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Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 04:01
by volleydan
I just won an auction from a UK seller for a MIB Visionaries Capture Chariot. Today, the seller sent me the invoice for the purchase, and he is charging me £45 for shipping via Royal Airmail with tracking.
The package can't weigh more than 3 kilo, but I will admit that I don't know anything about UK shipping rates....so is this guy trying to screw with me on the shipping rates or is this a fair deal?
I suspect that he's miffed that I won the item for only £30 and he's trying to recoup some of the difference in shipping. On the other hand, £75 still isn't a bad price for the item (considering my max bid was £60 to begin with).
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 05:08
by Double-Tap
i dont know very much about shipping costs to the states but that does seem very expensive.
you should check out the royal mail website for information.
i dont know if it applies in the states but you may also be charged import duties as well due to the high shipping costs.
i've been stung with these myself importing things from the states and it can make a "bargain" very expensive.
Bill
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 05:41
by The Baron
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 08:46
by SteveD
Dan - if the amounts are high when you look into it please feel free to get it delivered to me (in uk) and I'll then send it on to you at cost by postal method of your choice? Don't like to see guys getting fleeced. Ask him about post im uk,and then price up cost uk to you? I can't see it costing 45, but I may be wrong.
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 12:00
by Lady Jaye
On the Royal Mail site you will find: onternational priority parcel up to 500 gram: 40.99.
So it all appears to be OK.
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 16:13
by volleydan
I looked at the site, and apparently the shipping cost can vary greatly depending on the weight of the package....a 2kg package can ship for around £20, but a 3 kg package would cost twice that. I also don't know if Royal Airmail is the only available shipping option or if there is a cheaper option for getting things to the states that someone else might be able to use. I certainly don't mind waiting an extra week for the item if doing so will save me £20.
Steve, I might be in touch with you for your address. I have asked the seller if he would ship to a UK address if I could provide one.
He indicated in the listing that shipping to UK would be £8.22...so, if it ends up really costing £45 to ship to the States, then I've lost the additional £8.22 but if it can be shipped to me much cheaper through an intermediary then I win - and at this point, I think I'm willing to do take that gamble.
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 16:27
by tintinlostsnowy
volleydan wrote:I looked at the site, and apparently the shipping cost can vary greatly depending on the weight of the package....a 2kg package can ship for around £20, but a 3 kg package would cost twice that. I also don't know if Royal Airmail is the only available shipping option or if there is a cheaper option for getting things to the states that someone else might be able to use. I certainly don't mind waiting an extra week for the item if doing so will save me £20.
Steve, I might be in touch with you for your address. I have asked the seller if he would ship to a UK address if I could provide one.
He indicated in the listing that shipping to UK would be £8.22...so, if it ends up really costing £45 to ship to the States, then I've lost the additional £8.22 but if it can be shipped to me much cheaper through an intermediary then I win - and at this point, I think I'm willing to do take that gamble.
Without knowing the actual size and weight it is going to be hard but these are some of the sites I use which are tracked
http://www.interparcel.com/quote/courier-quote2.php
http://www.parcel2go.com/?referrer=100ConfEmail
Interparcel usually finds you the cheapest.
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 16:49
by Dave Tree
Dan, would the box be really big?
Anything with a circumference of more than one meter (I think) around the pack, then it automatically sets it into a much higher shipping rate. I had this problem sending 10 carded Halo 2 figures to my friend in Florida, it cost £75, and it was actually cheaper to send it in two packages, but even then it was near £50.
In the end, we gave up as he didn't want them that bad, and certainly not enough to warrent the shipping charges.
Dave.
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 17:39
by SteveD
volleydan wrote: Steve, I might be in touch with you for your address. I have asked the seller if he would ship to a UK address if I could provide one.
That's cool Dan! Just let me know if you need it. There is usually a cheaper option - although anything other than airmail tends to result in it taking months, rather than weeks, and getting well kicked around on it's way too.
is it one like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Visionaries-Ca ... 10001r8850
I'd guess that to be about 50 cm x 30 cm once packed up. Now, when entering that onto Parelforce's website it is giving something about volumeric weights or something, and showing a price more than £50! Weird! I guess we'd need to know how big the box is, and how much it weighs to price it up properly?
Re: Need some advise on shipping costs
Posted: 17 Mar 2009 17:39
by SteveD
Sorry! Meant to PM that, rather than post it.
