[parsig9]

You get to live in New Zealand! Let's watch the griping... It is a ton of $ and I feel for ya....

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I've just deferred a pre-order I was planning as the overseas shipping for two CW F14 Tomcats was in the region of $50-$60 .

What I can't understand is why some of the well established online retailers don't offer international customers a small discount (of the local postage amount) if they buy over a certain amount (i.e. locals get free shipping, so overseas customers should qualify for a discount to the tune of the amount that local postage would have been).

[flaps]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I've just deferred a pre-order I was planning as the overseas shipping for two CW F14 Tomcats was in the region of $50-$60 .

What I can't understand is why some of the well established online retailers don't offer international customers a small discount (of the local postage amount) if they buy over a certain amount (i.e. locals get free shipping, so overseas customers should qualify for a discount to the tune of the amount that local postage would have been).

Cause they dont make that much money on the planes, from what I can tell this is a slim profit business, so if you dont want to pay the going price for shipping then I guess you need to buy planes from within the Country you live in.

Based on info I have learned on a $100.00 order at any good priced dealer or Ebay they are lucky to make $20.00 profit after all the cost that are involved.

The other thing is I packed 3 P-51 size birds, mixed, Dragon, Witty and Corgi in a box and carefully, the weight was under 4lbs so the shipping to the UK or any place in that area was less than $26.00 First-Class Mail® International , breaks down to $8.33 a plane, I dont think its all that bad and shipping to Canada is way less than that, so for some smaller items its not so bad per item, and you can forget UPS or FEDEX being less money no matter how high USPS raises rates. I gotta guess they were losing a ton when they shipped 4 lbs to Canada for $12.00 and 4lbs to England for $18.00 with todays fuel cost.

I am not happy about it, but I do understand it.

Flaps

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by flaps

Cause they dont make that much money on the planes, from what I can tell this is a slim profit business, so if you dont want to pay the going price for shipping then I guess you need to buy planes from within the Country you live in.

Based on info I have learned on a $100.00 order at any good priced dealer or Ebay they are lucky to make $20.00 profit after all the cost that are involved.

The other thing is I packed 3 P-51 size birds, mixed, Dragon, Witty and Corgi in a box and carefully, the weight was under 4lbs so the shipping to the UK or any place in that area was less than $26.00 First-Class Mail® International , breaks down to $8.33 a plane, I dont think its all that bad and shipping to Canada is way less than that, so for some smaller items its not so bad per item, and you can forget UPS or FEDEX being less money no matter how high USPS raises rates. I gotta guess they were losing a ton when they shipped 4 lbs to Canada for $12.00 and 4lbs to England for $18.00 with todays fuel cost.

I am not happy about it, but I do understand it.

Flaps

Two points:

1. Some diecast ranges are not always available in the country one lives in.
2. Your logic of a slim profit business is unsound as why can retailers offer free shipping to local customers (spending above a certain amount) and not offer the same amount that local shipping would have cost as a discount to overseas buyers (if you read my post you'll note that I'm not asking for free shipping for international customers, but a discount equivalent to the local 'free' shipping amount - I can't make myself any clearer than that).

[wmosner]

Just cost me $6.20 Priority Mail to ship a 1:72 Corgi 109 to a fellow member here in the States. That does not include paying for a box and packaging material.

Bill

[timbo]

Originally Posted by wmosner

Just cost me $6.20 Priority Mail to ship a 1:72 Corgi 109 to a fellow member here in the States. That does not include paying for a box and packaging material.

Bill

What would the comparable Fedex, UPS or DHL rates be?

[flaps]

Wait and watch, I bet all free shipping offers go away on any descent priced dealer. Now if you are high priced on the product I guess you can offer free shipping.

Flaps

Originally Posted by Cardinal

Two points:

1. Some diecast ranges are not always available in the country one lives in.
2. Your logic of a slim profit business is unsound as why can retailers offer free shipping to local customers (spending above a certain amount) and not offer the same amount that local shipping would have cost as a discount to overseas buyers (if you read my post you'll note that I'm not asking for free shipping for international customers, but a discount equivalent to the local 'free' shipping amount - I can't make myself any clearer than that).

[skidmarksdiecast]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

Two points:

1. Some diecast ranges are not always available in the country one lives in.
2. Your logic of a slim profit business is unsound as why can retailers offer free shipping to local customers (spending above a certain amount) and not offer the same amount that local shipping would have cost as a discount to overseas buyers (if you read my post you'll note that I'm not asking for free shipping for international customers, but a discount equivalent to the local 'free' shipping amount - I can't make myself any clearer than that).

Actually, Flaps' statement, regarding slim profit margins, is quite valid-- particularly as it pretains to Ebay sales. Ebay & Paypal, combined, take from 9%-11% as their piece of the action. Also, I don't know of any Ebay sellers that typically offer free shipping based on the number of planes you purchase from them off Ebay. They'll combine shipping but generally won't offer shipping for free. That's something that some retailers offer through their e-commerce sites. In fact, shipping costs, from Ebay purchases, are often higher than those from retailers' e-commerce sites. As far as retailers not offering a discount to international customers--- a lot more time is required to prepare an international shipment than a domestic shipment (customs forms, etc...).

[STARMAN 352ND]

I went down to the post office today to ship out a 1:24 diecast car due to customers request
i told him i would check the rates and i was shocked...it was only 8.69 to ship CA to RI
and it was only 2lbs.
That was cheaper then it was last week...Now how ya figure that...I shipped a 2lbs box to NY last week
same type box and car but it cost me 16.78 and i did it all the same..Nothing was different..
Now i don't know what to think of that.
Unless it has to do with location.
JP

[skidmarksdiecast]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

I went down to the post office today to ship out a 1:24 diecast car due to customers request
i told him i would check the rates and i was shocked...it was only 8.69 to ship CA to RI
and it was only 2lbs.
That was cheaper then it was last week...Now how ya figure that...I shipped a 2lbs box to NY last week
same type box and car but it cost me 16.78 and i did it all the same..Nothing was different..
Now i don't know what to think of that.
Unless it has to do with location.
JP

2 lbs domestic for $16.78???!!! Holy Frikkin' Cow!! Did you purchase the shipping label online? I'm thinking you may have accidently checked "irregular" or "large package" by mistake. I've done that a few times but caught it. If you purchased the label at the post office, I think the clerk probably checked "large package" by mistake.

[flyXwire]

Ok, here's my postal office story for today:

I mailed a 3 lbs.14.00 oz. small box for a total of $5.70 priority mail. No problem
so far since it's going next door to PappyB's house!

Now, I got another parcel that went out to Vancouver BC Canada. I had the guy
quote me for 3 lbs. 9.20 oz.large box for "Priority Mail" and came out roughly to $25.
Then I told him to quote me an economical rate - First Class Intl. = $15 as total.
A savings of $10 is a saving in my book and to the buyer as well.