I got this message while i was ordering lipo batteries from HobbyKing 

Shipping Li-Poly batteries by Air Parcel
Due to international air safety regulations, parcels with a total battery capacity of more than 3200mAh cannot be sent via standard 'Air Parcel'.
Please select Air Mail, EMS Express, UPS, DPD, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL where available.

If you insist on using standard Air Parcel, then either reduce the lipo capacity ordered per parcel, or order from one of HobbyKings US, EU or AU warehouses without limitation.

Options.
1) Order via EMS Express, UPS, DPD, Air Mail, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL if available.
2) Reduce total battery capacity to under 3200mAh.
3) Order from Hobbyking.com DE, US or AU warehouse if available.

ems is nonsense chanda party, airmail was no good either, had to wait months. fedex/ups/dhl courier is much better option as u can expect things within a week mostly, which is also safer as it spends less time unattended in transit.

Many of us received mail too!

Dear valued HobbyKing Customer,

RE: Battery Shipping from International Warehouse

Please notice, we have recently been informed by some of our shipping partners that they will no longer be able to ship orders containing lithium based batteries on behalf of HobbyKing from our International Warehouse. As a result, orders placed between 23 September 2013 and 2 October 2013 may have been affected and returned to the International Warehouse.

The shipping options that this will affect are EMS, Singpost, Registered Mail, Air Parcel and China Post.

If your order has been affected, HobbyKing will be upgrading your chosen freight option at no extra cost to you to ensure that you receive your order in a timely fashion.

As a long term solution, HobbyKing will be implementing new shipping suppliers in the following days. Alternatively, we would recommend that you place battery orders through any of our regional warehouses, all of whom have an excellent range of lithium based batteries.

Please note: This will NOT affect orders placed after 2 October 2013.

We at HobbyKing thank you for your continued support and custom and appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.

Thankfully, Anthony Hand President HobbyKing

RC as a hobby, against the world....

What about batteries rated below 3200 mAh?

ya...i also got the same message. i had ordered for two more products along with a 4500mah lipo but the whole shipment got delayed
just because of this new policy. i had to cancel the lipo after that only my order was shipped. there were a lot of hassles in between
and still some slight problem is there with shipping weight and cost.

i tried using 2200mah why ain't any other option except those costly ones coming
2200mah is allowed right except those 3200mah and above

VC sir, i have tried to buy 2200mah battery then also no airmail option. you can see that in above screenshot.

but guys its better they started dhl fedex..u pay 15 $ more thts fine but u get rid of those idiotic customs guys who eat more money plus the long wait am happy this has finally happened ...only small parcels u can order buy airmail which is fine 

Agreed with Shannon (:

I ordered and then cancelled due to this. Better to look at cheaper options locally. Any feedback on the RCDhamaka lipos? Hope the packs are good. I am buying only since its from RCD as they usually back up their items.

Please be aware DHL / Fedex will pay customs duties and will collect it while delivery to you. This is my experience. If I am wrong please correct me.

Yes they will if there is a ridiculous price on invoice..... But they dint charge me for 35$ also

Has anyone ordered from HobbyKing AFTER this incident through DHL/FEDEX?

If they have received the products, how much Customs Duty were they charged by DHL/FEDEX?

I am planning to order LiPos, Charger and ESC. Total $93.20 (1496g). Shipping is Fedex Priority $38.21. No other option is available. Anyone has any idea how much I may be charged as customs?

By the way, Products marked as GIFTS are exempted from Customs if the total value is less than 10000. I am quoting this provision from CUSTOMS MANUAL 2012 published by Central Board of Excise & Customs, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, New Delhi.

worst news ever, now batteries will become so costly.

 my product cost was 35 and shipping was 40 so 75 bucks and i dint have to pay customs ..a year ago i had a 150 $ product again zero customs ...but cant say ups

Thnx for the info Shannon.

However, I am SPECIFICALLY asking about delivery by DHL/FedEx Courier. Not the ones handled by IndiaPost.

