How safe to buy from the US

[rob_evanson]

I've been looking around different sites UK and US and it's become apparent I can buy the same markers in the US + VAT + Shipping and still save a wad of cash. OK example. Base Impulse from a UK store about £424.18 INC VAT from the US about £370 INC VAT + SHIPPING I could save myself £55.

OK this sounds great but what are the pitfalls to buying from the US and does anyone know any good stores to check out?

 

[Wookie]

Well...

Ok, first the pitfalls:

1) if they have US boards in, a lot of electros can/could be classed as illegal under the UK firearms legislation, simply due to the burst/full-auto settings.
2) The local manufacturer's warrenty may not be honored by the UK rep, or the UK rep might not exist,
3) Ask KillerOnion about import duty and Customs getting a bit arsey with a marker coming in. He had to wait ages for his to come through, and he'd had it for ages. He was even made to pay import duty, despite the fact that it wasn't a new marker.
4)You don't always get what you pay for and shipping it back is a pain and expensive.
5) you might only be able to get DOT tanks, which a lot of sites don't let you use.

Now, the benefits:

1) It's cheaper
2) You [sometimes] get more choice of parts.
3) Their customer service (depending on who you shop with) can be/is great.
4) You can sometimes get them to throw in a couple of extras (like stickers). Cheesy I know, but it's nice to get freebies.

That said, it didn't stop me ordering my Bush2k from the US, or a load of parts for my cocker.

Places to look at would be:

http://www.g3pb.com - Terry is one of the best guys I know for custom parts for just about everything. He doesn't sell markers though.
http://www.bbtpaintball.com - lots of markers and a lot of cheap deals if you order off the net.

There are a lot of others out there. Just do a search on the wb and you'll get a lot of hits.

Hope this helps,

Wookie

 

[Robin Hood]

The pitfall with buying from the US is that you have to make sure your not shipping over an illegal marker - ie. one with any firing modes that allow anything faster than semi-auto. (burst or full etc.)

Also, if customs nab it then they could charge you import duty which will could rack up quite a sum of cash especially if the gun's worth about 400 smackeroonies.

Then there's the hassle of trying to get it over here in the first place, worrying if it'll make it across the ocean and not getting lost (or possible nicked - it's happened!), hoping it'll make it through customs, and after all of this - surviving in good condition (It shouldn't really get damaged). But then there's the wait aswell, you may have to wait about a week for it to arrive once it's been mailed from the states. And then if customs decide to check it out it will most likely be a minimum of another two weeks.

So after all that, in one sense you might be better off purchasing from England or taking your next vacation to the states!

I have to say - It can be done though. There's always the risk with putting things that look like guns in the mail!

 

[rob_evanson]

I do know about the regulations to do with DOT & HSE tanks that's not a problem. I am also aware of full auto boards being illegal in the UK so I can avoid that. I am more concerned about import duty and customs, beefing up the cost, thus making the whole affair a waste of time!

 

[styles mugger]

2b honest its safer,less hassle,in most cases cheaper(tax,vat,otha sh1t that customs want 2 make up/know & if its got 2 b fixed it may have 2 b sent back 2 the US which is double the hassle & stuff also if it gets lost in the post/ shippin =u loose money & ur screwed!).Even if the US supplier will fix it 4 no cost it will cost u in exportin the thing& time of it gettin there also being fixed.
Get it from a UK supplier if u can unless its a gun that only has a supplier in a other country but b warned u may get shafted big style cos it no way as easy as gettin a car form a euro / another country.
If u do buy,buy it with a credit card coz ul have a certain amount of protection etc(ask udr credit card company!)
Gud luck if u go 4it!

 

[MidgetFista]

My experiences with *attempting* to buy from the states have all been ill ones.

Sorry to name names, but actionvillage are a utter bunch of time wasters.

It clearly states on their site, they will ship to the UK, and will accept mastercard.

So why, when me and my friends make a combined order of $1000+ from them, do they constantly fob us off with excuses as t why we cannot have the goods.

Problems with the card at their end (how? mastercard is accepted worldwide. I have walked into stores in Hong bloody Kong and used this!). Stuff not arrived (I’ll wait ANOTHER 3 weeks).....We've sold your stuff by accident.

5 Phone calls to the US, and 2 months after originally placing my order i cancelled it.

My suggestion is to try and get your goods from a company that can't really afford to turn down a $1000+ sale, and then you maybe in with a chance. The downside to this is they may not be able to suit your requirements..

"whats bacs?" But that’s another story.

omg.

-Midge

 

[rob_evanson]

I think I will give it a miss

I think too many people have had bad experiences, and the fact that even when I've paid the cheaper price there, when it come here I might get Import duty and other ****e added on top bulking the price up. I'll buy in the UK.

But I think it does take the piss that they are made here (Impulses) shipped to the US and can be brought back for less money than being bought striaght from the UK.

 

[Stan]

Interesting that Midget has had problems with Actionvillage as well. I ordered about £90's worth of stuff from them which they were going to ship to a friend of mine in the states who was then going to sort it out for me. (Reason for this was that they wanted to charge me more in shipping than the actual cost of all of the goods!)

Whilst Midget feels a little awkward naming names, i'm am so pissed off and out of pocket by about £90 that i'm more than happy to post here.

After demanding payment in the form of a direct money transfer from my account into theirs i duly arranged this and the money left my account. After about 10 emails and an international rate phone call across the pond i am no nearer getting the stuff that i ordered.

Moral to this story don't buy from actionvillage.

However, i CAN thouroughly recommend Terry Garret's G3 paintball as is mentioned above... He has NEVER let me down, has good prices and is an all round diamond geezer!!!