Free stuff....is there a catch.........

Brian fred carr

Site Moderator
Mentor
I know you buy quite a bit off HK but have they ever offered you anything free...last night I placed an order for 88 bucks and a message flashed up that if I spent another 12 bucks they would throw in a Brushless motored go kart worth 80 bucks...I declined because I am old and cynical and Know the only thing in life thats free is the word free, also would it have pushed the shipping costs way up I am now thinking one of my boys could have had it for Xmas...just wondered if any of you haveexperienced anything like it???
and do you have to pay the shipping on a freebie????
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
HK has been doing this for a little while. It's a way to get the buyer to spend a little extra money. Yes you have to pay shipping on it as well. I don't think it's a scam, just a marketing technique.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
What's often a scam is how much they claim the items are worth. Usually when you go to the item on the page, it's half what they claim on the popup. Still, it's a free item, you just have to cover shipping (which can be quite a bit if it pushes you over a threshold). Also, with stuff like the gokart, there's a number of extra bits you need for it, like a motor, ESC, hard case battery and a metal gear servo. All up that'll set you back yet another $50 or so. But there have been some really good giveaways, including PNF planes and RTF helis. I've got an order to make and I'm hoping for a decent freebie...
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
HK has been doing this for a little while. It's a way to get the buyer to spend a little extra money. Yes you have to pay shipping on it as well. I don't think it's a scam, just a marketing technique.

Totally agree with that:
You tend to spend more even if only one part of what you put in your basket is free! Just as lobstermash said as well... it is just they way they try to make more money...
 

Manfet

Member
Yeah I got the RTF Heli but it's still in HK cause the Plush 18A are BK. But be careful. Sometimes the freebies are sold out quickly and you have to check the prices of the "Freebie" before going to paying it should be 0$.
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
I got some carbon helicopter blades worth $58... but I wonder why they can't offer me an extra LiPo for my plane, or a servo, or such usable stuff...
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Yeah I got the RTF Heli but it's still in HK cause the Plush 18A are BK. But be careful. Sometimes the freebies are sold out quickly and you have to check the prices of the "Freebie" before going to paying it should be 0$.
I think they willoffer you "promotional items" to get you into other parts of the hobby and not the same parts that you normally buy from them.

Sorry - quoted wrong - shold have quouted this

I got some carbon helicopter blades worth $58... but I wonder why they can't offer me an extra LiPo for my plane, or a servo, or such usable stuff...
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Last night you could get up to 5 2s batteries... But that was from midnight Aus time. I've got an order ready to go, just waiting for a decent freebie...
 

wadsie

Member
Last night you could get up to 5 2s batteries... But that was from midnight Aus time. I've got an order ready to go, just waiting for a decent freebie...
really you should have put the order in then
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
I think they willoffer you "promotional items" to get you into other parts of the hobby and not the same parts that you normally buy from them.

Sorry - quoted wrong - shold have quouted this

I got some carbon helicopter blades worth $58... but I wonder why they can't offer me an extra LiPo for my plane, or a servo, or such usable stuff...

You could have just got them and then sold them again and you´ll end up with a cheaper overall price for the stuff you got!!
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Duh, the order was just going to get more expensive, as it would have raised the shipping...

Yeah but even if... With 58$ you could have sold it again and then you won´t have saved 58$ but just 53$ for those 5$ you had to raise your shipping for. I´m just saying if the gift is valuable enough, you can go for it with a win!
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Last night's freebie was a pnf micro a10. It came through on Twitter just before 3am. I wasn't quick enough. I'll have a look what the next one is, but I'm thinking it's not worth the effort.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Sweet, scored a j3 cub ARF... Not one of the 'insane' freebies, but I don't have the mettle to monitor twitter 24/7 for the big ticket items
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Sweet, scored a j3 cub ARF... Not one of the 'insane' freebies, but I don't have the mettle to monitor twitter 24/7 for the big ticket items

Congrats!!! Is it on the way to your home now or did you just try for ages til you got something decent?
I am just asking coz I might order something soon.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I waited for some 'insane freebies' for a few days, and the item is JIT. But one of the items on the list is on backorder so won't be shipped until that gets in stock anyway. I'd follow Hobbykinglive on twitter for the 'insane freebies', but you have to be pretty quick and the freebie session may be at any time of the day. The first two I was offered were a go-kart kit and carbon fibre heli blades, but I didn't want either of those.

If you have the patience, there's been some freebies like the Monster Mustang and the f4u funfighter, which I would have been all over had I been given half the chance. But an ARF j3 cub is pretty good all the same.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Wow, I'm still flabbergasted. Just got a F9F-8 70mm EDF PNF! Combined with a Bixler, a FMA Copilot and a buddy box, I accidentally left the shipping on EMS. But I guess it wasn't much more ($98 instead of $72)... I guess that mean all my Christmas' will come at once; about Wednesday next week!