Has anybody ordered the Mavic 4 from Ebay? Shipped from Korea.

[wailermon]

PLEASE keep us informed. I'm wanting to order the MAV4P CC from Korea, but am sweating the tariff and long hold. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Paulark]

Ordered Creator Combo from k-wave store a few weeks ago, it was delivered in a week with no additional tariff or customs fees.

 

[GadgetGuy]

PLEASE keep us informed. I'm wanting to order the MAV4P CC from Korea, but am sweating the tariff and long hold. Let us know how it goes!

It's a fluid situation. Just because someone else was successful doesn’t mean you will be, too. Many drug smugglers are successful, too. Losing a few mules and drug shipments is just a cost of doing business for them. If your shipment happens to get flagged as having a fraudulent customs declaration, the shipment gets seized, the shipper faces fines and potential imprisonment, and you are likely out your money. Feeling lucky?

 

[mavic3usa]

It's a fluid situation. Just because someone else was successful doesn’t mean you will be, too. Many drug smugglers are successful, too. Losing a few mules and drug shipments is just a cost of doing business for them. If your shipment happens to get flagged as having a fraudulent customs declaration, the shipment gets seized, the shipper faces fines and potential imprisonment, and you are likely out your money. Feeling lucky?

Agreed but unfortunately, the system is likely working abnormally and it appears if the duties are not collected up and front right away then it's likely because of some sort of loophole in the system or I rather believe "incompetence." All signs are pointing to the latter and if you were planning to get a M4P this year, I would say now is the best time rather than later when this gets "discovered" or straightened out. We cannot say with any confidence these are "smuggled" (like we know for sure on the other illegals you mentioned) so indeed these might be cool because one could say the government simply doesn't understand China, or Korea....or even Japan when it comes to drones. Again, unheard of years ago but these times are changing and anything is "believable." Ordinarily I would try not to take advantage and I would encourage shippers to follow to rules on customs declaration but you and I would be about the only ones who feel that way (story of my life) and that really sad but that's what we are working with for now.

 

[Paulark]

The seller is marking them as used, which substantially decreases their value, which might even decrease it to a number below the import surcharge minimum. It all seems pretty legit, that's why I bought one.

Yeah, I wouldn't wait til they figure it out. The time to do it is yesterday.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The seller is marking them as used, which substantially decreases their value, which might even decrease it to a number below the import surcharge minimum. It all seems pretty legit, that's why I bought one.

Yeah, I wouldn't wait til they figure it out. The time to do it is yesterday.

Was yours a Creator Combo? Were you privileged to the declared used value on the Customs Forms the seller filled out? Do they remove the shrink wrap, or do anything else to make it look opened? Do they declare that it is a drone? Is this perhaps why some are already activated, to establish that they are "used" even if never flown? CovertDrones in Florida is selling Creator Combos that are already activated, and shipping the extra batteries separately a week later.

 

[mavic3usa]

Was yours a Creator Combo? Were you privileged to the declared used value on the Customs Forms the seller filled out? Do they remove the shrink wrap, or do anything else to make it look opened? Do they declare that it is a drone? Is this perhaps why some are already activated, to establish that they are "used" even if never flown? CovertDrones in Florida is selling Creator Combos that are already activated, and shipping the extra batteries separately a week later.

CovertDrones says:

PLEASE NOTE: When you receive your new drone it will only have 1 battery. The remaining 2 will show up around a week later. This is due to shipping restrictions when being sent over via express methods.

Important Disclaimer:
Please note that DJI has explicitly stated that the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is not sold in the USA. Any DJI Mavic 4 Pro that is imported into the USA will not be covered under any DJI warranty. This means that DJI Care Refresh nor Manufactures Warranty are NOT honored by DJI for this product, regardless of purchase location. Additionally, the drone will undergo activation prior to shipping. Rest Assured the drone can still be bound to your account and the drone is completely unused.

