playasia "year of the rat sale" is now on.

[Tetlee]

As title, a few bargains to be had there even if the majority of game sale items are either old or stinkers.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-00.html

I just picked up a 360 messenger kit which works out at a little over £15.00 delivered(although I actually added it to another game as I had a coupon to use which made it even cheaper). Good price I think.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-et-49-en-15-messenger-70-2eot.html

As I commented above, unlike last year when sale items were disabled from the discount coupons, this year they are not, so if you have any spare playasia coupons lying give them a try with your order

 

[Bozman]

Word of warning - you'll notice how play-asia price most new games at $49.90 - just 10c under the threshold to encourage you to use a voucher so that you buy something else? Don't get tempted. Every time I have done this and ordered more than 1 item, you are automatically upgraded to the next level of packaging up (small box). In my experience and to my cost these always get hit by customs charges and that $5 you saved immediately becomes £8 Royal Mail admin fees + duty. Every single time (3) I've ordered more than 1 item even a game + a small packet of sweets for 25c to get over the $50 mark always results in a customs charge. I now only ever place orders for single items that way they come in a jiffy (bag that is ) and never get stung. I think this is due to the larger size of packgaing coming through a different shipping route. Regardless of how small the second item is, they always pack 2 items in a box and not a jiffy.

 

[h0l1yw0od]

Was just looking at Scene-It for the 360 but the box for the game is bigger because of the buzzers. It's also £20 so does this mean its really likely to get clobbered for customs?

 

[Tetlee]

Word of warning - you'll notice how play-asia price most new games at $49.90 - just 10c under the threshold to encourage you to use a voucher so that you buy something else? Don't get tempted. Every time I have done this and ordered more than 1 item, you are automatically upgraded to the next level of packaging up (small box). In my experience and to my cost these always get hit by customs charges and that $5 you saved immediately becomes £8 Royal Mail admin fees + duty. Every single time (3) I've ordered more than 1 item even a game + a small packet of sweets for 25c to get over the $50 mark always results in a customs charge. I now only ever place orders for single items that way they come in a jiffy (bag that is ) and never get stung. I think this is due to the larger size of packgaing coming through a different shipping route. Regardless of how small the second item is, they always pack 2 items in a box and not a jiffy.

It sounds as though you've either been unlucky or have had at least one large item in your order. Playasia are the main company I use for my gaming purchases(especially since moving out here where alot of importers do not deliver to). I nearly always order a second small item to bring the value just over the $50.00 coupon requirement(usually tempo tissues) and my orders always arrive in the standard jiffy bag.

The order I placed today was for the 360 messenger kit along with Endless Ocean for the Wii, was still able to choose the cheapest postage option(jiffy bag) and I'm pretty sure that's what it will be sent in. I've only received one item in a box and that was because I decided to opt for it due to having better protection(was for my Logitech Harmony remote).

Was just looking at Scene-It for the 360 but the box for the game is bigger because of the buzzers. It's also £20 so does this mean its really likely to get clobbered for customs?

Not sure what the postage price is on that item, saw it there myself but the postage price wasn't listed in the item description, I think it must be a pretty large package so doubt the jiffy bag option will be there. I ask for all my items to be marked at $19.90 or less which they always do for me, works for me and they're very strict on import tax here in Argentina.

Of course there is always a risk of import tax when importing over the value of £18.00, but I think it's safe to say the majority of people who order from playasia living in the UK receive their packages without getting hit by import tax(provided they asked for the value to be marked down of course).

 

[Bozman]

It sounds as though you've either been unlucky or have chosen something very large for your second item. Playasia are the main company I use for my gaming purchases(especially since moving out here where alot of importers do not deliver to). I nearly always order a second small item to bring the value just over the $50.00 coupon requirement and the postage is always the jiffy, with just a few extra cents added for the second small item(usually tempo tissues or candy).

The order I placed today was for the 360 messenger kit along with Endless Ocean for the Wii, was still able to choose the cheapest postage option(jiffy bag). I've only recieved one item in a box and that was because I decided to opt for it as better protection for my Logitech Harmony remote.

Not sure what the postage price is on that item, saw it there myself but the postage price wasn't listed in the item description, I think it must be a pretty large package so doubt the jiffy bag option will be there. I ask for all my items to be marked at $19.90 or less which they always do for me, works for me and they're very strict on import tax here in Argentina.

Yep the first time I got stung I had ordered 2 Xbox 360 games in the same order. Subsequent times I've deliberately gone for small thin items - namely noodle soup in a sachet and candy. Both times they were upgraded to the next packaging option (despite choosing jiffy bag) and both times they were stung for customs. After tax COD 4 + a sachet of candy cost me £38 instead of £25 . This is also over a period of 2 years with large gaps in between ordering. I'm also a long time shopper - been using them for DVDs and games since 2003.

I have heard of people asking them to mark down packages - IIRC they will only then cover you for the declared value. Might give that a go in future - prob wait for another brave soul to have a go first

 

[Moogle]

It's a pity they don't ship Sony products to the EU. The only 360 item that caught my eye was Smash Court Tennis 3 but it's not region free.

 

[Tetlee]

I have heard of people asking them to mark down packages - IIRC they will only then cover you for the declared value. Might give that a go in future - prob wait for another brave soul to have a go first

I think you may be correct here, although if an package does go astray I belive they will send a direct replacement if possible or store credit to the full value(I only had one package go missing and that is what they offered me, I chose store credit as by that time I didn't need the item I ordered anymore as I'd sold the console).

I guess if you pay by paypal you could always reclaim the full value through paypal themselves, personally if another of my packages went missing though I would put my trust in playasia sorting out the compensation as they were very helpful with me on the above mentioned occasion.

 

[Tufty McTavish]

Every time I have done this and ordered more than 1 item, you are automatically upgraded to the next level of packaging up (small box). In my experience and to my cost these always get hit by customs charges and that $5 you saved immediately becomes £8 Royal Mail admin fees + duty.

I agree. That's happened to me on two occasions although I got lucky on one of them and wasn't stung.

I emailed PlayAsia to complain that I wanted it shipped in a normal jiffy bag but they responded by asking if I wanted packages marked down in value. I don't. I just want the game + sweetie stuffed into a jiffy somehow. Heck, they can keep the sweetie for themselves for all I care.

Pricing something just that bit below the coupon threshold is irritating to me. When I could find flat packet sachet sweeties on their site it was fine but they seem to be reducing the groceries available.

I've preordered a couple of items from them using coupons that were about to expire and nearer the time I'm going to email about the specific orders requesting a jiffy be used or they eat the sweetie themselves.