JDM questions..

[FrogInTheWell]

I am new to the JDM so please bear with me,  Is JDM always cheaper than the US Market?  Who is the best JDM to deal with IYO.  I'm I right in assuming that the current prices are unusually great and won't last?  Thanks, Joe.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

17 minutes ago, FrogInTheWell said:

I am new to the JDM so please bear with me,  Is JDM always cheaper than the US Market?  Who is the best JDM to deal with IYO.  I'm I right in assuming that the current prices are unusually great and won't last?  Thanks, Joe.

1. I haven't been tracking JDM vs USDM prices for long enough to answer that, but I can assume they were never this cheap in comparison. 

Japan signals chance of yen intervention; market unconvinced | Reuters

 

2. Digitaka or Japan Lure Shop.  Some use Amazon Japan, but you run the risk of getting charged tax.   JLS is cheaper but charges shipping, most report however that you get a surprise free lure.  One guy got a Jackhammer.        On the other hand, Digitaka has free shipping, and no free lure.     It's about a wash in terms of which is cheaper.    I opted for Digitaka because I wanted the absolute cheapest price.   

 

3. Yes, you are absolutely correct in thinking these prices are unusually great, again see the article I posted above.    

 

Lastly, Japan Lure Shop IIrc only allows you to pay via Paypal, whereas Digitaka has Paypal, and a Visa/MC processor.

Paypal plays dirty games, and charges you currency exchange rate fees and use outdated rates to calculate the fee.     Imho, don't pay with Paypal.....thus ruling out Japan Lure Shop.

[Revival]

Isn’t this also your thread?

 

 

[FrogInTheWell]

11 minutes ago, Revival said:

Isn’t this also your thread?

 

 

Yes, very good ... ?

[redmeansdistortion]

JDM gear hasn't always been cheaper, it's entirely dependent on the exchange rate any given day.  Right now it's better than at any other time in recent memory.  This means the dollar has more buying power.  If you go back 10 to 15 years, it was the opposite.

 

There are plenty of great sites.  For new gear, look at Digitaka, Asian Portal Fishing, Fishing Shop Kiwi, Japan Lure Shop, JDM Tackle Heaven, and 7 Palms.  If you want to save even more, look at used gear at Tackle Berry.  They have a website but do international shipping through Buyee.  I bought a couple of used rods that should be here next week, a Valley Hill Raison 67MMM and a Smith Troutin' Spin Bait TBC-65ML.  

[T-Billy]

8 hours ago, Revival said:

Isn’t this also your thread?

 

It is, and it went completely off the rails.

Digitaka just gained a new fan. I bought a Scorpion 71 on 9/13. It arrived via FedEx on the 16th. Amazing. It often takes longer to get stuff from stateside vendors.

[bulldog1935]

I've been shopping Japan 20 years since you had to use a Japan-based broker, both for the language barrier and their banking laws.  Still use noppin.com for a broker when buying from shops that don't market directly to US, e.g. KTF, Squid Mania, Haneda Craft.  With newer competition, brokerage fees are now down to about 5%, instead of the 20% that many years ago.  Even when brokerage fees were higher, Japan shopping was always worthwhile when the dollar was worth more than 100 yen. 

If you think about the math, it's kind of simple - there's an importer and distributor for Japan-made USM products, plus import duties on lot-size shipments, which adds to their overhead and wholesale cost.  With the current exchange rate, they're paying a premium for those. 

At the current JPY 143 to US$, all of Japan is on sale, and Japan shopping is a relative steal - even shipping cost is on sale. 

 

 

@T-Billy It was really FedEx that impressed you.  While Digitaka is good about shipping right out the door (Hedgehog Studio, also), FedEx made a huge step change when the postal systems shut down in '20.  Instead of importing through Anchorage, they added a non-stop flight from Sennan-Shi to Memphis.   Likewise, DHL flies straight to Cincinnati - both clear US Customs while still in the air. 

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Still use noppin.com for a broker when buying from shops that don't market directly to US, e.g. KTF, Squid Mania, Haneda Craft.

How do you get hold of a broker through noppin?  There are small ABU parts I want, but not made by Avail, and none of the retailers that ship international carry them.  One of them sells a hardened bronze 6.8:1 gear set that I want for this 2500C IAR I will be building.

[bulldog1935]

@redmeansdistortion Contact board will normally get you a conversation with Masamichi.  Others work there, and he has the best English. 

You submit a Shopping List.  You'll get a Quote, which includes fee and domestic post to noppin. 

Pay from Wallet, and it's set up so you can load your wallet using paypal to the exact JY amount, while paying the exchange fee. 

Goes into Storage, free up to 60 days if you want to add from other vendors. 

Packing Request gets a second invoice for DHL.  His post-20 website is a little stranger to use than before, but it's probably better set up for a pad or phone.  He will also refund any excess from your Wallet.  When he was down setting up his new website, I used ZenMarket, which is less interactive than talking to Masamichi at Noppin. 

 

It's easier to buy from Yahoo using him, and he's also set up to bid on Yahoo for you.  He'll also contact vendors if you have a question.  Most of my spool bearings come from KTF, Squid Mania is exclusive on their hook keeper that adds to Livre balancer.  You can also order any Livre handle and knob combination from Squid Mania at a discount.  Many Rakuten items/stores require a separate shipping broker, and it's easiest to have noppin buy on Rakuten for you. 

 

I ordered a lot through him, limited benchmade fly reel, fly rods, including a rolled-from-scratch-on-order inshore S-glass fly rod, my first Rockfish rods.  Sun XCD bicycle parts for 40% of Soma import catalog cost.  Back then, Japan was the only source of new glass fly rods.  The custom fly rod really made me a believer - paypal refund option expired before it was done, he made a custom trapezoidal shipping box to meet the length requirement for the 2-pc staggered ferrule rod.