Strobist Style Lighting Kit, Shipping advice req'd please!

Rob.Marsh

Rob.Marsh

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Hi all,

I have found this kit on ebay, and I have to say, conveniance wise to get it all in one bundle makes it an attractive deal. Apart from the postsage which pushes it right up at the moment.

I have never bought from the US, so would like a little advice really. Is the postage quoted ok or a blatent ebay ""make more money" tactic? also, am I likely to get hit for import taxes etc buying it this way?

Thanks peeps,

Rob M
 
I reckon you could get all of that with 40" umbrellas if you shop around and you're quite likely to get hit with taxes too. Definately V.A.T. and I suspect import duty too.
 
I have just bought something similar, but from various suppliers. I bought the 2 stands form someoen in the UK (heavy item and would be likely to attract VAT/Import duty as they came to around £28 with shipping).

The Brollies and Flash/Brolly stands I have bought from an Ebay seller in China.

Probably worked out a fair bit cheaper than that deal you posted, but it doesn't have the convenience of a one stop shop.

We'll see if it all turns up okay :)


Josh
 
If charged, it's on the declared value plus the postage, and then Royal Mail add their £8 collection fee, so you could be charged £23, by my estimation.

It may be a way the Guvverment seeks to maximize its revenues in these times of austerity. I got hit recently, thanks to the seller strapping two cartons together to save on postage and pushing the value above £18.
 
Thanks for your help peeps, I have put a combo together from various selles on ebay, and got the price to around £62 all delivered for 2 sets with 40" umbrellas.

I guess I'll have top put up with mixed delivery times, with the brolly adapters taking the longest from HK.

If only there was a cheap one stop UK shop eh!?
 
I got a similar set up from ebay sellers all based in the UK. I bought the following items:

2 x shoot through umbrellas

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=300262985501

2 x light stands

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220289558146

2 x umbrella/flash mounts

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220303116015

The last one was rather expensive postage and the seller was a bit of a plonker, and you might well find it cheaper but the whole lot came to about 60 quid and came direct from the UK within a day or two. Everything is great and high quality so am very pleased.
 
welly said:
I got a similar set up from ebay sellers all based in the UK. I bought the following items:

2 x shoot through umbrellas

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=300262985501

2 x light stands

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220289558146

2 x umbrella/flash mounts

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220303116015

The last one was rather expensive postage and the seller was a bit of a plonker, and you might well find it cheaper but the whole lot came to about 60 quid and came direct from the UK within a day or two. Everything is great and high quality so am very pleased.
Click to expand...

The Stand and the brollies you name are exactly what I am looking at and have in my watch list Welly!

I also found the guy selling the flash mounts, how fast did they arrive? I have found cheaper from HK but if I get get from the UK it means I get it sooner! :LOL:
You mentioned he was a bit of a plonker, any clues as to why? ShuldI avoid using him/her?
 
He's fine to use, but simple requests appear to confuse him. For example, I was staying at a mate's house when I ordered the mounts from him I forgot to change the delivery address, so emailed the guy almost immediately after (on a Sunday night). I got an email back from him the next day and he said it was too late, he'd already posted it. Fair enough, I thought.

A few days passed and having paid a significant amount for postage, they should have arrived the following day, which they didn't. After much chasing up, it turns out he'd used a combination of my home address and my mate's address to post the mounts to. So basically, he was telling great big porkies when he said he'd already posted them. Anyway, they arrived on the Friday, five days after I ordered them and having paid 20 odd quid for postage for mounts and flash triggers/receivers, I was none too pleased. The flash triggers and the receivers he sent weren't compatible with each other, so I've had to send all those back.

Would I use him again? At a stretch, possible. The mounts are pretty good but then five day delivery when it cost me 20 quid? They might arrive quicker from Hong Kong and I might give them a go next time. Actually, to be honest, I'd probably avoid using this guy. You won't get ripped off but then again, it was just not the most satisfactory transaction.
 
i buy things in the usa all of the time. from full sized bikes, to tiny bits and peices. VAT and import duty are a lottery, some times you get through fine, some times you get hit for tons. if its shipped parcelfarce they will try to charge you a 100 quid handeling fee, don't pay it you don't have to. there is also the possibility of damage and theft.
 
You will do Pete, the opposite of the fs-110, can't remember the name of it though sorry.
 
or you could use them little plastic stands you get for the minolta flashes that have a thread in the bottom of them.
 
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