shipping models from England to USA

[sturmbock44]

Hello I bought a model in an average sized 1/48 fighter box, the guy wants to charge 15 gbp or euros shipping thats like 25.00 $ ¡¿ Does that sound correct ? I bought a huge flying boat from sweeden and I didnt think it was that much, but cant remember.

 

[Airframes]

Could be correct. When I've sent similar sized packages, it's been around £10 to £12 (approx $15 to $18 US), and that was probably a year ago or more. Postal charges have increased quite a bit in the UK in the last few months.
I'm still waiting (after three weeks!) for a kit from the 'States, where the seller charged £17 (approx $26) for shipping, whereas a similar sized kit package was received from the 'States a couple of months back, where the postage charge (indicated by the value on the stamps at least) worked out at around £10, roughly $15.

 

[Lucky13]

It's like shipping from the good ol' US of A... Many times I've seen a great kit to a decent price, then only to almost choke on whatever I'm drinking/eating at the moment, looking at the shipping, sometimes the same as the kit, double that, or more....

Doesn't seem to matter what country, the postal service is taking the p*ss!

 

[Airframes]

Or the seller is! I've just read a post where a shipment from the UK to USA is only £11.99.
In my case, I have a feeling the seller has charged over the odds for Air Mail, and sent it surface mail - been three weeks now, and still in transit! The longest I've waited for anything from the USA is about 12 days, including two weekends, when probably not much mail moves anyway.

 

[rochie]

Or the seller is! I've just read a post where a shipment from the UK to USA is only £11.99.
In my case, I have a feeling the seller has charged over the odds for Air Mail, and sent it surface mail - been three weeks now, and still in transit! The longest I've waited for anything from the USA is about 12 days, including two weekends, when probably not much mail moves anyway.

will send him an e-mail Dogsbody

it normally cost me £6 - £7 to send a 1/48 kit to Australia so it cant be anymore to the states ?

 

[Rogi]

will send him an e-mail Dogsbody

it normally cost me £6 - £7 to send a 1/48 kit to Australia so it cant be anymore to the states ?

Yes but the states is tight on taxes and stuff. And it does depend what postal office you ship from, some charge more, some charge less, unfortunatley :S

 

[Airframes]

The Royal Mail in the UK is standard across the mainland UK, with shipping rates fixed within certain bands, up to a maximum, both inland and abroad.
These 'bands' cover letter post, 'small packet' and 'packet', the latter I think up to 3.5kg (?). Beyond that, parcel mail is used for large or heavy items.
The cost therefore depends on size and weight, or one of these (!).
For example, a package weighing, say one ounce, but measuring 8x10x4 inches, as an example, could cost the same as a package weighing 8 ounces, but only measuring 4x4x2 inches! The bands cover weight, and, since last year, width and length dimensions.
Bona fide businesses in the UK which ship lots, regularly, such as Hannant's, have a 'Business Rate', which of course works out less than a private individual would enjoy, and this rate is dependent on volume shipped per year - the higher the volume, the lower the rate - and this is passed on to the customer in the form of the 'true' shipping costs, normally at a fixed rate in the UK, and within size/weight bands for overseas.
Hannant's, for example, normally ship decals post free, in the UK at least, if ordered without other items.
So, bottom line when ordering from the UK - check the bona fide dealers, such as Hannant's first, before committing to 'private' sales, as the overall cost, including shipping, may work out less. Bear in mind that customers outside of the UK and EU countries, also have the (possible) benefit of not paying the Value Added Tax we pay here, which, at present, is 20%. (and whoever thought of that con of a title, replacing the old 'Purchase Tax', must have really studied trickery!!)

 

[mikewint]

I buy some things from time to time from China/Hongkong. They now charge a flat fee of $23.99US for any sized shipment. A few years back I bid $1.00 for a 1/16 RC Tiger tank and won, THEN came the shipping $95 good thing Ebay allowed a cancel. I've learned the hard way to wach those shipping charges

 

[fubar57]

Agree MIke. I was going to buy a Fw190 from China, 9.99$US. I started the transaction right up to the shipping costs....104$US. Shipping has stopped me from a lot of purchases. Just received some decals I won on ebay. Shipping was quoted at just over 4$. Not too bad. The postage on the envelope...1.94.

Geo

 

[stona]

Parcel post has certainly gone up here in the UK.
It cost me £2.50 to send some propellers to someone else in the UK recently because the padded package was just too big to be considered a letter! Yes,I did swallow the charge as it was a favour.
Steve

 

[N4521U]

If you compare the difference between the cost of a commercial shop charges, from Any country, then the little guys charges, it makes you wonder. The actual shipping charge does Not change from one shipper to another. I used to have things shipped to a friend in California, then He would post to me at a third of what the seller would have charged. Seems they put a price on filling out that little green tag!!

What is really funny on eBay when the kit is one dollar, and shipping is 25.00, then another is 20.00 and shipping 5 bucks, same seller! I wanted to send some books to someone in the States, 50 for shipping from Oz. A friend who is a steward on an airline took it to S.F. and posted, book rate, Four dollars!

