Based on a recent email from our illustrious site publisher and some disturbing emails I am getting from US Mail Order vendors, it looks like the US Postal Service is trying to kill the mail order business, especially for export. I have heard from a few vendors that shipping rates have more then doubled for mailing items out of the US. Being in outside the US, I sometimes rely on US companies for items not available here or better prices. Based on this latest news, it is starting to look like I will have to start taking my business overseas.

It will also hit hobby shops outside of the US that have to deal with vendors and distributors in the US. I was speaking to one hobby shop owner, and they are now looking for distributors in Asia as it will be cheaper to deal with them instead of US companies.

I am not sure why the USPS would make this move, as the US economy is still not the best, and it seems they really want to kill exports, which in my mind would bring extra money into the US.

Maybe instead of sending your money to Asia, you could spend it here at home with Canadian shops that also sell online.

I get alot of my products out of the US, but I also live about 45mins from the border, so I just have my US stuff sent to a PO Box there.

Canada Post rates to the US and International went up also, so it isn't just USPS

Scott

While I appreciate what you do for the hobby market in Canada, I have found no one that deals in the quantity of aftermarket parts in Canada. And unfortunately, my hobby budget is only so big, and due to shipping in Canada and the dreaded HST, I can buy twice as much from say Lucky Models as I can in Canada. I try to support my local hobby shop as much as I can, as I do buy my paints and tools, and the odd kit, I have to make the best of my budget. And I understand it is not the hobby retailers fault, as they are hit with high distributor costs.

For example, the new Kinetic RG-31, which I have been eyeing is $46 with $15 shipping from Asia, the best price I have found in Canada is about $75, by the time I add taxes and shipping it is about $100. I do feel bad for the Canadian retailers, and wish there was a way to keep my money in Canada.

I'm not sure about the Canadian post, but here in the states our postal service is a mess. You can no longer ship packages using anything other than 2" shipping tape. Customs provide very long delays and there will no longer be deliveries on Saturdays. I believe this to be an international problem, due to the state of the global economy. Another example is from a package I wished to ship. I went in to my local post office, soon after they opened. I told the employee that I wish to ship the package, which cost less than $10. I attempted to pay with a $20 bill. The employee told me that her change was for customers, only. What am I, chopped liver?

There are also things going on with funding the USPS which are political in nature and I believe outside the scope of this forum.

Even though the skyrocketing prices on international shipping bums me out, the USPS still amazes me for Stateside delivery. Shipped a package priority flat rate on Saturday from CA and it was delivered across country to MA on Monday. That's hard to beat for the price.

I find that flat rate boxes are usually more than what it would cost to send in a box you already have. Although, I did ship three 1:35 Tigers, flat rate for about $15.

It's not just USPS,

Darren and I exchanged kits and since I had mine insured for $200.00 ( I always like to insure anything over $100.00) in case of loss, the British system decided to charge an extra 50pds. Bloody theives!


cheers

Rich the added polystyrene sheet almost made up for the cost as it is rapidely being recycled into a diorama.

All rates at Canada Post went up in mid January, but especially the international rates.

Just priced out shipping one of the new Tamiya Abrams to a customer in Ireland, and shipping was going to be 3/4 the price of the kit. That is just nuts!

LOL!

I know ordering from the USA... safe bet is to make sure it's under $120 total CAD.. so they won't ding you for HST. That is the magic number.

Cheers,
Tom

That simply isn't true. They can ding you at any rate, just depends on their mood when your parcel crosses their desk.

I have had parcels of $30 dinged, and have had parcels of $500+ left alone. Seems to be do semblance of how they choose what gets dinged or not.

Before I had my parcels sent to a PO box on the US, and they were coming to the house, I have seen an order of 6 boxes, and maybe one time all 6 would be dinged, maybe none, maybe 5 out of the 6, maybe only 1 out of 6. Just no consistency to it.

Now that everything coming out of the US goes to a US PO box, I pay on everything at the border, but as a business, they only charge me the 5% GST on items for the business. Not really sure why....but not complaining about it!