 

[YorksPhotos]

I have an update on my Friday afternoon order. I received tracking by Saturday morning. It was with FedEx on Monday with a delivery eta of the 23rd. It just arrived at the FedEx hub in Alaska. I think the 23rd is a bit optimistic but will see. Hoping it clears customs tomorrow. I recently ordered a $200 filter from Canada for my Canon camera and it was in customs for almost 2 weeks.
Update: I think it made through customs. If so super fast, same day it was shipped.

 

[GadgetGuy]

CovertDrones says:

PLEASE NOTE: When you receive your new drone it will only have 1 battery. The remaining 2 will show up around a week later. This is due to shipping restrictions when being sent over via express methods.

Important Disclaimer:
Please note that DJI has explicitly stated that the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is not sold in the USA. Any DJI Mavic 4 Pro that is imported into the USA will not be covered under any DJI warranty. This means that DJI Care Refresh nor Manufactures Warranty are NOT honored by DJI for this product, regardless of purchase location. Additionally, the drone will undergo activation prior to shipping. Rest Assured the drone can still be bound to your account and the drone is completely unused.

What do you make of all that, which I referred to above, in asking about the drone that @Paulark received in Post #45? Do you think Luke is sourcing them from S. Korea as "used" drones with a lower declared value because they have been activated in S. Korea before shipping? It also isn't clear who is doing the activating, namely the international seller or Luke.

 

[mavic3usa]

What do you make of all that, which I referred to above, in asking about the drone that @Paulark received in Post #45? Do you think Luke is sourcing them from S. Korea as "used" drones with a lower declared value because they have been activated in S. Korea before shipping? It also isn't clear who is doing the activating, namely the international seller or Luke.

Sounds like it is all being done from the overseas shipper from the separating of the equipment to the activation. Why he is doing it, I couldn't tell you. Others have successfully received unactivated drones from overseas with lower declared values so maybe he is requesting his supplier to do this to avoid any trouble. I dunno, it doesn't make sense for a drone to land in the US and then for him to activate it here.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Sounds like it is all being done from the overseas shipper from the separating of the equipment to the activation. Why he is doing it, I couldn't tell you. Others have successfully received unactivated drones from overseas with lower declared values so maybe he is requesting his supplier to do this to avoid any trouble. I dunno, it doesn't make sense for a drone to land in the US and then for him to activate it here.

I had previously thought the prior activation in country of origin might establish a warranty there, or that Luke was activating here to make sure the drone wasn't DOA before reselling it. Lots of possibilities. Just a weird process, though, especially with parting out the components separately to the buyer.

 

[mavic3usa]

I had previously thought the prior activation in country of origin might establish a warranty there, or that Luke was activating here to make sure the drone wasn't DOA before reselling it. Lots of possibilities. Just a weird process, though, especially with parting out the components separately to the buyer.

I know at some point DJI was doing the same by parting out the equipment in separate shipments but I thought that might have something to do with sourcing like where different accessories were kept or warehoused. Perhaps it lowered the chances of the main drone being caught during inspection when it only contained the drone plus the one battery it is meant to have inserted instead of several loose batteries in the box. Side-note, I think DJI should sell the basic drone kit (that everyone must buy) and then create combo kit(s) (they could have a few different configs and of course, still at a lower price). I know they done it before so not sure if anything has changed.

None of us have ordered from Covert that I am aware of so we don't even know if he gets anything or are shipments direct from overseas to the buyer but it sounds like he has a solid, reliable connection in order to take a chance being one of only a few US retailers (authorized or not) during critical times so hats off to him. Maybe he can be our unofficial go-to "after the ban."

 

[GadgetGuy]

I know at some point DJI was doing the same by parting out the equipment in separate shipments but I thought that might have something to do with sourcing like where different accessories were kept or warehoused. Perhaps it lowered the chances of the main drone being caught during inspection when it only contained the drone plus the one battery it is meant to have inserted instead of several loose batteries in the box. Side-note, I think DJI should sell the basic drone kit (that everyone must buy) and then create combo kit(s) (they could have a few different configs and of course, still at a lower price). I know they done it before so not sure if anything has changed.

