Group Buy Interest?

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I just met with the people at the USPS
Here are their rates
3 pounds to the UK is $28.00
70 pounds (max per pkg) $370.00

To Austrailia
3 pounds is $21.70
70 pounds (max per) $507.55

Man Thats a lot of money. If only we had someone to interceed. I am open for any and all suggestions
 
chance said:
I just met with the people at the USPS
Here are their rates
3 pounds to the UK is $28.00
70 pounds (max per pkg) $370.00

To Austrailia
3 pounds is $21.70
70 pounds (max per) $507.55

Man Thats a lot of money. If only we had someone to interceed. I am open for any and all suggestions
Click to expand...
That's close enough to the FedEx estimates that were posted earlier (the Mercenary Audio link) to make no difference. On the other hand, those rates (see mercenaryaudio.com/shippingtables.html) are dated 2006, so who knows what has happened in the meantime.

It may be useful to find redistributors abroad (I would be willing to do so for .nl). For such combined shipping FedEx might end up cheaper, as their weight limit would appear to be 100lbs, which ends up cheaper to the pound than the USPS quote you give.

JDB.
[wasn't there another thread discussing combined international shipping? Can't find it ATM]
 
chance said:
I just met with the people at the USPS
Here are their rates
3 pounds to the UK is $28.00
70 pounds (max per pkg) $370.00

To Austrailia
3 pounds is $21.70
70 pounds (max per) $507.55

Man Thats a lot of money. If only we had someone to interceed. I am open for any and all suggestions
Click to expand...

Chance, that Australia rate is First Class International, which you really don't want to use. It is an airmail service, but it is notably slower than Priority Mail International, and there is no tracking on FCI (there is limited tracking on PMI, depending on the destination country). The PMI rate to Australia for 3 pounds is $29.50 (the UK rate above is PMI).

PMI service is advertised as 6-10 days, but often it's longer, usually due to customs clearance.

Also, USPS rates go up May 12, which will add about $3 to international packages.

Also note that USPS rates are by the pound, up to the pound, so a 3 lbs. 1 oz package would be $4 more.

Last thing is, I know the UK recently added an £8 per parcel handling charge for customs clearance.
 
chance said:
I am still working on this and just spoke to NAMM/DHL
Their rates for a three pound package to the UK is around $50.00
A one hundred pound package to the UK is around $375.00
three pounds to Austrailia is $54.00
one hundred pounds to Austrailia is $514.00
All of these are two day delivery
I am still working on prices with USPS and will post when I get more info
Click to expand...


:eek: :eek: :eek:
 
Okay, so its hugely expensive... but it still works out pretty cheap considering the exchange rate!

When are we expecting the goods to arrive chance if its before september I'd consider dealing with UK orders.

Cheers
Gareth

[edit] woops just noticed your in australia... don't know how that works out for you!:S
 
Chance,

Your efforts to sort this out are greatly appreciated by all.

I haven't needed to check the USPS website for a while but based on the 30 odd (audio gear) parcels I've imported from the US in the past, so long as you don't use "surface mail", delivery times for the "air" services vary from 5 to 10 days and have always proven to be the most economical option.

DHL are fantastic IF you want fast (ground to ground) service but can still bog down with delivery logistics at the receiving end so you pay a premium but don't necessarily save much time. That said, we've imported over a dozen guitars and I won't use anyone but DHL.......BUT you have to be prepared to pay the price.

Fedex and UPS were never able to match either of the above options so I'd suggest that for the "average" type of parcel, USPS would probably be the choice to focus on.


jdbakker,

The idea of having a "central" receiving point is fine BUT it may (well, it would in Australia) cause additional import duties, etc., to be charged and this then creates other issues for the receiver.

:cool:
 
ausrock said:
Chance,

Your efforts to sort this out are greatly appreciated by all.

I haven't needed to check the USPS website for a while but based on the 30 odd (audio gear) parcels I've imported from the US in the past, so long as you don't use "surface mail", delivery times for the "air" services vary from 5 to 10 days and have always proven to be the most economical option.
Click to expand...

USPS no longer offers a surface mail option for international packages. Still, as I said even though FCI is airmail, it is notably slower and lacks any tracking.
 
gareth.h.rees said:
Okay, so its hugely expensive... but it still works out pretty cheap considering the exchange rate!

When are we expecting the goods to arrive chance if its before september I'd consider dealing with UK orders.

Cheers
Gareth

[edit] woops just noticed your in australia... don't know how that works out for you!:S
Click to expand...

Any orders that might want to combine (group orders?) would have to be undertaken by those of you in those countries. Those who want to do this should NOW start a new topic in all of the forums to get that rolling. It would be nice and simple to only send one order to each country. I'll copy and paste this in some of the other boards existing group buy topics.
 
chance said:
Any orders that might want to combine (group orders?) would have to be undertaken by those of you in those countries. Those who want to do this should NOW start a new topic in all of the forums to get that rolling. It would be nice and simple to only send one order to each country. I'll copy and paste this in some of the other boards existing group buy topics.
Click to expand...


