International shipping survey

[mycomicshop]

I'm reviewing our international shipping, including what shipping methods are offered and how much we charge for shipping.

 

For the international buyers on the board, I'd be curious to get your input. I'm interested in the following:

 

- What country do you live in?

- Do you prefer some shipping methods or dislike certain shipping methods? Why?

- Wherever you order from (ebay, ComicLink, Heritage, etc.), what are you typically charged for shipping when ordering comics, and for what size order (under $200? over $1000?, etc)?

 

Just trying to get a feel for what buyers think is reasonable.

[gyro-1]

About all I can say is usps likely no duty / Fedx duty and not much faster

[comicwiz]

I'm in Canada.

 

Don't ever use UPS to send books to Canadians, as they have an absolutely atrocious reputation for charging extortionate brokerage fees.

 

USPS with insurance and signature confirmation is what I recommend to cover yourself, especially when accepting payment through PayPal.

[Gotham Kid]

Answers inline.

 

- What country do you live in?

Portugal

 

- Do you prefer some shipping methods or dislike certain shipping methods? Why?

 

Prefer USPS w/ Delivery Confirmation. Fedex Portugal charges me close to 80 euros ( $100 ) for administrative costs ( customs clearance etc...) on each delivery even if books are shipped marked as gift or a low value is declared.

 

- Wherever you order from (ebay, ComicLink, Heritage, etc.), what are you typically charged for shipping when ordering comics, and for what size order (under $200? over $1000?, etc)?

 

ComicLink I pay $65 (Fedex, don't think they use USPS)

Pedigree I pay $50 ( comes in through USPS )

all other purchases ( and this would be the majority) are made through a friend in TX who ships via USPS

 

 

[mycomicshop]

Thanks guys! (thumbs u

 

Anybody else, feel free to reply here or PM me.

 

Thanks,

Conan

[Silver Surfer]

About all I can say is usps likely no duty / Fedx duty and not much faster

 

+1000

[thehumantorch]

I'm in Canada.

 

Don't ever use UPS to send books to Canadians, as they have an absolutely atrocious reputation for charging extortionate brokerage fees.

 

USPS with insurance and signature confirmation is what I recommend to cover yourself, especially when accepting payment through PayPal.

 

Amen wiz brother. UPS hoses Canadians with their customs border fee. They got me once and I'd rather refuse the package than pay next time.

[Duffman_Comics]

Oz reporting.

 

Loathe UPS and Fedex - way too expensive and simply poor value. USPS gets the job done, especially with the flat rate envelopes and boxes - my preference.

 

Shipping is just part of the cost of collecting as far as I am concerned. I know it will cost me and am happy to pay the price associated - but if someone tries to profit from the shipping, then I am, understandably, just not interested.

[HeyMoe]

Oz reporting.

 

Loathe UPS and Fedex - way too expensive and simply poor value. USPS gets the job done, especially with the flat rate envelopes and boxes - my preference.

 

Shipping is just part of the cost of collecting as far as I am concerned. I know it will cost me and am happy to pay the price associated - but if someone tries to profit from the shipping, then I am, understandably, just not interested.

 

 

(thumbs u

Spot on!

 

 

One thing I will add..

I wonder who Mile High uses for their international postage?

They're very cheap (Spend over US$25 and posatge is only US$5! It makes their exorbatent pricing seem reasonable.) and it ain't USPS. I can't remember for sure, but the postage label says AFO or APO or something similar. (And it's packaged very well.)

[Duffman_Comics]

Oz reporting.

 

Loathe UPS and Fedex - way too expensive and simply poor value. USPS gets the job done, especially with the flat rate envelopes and boxes - my preference.

 

Shipping is just part of the cost of collecting as far as I am concerned. I know it will cost me and am happy to pay the price associated - but if someone tries to profit from the shipping, then I am, understandably, just not interested.

 

 

(thumbs u

Spot on!

 

 

One thing I will add..

I wonder who Mile High uses for their international postage?

They're very cheap (Spend over US$25 and posatge is only US$5! It makes their exorbatent pricing seem reasonable.) and it ain't USPS. I can't remember for sure, but the postage label says AFO or APO or something similar. (And it's packaged very well.)

