Feedback on shipping (1 Viewer)

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

Treefrogtreasures offer free shipping to the UK when you spend over $250.00 which is not hard in this hobby and so do a lot of other US company's

The other problem is that any overseas orders that weight over 4 pounds have to ship Priority Mail International, which has gone up substantially in the last year. I'll give you another example. I just shipped a German uniform set (69.95) to Latvia. Customer choose Priority Mail International. The order weights around one pound - cost 39.37 USD {eek3}

 

[uksubs]

The other problem is that any overseas orders that weight over 4 pounds have to ship Priority Mail International, which has gone up substantially in the last year. I'll give you another example. I just shipped a German uniform set (69.95) to Latvia. Customer choose Priority Mail International. The order weights around one pound - cost 39.37 USD {eek3}

Paul I know where your coming from sent a parcel to Hong Kong cost £60.00 with tracking and insurance

 

[johnnybach]

The World and his Wife seem to get in on the act when purchasing from abroad.

A recent order by me for some new castings from the USA - for some attractively priced TS - had charges added by:

(a)USA Postage, of course: (b) minor packaging costs by the sender, ( arrived in perfect condition - and very reasonable charge); then (c) Customs Charges for importation - and finally ( and outrageously IMO), (d) a "Handling Charge" by our dear GPO!!!

To compound the outrage - which saw my original "Bargain" eventually rise in cost by slightly over an additional 70% of the purchase price - our postman pushed a slip through my letter-box - asking me to collect my package from the delivery Office. When I got there - they demanded cash - as they couldn't cater for payment by Credit Card, and would have wanted me to wait for any cheque to clear!! ( they didn't have a machine) - before they would hand it over!!!

So.............not only were four additional charges raised - I had to go and collect it myself - even though delivery had been paid for by the original postage charge - and I had to go and get some cash - before they would hand it over! I need hardly add that it was raining at the time, of course

Any wonder that I don't think I will be repeating the process - and now shop (wherever possible) closer to home for my castings - and again, wherever possible, prefer to collect them from the maker/provider myself. Sorry USA. I like you products - but not the eventual prices when I get them. I'm pretty darned sure the same applies - in the other direction too. {sm2} Johnnybach.

 

[marco55]

I have to say we are lucky in that we don't have all those other charges,just the original shipping costs.
Mark

 

[BLReed]

To compound the outrage - which saw my original "Bargain" eventually rise in cost by slightly over an additional 70% of the purchase price - our postman pushed a slip through my letter-box - asking me to collect my package from the delivery Office. When I got there - they demanded cash - as they couldn't cater for payment by Credit Card, and would have wanted me to wait for any cheque to clear!! ( they didn't have a machine) - before they would hand it over!!!

So.............not only were four additional charges raised - I had to go and collect it myself - even though delivery had been paid for by the original postage charge - and I had to go and get some cash - before they would hand it over! I need hardly add that it was raining at the time, of course

Been there done that. Learning the local customs gets you a long way.
So you obviously didn't notice the man's hand out when he said

 

[ucla1967]

When I ship Hiriart orders to other collectors, I just round up the actual shipping cost to the next dollar. I can't use the free boxes that the U.S. Postal Service offers since I need boxes that are 20 inches long in order for the Hiriart boxes to fit. I buy new boxes and packing peanuts from Paper Mart, but I do not charge for those supplies. I can ship, via 2-Day Priority Mail with tracking, a package weighing four or five pounds to the East Coast for $18.87 or one weighing more than seven pounds for $32.95. I don't have to go to the Post Office, since I can print the postage and shipping labels on-line and they will pick them up at my house.

When I bid for something on eBay, I always take into account the shipping charges and will not bid if I believe they are unreasonable. Yesterday, I saw an auction for some (a couple of pounds in weight) empty toy soldier boxes. The U.S. seller wanted $57 for shipping! Needless to say I did not bid on them.

I avoid the U.K if I can help it, since their charges are really over the top. I recently bid on and won two Lucotte sets on behalf a friend of mine. The auction house charges came to 35 percent including commissions, VAT, and some other tax. The shipping and handling was more than $200. Unbelievable! To add insult to injury, I was required to send them copies of my passport and a bank statement before I could even register to bid. Hey, that is much more information than I was required to give to get married or enlist in the Army.

 

[johnnybach]

Been there done that. Learning the local customs gets you a long way.
So you obviously didn't notice the man's hand out when he said

I only order from other than Europe - when I'm in the UK for delivery there. At least I speaka da lingo well enough there, to get by. The problem of Import Duty/additional VAT doesn't apply across the European Union (which Britain is currently a part of) - and extra Postal "Handling Charges", therefore don't apply either, because no extra duty or VAT apply for trade within it's borders

As I don't order much from the rest of the World - this was really my first experimental try-out - to see just how stiff the extras might be. They were substantial - and as you rightly say - I learnt from the experience.

The message for me was clear enough - and once was enough. jb

 

[Partner]

I always condsider shipping costs when determing if I will purchase an item or not . I often bail out of the transaction when I get to the shipping costs
With most TS vendors being US based I can't benefit from free shipping . My beef is why not change actual cost of shipping less an allowance for an estimate of actual costs to a US destination . I know the USPS runs huge deficits but they must charge something for US delivery.

Just got back from South Carolina to a winter wonderland so I am a little cranky

Kirk