I ordered through HobbyKing as much as 165$ plus shipping. But that was by Registered AirMail. ~ 1.5kg. No customs then.

no by ups not india post

@Shannon. What about the $150 product you ordered a yr ago? Delivered by ups or IndiaPost? Bought from HobbyKing?

No delivered by ups from ehirobo

Anybody ordered from HobbyKing and shipping via FedEx?

I'm planning to.. hobby king FedEx is 32 dollars per kg... for you battery guys out there, here's a tip:
order 3 nanotechs 25-50c 2200 with a buddy code
add 1 or 2 turnigy standard lipos... what you save for the nanotechs, is used as shipping! it's bulk purchase, but it should work...
hope this helps

Sent from a potato using a lamp

Why hobbyking why 

Maybe we can do group buys now to save on shipping?

I added two 3s 2200mAh Nano-Techs for $10.27 (original price $17.99) and several other things in one order. about $100 & 1903g total. But thing is, if I am charged a RIDICULOUS amount by way of Customs Duty by FedEx upon delivery, then I am done!! So wanting to know if FedEx charged Customs duty on such packages (below 2 kg and low price).

I received my apm from USA through FedEx. Had to pay no customs duty.

@lastRites. How much Price & weight was ur order?

HK  offering shipping via FEDEX??? :O

hi lastRites

i want to buy APM .could you please post Link here

Thank you
Ramarao

I guess, HK is still working on the shipping issue
Right now ordering a 6S 5000mAH is not possible.
Smaller ones can be ordered by Fedex. But its only feasible if you order multiple pieces i.e. make the cart 1kg, so the 32$ fedex charge gets distributed

actually now what we can do is, give all our orders of lipos to one person ( preferably owner of LHS). make shipping to 1kg so we can use fedex. if done correctly, we will each have to pay around 3.2$ per 100gms.... so shipping becomes cheaper and faster. Anyone game? i require 2x 2200 nanotechs, with buddy code so around 21$

Hi aniket. I am buying 2 2200mAh nano-techs too. They are already in my cart. And max 3 products can be added in one Buddy Code. So you can buy 3 2200mAh nano-techs in order if you are using Buddy code. Also, one can order upto 3kg using FedEx ($50.15). Why did you say to make shipping to 1kg?

hey nairitb. i just stated the lowest parcel size possible.. it's just an option. if for 3kg's it is 50$, then it will be around 1.6$ per 100g... Thats cheap! but then it will be more difficult to get through customs... also, if you are getting 2, then i can make mine flexible to 1 nanotech, and 1 turnigy standard 25c 2200.... let's see if anyone else is game..

I ordered lipo and some other stuff via ems from hobby king but they said the parcel will get delayed due to lipo. So I cancelled lipo and ordered only the remaining stuff.

It still hasn't got shipped and no information available on ipsweb tracking too.
It's been more than a week that I ordered. It was supposed to reach in 4 days.

I need the stuff very urgently for my workshop can anyone tell me the reason behind this delay?

This is very annoying.

@aerodev. Dont hope to get a shipment sent from HobbyKing by Post (even if its EMS) in 1 week. As far as my knowledge goes and from my own experience, HobbyKing takes 1-2 days to get the products packed. Then its sent to some Postal Office ()HK Post, Sing Post, China Post etc) where it will go through various stages before its REALLY shipped to India. Till then, you wont get any updates on shipment.  Rest I guess you know what happens when it reaches India.

Even after all these procedures, if you happen to get ur shipment within 1 week, then you are DAMN lucky!! 

You mentioned that the order has not been shipped yet - "It still hasn't got shipped...". Try contacting HobbyKing via Online Chat and/or raise a ticket regarding this issue. 

@aniket. My order is already around 1.9kg now. And I am waiting for a comment from someone who has ordered from HobbyKing and got it shipped by FedEx for a similar weight category. Customs phobia actually.

I am ready to pay the nominal 17% Duty. Thats fine with me. But dont want to get involved with RIDICULOUS charges like 40-60%!!

