please poll!!

Realistically, there is no one (or static) answer to this.  It varies from time to time, as the needs of the SAME person varies.

Probably that will help him decide which is the best place to buy from 

Yup, even i agree with Anwar uncle. Even though i prefer LHS while buying RC stuffs to be free from custom hassles, but maybe in the future i might buy something from abroad.

I personally prefer to buy from the Indian hobby shops, and have done so till date. I'd only buy from abroad if a certain item is not available in a LHS or if the price is too exorbitant. Like I'm looking for a 12X4 prop for my SPAD3D but have still to find a LHS that stocks one. The same goes for a good charger/discharger. The ones available are nearly double the price that is being quoted on HK or LPRC. Even after the courier charges, the price seems too much for the ones quoted by the LHS's.
Finally at the end of the day, I'd still buy and support the Indian hoppy shops. 

=>The voting is totally depend on the costly items i. e. Electronics and the behavior of customs personnel.

====>(Again 2 factors, twisting (###) unknown person willfully, and charging unnecessarily due to lack of information unwillingly).

This is the main reason that HAM & Aeromodeling is not so popular in Technical Colleges of India (I Mean Most of the colleges excluding south zone of India.)
Of course, for this backwardness, volunteers are generated and
THANKS to SAI uncle to serve us without much trouble.

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Therefore voting will be depended over customs behavior and fear of that.

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(Please excuse me, while I got informed that one IIT Prof. have to pay to receive 24 Nos Ubuntu CD in Calcutta Customs and abnormally to charged my brother also; which he denied to giveand informed him all [and of course he was not prepared with so much money, 2500/- for 250 CDs Packed in Box with proper nomenclature and checked thoroughly], and after 8 months, it directly came to our home without a paisa of customs duty. My brother have requested on behalf of iLug Kolkata Chapter to distribute in Kolkata Book Fair for Linux Popularity).

Support your LHS and the prices will get competitive..
If everyone buys from abroad what business can the LHS do and how can they offer good price?

I second Jayanath, BUT buying from LHS is not always possible there are many other factors why people like me also go to foreign shops for their material.
primarily, one major factor is price/Price.
other factors are (i may be wrong also)
small items like plastic parts and spare parts are not available with LHS and if available the price is exorbitant and might sometime equivalent to a new product.
choice of product is not available.
Low cost ARF's are not available
Price of same product varies..........even some LHS forget what quote was given earlier and what is given now.
i don't know whether warranty of certain product is provided by LHS or not.(HK replaced my battery in warranty one month back)

 

Its very simple for me.. I'm working on a shoestring budget so i've relied on HK for most of my stuff.. But then when I need stuff urgently I just buy it from the LHSs.. I have nothing against the LHSs or their pricing as I feel the prices are pretty decent for the services they provide (except for small plastic horns etc which I feel are just plain overpriced).. Its just that I simply cant afford to buy everything from them.. Almost all of the LHSs are really good and are genuinely trying to lower prices and help popularize the hobby in India.. But then as in every other field, there are a few rotten apples spoiling everyone's names just to make a quick buck..

I am way out of the topic here, but thought this may be useful for flying doc - rotor.co.in stocks props in this range. Not 12X4 but they seem to have 11X5, 11X6, 12X6, 13X4 etc which may be a substitute. Hope it helps. Sorry to deviate from the topic.
Edwin

IMHO HobbyKing is the best place for all thing RC. There is nothing better and never will be.

 
Word!

Never say never

I really second aneesh(medicineman).When we are on a tight budget (like me),hobby king is the only way forward.But for my car,I will be going to my LHS and getting it.Most of our LHSes are good with a few exceptions.And they are trying to make our hobby affordable(Sai sir for example)but even they cannot go very close to 'international prices.'
So my opinion is buy from India as far as you can but go overseas if it is insanely expensive here.

Wherever you find the best deal go for it. But make sure for no custom hassels.

Thats what i think and do

Supporting you local LHS is the best thing to do right now. If there is a marginal difference in price you might as well buy it locally. The only way we can be more competitive is if the volumes increase.

In time you will see the prices being inline with international websites. Its just a matter of time. Until then try to support as much as you can.