Great price, fast shipping on ebay item from Hong Kong

[NHAero]

I ordered a new set of Shimano ST-R9120 shifters and BR-R9170 hydro calipers on ebay on January 15th from a place called Anjoy Cycles in HK. They accepted my offer of $720 (listing was $730). I chose to use a more costly shipping method (free was one choice) and paid $40 for shipping via TNT. They showed up yesterday, 5 days from date of order. I looked again just now and their current listing for the same equipment is $950, I imagine because there is just one left.

The equipment is complete, but doesn't come in a retail box, which is clear in the ebay listing. I bought a previous generation of Shimano hydro from China on ebay and the experience was similar - no retail packaging, new stuff, low price, fast shipping.

This post is just to make people aware that deals are out there. I know I annoyed a couple of PLers with what they felt were lowball offers for their used equipment, and apologize for any unintended offense perceived.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Isn't it weird how customs works? I've bought occasional items from China, a lot of stuff from England over the years and it arrives within a few days. I've bought two items from Germany, a trainer several years ago and, now, a SON dynamo hub and they sit in customs for days and days. what's USA have against Germany? (well, besides the obvious, but that was a long time ago).

Anyway, I digress, and that's good info to have on a good overseas seller.

[NHAero]

Amongst several pages of paperwork I noted the invoice was for "disc brake set" and for $40 USD. Maybe that matters?

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Isn't it weird how customs works? I've bought occasional items from China, a lot of stuff from England over the years and it arrives within a few days. I've bought two items from Germany, a trainer several years ago and, now, a SON dynamo hub and they sit in customs for days and days. what's USA have against Germany? (well, besides the obvious, but that was a long time ago).

Anyway, I digress, and that's good info to have on a good overseas seller.

[ERK55]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Isn't it weird how customs works? I've bought occasional items from China, a lot of stuff from England over the years and it arrives within a few days. I've bought two items from Germany, a trainer several years ago and, now, a SON dynamo hub and they sit in customs for days and days. what's USA have against Germany? (well, besides the obvious, but that was a long time ago).

Anyway, I digress, and that's good info to have on a good overseas seller.

I concur with your experience. Last fall ordered a wheelset from Merlin UK and got it in less than a week.

I placed another order with R2-Bike (Germany) on 9/23, not shipped ‘til 11/26 (backorder), didn’t receive it until mid-January. Same shipper-DHL.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by NHAero

Amongst several pages of paperwork I noted the invoice was for "disc brake set" and for $40 USD. Maybe that matters?

A lot of Chinese sellers will undervalue their products to get them through customs more easily, when they're just selling direct to retail customers. I've even had some ask me what I want them to put as the value on the shipment. Anything under $800 should get through without issue.

[NHAero]

Hoping to do that on my BTLOS wheelset

Originally Posted by prototoast

A lot of Chinese sellers will undervalue their products to get them through customs more easily, when they're just selling direct to retail customers. I've even had some ask me what I want them to put as the value on the shipment. Anything under $800 should get through without issue.

[chicagorider]

Originally Posted by prototoast

A lot of Chinese sellers will undervalue their products to get them through customs more easily, when they're just selling direct to retail customers. I've even had some ask me what I want them to put as the value on the shipment. Anything under $800 should get through without issue.

I think that $800 limit is the key (for components, not fully built bikes)! Just ordered Vector pedals from the UK (ProBikeKit) for around $750; delivered via DHL in a matter of 3 days and through customs with no hiccups.

But I guess this depends on the country? I presume $800 is for EU countries (not sure how UK leaving EU affects the limit...). What's the limit on things from China?

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by chicagorider

I think that $800 limit is the key (for components, not fully built bikes)! Just ordered Vector pedals from the UK (ProBikeKit) for around $750; delivered via DHL in a matter of 3 days and through customs with no hiccups.

But I guess this depends on the country? I presume $800 is for EU countries (not sure how UK leaving EU affects the limit...). What's the limit on things from China?

$800 is a de minimis limit, not based on country. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/nationa...-increases-800

[Tz779]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Isn't it weird how customs works? I've bought occasional items from China, a lot of stuff from England over the years and it arrives within a few days. I've bought two items from Germany, a trainer several years ago and, now, a SON dynamo hub and they sit in customs for days and days. what's USA have against Germany? (well, besides the obvious, but that was a long time ago).

Anyway, I digress, and that's good info to have on a good overseas seller.

I know, right? Try getting something from Israel, waits in customs or *somewhere* for months!

[NHAero]

I have multiple items in the "Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility." USPS bin. Some shipped mid-December!

[dr.dre]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I ordered a new set of Shimano ST-R9120 shifters and BR-R9170 hydro calipers on ebay on January 15th from a place called Anjoy Cycles in HK. They accepted my offer of $720 (listing was $730). I chose to use a more costly shipping method (free was one choice) and paid $40 for shipping via TNT. They showed up yesterday, 5 days from date of order. I looked again just now and their current listing for the same equipment is $950, I imagine because there is just one left.

The equipment is complete, but doesn't come in a retail box, which is clear in the ebay listing. I bought a previous generation of Shimano hydro from China on ebay and the experience was similar - no retail packaging, new stuff, low price, fast shipping.

This post is just to make people aware that deals are out there. I know I annoyed a couple of PLers with what they felt were lowball offers for their used equipment, and apologize for any unintended offense perceived.

Thanks for the tip about Anjoy, I was looking for some brakes on eBay, trying to decide amongst a handful of sellers, Anjoy was one of them. Their price was slightly better than the others, but i hesitated not knowing anything about them. Your post tipped it for them, I went ahead and ordered.

[zzy]

Hong Kong's postal service is excellent in my experience.

[tylercheung]

I think some of it is that big manufacturing hubs from certain parts of CHina, as well as HK w/ its historical skillset as a "logistics and shipping hub" esp before the rest of China was opened up, has better ways of dealing w/ the paperwork and drudgery of customs.

Or maybe it's DHL

Japan though - apparently Japan Post hasn't accepted any air mail items to the USA for awhile since the pandemic hit. DHL from there is super expensive, something about not enough commercial flights to fit the mail on board...

[chicagorider]

Originally Posted by tylercheung

I think some of it is that big manufacturing hubs from certain parts of CHina, as well as HK w/ its historical skillset as a "logistics and shipping hub" esp before the rest of China was opened up, has better ways of dealing w/ the paperwork and drudgery of customs.

Or maybe it's DHL

Japan though - apparently Japan Post hasn't accepted any air mail items to the USA for awhile since the pandemic hit. DHL from there is super expensive, something about not enough commercial flights to fit the mail on board...

Japan Post is now doing air mailing again. My parents live in Japan - they sent me a care package by air on Christmas eve and it arrived in Chicago January 5th.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Originally Posted by chicagorider

Japan Post is now doing air mailing again. My parents live in Japan - they sent me a care package by air on Christmas eve and it arrived in Chicago January 5th.

Ooh, good to know. I wanted to buy a Sugino compact crank direct but second party shipper drove the price up too high. With Japan Post shipping I could have gotten Alpina 50-34 alloy crank with BB for about $220 USD shipped.