1. Get a German mail forwarding service. I used mailboxde.com. Shipping for one Playmobil 4270 Arena with no figures was €35. Many German sellers will not ship to US address due to the costs and shipping hassles (customs decorations) especially the ones selling old incomplete 10 year old toys (Playmobil 4270 Arena was released in 2007 IIRC). Screen shot your eBay receipt you will need to upload it when notified by the mail forwarder that they have received your package.
2. Buy on German eBay (eBay.de) use Google chrome website translator if necessary. Search terms like: Playmobil 4270, Playmobil Arena, Playmobil Colosseum, Playmobil Kolosseum. A incomplete set can be had for under €20 including the cost of shipping within Germany to your drop shipper. Set up a ebay notification (green + sign under search field) on these keywords so you are notified by email when new auctions post.
3. Only bid on auctions that take PayPal. Many Germans use direct bank transfers as a common way to pay. Not something I wanted to deal with an an international buyer. There would undoubtably be added fees and complications.
4. Inventory your Playmobil 4270 when it arrives. You can buy replacement parts (I was missing half a main gate) from Playmobil USA.
Parts list here:
http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showinv.pl? ... 70&pics=onTo order spare parts contact the Playmobil USA Parts Department at 1-800-752-9662, option 1. Let the Parts Department know the part numbers and quantities required. Minim Credit Card charge is $2.50
Hope this helps! I bought 2 this way.
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