 

I've never bought anything from Chuck, but if his shipping is as you say I may have to reconsider

 

Maybe he has some sweetheart deal with the Post Office - like the Book Depository has with Royal Mail?

[MagnusX]

 

- What country do you live in?

 

[font:Book Antiqua]Toronto, Canada.[/font]

 

- Do you prefer some shipping methods or dislike certain shipping methods? Why?

 

[font:Book Antiqua]USPS work fine with me[/font]

 

- Wherever you order from (ebay, ComicLink, Heritage, etc.), what are you typically charged for shipping when ordering comics, and for what size order (under $200? over $1000?, etc)?

 

[font:Book Antiqua]EBay and Clink

Mi orders go from 50 to 400 dollars

Shipping cost between $ 12.00 to $ 35.00

I only order CGC books beetwen 1 to 5[/font]

 

Just trying to get a feel for what buyers think is reasonable.

[DWL]

I'm in Canada.

 

Don't ever use UPS to send books to Canadians, as they have an absolutely atrocious reputation for charging extortionate brokerage fees.

 

USPS with insurance and signature confirmation is what I recommend to cover yourself, especially when accepting payment through PayPal.

 

Amen wiz brother. UPS hoses Canadians with their customs border fee. They got me once and I'd rather refuse the package than pay next time.

 

Yep, agree completely.

[MODOK]

I live in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

When I get comic books shipped from the USA I've won on eBay or direct sales with another collector, I insist on USPS International Priority. To ship me about 30 comic books, it costs me $50 or therabouts.

 

USPS International Priority is relative quick and will give a tracking number that the seller and I can use on the USPS and Thailand Post websites.

 

If it's a real expensive comic book, I will opt for the slightly more expensive USPS Express Mail.

[Underground44]

Oz reporting.

 

Loathe UPS and Fedex - way too expensive and simply poor value. USPS gets the job done, especially with the flat rate envelopes and boxes - my preference.

 

Shipping is just part of the cost of collecting as far as I am concerned. I know it will cost me and am happy to pay the price associated - but if someone tries to profit from the shipping, then I am, understandably, just not interested.

 

 

(thumbs u

Spot on!

 

 

One thing I will add..

I wonder who Mile High uses for their international postage?

They're very cheap (Spend over US$25 and posatge is only US$5! It makes their exorbatent pricing seem reasonable.) and it ain't USPS. I can't remember for sure, but the postage label says AFO or APO or something similar. (And it's packaged very well.)

 

I've never bought anything from Chuck, but if his shipping is as you say I may have to reconsider

 

Maybe he has some sweetheart deal with the Post Office - like the Book Depository has with Royal Mail?

 

I've bought stuff from Mile High in the past too ( I'm also in Australia ) and correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure he offered free international postage for all back orders over 40 or 50 dollars? And yes the packaging was excellent - as is mycomicshop but I prefer MCS as their prices in general are a lot better for the books that I purchase.

 

[dr_manhattan]

I'm from Australia and I buy stuff from MCS all the time. You guys package securely and the shipping prices aren't too bad.

 

I have bought and had stuff shipped from Mile High (very cheap international shipping), Comic Link (over-priced and expensive), Heritage (mid-range) and Comic Connect (mid-range).

 

I find that having books shipped by USPS Priority International is the most cost-effective and there is usually never a problem. Tracking on packages shipped by USPS is pointless, as tracking usually disappears once the package gets to Australia.

 

Going down the Fedex route to have books shipped is way too expensive unless it's a high-value book. Fedex however does offer the best tracking if you care about such things.

 

 

[MODOK]

 

I find that having books shipped by USPS Priority International is the most cost-effective and there is usually never a problem. Tracking on packages shipped by USPS is pointless, as tracking usually disappears once the package gets to Australia.

 

 

That's a bummer for you, my man!

 

I can track my USPS Priority International from the moment it is dropped off at the USA post office to when it arrives to me at my P.O. box here in Bangkok.

 

Once it arrives in Thailand, I can follow the package as it goes through customs and then through the Thailand Post system as it eventually arrive to me here in BKK.

 

Both USPS and Thailand Post can track the number.

 

Not sure why Australia Post doesn't. Very weird.

