable etc. So I wonder if Customs think they are and just throw them away as a matter of policy? Cheers.

OldSalty

 

Are Humbrol enamels available in Canada? I would suggest that you have a look at those. Hands down they are the best enamels that I have used in 45+ years of model building. Not to mention that much of their paint line is matched to various standards such as FS, BSC, and RAL, unlike Tamiya. Once you get used to their little tins and if you stir them thoroughly, they can not be beat for brush painting or airbrushing.