Better declare very low price and experiment

Placed an order for couple of LiPo batteries and other items yesterday. Shipping via FedEx. Lets see what happens.

In the meantime, I posted in RCINDIA, the Buddy codes that I got for the order. They can be found here:

http://www.rcindia.org/deals-and-special-offers/live-buddy-codes-for-hobbyking/msg156772/#msg156772

Hope this helps. 

best of luck dude! hope it comes through easy!

Aniket , Satya ..

Do we have anybody local mfg company for lipo.? If not any point you can give me to tht direction ..
I dont know why still we need to wait for china mfg batteris ..
Why cannt we have local mfg for these batteries.  Importing will be always a costly till 1$ =10Rs  
just kidding .. but is anybody intersted to build /mfg it here in india ??
something from net.. Any opinion about them...
Li PO Battery for RC Toys And Electronic Devices
Most suitable for RC models including RC Toys and electronic devices, the battery is known for its high efficiency. Lithium Polymer hybrid batteries are a revolution in energy storage devices and are very popular for their high energy density for specific weight and size.
We offer a wide range of Lipo Battreries for RC Toys and other devices from 2100 MAh to 4000 MAh more...

 Meltbook Convergence Private Limited, New Delhi


Address: 504, Empire Apartments, Sultanpur, M. G. Road , New Delhi - 110030, Delhi, India
 
Phone:  +(91)-8588843063 
Website: http://www.indiamart.com/meltbookconvergence/

Seems to be a trader/importer, not a manufacturer

I'm sure many here would have received this e-mail. Therefore, wait and watch what transpires now. Hopefully HK will work out a good deal with FEDEX.

Dear Sanjay,

URGENT UPDATE

Our International Warehouse based in Hong Kong has been affected by changes in Hong Kong Customs policy. The new Customs Department policy is to inspect ALL parcels leaving Hong Kong (not just HobbyKing) and are refusing to accept shipments containing certain items. This has caused two major issues that I wish to address:

Issue One
All orders containing lithium-based batteries that were placed between the 23rd of September and 2nd of October have been refused by customs and are being returned to our shipping dock in Hong Kong. Some orders not containing these items could also have been affected. This has also caused further delays to orders containing these items due to the backlog.
To remedy this, we at HobbyKing are upgrading all returned shipped items to a premium courier provider that will deliver your parcels to you shortly.

Issue Two
Due to the above issue, our Customer Service channel has been overwhelmed. This means that unfortunately all customers will have difficulty contacting Customer Service and for this we sincerely apologise.
If you are trying to contact customer service, please know that we WILL get back to you as soon as possible. To improve efficiency and improve response time, we request that you create just ONE support ticket. Your help on this matter is greatly appreciated.


To ensure that this does not happen again, we are:

-   Integrating Fedex as a shipping option from Hong Kong to the world. Fedex has their own in-house Customs officers which will streamline the process and ensure faster dispatch and delivery.
-   Establishing another Customer Service Centre in the United States which will be staffed by modelers and will be able to answer all technical product enquiries. This is in addition to our two other Customer Service Centers.
-   Opening more and expanding our existing regional warehouses so that more customers can enjoy lower shipping costs and receive their orders quickly.
-   Negotiating with different shipping companies to be able to offer a complete range of shipping options.


As you can see, we are urgently taking steps to fix this issue. We have all hands on deck packing orders and answering emails (from Senior VPs to secretaries to janitors) to ensure that this backlog is met. We expect to be up-to-date within the next week or so.

Please know that we strive to provide you with the best possible service. We regret any inconvenience or frustration that you have experienced.

As the situation progresses we will be posting updates on the News section of www.hobbyking.com.

Your patronage is important to us, and we hope that you will continue to give us opportunities to serve you.

Sincerely,

Anthony Hand
President
HobbyKing

I hope they open a warehouse in India also.

already posted by aniket, but will repost here.