None of us have ordered from Covert that I am aware of so we don't even know if he gets anything or are shipments direct from overseas to the buyer but it sounds like he has a solid, reliable connection in order to take a chance being one of only a few US retailers (authorized or not) during critical times so hats off to him. Maybe he can be our unofficial go-to "after the ban."

That parting out was originally to keep the shipment below the $800 de minimus exception to tariffs, which has since been abolished. Luke was my alternative to the uncertainty of buying from Amazon Canada and using a Canadian Reship address for delivery, and then forwarding to the U.S..where I would be fully responsible for all tariffs required to clear U.S. Customs on the way in, which would have meant $6,200 U.S. in total! Fortunately, Adorama got in stock that Monday before my Thursday Canadian delivery at $4750 before taxes. Once Adorama confirmed Creator Combo shipped Monday morning with a valid tracking number that showed a UPS scan, I canceled the Amazon Canada order. $5400 from Luke would have been fine, but not once I found out he also now charges 8% sales tax on top of that! Adorama came to $5000 with sales tax, and a DJI warranty confirmed by DJI USA.

If you want one, order it from Adorama, whether backordered or preordered. They won't charge your CC until they actually ship, so nothing lost in placing an order if they can't deliver. Some Creator Combos preorders have been shipped much earlier than expected.

 

[YorksPhotos]

PLEASE keep us informed. I'm wanting to order the MAV4P CC from Korea, but am sweating the tariff and long hold. Let us know how it goes!

Mine was delivered from Korea this morning. It was less than 5 business days from order to in hand. It was sealed in the factory plastic wrap and packed in bubble wrap in a plain box. It only had a shipping label, no customs forms or stickers and package had not been tampered with or inspected. Happy with this deal, I like loopholes more than Trump likes tariffs. This is my 2nd CC, the 1st was smuggled in from Japan.

 

[Starz]

what is the point of buying that service

It’s basically a feel good product. Makes the folks that chip in feel better.
Another option is to fly your expensive flying camera without putting it in jeopardy and pay real good attention to what you’re doing.
The later is actually a pretty simple process.

 

[KS-6]

It’s basically a feel good product. Makes the folks that chip in feel better.
Another option is to fly your expensive flying camera without putting it in jeopardy and pay real good attention to what you’re doing.
The later is actually a pretty simple process.

The latter is also the best process.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Ordered Creator Combo from k-wave store a few weeks ago, it was delivered in a week with no additional tariff or customs fees.

All fine and dandy but what about warranty and return policies ,let me guess none of the above right?

 

[Wreckhunter]

After you use it ONE TIME they will never insure you again.

What happens if you cant get a replacement drone,in place of the original 4 pro you were lucky enough to get in the first place

 

[YorksPhotos]

All fine and dandy but what about warranty and return policies ,let me guess none of the above right?

It's the same as from most any US retailers. From delivery date, 30 days for a return and refund. Warranty who knows. Better off with an insurance policy. Even if you can get it someday DJI Care refresh would cost almost 2k for 2 year plan if you lose one. I am running rigorous tests while in the 30 day window. The first one has passed, 2nd one I just got today. So far so good.

 

[mavic3usa]

Even if you can get it someday DJI Care refresh would cost almost 2k for 2 year plan if you lose one.

I hope not; current for Mavic 4 Pro:

DJI Care Refresh​

2-Year Plan
Price


USD $359
Number of Replacements


4 (including 2 for Flyaway Coverage)
Replacement Fees

Replacement Fee USD $199

Replacement Fee USD $199
Flyaway USD $1,069



If DJI had a future in America, they should consider offering DJI Care Refresh One which is similar to the plans from Apple and Google where you pay one fee per year and all your DJI covered devices are rolled up into one. I would pay $200 a year for a dozen drones but only a limited number of replacements, flyaways, etc. Kinda silly to pay $150 for Mavic and $25 for the NEO and $80 for the Mini, etc. More people would sign on from Day 1 (because it would be automatic if you were a subscriber). And you don't have to worry about renewals because the revenue stream from the customer is yearly with drones adding to and falling off 2 - 3 years at a time. I don't know the details, not sure of their model but I bet it cheap, really cheap for DJI.