What is going on with postal rates from the US? Just recived a kit from a US online shop and the postage was over $25.00 on a plastic kit that was about $46.00.
I could have ordered the same kit with tracking and insurance for about $15.00 less from Asia. I realize the the shop has no control over the postal rates but this was a pre order if they had let me know how much shipping was going to be I would have cancelled my order.
As much as I would like to support shops here in North America it just can't justiy it any more.
Are the rates that high in the US? if so how long will it be before the only place to get kits on line will be from the Asian shops?
I have pretty much given up on the LHS here as most only stock Tamiya some DML and if they do stock AFV, Bronco or Trumpter it is at overly inflated prices. $99.00 for a Bronco A13 is just nuts.
Sorry I'll get off my soap box now.
Regards
Rod
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Postal Rates from the US
sherman-vc
Member Since: September 13, 2005
entire network: 254 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:24 AM UTC
staff_Jim
Publisher
Member Since: December 15, 2001
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:57 AM UTC
$25 would be more in the range of sending a kit to Europe from the US. That is a single 1/35 tank sized kit that is. Rates have almost doubled here though for over-sized packages or hefty ones. How large was the box?
Jim
Jim
sherman-vc
Member Since: September 13, 2005
entire network: 254 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 10:28 AM UTC
Hi Jim,
The kit was the new Panda M-ATV which is a little smaller than most 35th scale tank kits.
So US rates to Europe are about the same as to the Country next door?
I don’t think it is just the US postal service the same kit would have cost me about $12.00 to $15.00 Canadian to ship from a Canadian Store (if they had any in stock). While from Asia it would have been about the same as the Canadian store (within a couple of bucks) but have to come half way across the world. So are the Hong Kong shops discounting the shipping?
The retail price of the kit was very close (again within a couple of dollars) from the US, Canada, or Hong Kong.
Lesson learned, don’t order unless I get a shipping quote first, and it’s cheaper to get kits from here in Canada (if available from a online store, as I said LHS is out to lunch on thier prices) or Hong Kong (better chance of it being in stock than from Canadian Distributor). US stores while they offer completive prices shipping outside the US puts them out of the market unless I can’t get it elsewhere.
Does the US postal service charge the same kind of rates to US residents or Canada Post charge the same kind of rates to the US?
Regards,
Rod
The kit was the new Panda M-ATV which is a little smaller than most 35th scale tank kits.
So US rates to Europe are about the same as to the Country next door?
I don’t think it is just the US postal service the same kit would have cost me about $12.00 to $15.00 Canadian to ship from a Canadian Store (if they had any in stock). While from Asia it would have been about the same as the Canadian store (within a couple of bucks) but have to come half way across the world. So are the Hong Kong shops discounting the shipping?
The retail price of the kit was very close (again within a couple of dollars) from the US, Canada, or Hong Kong.
Lesson learned, don’t order unless I get a shipping quote first, and it’s cheaper to get kits from here in Canada (if available from a online store, as I said LHS is out to lunch on thier prices) or Hong Kong (better chance of it being in stock than from Canadian Distributor). US stores while they offer completive prices shipping outside the US puts them out of the market unless I can’t get it elsewhere.
Does the US postal service charge the same kind of rates to US residents or Canada Post charge the same kind of rates to the US?
Regards,
Rod
viper29_ca
Member Since: October 18, 2002
entire network: 2,247 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 04:37 PM UTC
Man I thought shipping from Canada to the US was expensive.
If the box isn't over 1kg (2.2lbs) and/or 90cm total dimensions, it can go either Surface or Air for about half that. Once it breaches either of those 2 parameters however and Canada Post says it has to go Expedited, which puts the price up a bit.
Expedited at least gives you tracking and insurance where the other 2 don't however.
If the box isn't over 1kg (2.2lbs) and/or 90cm total dimensions, it can go either Surface or Air for about half that. Once it breaches either of those 2 parameters however and Canada Post says it has to go Expedited, which puts the price up a bit.
Expedited at least gives you tracking and insurance where the other 2 don't however.
staff_Jim
PublisherMember Since: December 15, 2001
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 04:39 PM UTC
Not sure about the rates from Canada, but I did note that someone sent me a small parcel from France or Italy for 5 euros. I thought that was pretty good from Europe.
When you get the package the amount they paid may be shown on the label. Or you can actually go to the USPS site and lookup what shipping should be.
Jim
When you get the package the amount they paid may be shown on the label. Or you can actually go to the USPS site and lookup what shipping should be.
Jim
sherman-vc
Member Since: September 13, 2005
entire network: 254 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 05:08 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Not sure about the rates from Canada, but I did note that someone sent me a small parcel from France or Italy for 5 euros. I thought that was pretty good from Europe.
When you get the package the amount they paid may be shown on the label. Or you can actually go to the USPS site and lookup what shipping should be.
Jim
The Amount charged was what the postage on the box. The Shop said they only send First Class so the parcel can be insured. And again I am not fauilting the Hobby Shop with the high cost of the postage I just wish they would have told me want the postage would be, as i said I would have cancelled the order and got the kit elsewhere.
It's bad enough that kits now run between $45 and $75 for a 1/35th scale kit without having to pay half again as much in postage.
Getting to be a very expensive hobby.
