I am considering buying some items from Tamiya America in California and just set up a PayPal for the purpose.
Anyone out there in FSM land buy from Tamiya America?
If so, how was their customer service and shipping service?
I bought several Tamiya kit sprues from them. I used the phone and gave them my CC number verbally. No problems back then, but this was probably 5-7 years ago.
Seems safe enough…although I have found them a bit pricey compared to others…oh and make sure you get permission first…just sayin…[whstl]
Not gonna be anywhere near a $229 purchase…
Edited by author
Update…
…ended up calling California and talked to customer assistance to check on product availability.
Tamiya does not ship to P.O. Boxes so I had my order shipped to my home address.
Worked out OK but process is not as easy as ordering from an on-line hobby store.
Yes, as I said last year, I had to call and talk to them. They had to check to see if the sprues I wanted were available, and then they took my information.
Actually, the problem with ordering from Tamiya wasn’t because I had to call first …the actual problems were :
1- Tamiya’s website rejects P.O. Box orders
2-my precaution in 2010 of placing a fraud alert on my CC for personal security reasons meant that Tamiya’s website automatically rejected the order-
I had to open a new account in a local bank so I could buy from Tamiya
3- I did do a last minute call to check if Tamiya had enough items in stock as the actual kit had been discontinued and parts availability was limited
( a dozen 1/ 25 Pz.Kpfw V upper hulls - on sale for $3 each vs. $16 normal price, spare poly caps, decals, a book )
but I called only after the previous two difficulties were solved.
4- After checking availability, .I completed the transaction online using my new CC
I would not have been able to order if I did not open a new CC.
No other on-line company software has rejected my CC card because of the security alert. Presumably, Tamiya is being extra careful for customer assurance reasons
Do they list the sprues that are available? I’m not seeing any.
I did not see sprues listed, only individual parts.
You might try the customer service number listed on the Tamiya website.
Rob Gronovius stated earlier in this thread that he called Tamiya customer service.
you had to open a new bank account to buy from them? WTF? Can you elaborate on that one?
As I stated earlier in this thread, the Fraud Alert I added to my CC ( for my own security ) caused the Tamiya website to reject my purchase.
BTW…how many B-17s are in your stash?
I just purchased an early 1980s vintage Hasegawa B-17 F kit ( partially built ) for 25 cents at a second hand store.
Nicer than the old Revell B-17 I built in 1966, but I may yet buy another old Revell kit as a nostalgia build if I can get it for a good price in a swap meet.
They didn’t list sprues, you had to look up the kit number and sprue letter you wanted and then call them and ask if those sprues were available. It is more of a courtesy service designed to replace missing, malformed or damaged parts as opposed to a method or obtaining extra pieces for a kitbash project.
When I purchased sprues, it was to update their original M60A3 with the newer style road wheels found in their USMC M60A1 RISE/Passive kit.
Just saw this on the Tamiya website:
Online Store Closure
- Warehouse Relocation
- 8/24/13 - 9/16/13
- Order before 8/23/13
…
Please read their entire post here
Tamiya was very unhelpful. The parts I wanted to order were not yet “in their computer system” so they told me to call back in another month. Baloney!