What hobby supplier packs boxes the best?

[Saito2]

Ok, that was an awkward thread title, but anyway...The condition I receive my Tamiya kits is important to me. I collect the boxes and display them. My go-to online hobby supplier for years has been Tower Hobbies. I've never received a bent up or crushed box from them until my last purchase. I know things aren't looking good at Tower and with Horizon bidding on buying them (Hobbico), the future is even more uncertain. The last Tamiya kit was sent in what I believe was the box Tower themselves received the kit from Tamiya in. In other words, the outer box had the Tamiya logo and was exactly big enough to fit the kit box in. No packing, no padding, nothing. So, as you can imagine, the kit box was a bit mangled (at least it wasn't punctured). Long story short, who in the US or ships to the US and packages their kits well? Thanks.

[markbt73]

I've had great luck with RPP Hobby over the years. Their selection of Tamiya stuff isn't huge, but their service is flawless and they pack things well. Never had an issue. Fast, too, but they're in northern California and I'm in Oregon, so stuff doesn't have far to come.

Stellamodels goes over the top with their packaging: styrofoam sheets on all sides of the box, those air-padding thingies inside the box to keep stuff from rattling around, and (at least when I ordered from them) a double-thickness outer box. The trouble is that their shipping is either slow or expensive, since it comes from overseas.

[Rb4276]

1 hour ago, Saito2 said:

Ok, that was an awkward thread title, but anyway...The condition I receive my Tamiya kits is important to me. I collect the boxes and display them. My go-to online hobby supplier for years has been Tower Hobbies. I've never received a bent up or crushed box from them until my last purchase. I know things aren't looking good at Tower and with Horizon bidding on buying them (Hobbico), the future is even more uncertain. The last Tamiya kit was sent in what I believe was the box Tower themselves received the kit from Tamiya in. In other words, the outer box had the Tamiya logo and was exactly big enough to fit the kit box in. No packing, no padding, nothing. So, as you can imagine, the kit box was a bit mangled (at least it wasn't punctured). Long story short, who in the US or ships to the US and packages their kits well? Thanks.

Not happy to hear that about tower, i just ordered an agrios which is coming tomorrow. I will let you know how the packing was. 

[speedy_w_beans]

Stellamodels does the best packing out of all the vendors I've used.  They wrap the kits boxes in bubble wrap and tape them, then they cut foam blocks to keep the bubble wrap protected in the box, and then they glue the box flaps before applying packing tape to the box.  Between the wrap, foam, glue, and tape, all of the kits I have ordered from them arrived in the USA in perfect condition.  They've even emailed me in the past to ask if a slightly discolored kit box was ok, which I was fine with because it was a (long) discontinued kit and they had the only one.  They'll also put me on a pre-order list if I email them about a specific kit before it is released.

I've even ordered a few old kits from Stellamodels where they open the kit box and throw in extra protection to make sure parts aren't bouncing off each other during shipment.  They are really great about packing and delivery.

RCMart does ok, but I've had some shipping boxes arrive with punctures around them.  The kits have been ok, but the packing just wasn't as good.

My experience with Tower is I usually get a good kit box about 90% of the time.  The other 10% of the time the kit box has a crushed corner or a dented edge.  They just throw giant air packs in a generic box, and tape the box minimally.  Everything has arrived, but they're not the place to go if you expect a kit in collectable condition each time.

 

[Kingfisher]

RCplanet.com packs the boxes with those plastic air filled balloons. I've ordered a couple kits from them without an issue.

Tamiyausa.com fills the boxes with a ton of Styrofoam peanuts. My last order from them filled one 13 gallon trash bag to the top with the peanuts. 

I've ordered from Omnimodels.com and have never had a problem. I cannot remember what they used to pack the boxes though.

 

[Saito2]

14 hours ago, Kingfisher said:

RCplanet.com packs the boxes with those plastic air filled balloons. I've ordered a couple kits from them without an issue.

Tamiyausa.com fills the boxes with a ton of Styrofoam peanuts. My last order from them filled one 13 gallon trash bag to the top with the peanuts. 

I've ordered from Omnimodels.com and have never had a problem. I cannot remember what they used to pack the boxes though.

I forgot about RCplanet. My wife got me a TT02 kit for Christmas there and it arrived in good shape. You're not kidding about Tamiya USA. They love their peanuts and boy do they make a mess . Omni is essentially Tower now. Same company. I got most of my kits there when I was a kid before they got bought up.

19 hours ago, speedy_w_beans said:

Stellamodels does the best packing out of all the vendors I've used

 

21 hours ago, markbt73 said:

Stellamodels goes over the top with their packaging:

I also forgot about Stella. I got my Gold Lunch Box from them many many years ago. I was amazed at the level they went to for packaging. I was incredible. Unfortunately one the the shippers must have stabbed it with a sword. It was punctured through all their meticulous packing, though the kit box and damaged some of the kit parts. I sent Stella pics and they stepped right up and replaced the kit (and even payed return shipping on the damaged one) totally free. That was great of them. I'll also check out RPP. Thanks for the suggestions.

[berman]

By far it would be Stellamodels in my experience. The kits come pristine and pretty much bombproof in the amazing packaging they do. You can tell they care about your purchase! I have also had a high end item replaced, even though it was no fault of Stellas. Even got my LHS buying from them. 

[magnumb]

RPP

AsiaTees 

TamiyaUSA

AMain 

Worst packer= Myself. 

[Kingfisher]

15 minutes ago, magnumb said:

Worst packer= Myself. 

I've been known to use an entire roll of packing tape on one box. It'll be waterproof when it arrives.

[magnumb]

I tend to use the least amount of packing material....i think it stems from me receiving packages and having to spend way too much time unpacking.