Minichamps has announced that all shipments to the United States are on hold until further notice. The pause stems from ongoing U.S. tariffs and the uncertainty carriers currently face – DHL, in this case – regarding how to properly handle these regulations. As a result, no deliveries will be made to the U.S. for the time being. Unfortunately, collectors eager to secure a “must-have” piece from Minichamps’ lineup may need to brace for higher costs once shipping resumes.
Minichamps Not Shipping States Side…
CK-Modelcars website is now charges per 1:18 model to ship, instead of the bulk rate of 49 Euros per package to USA. I believe the rate is 27 euros per model.
Honestly, when it comes to North America, CK is only worth considering if they’re offering a truly rare model or something that’s impossible to find locally. Otherwise, their pricing in euros combined with the steep shipping costs makes it a non-go. Even items listed with significant discounts still end up being impractical once you factor in the total expense.
Really? I find their prices much cheaper than in USA on identical models, especially when you get their 10% discount and 19% VAT off.
Well, I live in Canada, and fortunately, prices here are consistently better than those in the U.S., even with our weaker currency. I also have access to some excellent small sellers who always offer great deals. Because of that, CK ranks very low on my list.
I agree with both Ed and Alex! I’ve scored some truly great items from CK Modelcars. Once the vat is removed, and the high DHL shipping cost added, SOMETIMES the overall price is still lower than purchasing locally…IF the item is even available regionally at the time of purchase. Budget shopping in any hobbies is a gamble. You can purchase a unique item when it first comes available, or wait for it to MAYBE become available locally for a lower price overall. I’ve gambled on the former with great success, collecting things I really value and never see become available locally ever. I’ve gambled and failed too, passing on an international purchase and never seeing the item be sold regionally or for a reasonable price in the second hand market.
I ´m afraid, Americans get what they voted for. And tariffs on model cars is not the worst part of it. Their elected leader seems convinced that he has a mandate to erect a dictatorship. If America (and the world) is lucky, the freak show ends in 2029. If not, God have mercy on America and us all.
Umm, let’s not make it political, and while I’m not a big supporter of a lot of things our current leadership is doing, tariffs is one thing I support. Let’s see what all these model makes will say in a couple of years when they don’t have half of the market to sell these models (or, insert the product you want) to. USA is the largest consumer of, pretty much everything, and Europe/China, etc are only shooting themselves in the foot.