Importing anime from the U.S

Mrclt1994 said:
If I were to use the US version of UP1, would I be charged for customs/VAT etc? Or would it be like ordering from the UK UP1?
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No Customs/VAT. It'll be like ordering from UP1 UK.
 
Another suggestion nobody's mentioned (maybe there's a reason why, I don't know) is Amazon.com, you can use your UK log in on the US site, and if you pay for faster shipping (anything but the basic shipping option will do), you can pre-pay tax. They'll give it back if you don't get charged, and Amazon don't charge the ridiculous £10 handling fee Royal Mail do...
 
Buzz201 said:
Another suggestion nobody's mentioned (maybe there's a reason why, I don't know) is Amazon.com, you can use your UK log in on the US site, and if you pay for faster shipping (anything but the basic shipping option will do), you can pre-pay tax. They'll give it back if you don't get charged, and Amazon don't charge the ridiculous £10 handling fee Royal Mail do...
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I've looked at Amazon.com before but i find it ends up being cheaper from up1usa after all the postage/import charges from amazon, plus you'll get it quicker from up1. I'd probably only use amazon if something is on sale. Also amazon do pre paid import charges on all shipping options now even the slowest.
 
Buzz201 said:
Another suggestion nobody's mentioned (maybe there's a reason why, I don't know) is Amazon.com, you can use your UK log in on the US site, and if you pay for faster shipping (anything but the basic shipping option will do), you can pre-pay tax. They'll give it back if you don't get charged, and Amazon don't charge the ridiculous £10 handling fee Royal Mail do...
Click to expand...

Thanks - but i find whenever i ordered from Amazon.com, my products came damaged but with RightStuf they don't - i've never tried up1 but will be doing so soon
 
Up1 package their stuff very well. Never had anything even approaching damaged from them.

That being said, despite worse packaging I've never actually had anything too battered from Amazon.com either.

Up1 will definitely be faster if the items are marked 'Immediate Delivery' - this means that they already have the item in their UK warehouse. Other than that they'll have to ship it from the States and then to you. You'll avoid customs charges but it will take longer. If that's the case and the items are readily available on Amazon.com then priority shipping will be faster than waiting for Up1.

No bad experiences with either so I'd just look at comparative cost and whether or not Up1 will be shipping straight away.
 
Mrclt1994 said:
Buzz201 said:
Another suggestion nobody's mentioned (maybe there's a reason why, I don't know) is Amazon.com, you can use your UK log in on the US site, and if you pay for faster shipping (anything but the basic shipping option will do), you can pre-pay tax. They'll give it back if you don't get charged, and Amazon don't charge the ridiculous £10 handling fee Royal Mail do...
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Thanks - but i find whenever i ordered from Amazon.com, my products came damaged but with RightStuf they don't - i've never tried up1 but will be doing so soon
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You're not the only one who had this issue. My packages for certain Funimation Limited Editions were damaged but oddly enough Cowboy Bebop Premium Edition was perfectly fine. I feel Amazon US is best for normal sets and not the special ones.
 
NormanicGrav said:
You're not the only one who had this issue. My packages for certain Funimation Limited Editions were damaged but oddly enough Cowboy Bebop Premium Edition was perfectly fine. I feel Amazon US is best for normal sets and not the special ones.
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I've never experienced anything like that, they once sent me a steelbook in one of the jiffy envelopes (in what probably qualifies as the worst attempt at packing a steelbook ever), basically arrived with one miniscule dent I didn't even notice until a few weeks later when I got round to watching it. I've had steelbooks arrive from the UK with more damage than that.
 
Buzz201 said:
NormanicGrav said:
You're not the only one who had this issue. My packages for certain Funimation Limited Editions were damaged but oddly enough Cowboy Bebop Premium Edition was perfectly fine. I feel Amazon US is best for normal sets and not the special ones.
Click to expand...

I've never experienced anything like that, they once sent me a steelbook in one of the jiffy envelopes (in what probably qualifies as the worst attempt at packing a steelbook ever), basically arrived with one miniscule dent I didn't even notice until a few weeks later when I got round to watching it. I've had steelbooks arrive from the UK with more damage than that.
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I don't even like steelbooks and so wouldn't order one so I am unsure how often they get damaged. Either way, having been disappointed on several occasions by Amazon, i shall not be buying from them unless i have to
 
I find that Amazon.com are often cheaper or as cheap as anywhere else including the postage and import fees (maybe sometimes there's a potentially cheaper option that would end up more expensive if it gets caught at customs). That's based on aiming for prices when they're at their best (Amazon prices do vary wildly at times) but I'm just wondering if I'm missing something since other people seem to find UP1 better.

I suppose it could depend on the items, there are some things that Amazon.com don't really stock themselves (NISA releases and such) and I mostly buy Sentai releases or occasionally something from Funimation.