I ordered Lipo form HobbyKing last week for a friend who was not getting the Cell count/Capacity Lipo in India. Obviously the only way we have is to pay for premium FedEx rate. As usual, HK quickly generated a Tracking number saying they have shipped, while the items were still being packed. Only today I can see the tracking information which really shook me!! Originating from SHATIN, Hong Kong the package took a rather mysterious Loop-route of China:

SHATIN HK ->  LANTAU ISLAND HK --> CHEK LAP KOK HK --> GUANGZHOU CN --> SINGAPORE SG -->  GUANGZHOU CN (Again!!) --> MUMBAI IN

I am amazed why the hell the package travelled to from China to HK to Singapore and back to China !!

forget it I sent an pm to hobbyking on some social networking site and never recieved an reply the pm was " When are you going to open an Indian warehouse"

Good news

Just checked today and found that HobbyKing has probably restarted shipping Lipos through Lipo specific International Registered Mail.

This was my experience with FedEx shipment. Delivery date is 18 Oct 2013 even though its given as 22/10/2013. 2 times to GUANGZHOU CN here also!!

Is lipo being shipped through registered mail again???

They very cheap people. I opened a Community page on FB called "Hobbyking Lies", to expose poor customer support, bluff, false infromation etc Hobby King indulges in. I got personal letter from Anthony Hands with and when I did not care about his Faux, they complained to Facebook that I am tarnishing their image !!!, Facebook gets Ad revenues from them, so they closed my page without warning (Yeah!! Suckerberg) ..

So forget any customer support, truth , respect, from ANY Chinese seller. Such ethical values is not in their DNA (If somebody find my comment racist, please read forum  of ANY kind on internet, about various enthusiast tell about Chinese sweat shop). Be it Hobby King, Deal Extreme, sp4mm3r(my recent debacle) ... only thing they assure is PRICE - quality, guarantee,  Shipping etc are but secondary to them.


It hardly makes a difference Vishal. unless you urgently need a small Lipo, it is still much economical to order Lipo in bulk for yourself and friends using EMS ...you can get a load of Lipo in a $38 FedEx shipping. These Airmail might end up costlier.

Ujjwal,

Their FedEx priority isn't impressive either. I ordered some lipos and other stuff through fedex priority on 29th October and the tracking status shows that the item was received at the fedex on 4th Nov and has reached Mumbai today. I ordered another item through International registered mail on 31st and it was shipped the very next day! Their customer service doesn't rock but you can't beat their price and stocking capacity. Quality wise too, nano-tech lipos are the #1 choice over any other brand (in terms of value for money). Its hard to find all the qualities in one company.

It seems that they REALLY are shipping LiPo batteries by Registered Airmail. I ran some tests by adding LiPos of various TOTAL capacities. Just a special form of Registered Airmail costing $1-1.5 more  

Now we can order lipos at great cost.

FedEx is necessary Evil Vishal. Do you agree that any shipment from Honkong/China usually takes 2-3 weeks at least through ordinary mail/parcel. Less than 2 week and more than 3 week (sign of tourble) is not that often.  I have around 66 HK Order and more than 100 on Ebay. not counting numerous EU/UK/US/Towers Orders, that is waht I observed.

So no matter HK is forcing to go for FedEx, the 'Priority' is a misnomer. So even if the package takes the same time, I dont think we have any other choice except rants. The Lipo prices have yet not 'Rationalized' with the LHS, for at least Zippy/FlightMax/Turnigy kind of trust and VFM and Range (YES! HK battery choice of Cell count x Capacity x C-rating CANNOT be paralleled by ANY hobby store in the world. So lets see what HK does.
If other Chinese stores continue to ship Lipo thru cheaper mean, please join me in 'Ripping' HobbyKing's loot in shipping. Else wait for things to cool off, or start adding the shipping overhead before going for HK instead of LHS. I bet the 'Range'and VFM of HK would be a temptation.

Did anyone order a lipo with the new registered airmail option?

