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Transatlantic postage

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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A few months ago I bought a car owner's manual from a UK bookseller. Shipping/handling to USA was about USD5, using something like "Royal Mail Packet" service. Very affordable, and arrived in two weeks.

I'm now following a few similar car manuals on eBay, one in UK, one in France.

The UK shipping shows GBP25 ($38) to USA; France shipping is EUR60 ($70) to USA. The items themselves each have a Buy It Now price of under GBP10 and EUR20. Ebay ad shows standard shipping.

Am I going nuts? are these just hyper-inflated shipping figures, hoping the buyer is desperate? or did transatlantic postage suddenly go sky high?

Thanks.
Tom
 
Yes you are going nuts (and don't call me Shirley) :p

Seriously, I find this a lot and not just with ebay - I order used books regularly for SWMBO and DD - and one website in particular often has the lowest prices until you factor in shipping - I don't even bother going there any more. Interestingly I recently ordered a book for me and got an email 48 hours later asking for an extra $15 in addition to already paid shipping for the book - needless to say I don't have the book and they don't have my business.

Try Abebooks they are typically pretty good.
 
HealeyRick said:
Royal Mail should still be cheap. Perhaps they are using FedEx or DHL.
Click to expand...

trust me, it isn't actual postage - it is "postage and handling" with a big emphasis on handling. Admittedly it ain't as cheap to ship as it used to be, but, I think it much more likely that we are talking about people who hit "buy it now" on a cheap product price before they notice a costly shipping price.
 
I think it much more likely that we are talking about people who hit "buy it now" on a cheap product price before they notice a costly shipping price.

J-P - on that I completely agree!
 
NutmegCT said:
The UK shipping shows GBP25 ($38) to USA; France shipping is EUR60 ($70) to USA. (snip)
Am I going nuts? are these just hyper-inflated shipping figures, hoping the buyer is desperate? or did transatlantic postage suddenly go sky high?
Click to expand...

I just bought three car-themed T-shirts from a UK vendor, affordable until the shipping of GPB40 for what's certainly going to arrive in a padded mailer. But I wanted them.
 
I buy car parts at times rom the UK and as long as they can go in a mailer packet or small box, the shipping isn't that bad. But I rejected B&G sending me a small piece of chrome as it was over length for regular Royal mail and the shipping was quoted at 68 pounds! The piece weighs about 10 oz. B&G contacted me and refused to send it without my approval, needless to say they still have it! PJ
 
Don't know about from the UK (because we send to the UK all the time), but the elimination of "small packet air" really drove the prices up... unless you want the slow boat to China method (which can take well over a month).
 
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