Before I commit to this I'd need to know the eta of the orders. If its going to be well into august I doubt I'll be able to commit to the task.

Do you think the savings would be beneficial enough to consider a "combined order"?

Cheers
Gareth


edit: also, I'd need to think about payment options - paypal appears to be out of the question for this sort of thing. guess it would have to be a cheque in the post. But before I think about this i need the ETA.

Cheers
 
chance said:
Those who are in those countries would know better than me
Click to expand...

okay, will ask around.

How about the expected time of arrival of the gear?
Don't want to get peoples hopes up, nor take forever to sort out a bunch of microphones if they arrived on my doorstep at a time when I'm physically unable to do anything with them:D

Cheers
Gareth
 
gareth.h.rees said:
How about the expected time of arrival of the gear?
Click to expand...
Dude... things may happen differently this time, but when you look at our (the end-user buyer) side of the bargain, the drawbacks are (i) the long wait and (ii) the general uncertainty factor on time of arrival -- sort of like we're paying with a little bit of money and a lot of patience. (and the hopefully unending parade of gratitude for Chance and Randy and the others who wind up pitching in, because they're providing a great deal more in the process)

I got some butterflies in my stomach last time -- one *big* improvement this time is the apparent ability to change the delivery place at will. Last time, I had stuff shipped to my work, and for the longest time I was like ... will I still be working there?... will I be on a week's vacation and lord knows what everyone will do with the stuff, or will they send it back because they don't know what it's about, etc., etc. -- then, as far as the actual period between payment and delivery, there are a bunch of unknowns. The Chinese have their own holiday schedule, those who communicate with Chance go on trips and go out of touch for a few days, etc., then there's the *long trip on the boat* which could take a week or two or three (or more?) to get from China to L.A., then there's maybe some customs drama at the dock, then there's getting the truck(s) needed to move the stuff from the dock to Chance's place, then there's the *herculean* task of breaking everything out and shipping it, which is replete with communication problems with people like me (and the rest of us), etc.

Chance said that last step may go smoother this time, because he'll be able to engage an organization that specializes in shipping stuff.

But when the stuff arrives, it's a *good* day :D I'm not trying to discourage you, just trying get a little experience in play from the last one, and help set expectations.
 
:)Hey antichef


Sorry, I did not mean to sound impatient - i understand the buy in that its somewhat uncertain.

My questions are from thepoint of view that I said I would consider being a central point for UK, but I am only able to do this if the gear arrives before the end of september, or maybe a little later.

If there is a reasonable chance of the gear comming by then, it would be worth me considering this role. However, should chance think that we'd be lucky to get stuff by then, I wouldnt want to be responsible for a bunch of mics and disappoint all the UK buyers due to taking too long to post their orders.

No offence taken, and no offence meant!:D

Gareth
 
This MIGHT help.
Once the order is made and manufacturing has begun, it will be at LEAST two months. We will have these months to sort things out. I need my preamps the end of August for a remote. If it wasn't for "Bonehead" our order probably would have been placed by now.
 
no offense taken -- noting that we spell that word differently :D I'm not saying I didn't have jitters during the last one -- especially when everything was on the ship (even though it was probably insured and all).

Being a mere buyer, I'm really not qualified to say it, but September seems a little aggressive.

edit - should have mentioned - the fact that I know so many details is testimony to how transparent the whole process is -- kudos to Chance for that. It's actually kind of fascinating.
 
NOTE........to anyone considering combing individual orders into a larger shipment for countries other than the US.


I've mention this a couple of times as it relates to Australia but it would be very wise to contact your countries' Custom Dept., and find out exactly what duties, etc., are imposed on imports.

As an example, a shipment to Aust., only pays duties if the "shipment value" is over $1000AU, so while an individual's order may, by itself, not attract any additional duties, etc., if it's combined with other orders, the chances are that the value will then exceed the $1000 limit and appropriate duties will have to be paid.............this then raises the problem for the "receiver" of having to work out how to recoup these additional costs and who from...........the idea sounds good in theory but it does have risks involved.

:cool:
 
Well, in Spain you have to pay VAT and Customs duties no matter what shipment value is declared.

The VAT is 16%, calculated upon Goods value PLUS Shipment value.
Customs duties usually round up being between 2,5% and 3,5% of the declared value of the Goods. So importing toys is not cheap at all (sometimes).

The only good thing right now is the strong Euro currency.
 
chance said:
I just met with the people at the USPS
Here are their rates
3 pounds to the UK is $28.00
70 pounds (max per pkg) $370.00

To Austrailia
3 pounds is $21.70
70 pounds (max per) $507.55

Man Thats a lot of money. If only we had someone to interceed. I am open for any and all suggestions
Click to expand...

Wow. I'm wondering how much 2 preamps and 8 mics would weigh. Might have to reduce my order :(
 
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