Agree Ujjwal. However, through fedex, one is forced to pay duty, which, majority of the time is forgone through registered mail. This is not right in ethical terms but if one saves some money this way, it isn't bad.

This is my first time through fedex and I have no idea regarding the duty, hence I'm assuming.

Actually Fedex pays custom duty on your behalf and is charged by customs not fedex. Fedex charges around 350 for clearance purpose and is fixed amount irrespective of the value of parcel.
The duty charged could be around 28 to 30% + 350/- for clearance. This duty may increase if the custom official assess the parcel value higher than the invoice value. So the custom duty can go any where above 28%.

really

Got my 2Kg HobbyKing Parcel containing Lipo Batteries and parts shipped via Fedex in Flat 5 Days..
Custom Charged 30%

Tanmay how much you declared on the box ?? and what is the total value ??

woow 5 days.....HK is improvin....

i got 4 2200mah turnigy 20 c lipos delivered to me in flat 4 days.
Custom duties paid=700+350=1050/-
Declared value - 20% (dont remeber the exct cost )

Fedex seems to have some tie up with customs.............However they charge 30% duty on any parcel containing Lipo batteries.
I ordered from HobbyKing recently a 2kg parcel worth $155(excluding shipping) (Declared 100%)
Took HobbyKing 2 days to pack the box.
They shipped it on a Thursday via Fedex.
It reached New Delhi the next day in the morning.
Was charged Rs. 4000 as duty though.
I was told that the duty is due to Lipos and that if the parcel did not have lipos, the duty would have been lesser.

do you see the custom receipt? or i was just fedex invoice mentioning the custom cost?
 

Fedex charged the duty on delivery.

In my case ordered 2x6000mah 6s lipos and selected express shiping to india(lipo) fed ex were not there in the list..
After 4 days it shipped on 26/11/13
and yesterday the tracking is live and shows dispatched on 3/12/13
Totally ******
Paid around $42 for shipping for a 2.5kg parcel
fed ex were not in the list
It is shipped through Friepost
any one having any experience Before?

Fedex can't charge the duty, but they can only collect the duty what they have paid to customs on your behalf. For this work, they charge the service charge to you. 

But you should also get the custom invoice issued by custom department for the custom charged & collected, as many times there is difference between what Courier service pays to custom against the money collected from you.

So, please check the custom receipt, if you didn't get then you can ask them to provide it. Just Fedex invoice won't work.

This is just a suggestion, in case you want to know the actuals.

 

Lipo Shipping Update
2nd December 2013
The last couple of months haven’t been smooth sailing at HobbyKing, but we are proud to say we are back to business as usual!
The sudden changes in customs policy from Hong Kong customs meant that thousands of parcels containing lithium polymer batteries were returned to our warehouse and this caused delays to nearly all of our business functions. Thankfully that is behind us now, and HobbyKing is back at full swing and are even stronger than ever! We have built new and stronger relationships with shipping partners which have allowed us to offer a full range of shipping options to our customers, all at extremely competitive prices.
We are proud to offer our customers who would like to purchase lipo batteries from our International warehouse the following shipping options:
Registered Airmail & Air Parcel
Using the standard postal service, these are the lowest priced shipping options. Delivery time can sometimes be a little slow, but this is the shipping option of choice for the people that would rather spend their hobby fund on products rather than shipping.
EMS
Express Mail Service is quicker than regular mail services, but it is also a little more expensive. Good for when you need your spares by the weekend.
FedEx Priority
The highest priced of the shipping options, but it sure is QUICK!
Everybody at HobbyKing would once again like to thank you for your patience and understanding throughout ‘lipogate’ and we hope that you will continue to give us the opportunity to serve you.

Best regards,
Anthony Hand
President
HobbyKing

 

Haha.. dont belive xpress mail.. waited more than 8 days after shiping to get an update.. as dispached

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk 2

I use only normal airmail

Nice to see that 

they called it "lipogate" ;D

Sent from a potato using a lamp - now mashed