For example, just now the Non Non Biyori Blu-ray seems to be around £27 on Amazon.com but is a bit over £30 on UP1USA (I haven't checked the exact prices, it'd vary depending on what kind of exchange rate you get anyway). It's over £36 on the UK UP1 (though some of their prices seem higher than usual just now).
 
Smeelia said:
I find that Amazon.com are often cheaper or as cheap as anywhere else including the postage and import fees (maybe sometimes there's a potentially cheaper option that would end up more expensive if it gets caught at customs). That's based on aiming for prices when they're at their best (Amazon prices do vary wildly at times) but I'm just wondering if I'm missing something since other people seem to find UP1 better.

I suppose it could depend on the items, there are some things that Amazon.com don't really stock themselves (NISA releases and such) and I mostly buy Sentai releases or occasionally something from Funimation.

For example, just now the Non Non Biyori Blu-ray seems to be around £27 on Amazon.com but is a bit over £30 on UP1USA (I haven't checked the exact prices, it'd vary depending on what kind of exchange rate you get anyway). It's over £36 on the UK UP1 (though some of their prices seem higher than usual just now).
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Whilst UP1USA might be a little more expensive, all their stock ships from a UK warehouse, meaning you get it in a couple of days and is less likely to be damaged. I'd say it's worth the extra couple of quid for way faster delivery and a safer delivery.
 
I tend to buy shows well in advance of watching them (I have a tendency to bulk-buy and stockpile, at least) so speed isn't really important to me, I guess that's a factor. I haven't had a problem with Amazon.com deliveries yet but I guess if I was getting a special edition I might be more inclined to go with UP1 based on what people have said.
 
Smeelia said:
For example, just now the Non Non Biyori Blu-ray seems to be around £27 on Amazon.com but is a bit over £30 on UP1USA (I haven't checked the exact prices, it'd vary depending on what kind of exchange rate you get anyway). It's over £36 on the UK UP1 (though some of their prices seem higher than usual just now).
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UK UP1 now has deliberately higher prices than the US version rather than relying purely on exchange rate differences, if you check the discount % you'll see they discount on the US store more heavily and they also put a card in with regular shoppers orders a while back informing them of price changes.
 
UP1 have devil is a part timer as "waiting on more stock". Does anyone have experience with them putting items in this status - are they likely to actually get any do you think?
 
msgeek said:
UP1 have devil is a part timer as "waiting on more stock". Does anyone have experience with them putting items in this status - are they likely to actually get any do you think?
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I assume you're referring to the Limited Edition? That's out of print as far as I'm aware.
- Amazon UK (used for £82)
- Amazon US (3rd party marketplace as high as $75)
- Rightstuf (Sold Out) ~ pretty sure it was removed at one point
- Robert's Anime Corner Store (No longer listed)
 
NormanicGrav said:
msgeek said:
UP1 have devil is a part timer as "waiting on more stock". Does anyone have experience with them putting items in this status - are they likely to actually get any do you think?
Click to expand...

I assume you're referring to the Limited Edition? That's out of print as far as I'm aware.
- Amazon UK (used for £82)
- Amazon US (3rd party marketplace as high as $75)
- Rightstuf (Sold Out) ~ pretty sure it was removed at one point
- Robert's Anime Corner Store (No longer listed)
Click to expand...

Amazon.ca have some in stock but it comes out to about £45 with shipping... plus customs on that so the ~£31 that up1usa report looks quite favorable... if it were actually likely that they would ship...
 
msgeek said:
NormanicGrav said:
msgeek said:
UP1 have devil is a part timer as "waiting on more stock". Does anyone have experience with them putting items in this status - are they likely to actually get any do you think?
Click to expand...

I assume you're referring to the Limited Edition? That's out of print as far as I'm aware.
- Amazon UK (used for £82)
- Amazon US (3rd party marketplace as high as $75)
- Rightstuf (Sold Out) ~ pretty sure it was removed at one point
- Robert's Anime Corner Store (No longer listed)
Click to expand...

Amazon.ca have some in stock but it comes out to about £45 with shipping... plus customs on that so the ~£31 that up1usa report looks quite favorable... if it were actually likely that they would ship...
Click to expand...

Sometimes those items do come in, sometimes they cancel. Looks like they'd be likely to cancel it given it's hard to obtain elsewhere, though sometimes I do find you have to prompt them to ask how it's going.
 
Don't know if how often other people use them, but it looks like dvdexpress247 and dvdworldusa have ceased trading since people cannot get on either site and/or are not receiving their orders or getting updates, the dvdworldusa twitter account last updated early July and they have not been responding to emails,

https://www.avforums.com/threads/dvd-world-usa.1972130/
https://www.avforums.com/threads/dvdworldusa.1969291/
https://www.avforums.com/threads/dvdwor ... 212/page-2

Glad I held off put some orders in with them.
 
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