geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bucake on Wed, 04 March 2015, 14:53:31

Title: Importing from Japan?
Post by: Bucake on Wed, 04 March 2015, 14:53:31
hi!

so i found a 87u "type-s" here (http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9D%B1%E3%83%97%E3%83%AC-RealForce-%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9EASCII-%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9-SE170S/dp/B00542RTIU/ref=pd_cp_computers_3) on amazon.co.jp.
then found out there are forwarding services, and even services that bid/buy for you on japanese online-shops.
but a few google searches gave me some bad reviews on some of these services..

so, before i take a gamble with any service:
does anyone have any experience with importing (keyboards) from japan..?
any service you'd recommend, or you'd suggest to stay away from?
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: byker on Wed, 04 March 2015, 14:58:31
I bought my Type S from http://shop.whiterabbitjapan.com/products/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-2?_ga=1.116873605.2010754097.1425502618 (http://shop.whiterabbitjapan.com/products/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-2?_ga=1.116873605.2010754097.1425502618)


They were really good. I managed to get it on sale directly from them, but they also proxy from other sites if thats what you want. I bought it directly from them and they shipped it a day later and I got it a week later.  :)
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: strict on Wed, 04 March 2015, 15:01:15
I was seriously going to make this exact topic for that exact same item on Japan Amazon since it seems virtually impossible to find an SE170S stateside  :eek:
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: Sygaldry on Wed, 04 March 2015, 15:17:44
I always use Tenso for forwarding anything from Japan.

If they have a shipping promotion going on with Rakuten right now you could try your hand at finding the same keyboard from a seller on Rakuten Global/Rakuten JP (stay away from Rakuten US - it stinks)
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: tetraslash on Wed, 04 March 2015, 16:24:07
I am pretty sure you can order directly from Amazon Japan now, even if you are overseas. No promises about shipping costs, and no promises about second-hand (non-Amazon; private seller) stock.
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: eyesmiles on Wed, 04 March 2015, 17:12:06
Shipping from amazon jp ends up with them using an international expedited option, meaning more $$$.

I've been using treasure-japan (https://treasure-japan.com/) for several years now since they handle certain items that other proxies normally don't, like things from Comiket. They don't charge their fee per item like other proxies but rather by your total order (just try to order all at once).
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: strict on Thu, 05 March 2015, 15:07:01
Man I really wish EK still sold the silenced 87ub, the fees/shipping/markup on this import stuff makes the cost hard to swallow. Especially for someone like me who only wants the sliders. I wonder if its possible to get a couple people together and combine shipping to lower the total cost on importing some of these se170s boards.
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: minh278 on Thu, 05 March 2015, 23:36:00
just to add the site i use its http://www.fromjapan.co.jp/
i think it was the cheapest one when i last used it.
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: stoic-lemon on Fri, 06 March 2015, 08:10:52
What kind of commission do you pay for these kinds of services?
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: tetraslash on Fri, 06 March 2015, 12:14:57
Well, ordering books from Amazon Japan is usually at a competitively cheap rate, so I figured I'd mention it. Oh well.
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: strict on Sun, 08 March 2015, 19:40:15
Anyone that's ordered a TKL/Realforce sized board using Tenso, could you share what your final cost ended up being? Im curious what Tenso fees and international shipping would look like.
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: Sygaldry on Sun, 08 March 2015, 20:08:53
Anyone that's ordered a TKL/Realforce sized board using Tenso, could you share what your final cost ended up being? Im curious what Tenso fees and international shipping would look like.
Shipping for keyboards comes out to around 22-25 dollars on Tenso. Handling fee is about 9 dollars?
Title: Re: Importing from Japan?
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Mon, 09 March 2015, 08:38:40
I paid almost 15000yen for the 3 Realforce 108s that I imported to Canada.
I could have saved a lot of money by going through boat mail but frankly I didn't want to leave $800+ worth of keyboards on a boat for two months, especially without insurance.