 

 

[Gotham Kid]

 

I find that having books shipped by USPS Priority International is the most cost-effective and there is usually never a problem. Tracking on packages shipped by USPS is pointless, as tracking usually disappears once the package gets to Australia.

 

 

That's a bummer for you, my man!

 

I can track my USPS Priority International from the moment it is dropped off at the USA post office to when it arrives to me at my P.O. box here in Bangkok.

 

Once it arrives in Thailand, I can follow the package as it goes through customs and then through the Thailand Post system as it eventually arrive to me here in BKK.

 

Both USPS and Thailand Post can track the number.

 

Not sure why Australia Post doesn't. Very weird.

 

 

I can confirm this. Shipped a book registered to a guy in NSW once and he was freaking out cause he couldn't track anything. Next thing you know, I get a thank you email informing package has arrived.

[Anfield Fox]

I'm reviewing our international shipping, including what shipping methods are offered and how much we charge for shipping.

 

For the international buyers on the board, I'd be curious to get your input. I'm interested in the following:

 

- What country do you live in?

- Do you prefer some shipping methods or dislike certain shipping methods? Why?

- Wherever you order from (ebay, ComicLink, Heritage, etc.), what are you typically charged for shipping when ordering comics, and for what size order (under $200? over $1000?, etc)?

 

Just trying to get a feel for what buyers think is reasonable.

 

UK

 

I prefer USPS First Class International on cheaper stuff which is about $19 a slab.

 

USPS Global Priority on a more expensive slab since it has tracking but costs around $40 a slab.

 

They both take around the same amount of time, sometimes First Class is quicker despite being cheaper.

[goldust40]

I'm reviewing our international shipping, including what shipping methods are offered and how much we charge for shipping.

 

For the international buyers on the board, I'd be curious to get your input. I'm interested in the following:

 

- What country do you live in?

- Do you prefer some shipping methods or dislike certain shipping methods? Why?

- Wherever you order from (ebay, ComicLink, Heritage, etc.), what are you typically charged for shipping when ordering comics, and for what size order (under $200? over $1000?, etc)?

 

Just trying to get a feel for what buyers think is reasonable.

 

UK

 

I prefer USPS First Class International on cheaper stuff which is about $19 a slab.

 

USPS Global Priority on a more expensive slab since it has tracking but costs around $40 a slab.

 

They both take around the same amount of time, sometimes First Class is quicker despite being cheaper.

 

Slabs have gotten expensive to ship from the U.S., never mind Canada. AF's assessment is about right, although I generally don't see too many sellers charging below $25 for one slab. However Global Express is much faster than GP (it's usually used by Sparkle City, isn't drastically more than GP, and arrives in 2-3 days and is properly trackable).

 

Clink are a bit pricey but $65 for three slabs via Fedex regardless of the value of the books isn't too bad. Heritage and CC are a little better, and both use Fedex, which has been completely reliable, at least in my experience. Never had a book sent by UPS or DHL.

 

Unslabbed books are usually sent by First Class or GP envelope...prices range from $11 - $18, depending on the amount of books and value.

 

Not sure I'd consider prices paid for shipping from the U.S. to be that reasonable, but they aren't prohibitive, certainly.

[Underground44]

 

I find that having books shipped by USPS Priority International is the most cost-effective and there is usually never a problem. Tracking on packages shipped by USPS is pointless, as tracking usually disappears once the package gets to Australia.

 

 

That's a bummer for you, my man!

 

I can track my USPS Priority International from the moment it is dropped off at the USA post office to when it arrives to me at my P.O. box here in Bangkok.

 

Once it arrives in Thailand, I can follow the package as it goes through customs and then through the Thailand Post system as it eventually arrive to me here in BKK.

 

Both USPS and Thailand Post can track the number.

 

Not sure why Australia Post doesn't. Very weird.

 

 

I can confirm this. Shipped a book registered to a guy in NSW once and he was freaking out cause he couldn't track anything. Next thing you know, I get a thank you email informing package has arrived.

 

Yep. Australia post is atrocious. I recently sent two books ($500+ value) via registered post with tracking. The buyer is freaking out because there is NO tracking information because the package hasn't been scanned. This is a regular occurrence.