US postage prices are somewhat excessive.

[Boss Hog]

I have tried many USA Artisan soaps over the years & they are pretty much all the same except for the scent. My two top soaps are Arko & L'occitane that to me are better than any USA artisan soaps currently offered.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

I have tried many USA Artisan soaps over the years & they are pretty much all the same except for the scent. My two top soaps are Arko & L'occitane that to me are better than any USA artisan soaps currently offered.

Interesting. I might give a spin to Cade. Does not hurt the pocket.

 

[Deleted member 476]

Yo'all got nothing on Canada Post, as far as rip off postage goes. To send 1 stick of Arko, by regular post, across town in Canada with delivery confirmation and insurance costs $14.10 cdn. To send the same, 1 stick of arko to the UK with tracking and insurance costs $33.84
Its the reason why I choose wisely what it is to buy, because whatever I do, I am basically stuck with it, regardless.

 

[R181]

Yo'all got nothing on Canada Post, as far as rip off postage goes. To send 1 stick of Arko, by regular post, across town in Canada with delivery confirmation and insurance costs $14.10 cdn. To send the same, 1 stick of arko to the UK with tracking and insurance costs $33.84
Its the reason why I choose wisely what it is to buy, because whatever I do, I am basically stuck with it, regardless.

I just recently sent a package to the UK. It went air for about $10.00 but the tracking would have cost me an additional $30.00. I told the postal clerk in no uncertain terms what I thought of the tracking option price. He said he knew what I meant as the same package to the US would cost $10.00 for the tracking and not much more to send it to OZ with tracking. I suspect it has something to do with the cost of tracking when done in partnership with the Royal Mail.

I also see a lot of UK members like the UPS service. I will not order anything from out of country that will be delivered by UPS and other courier services. The reason is far too many times the cost of the item imported about doubles with all the extra fees and import duties they tack on. I have even seem bills from courier services that charge an additional fee for collecting sales tax which I believe is illegal. It is just insane when compared to regular mail service.

Bob

 

[Northam Saint]

I just recently sent a package to the UK. It went air for about $10.00 but the tracking would have cost me an additional $30.00. I told the postal clerk in no uncertain terms what I thought of the tracking option price. He said he knew what I meant as the same package to the US would cost $10.00 for the tracking and not much more to send it to OZ with tracking. I suspect it has something to do with the cost of tracking when done in partnership with the Royal Mail.

I also see a lot of UK members like the UPS service. I will not order anything from out of country that will be delivered by UPS and other courier services. The reason is far too many times the cost of the item imported about doubles with all the extra fees and import duties they tack on. I have even seem bills from courier services that charge an additional fee for collecting sales tax which I believe is illegal. It is just insane when compared to regular mail service.

Bob

The whole insurance thing gets me. Once it’s in their hands they should be responsible end of ! No other reason other than dodgy employees that should be down to them and their checks.

 

[Turdie]

Only at Maggards they are quite reasonable. Wonder how they do that, there is such a big difference.

 

[Scubasteve]

I am in Canada and generally I only buy from Canada sites. If I buy from the us it's on Ebay or something I have to have or can only find on a us site


Shipping is not as bad as duty and taxes. UPS is ridiculous for taxes

 

[SeanC]

The whole insurance thing gets me. Once it’s in their hands they should be responsible end of ! No other reason other than dodgy employees that should be down to them and their checks.

Have to admit that one has always puzzled me too. It's not just a UK thing either, so I suspect that the UPU (Universal Postal Union) is to blame, just as the Warsaw Convention wrongly protects airlines against losses arising from their own failures.

 

[brit]

mailed 2 parcels .one up north in my province of b.c.,one to north carolina u.s..the one to u.s $8 50.,the one to northern.b.c. $15.00,same weight and size..canada post are crooks..

 

[Northam Saint]

China must be the cheapest to post from. And I bet everything posted gets out of China and doesn’t go “missing”. No doubt the penalties for theft there is higher.

We had a postie on our round who was light fingered and liked opening post. Took ages but they caught him and I believe he had a holiday care of Her Majesty, and paid for by the people me robbed. Our current postie though is a top guy, never have to go and collect stuff from the parcel counter. He signs his name for signed for and if it won’t go in the letter box he leaves it with a neighbour or in the garage.

 

[R181]

I recently bought some shave soap made in continental western Europe at a local discount chain store which I liked very much. I could not find any net sellers of the soap so contacted the maker direct to see if I could purchase direct and what would the shipping cost be. The communication was very good and in short order I was informed that shipping via UPS would be 55 Euros/$80.00 CAD. oddly enough I thought that was a bit much for a puck of soap and declined the offer. It could also be likely they did not want to get involved selling directly so threw out an outrageous, to me, shipping amount. Sometimes it does not matter which direction goods cross the pond it can be expensive.

Bob

 

[Rufusdog]

I recently bought some shave soap made in continental western Europe at a local discount chain store which I liked very much. I could not find any net sellers of the soap so contacted the maker direct to see if I could purchase direct and what would the shipping cost be. The communication was very good and in short order I was informed that shipping via UPS would be 55 Euros/$80.00 CAD. oddly enough I thought that was a bit much for a puck of soap and declined the offer. It could also be likely they did not want to get involved selling directly so threw out an outrageous, to me, shipping amount. Sometimes it does not matter which direction goods cross the pond it can be expensive.

Bob

Was that store Winners by any chance?

 

[R181]

Was that store Winners by any chance?

Certainly was.

Bob

 

[Rufusdog]

Certainly was.

Bob

I’ll be there later today.

 

[ESBrushmaker]

Thought I might try some USA soaps.
Yikes...$34US shipping for 1 to 5 pucks.
OK, it maybe makes sense if buying 5 pucks at a time (share costs with a shave buddy), but with just me to buy the soap/shipping it's not really worth it. Plus...do I really want to buy 5 pucks at a time?
I think the UK guys get hit even worse with Customs fees/taxes added on too.
I can buy the mainstream stuff OK here in New Zealand, but would be nice to try some more artisan type soaps.
How is it in other countries? Obviously if you live in the US you are not bothered too much as internal postage seems to be OK.

Your point is well taken. Shipping internationally via the U.S. Post Office is actually the least expensive, most efficient way to put small parcels into the international buyer's hands. Even so, "First Class International," the least expensive route, starts at ~ $24.00US for parcels weighing from zero to two pounds. Higher classes (Priority Mail, Express Mail, etc.) are double, triple, and more. UPS, DHL, and FedEx? (I won't even talk about them.) So yes, I think most us on this side of the pond get it. Unfortunately, the only way I know of for a U.S. based business to ship for lower apparent cost is to bake the added shipping costs into the retail price (either that, or sell at a loss, which isn't exactly conducive to staying in business.)

Value, as we all know, is "in the eye of the beholder;" so while many of us in the U.S. would love to be able to sell internationally at total prices competitive with local businesses, it's not always possible because shipping costs--along with Customs Duties, taxes, regulatory constraints, and hangovers--are an unhappy fact of life. Wish I could offer a better answer.