Plaza Japan - what it's really all about

[ChrisRx718 4626]

Ouch - is this the end?

Like @Twinfan I placed an order just last week which got shipped earlier this week, now I'm very glad that I didn't wait until Payday (today)! My basket went up considerably - a Kyosho body I ordered also appears to have gone up a bit too.

Sad times! 

[Sogogi 3358]

I should have ordered stuff last week :facepalm

[toyolien 5571]

I think they may be just showing the prices including vat on each item now, rather than just in the basket. Makes me more inclined to buy Kyosho stuff from Banzai instead....

[Jason1145 4683]

Super Rajikon is almost always cheaper than Plaza Japan, why the fascination with Plaza Japan then?

[Pylon80 3414]

3 hours ago, Sogogi said:

Looks like PJ increased prices for tamiya items.

Real price used to be lower than the face value on the packaging, but now actual price is 10% higher than the face value…..

Yep, just saw that this morning.

The 6$ tires I missed out on last month went back in stock at 8$50. the 14$ FL Tuned motor is now 23$. Etc. I checked and the JPY to USD has been steadily decreasing so that is not that but rather, I suppose, a deliberate increase on their part. They are still about 20% cheaper than shopping on, say, AMain but they used to be at least 60% cheaper or more. Used to = a year ago barely.

Now I think I will only bother when they do have something nobody else does. But with minimum 14$ shipping the stars really need to align on multiple hard to find items to be worth it.

[Kpowell911 2164]

2 hours ago, Twinfan said:

Holy cow!  I placed an order last week and one of the items has gone up by £10/over 25%!  Super Stock motors are now ~£30 too.

Wow.

I honestly felt I had no need whatsoever for brushed motors in my life. I saw Plaza Japan selling Superstocks for £17ish and bought a couple of each TZ/RZ/BZ. Mainly because they just look a million dollars with their box art etc. I then ended up using one in a TT02 with a 1060ESC And honestly? It was so refreshing to have such a useable power system. I have a few 8S brushless bashers in my arsenal, and you know what, my BZ powered TT02R is probably used more these days due to how accessable and useable it is.

[Pylon80 3414]

2 minutes ago, Kpowell911 said:

I honestly felt I had no need whatsoever for brushed motors in my life. I saw Plaza Japan selling Superstocks for £17ish and bought a couple of each TZ/RZ/BZ. Mainly because they just look a million dollars with their box art etc. I then ended up using one in a TT02 with a 1060ESC And honestly? It was so refreshing to have such a useable power system. I have a few 8S brushless bashers in my arsenal, and you know what, my BZ powered TT02R is probably used more these days due to how accessable and useable it is.

Amazon.com: TZ is 31$ free shipping.

PJ: TZ is 29.5$...with minimum 14$ shipping.

[Kpowell911 2164]

25 minutes ago, Pylon80 said:

Amazon.com: TZ is 31$ free shipping.

PJ: TZ is 29.5$...with minimum 14$ shipping.

RRP is $60.37 in the UK lol

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/18825?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1K-zBhBIEiwAWeCOF5Zap576M2K9kH-290j_GwwL9NYxM4GNJAaSoK3jBD-EYamU1k2VqRoCvlIQAvD_BwE

 

[Pylon80 3414]

1 minute ago, Kpowell911 said:

RRP is $60.37 in the UK lol

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/18825?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1K-zBhBIEiwAWeCOF5Zap576M2K9kH-290j_GwwL9NYxM4GNJAaSoK3jBD-EYamU1k2VqRoCvlIQAvD_BwE

 

I should start a business then!

For some reason the Kyosho motors are expensive for us in the US, with their LeMans 490 at 67$ on Amazon.com! That's essentially a 30t Super Stock or a rebuildable FL Tuned depending how you see it... and it's well over double the price.

[Sogogi 3358]

I think unless I buy a lot from them, it is not as attractive anymore. Especially if pricing on TamiyaUSA is same as amain or others, I do not get taxed from TamiyaUSA since I don't live in CA. (Also free shipping over $50? or$75? I forgot)

[Twinfan 1831]

3 hours ago, toyolien said:

I think they may be just showing the prices including vat on each item now, rather than just in the basket. Makes me more inclined to buy Kyosho stuff from Banzai instead....

Well spotted, that's exactly what it is.

And you're right about Banzai, I used them last month as a trial after you commented that you'd bought a Kyosho Gold motor from them.  That went great so I now have two more orders in the post.  They're my new go-to for Kyosho parts.