Regards,
Rod
csosus
Member Since: March 21, 2011
entire network: 71 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 07:38 AM UTC
i have shipped many times to Canada from Texas and a 1/35 kit sized box, insured by 1st Class International mail should have been less than $15. At 4lbs (about 2-3 kits), less than $20. Now if you go Priority International shipping, it goes to about $25-$30. Check out the USPS web site calculator, guesstimate the weight with Canada as the destination and you can get the rates. If you aren't in a hurry to get your packages, I'd suggest you request 1st Class International from the seller. These can be insured as well, about $1.5 for each $100 in value. My guess, at $25 shipping cost, they sent it Priority International which is about right. If it wasn't sent Priority then the seller jacked up the shipping cost for additional profit.
retiredyank
Member Since: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 01:47 PM UTC
With the state of our union, you can expect shipping rates to increase even more. I imagine that they will go up exponentially for exports and imports. The stores in Asia can buffer their rates by holding it against the low cost they pay for the kit. Having the manufacturer next door is a big plus. I know a package from Poland or the Ukraine costs at least what you pay for the item and usually more.
sfctur1
Member Since: December 12, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 02:07 PM UTC
Rod
I thick it has to do with the comming in and out of Canada. I ordered a small photo etched item from Canada and postage was $8.00 to the US.
Tom
I thick it has to do with the comming in and out of Canada. I ordered a small photo etched item from Canada and postage was $8.00 to the US.
Tom
viper29_ca
Member Since: October 18, 2002
entire network: 2,247 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 02:50 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Rod
I thick it has to do with the comming in and out of Canada. I ordered a small photo etched item from Canada and postage was $8.00 to the US.
Tom
What?? Unless it was some super duper Voyager Super Set, that had some weight to it....something like a sheet of PE in a bubble envelope via letterpost would be no more than $3-$5 depending on weight.
If they charged you $8....they massively over charged you. Got nothing to do with coming in and out of Canada, all in what the seller wants to hose you for shipping.
I charge my customers the same as what Canada Post charges me, no more, no less, no extra box and packaging charges. These retailers that are inflating the shipping price to pad their bottom line just sickens me, and makes the rest of us look bad.
Grauwolf
#084
Member Since: September 14, 2005
entire network: 2,485 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 11:34 PM UTC
If the postage matched the charge then it was definitely sent Priority w tracking
and insured. Some sellers will only ship that way from the US to protect
themselves from loss especially if they are Ebay sellers as Ebay holds
the seller accountable for packages that do not make it to destination or that
the buyer claims never made it and that happens a lot.
Otherwise USPS First Class International for that size package is very
reasonable.
On the other hand, Canadian postal rates are the highest in North America.
Canada Post automatically insures for $100.00 even when the actually value of
the content is actually say $25.00 and that has driven the prices up.
And yes Asian shipping charges are impossible to beat. This is affecting
our economies greatly but then again who knows if Asian postal workers
have great if any pension funds that North American postal works have.
I guess somebody has to pay for all that.
Cheers,
Joe
and insured. Some sellers will only ship that way from the US to protect
themselves from loss especially if they are Ebay sellers as Ebay holds
the seller accountable for packages that do not make it to destination or that
the buyer claims never made it and that happens a lot.
Otherwise USPS First Class International for that size package is very
reasonable.
On the other hand, Canadian postal rates are the highest in North America.
Canada Post automatically insures for $100.00 even when the actually value of
the content is actually say $25.00 and that has driven the prices up.
And yes Asian shipping charges are impossible to beat. This is affecting
our economies greatly but then again who knows if Asian postal workers
have great if any pension funds that North American postal works have.
I guess somebody has to pay for all that.
Cheers,
Joe
sherman-vc
Member Since: September 13, 2005
entire network: 254 Posts
KitMaker Network: 33 Posts
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 04:32 AM UTC
Quoted Text
If the postage matched the charge then it was definitely sent Priority w tracking
and insured. Some sellers will only ship that way from the US to protect
themselves from loss especially if they are Ebay sellers as Ebay holds
the seller accountable for packages that do not make it to destination or that
the buyer claims never made it and that happens a lot.
Otherwise USPS First Class International for that size package is very
reasonable.
On the other hand, Canadian postal rates are the highest in North America.
Canada Post automatically insures for $100.00 even when the actually value of
the content is actually say $25.00 and that has driven the prices up.
And yes Asian shipping charges are impossible to beat. This is affecting
our economies greatly but then again who knows if Asian postal workers
have great if any pension funds that North American postal works have.
I guess somebody has to pay for all that.
Cheers,
Joe
Yes it was sent Priority w tracking. and I can see why they would do that (PayPal) has the same system where if you can't prove that the item was sent they will charge the vendor back. So it looks like the rest of us pay for the actions of a few not so honest people again.
Long and the short of it is that the majority of my hobby dollars will be going to Asia from now on. Really to bad, but I just can't justify the amount extra to deal here in North America. The sad part is that it is not the shops that are getting extra Money it costs to continue to buy in North America it's the Postal Services.
Regards,
Rod
md72
#439
Member Since: November 05, 2005
entire network: 4,950 Posts
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Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 05:24 PM UTC
FWIW, I just sent a small box of parts ~4 ounces (0.1 kilo?) First Class Mail from Renton, WA; USA to Burnby Canada for U$2.50. No insurance, no tracking so it was lowest possible cost.
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