 

[vikingBerserker]

It seems shipping costs in general have increased. I know now when I buy books from Europe the shipping costs seemed to have doubled over the past several years.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

I shipped a 1/72 scale P-40, a very small box to Hungary and it cost just over $16.oo . Two years ago I shipped a 2 pound box to Denmark and it cost me $59.00. It just depends on where it's going I guess.

 

[mikewint]

Ebay is supposed to have rules about shipping costs, the catch is the HANDLING fee. It's tough to limit that, i.e. I have to drive 100 miles in my deuce and a half to post this. When i search ebay I always list "price + shipping, lowest first"

 

[Airframes]

Theoretically, in the UK, there is a 'Printed Matter' postage rate. This was originally for items such as newspapers, magazines etc., and these were supposed to be just 'open wrapped'. For example, a newspaper might be rolled, and have just a plain wrapper around it, with the ends open, a book may be in a cardboard sleeve, again with the ends open, and so on. (this, supposedly, allowed handling staff to see that the item was 'printed matter', and handle it 'reasonably', rather than kick it across the sorting office floor!)
As far as I'm aware, this rate still exists, as I was asked, only a few weeks ago, at the Post Office, if my 'book shaped' package was a book, or similar, to which I replied 'yes', which was the truth (honest!).
The postage (inland UK) was only pennies more than a normal letter-sized envelope, rather than the £4 or £5 I was expecting for such a relatively heavy, albeit compact, package.
I've also noticed recently that books I have ordered on-line have arrived, with postage stamps or franking marks, showing a much lower charge than, say, the same sized package, at probably 20% of the weight - a model kit for example.
OK, this isn't relevant to shipping models internationally, but, if sending books, magazines etc to someone, it's worth asking for the 'Printed Matter' rate. You will have to ask though, as it probably won't be offered otherwise!!
(I believe this is an international thing also, the origins being something to do with 'printed matter' being either educational material, and/or legal documents)

 

[sturmbock44]

Wow a day later and i got a lot of responses thanks guys! i emailed the guy and i pretty much told him that he needs to wrap the thing in toilet paper and send it because im not paying for a gigantic box or for his "handling" . i will seriously take the bad feedback and not pay if he insist on 25 $ dollars. today he told me he will repack it with minimal packaging and send me another invoice... we shall see . the same exact kit in the tip top north almost scottland was shipping for 8$ to the US . . . i told him the rip off guy and he said it would have to be under 300 grams and laughed... but anyways a basically wrapped 1\48 Ar234 would be about one 1 pound (us weight) ... so it shouldnt be 25 $ ! anyways many US buyers are killing ebay this way by trying to get handling cost plus shipping or whatever... the other UK seller even stated he would eat shipping cost if it exceeds what he said 8$. i have also eaten 2 dollars here and there when shipping things. Seems greed is spreading its filthy ways everywhere . i still swear by ebay though. its hard to get a upfront price on international shipping on fast bidding items . i counted on him being honest lol!!! lesson to anyone else bidding if you have a two day period or so before auction ends email the person for a price. i didnt have the time before auction would end. American greed on ebay i think is largely due to ignorance of what shipping prices actually are so they charge an inflated price hoping to break even or even profit from shipping. its not limited to americans though. some are just crooks charging for priority or fast shipping then mailing regular

Lately on ebay i scored
14$ 1\48 tamiya Fw -190 D-9 Jv 44 shipping 4$
22$ plus 12 $ shipping on 1\48 Fw 190F 8\ Ju 88 mistel
18$ 1\48 Tamiya Do 335 shipping 8 $
19$ 1\48 Ar 234 B2 hasegawa 1\48 6$ shipping
24$ Ar 234 B2\n Hasegawa 1\48 this is where dude wants too much for shipping we will battle though.

ebay rules but key is wait until the kit you are really looking for has a low start price on bidding now a days most people start them out at the price they want to recieve or right there close to it... those usually arent of value... if you find the kit you want starting out at really low you can almost always snipe the bid at the very end for less than retail. ill let you all know what happens soon i also need to finish that Do 335 build i have posted but ive been pre occupied with life , ebay , trading for other kits... i scored some good luftwaffe stuff lately in trades, 2 x 1\48 Ar 234 Cs, Hasegawa Me 109 E 3 , Me 110 G2 and maybe more. Thanks for the input guys !!!

 

[sturmbock44]

battle is over, the guy decided to cancel the order. He sent me a message saying he couldnt get shipping below 16GBP or 25$ , and he stated he wasnt going to take a loss . which was fine for me . but what he should of said was he payed full retail or too much for the model and wasnt going to let it go for less than the 46 or 48 $ dollars he had into it. If im lucky i will be posting a mini update in a few hours with the icing on the cake 8)

 

[Lucky13]

Well....

 

[sturmbock44]

I found the same exact kit ending today, bid max for 25$ dollars and won the auction the guy only wants 8.00$ to ship it from the north of england! so i feel i got a great deal because ive never seen them sell for less than 24$ (hasegawa Ar 234B 2\N nightfighter) so all in all i feel i scored another ebay deal some people hate ebay but i usually find something i have to buy because its far below retail... its a sickness really im not sure whats more addicting collecting kits or building them sometimes!

 

[Lucky13]

Or buy them faster than you build them....