[toyolien 5571]

37 minutes ago, Twinfan said:

Well spotted, that's exactly what it is.

And you're right about Banzai, I used them last month as a trial after you commented that you'd bought a Kyosho Gold motor from them.  That went great so I now have two more orders in the post.  They're my new go-to for Kyosho parts.

Yep. I had an Optima Mid sway bar kit in the basket two days ago and it showed as £11.45. Now it's £13.73, which is indeed just the VAT added.

Banzai are great, especially for Kyosho. Shame that they don't do Tamiya anymore though.

[Kol__ 3387]

5 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Ouch - is this the end?

I believe it is mate. The BZ motor that used to be £17-18 prior to them adding the UK Vat to their items is indeed now £30!!

I've sent them an email to ask about why their prices have increased so much. I believe they are going to lose a badword of a lot of customers now and I for one will be one of them.

[nockiboo 13]

I am wondering if they are having a glitch/issue with their site or this is intentional. Most companies especially Japanese ones would communicate price changes upcoming and not just silently changing them. I would certainly expect some type of message or email from them.

[Sogogi 3358]

I just tested by using UK address and it actually adds additional `Tax` on top of increased price.... 

[Twinfan 1831]

7 hours ago, Sogogi said:

I just tested by using UK address and it actually adds additional `Tax` on top of increased price.... 

I don't think it does.  Try this:

• Empty your shopping cart
• Go to a Super Stock Motor
• Check the price
• Add to cart
• Check the price of the item, the price of the tax, and the total cost
• The total will be the same as the item cost, the tax is just split out for clarity

[toyolien 5571]

Having looked again, there is definitely something up. It seems that Tamiya prices have had an increase where maybe Kyosho hasn't. The other day I was looking at the Tamiya 54611 10.5t motor which was just over £39. Now it's £53. That's way more that a 20% vat increase.

I've just looked at an order I placed just before they started collecting VAT. These are all Tamiya parts, and both baskets are identical.

Before VAT:

Subtotal:
JPY21,676
Shipping:
JPY3,808
Grand total:
JPY25,484

Just added all the above items to the basket this morning and now:

After VAT:

Subtotal:
JPY35,323
Shipping:
JPY4,390
Grand total:
JPY39,713

 

That's way more than just 20% VAT that's been added. It's getting almost as expensive as buying in the UK!

[simalarion 2530]

P-J still do not add Vat to Norwegian costumers as they should now.

In General the prices have gone up (easier for me to confirm as they never added Vat on my orders). So no point for me using them at all since i will get Tax handling + Vat on top on all the orders as the rules are today(even those under earlier price limit).

 

[Nick-W 1787]

17 hours ago, Jason1145 said:

Super Rajikon is almost always cheaper than Plaza Japan, why the fascination with Plaza Japan then?

Do they ship to the UK? I’ve had a poke around on their website and it seems to be Japan only. I guess the cash on delivery option would be tricky. 

[tamiya3speed 505]

My latest order is out for delivery today.  Guess I put it in just in time!  Going to be a bummer in the future though. I had mainly switched from RCMart to PJ for my overseas orders, guess I will just cross shop them both in the future.

[toyolien 5571]

38 minutes ago, tamiya3speed said:

guess I will just cross shop them both in the future.

That's the answer I think. Often I used to order from Plaza just because stuff was so cheap. But, recently I just buy stuff only when I need something.

[Cplus 97]

1 hour ago, Nick-W said:

Do they ship to the UK? I’ve had a poke around on their website and it seems to be Japan only. I guess the cash on delivery option would be tricky. 

Super Rajikon don’t ship outside Japan unfortunately 

[Sogogi 3358]

I wonder if Tamiya did not like the pricing… so they increased prices for tamiya products? (Because of what happened to banzai)

[alvinlwh 7030]

.

[toyolien 5571]

3 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

Calm down people, TZ can still be had at ~£19 at AT, no VAT. Postage only ~£5, and at this time, they will even throw in a set of BR aluminium wheel hexes that retails at ~£9. Same cart from PJ is ~£38, no free hexes but free eraser.

Also available:

BZ ~£23

I had not shopped at PJ for a very long time now, their postage is just ridiculous. 

For reference, RCM is ~USD 53 as they charges VAT.

Don't really like ATees. They don't stock many Tamiya Option Parts (unless it's a new kit, then it seems like they stock one run of stuff), and even less Kyosho. So, even though PJ has seemingly upped their prices, they are still cheaper than the UK, so I'll continue to use them, just less often.