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Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:21 am
by Lonestar
Thanks for your sympathy :D

Can someone also please school me on why I can still purchase a $6 item from ebay in some case, small parts but certainly not fitting in an envelope, and still get this:

Shipping: $3.00 USPS First Class Mail International

as a S&H fee?

What am I missing? that's $9 total... so less than the minimum shipping and handling fee mentionned above?

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:34 am
by GoMachV
That’s the old “thick letter” pricing and they can’t ship that way anymore (but perhaps they don’t know that). They may lie and say it’s “documents” but USPS warns that any product cannot ship that method as of February

That package I sent you was sent that way

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:40 am
by NomadRacer
Ah, here's what I can add to that question...

I can send you a small bubble wrap mailer with a small part, lets say a Stealth slipper spring and spacer for $2.xx 1st class international. If it will fit thru the slot that the (my) postal clerk uses the check a letter, I get that price.

@GoMachV - My rural post office is seriously not up with current postal regulations :wink: It might be good to stop taking advantage of that. I'd really be sad if I sent something and it got kicked back, possibly getting lost.

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:05 am
by Lonestar
GoMachV wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:34 am That’s the old “thick letter” pricing and they can’t ship that way anymore (but perhaps they don’t know that). They may lie and say it’s “documents” but USPS warns that any product cannot ship that method as of February

That package I sent you was sent that way
Thanks jeff. That's what I was thinking about. Clear. And weird as the parts clearly are not "sheet"-shaped so even the most postal of USPS employees can see these are plastic parts...

And thanks again! :D

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:26 am
by GoMachV
The description used to be non rigid and less than 3/4” thick. Non rigid could be argued but if it for through the slot I would send it. Now with the fear of it being returned or left for the buyer to pay shipping it’s it worth the risk

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:59 pm
by Typpo
Lonestar wrote: the thing is, not only is shipping the killer, but with the demise of tower, there's only Amain left with a proper webshop, these days...
Based on the story at the following link, maybe things will improve at Tower.

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/horizon-hobby-files-bid-to-buy-hobbico/

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 2:48 am
by Lonestar
Typpo wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:59 pm
Lonestar wrote: the thing is, not only is shipping the killer, but with the demise of tower, there's only Amain left with a proper webshop, these days...
Based on the story at the following link, maybe things will improve at Tower.

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/horizon-hobby-files-bid-to-buy-hobbico/
Wow! :shock:

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:27 am
by NomadRacer
Double WoW! :shock: :shock:

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:04 am
by broodenburg
Lonestar: I contacted Kipps directly. So although inventory seems low, often you can order it directly.

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:17 am
by Lonestar
broodenburg wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:04 am Lonestar: I contacted Kipps directly. So although inventory seems low, often you can order it directly.
Thank you @broodenburg - I checked their site, it is very 1.0 but it works :) The standard Int'l S&H fee for $20 is a bit of a turn-off, though... I have to stay below $65-ish to escape import taxes to switzerland, and that pretty much kills it :(

Thank you no matter what :)

Paul

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:14 am
by GoMachV
$13.50 or so only gets you to 8oz, over 8oz is around $23 at actual USPS cost so I doubt you’ll find many willing to lose money on shipping. By the time you figure in the box weight your over 8oz most every time. Again just my .02, it’s sad that it has to be this way. My shipping costs last year were just under $2000

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:32 pm
by klavy69
NomadRacer wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:40 am I'd really be sad if I sent something and it got kicked back, possibly getting lost.
worse than that is if you send something out and they catch it down the line instead of sending it back they charge the guy on the receiving end...that part sux big time. Its happened to me several times the last few years and its generally the post office issue. Happened a couple times off this board where postage was due when I got the package and I know for a fact both guys that sent me stuff weren't trying to pull a fast one. My issue is that I have to physically go down to the post office to pay and pick up my package which would be fine if the post office wasn't closed and have to wait til saturday to go take care of it.

Paul, if I knew you were needing something I could've just added it to the box and sent it direct to you vs. back to sabulatech. Don't be afraid to ask. My policy still stands 8)

Good luck

Todd

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:18 am
by sandkil
It's rapidly getting worse this..
250$ for the car can be discussed, but 150$ for shipping???
And its not only this one..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-RC10-TEAM-CAR-WIDE-FRONT-ARMS-TEKIN-ESC-CVDS-WITH-AE-SHIPPING-BOX/323197356914?hash=item4b40104b72:g:g0kAAOSwOYFajMA7

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:40 am
by Lonestar
yeah anything ebay is ridiculous now.

Couple of findings from the last few weeks of trying different solutions

- I've had a couple of amain packages stuck in the customs for no reason
- On average, a (non-stuck in the customs) amain package takes 3wks to make it to europe with the $1.99 s&h option
- RcBoyz on ebay is ok when you need multiple of a single item as the s&h discount as of item #2 is deep- otherwise they basically don't combine shipping across items (bastards)

Suddenly tamico and theborder are becoming reasonable solutions :cry:

Re: Fellow Europeans - where do you mail-order from in the US?

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:16 am
by DaveM
Same to Australia,

A part I bought recently for $7 U.S, and $14 U.S for the postage,

then the conversion,

$27.11 Australian for a $7 part!

:(