I'm putting White Ensign Models to the test on this subject. I ordered a drawing from them last night, 6.60GBP and it looked like a min 2.50GBP for postage. It wasn't really clear on international postage, lots of caveats about weights and restrictions.

That 2.50 may be for UK addresses. But it can't cost that much to send an 11 x 17 sheet of paper through the mail. Can it??

I never buy anything without knowing the final price. As someone else said, I have passed on eBay items where the seller simply states shipping to be paid by buyer. I want a final price.

£2.53 covers a letter weighing 120grams to the US by airmail, so by the time they've packed it that could be about right.
Just for reference, I looked up a couple of things on the Royal Mail website - a 2000gram parcel, airmail to the US, with the recipient signing for the parcel, would cost £42.31 ($73), so that may help some of those that complain about postage rates.

Perhaps their tea brakes are getting in the way of proficiency. :-)

Dave Cox, thanks for checking all the shipping out for me, I really do appreciate it, gives me a much better perspective on the shipping costs.
As I said earlier, the package was large and heavy, and sent by a courier, then "express mail" something that is vastly over expensive and over rated over here, considering it traveled 70 miles from JFK airport to Parsippany, in the same truck with "regular airmail." And that's exactly what the postmaster here told me. The "express mail" part was so effective that it took me three additional days to track down the package, since the mailman kept leaving cards to pick it up at the post office tomorrow, and when I would go to post office, they would tell me the mailman was delivering it....

No where am I saying or telling anyone not to do business with Hannants. What other members choose to do with their money, or where they buy is fine with me. As many others have stated, they do not do business with firms that do not give the shipping charges up front, before shipping. I'm afraid that I will be joining that crowd. As someone who orders from firms around the world, I'm rather use to paying for shipping, and as someone who ships items around the world, I'm rather acquainted with shipping cost, and that various ways of shipping.

Once again Dave and the other Brits, thanks for doing all the checking on costs over there for me.

My new "buy word" is "no shipping charges up front, no money leaving the "O'Meara Estates"

I also believe truely that if Hannants reads this thread, and the one over on Armorama UK, they just may find out that I'm not the only one displeased with their service, and the lack of up front shipping costs, not the heart attack after dispatching. Perhaps an honest evaluation of the complaints, may improve customer service, and customer relations, and not lose more customers to other firms.

And that is the last I'll say on this matter.

Dave,

I do believe that you have been swindled into paying for "hand delivery." When she (let us hope, in your case, she's a she) arrives to bestow you with your gifts, graciously give her a peck on the cheek, inform her to inform her boss, that you are DONE with 'em. That be shipping for a bod to be delivered!

Mike