Why?? Firstly, its my money, I can shop anywhere I like.

Think too - big items are usually where the most savings come from.
And its buying bigger items where its more worthwhile doing mailordering/waiting/risking.

And what "local RC industry" anyway, don't see Holden and Ford making contributions so ain't ALL RC items are surely imported!!!?

Besides, since the 1980s I've been mailordering stuff from both o/s and locally... quite often from interstate shops. The 'Net just makes it easier for o/s these days.

These days, all my "supplies" like paint, tyres, fuel, bodies etc etc come from the LHS, but generally whole car kits are cheaper & faster to self-import.



ps: that said, be careful what you buy too.
Check out your local parts backup first too.

I was one of the first to run HPI RS4s in VIC ~1997.
Both electric and gas, they are/were great cars, great design.
But parts backup in Oz was DISMAL then... silly me had to break a shock shaft!!! Plus the 'bones were getting worn.

You would not believe how much downtime that caused me...
I had standing orders at every LHS down here, I even mailed
the (then) importers etc etc... to no avail.
Six plus months!!!?! In the end, Tower came to the rescue.
And heck, the RS4 was a pretty popular model in Oz too!!!

Don't know how HPI is fairing these days, as I don't think much about their current designs - No longer "cutting edge" imho.
Hope the current importer is servicing them better as heck, you really couldn't do worse than before.