Hobbyking postage costs

[Martin 0]

I was just looking at ordering some indoor LiPos from Hobbyking (HK warehouse), and the postage costs seem to have gone crazy.

 

It's only offering me the "SCS Express to UK (Under 500g)" at $19.87 (or two FedEx options for even more). I even removed some things from the order to get it first under 200g and then under 100g to see if that made a difference, but no luck.

 

Previously, they've always sent this stuff airmail for about $5 postage.

 

Has anyone else noticed this? Have they had to tighten up their postage options for LiPos? The postage table only says "NO LIPO" for the Royal Mail options, not the other ones:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... etable.asp

 

It's not worth spending $20 in postage for $15 in batteries!

 

Martin

[Peter Royall 47]

postage for lipo's has got tricky since a couple of cargo planes have been lost through lipo fires. Sometimes you could get free postage from the factory in China, but its all been stopped now, especially over the 3000 sizes.

I see HK have just opened a UK store, maybe check their prices Martin?

Let us know what you find please.

TTFn,

Oily

[Martin 0]

Well, in this case I wasn't trying to get big batteries, just small indoor ones.

 

The dispatch page now shows a "Total Li-Po capacity", which also links to http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/mahtotal.html:

Shipping Li-Poly batteries by Air Parcel

Due to international air safety regulations, parcels with a total battery capacity of more than 3200mAh cannot be sent via standard 'Air Parcel'.

Please select Air Mail, EMS Express, UPS, DPD, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL where available.

 

If you insist on using standard Air Parcel, then either reduce the lipo capacity ordered per parcel, or order from one of HobbyKings US, EU or AU warehouses without limitation.

 

Options.

1) Order via EMS Express, UPS, DPD, Air Mail, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL if available.

2) Reduce total battery capacity to under 3200mAh.

3) Order from Hobbyking.com DE, US or AU warehouse if available.

 

... but in this case I am well under the 3200mAh limit.

 

Experimenting a bit further, it seems even a single 1S 160mAh forces the "SCS Express to UK" shipping, so it's nothing to do with the capacity. I've definitely bought lots of those from HK in the past and not paid excessive postage. Perhaps the shipping rules have been updated but their documentation hasn't been.

 

I had thought the batteries I wanted were not available from UK store, as the "This item available from a warehouse near you!" link went to the German store, which was out of stock. However, it seems that this link was just misleading - browsing to the item in the catalogue does show a UK flag, and this links to a page showing that they are in stock in the UK.

 

So, one lesson here is to always find the item again through the catalogue if the link to local warehouse doesn't work...

[Bravedan 106]

Hong Kong PO will not take LiPos, have not for some time.

 

HobbyKing Global were sending to UK via Switzerland at one point!

 

If HK UK warehouse is no good, try Giant Shark..................

[Martin 0]

HobbyKing Global were sending to UK via Switzerland at one point!

 

Ah, so maybe what's happened is that the Switzerland route is no longer available. I think all my previous orders have come via Switzerland.

[Bravedan 106]

Likely, yes....... ALL postal administrations are having to react to airlines placing further restrictions on what they have been carrying.

 

Since LiPos cannot be transported "flat" they pose a significant risk, just like carrying petrol, etc.

 

I think the days of cheap LiPos direct from China are over.

[Martin 0]

An update... I've just had the regular newsletter/offers email from HobbyKing, and they say:

 

Our lipo shipping crisis is now over and it is business as usual! We are proud to offer a new range of affordable shipping options to all countries and dispatch time from our International warehouse is back under 48 hours.

 

I checked with a single tiny battery (1S 160mAh), and it did offer me among the shipping options "International (Registered) Air Mail 0 - 100g Lipo $3.99", so it does seem as though they do indeed have some way of shipping these again. I haven't checked for bigger ones, but I've never bought these from HobbyKing anyway.

 

On the other hand, since they also have a much better stock than before in the UK warehouse it's less important now.

[Bravedan 106]

Maybe they are using drones......................

 

Put me down for a 160mAh 1S and I'll keep the packaging.................