|
23 Jul 11 - 03:54 PM (#3193757) Subject: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Q (Frank Staplin) I order a fair number of books and CDs from the U. S. (I am in Canada). Yesterday I ordered a book, and I got a note from the dealer that he needed extra postage. I refused (since the charge was almost double the book cost) and the order was cancelled. The dealer said that the U.S. Post had done away with surface mail and hence the charge. I checked the postal rates to Canada, and the cheapest now for a parcel up to 4 pounds, Priority, box 9"x6"x2", is $11.35 (paid on line). The cheapest for any parcel is $9.65. I can order from UK (I get many of my CDs and DVDs from there, and a few books) for less. The book dealer told me the same. (If the material is available in Canada reasonably, of course I get it). |
|
23 Jul 11 - 04:02 PM (#3193764) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: katlaughing It's gone up for domestic in the US, too, Q. I was going to order some health food coconut bars from a place in Wisconsin the other day. Eighteen bars in a box, for $18. Shipping would have been $12. When the store has them in stock, here, they cost me 15 cents more than the online price, but when you add in the shipping it's just too expensive. It all comes down to the cost of gasoline/petrol, mostly, imo. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 04:10 PM (#3193770) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: pdq Unless things have changed recently, the US Postal Service has a special "media mail" rate that applies to books, records and CDs. It is way cheap but notoriously slow. I do not believe this special rate extends outside of the US. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 04:14 PM (#3193773) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: John on the Sunset Coast If something available online is available at a local business, I will always support the that business, or if the price differential is too great, I may do without. Actually, I can count on t2o fingers the number times I've bought something online...but I paid by check, so had to wait an extra 6-8 days for shipment. Not worth it. I am pleased as punch that California is now requiring out of state and internet business to collect and remit a use (sales) tax on deliveries to the state. Sort of evens up the competition on price. Of course Amazon is trying to get an initiative on the California ballot to ban such. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 04:45 PM (#3193787) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Jack the Sailor Of course if you order digital copies then postage is irrelevant. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 05:08 PM (#3193797) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Q (Frank Staplin) We buy most of our clothes, appliances, books, etc. online. The US concerns LLbean and LandsEnd now both have warehouses in Canada, so shipping is not too costly, and their prices are much lower then for similar items found locally. For music and videos, if one has more than about $26 in a single order, shipping is free from Amazon.ca. Shipping adds to the cost, but so does car maintenance, gas, and parking, and the time involved is considerable. Even some firms I buy from locally have added online shopping, so I don't have to go in person. For many items, old ways of shopping are obsolete. Back to the thread topic, buying old books and 'out-of-print' cds and dvds, we still have UK and Europe to fall back on, if no local dealer is found at Abebooks. And why is a registered letter from Europe only about $6.00 and the US charge about $11.00? |
|
23 Jul 11 - 05:12 PM (#3193799) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Jack the Sailor Subsidies? |
|
23 Jul 11 - 05:52 PM (#3193830) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: maeve Q, ignore the link I just sent you. I see now you already have that information. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 06:06 PM (#3193838) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Q (Frank Staplin) Thanks, Maeve, for the thought. |
|
23 Jul 11 - 10:59 PM (#3194024) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: pdq Perhaps Gargoyle can give us the recipe for Ogden's Nut Gone Crunch? |
|
24 Jul 11 - 06:07 AM (#3194132) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Sandra in Sydney more on US postage charges (slight thread drift) Last Christmas I heard that US Govt was imposing an extra cost on parcels from Australia (probably other countries too) found it on this Australia Post page Due to heightened border protection and increased aviation security measures introduced by the US Government applying to inbound freight, there is likely to be delays of around 48 hours to parcels being sent to the US. These new security measures have increased cost implications associated with screening and transport, and as a result a $9 surcharge will be imposed on all parcels over 500g (16 ounces) destined for the US. This surcharge has been introduced solely to cover the costs of the revised security arrangements required by the United States, and Australia Post does not profit from the surcharge. |
|
24 Jul 11 - 12:58 PM (#3194298) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Roger the Skiffler I have ordered T-shirts from the States and postage was only a copuple of dollars. Last Xmas I was going to put a Kazoobies T on my wishlist but they only offered Fedex delivery outside US for about 4 times the cost of the shirt so I did without. CD postage from the likes of Camsco & CD Baby have always been reasonable. RtS |
|
24 Jul 11 - 02:16 PM (#3194363) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Q (Frank Staplin) CDs to Canada, fit into the large envelope category; if 3/4 inch in thickness, 8 ounces, goes for the rate of US$2.90 paid at the post office. Book-size and larger is where the rates go high. |
|
24 Jul 11 - 07:29 PM (#3194589) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Joe Offer A couple of years ago, I spent $75 on shipping for seven books sent from Israel. I would have expected closer to $$25, but I guess I'm behind the times. Ah, but they're wonderful books, an anthology of Yiddish folksongs. -Joe- |
|
24 Jul 11 - 08:39 PM (#3194634) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: dick greenhaus Tht's why CAMSCO's publications are printed in both the US and the UK. I don't like to think of what a set of Bronson (2200 pages, 4-volumes) would cost to ship overseas. And we're working on having a printing operation in Australia. |
|
25 Jul 11 - 02:09 AM (#3194739) Subject: RE: BS: Ordering Books from U. S. From: Sandra in Sydney hooray! |