Shipping costs.

[red1100]

Hi all. A word about shipping costs. Determine where you live versus where the parts are when deciding to buy something from a fellow member. If you aren’t sure ask the shipper to get a close estimate before you say yes or no. Obviously if I’m 2500 miles away it’s going to cost a bit. Thanks

[argonsagas]

This is a very good point.

About a year ago I worked at carefully packaging a number of GS parts for a member who wanted them shipped to Mexico. We started with him looking for a fuel tank, and I told him it would be expensive to ship, because of the size.

He accepted that, and added more items to his planned purchase.The fuel tank required a large box, but putting it on an angle allowed the other pieces to fit above and below it, and I got maximum use of the space while using the smallest box that the tank would fit into.

The finished package was subject to charges for size, not weight. ....as he had been told up front.

He was VERY upset when he learned the shipping cost was more than the purchase price of all items combined and backed out of the purchase..

[Brendan W]

He was VERY upset when he learned the shipping cost was more than the purchase price of all items combined and backed out of the purchase..

Selling the parts too cheap. Human nature is weird. Bet if the parts tripled in price there would be no issue with shipping.
Just bought a KZ400 side cover from a breaker in DE. Part $35, shipping USPS $55 to Ireland.

[argonsagas]

Selling the parts too cheap. Human nature is weird. Bet if the parts tripled in price there would be no issue with shipping.
Just bought a KZ400 side cover from a breaker in DE. Part $35, shipping USPS $55 to Ireland.

You are probably right, but the actual cost really was pretty high.

In addition to the tank (which included working petcock and fuel level) he wanted both side covers, tank lid, ignition and helmet locks, all pegs and their mounts, speedo and tach plus cables.
They all fit into the one box, but the cheapest shipping cost was Canada Post....and while I do not recall the exact price, it was close to CA$200.

If he wanted it in USA it would have been cheaper. Mexico costs more, no matter which carrier is used.

[Nessism]

If anyone thinks shipping inside the USA is expensive, try shipping across the border sometime. I recently received a roughly 2# package from Australia and shipping was $45USD. If you need something you need something though. Suck it up.

[Boriqua]

I try not to get to excited about the shipping. If you really need or want something you just call it part of the purchase price. If there is a way to get the things I need or want with a lower overall purchase price I will but .. It just rolled up in there.

I am thinking a good gas tank is getting harder to come by!

[robertbarr]

If he wanted it in USA it would have been cheaper. Mexico costs more, no matter which carrier is used.

Anything outside the US can be eye-opening. I've had customers who INSISTED on tracking numbers to places like S. Africa, and the quotes weren't reasonable, or even sane. And that's to ship a nice, dry, lightweight packet of O-rings -- no fuel traces, no corrosives, nothing complicated. Needless to say, the research was a waste of my time, many times over.

[red1100]

A couple years ago I was shipping cars I flipped to Germany and Australia.I was flipping 70s and 80s Mercedes SLs and mid 50s Buick’s. Shipping charges were astounding.55 Buick going to Australia cost 4000 on a car that cost him 6000. To Germany where believe it or not I had a guy buying as many as I could send him because they salted the roads and rotted them early. His total was around 6000. That included United road picking it up and taking it to the docks. Generally more than the car cost.

[johnod]

I would have thought this was obvious.

[limeex2]

I bought some OEM Nissin brake o-rings from England and had 2 sets shipped here. Will not use after market. Fit my Triumph's. They were cheaper than buying them here and had them in less than 10 days. Little different though, used e-bay in England and found them with a shipped price. Yes, the seller knew they were going over seas. Still better price. When shipping tanks, I build my own box. I can get industrial cardboard from work, make 1/2 x 3/4 framing. use 2" insulating foam. Staples and glue. Customer said I could have shipped it around the world and it would have held up. I believe it was about $45 to ship from Mn to Fla.

[salty_monk]

Meanwhile shipping from China is subsidised on this side of the pond once it gets here...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2017/11/05/how-the-usps-epacket-gives-postal-subsidies-to-chinese-e-commerce-merchants-to-ship-to-the-usa-cheap/#5774466040ca

[Cipher]

Meanwhile shipping from China is subsidised on this side of the pond once it gets here...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshe.../#5774466040ca

Yes the international org that looks after these things still treats China as some sort of impoverished fledgling country. What would happen to all the aliexpress crap if they paid a fair rate?

[limeex2]

Can you explain how Chinese shipping is subsidized. I am not trying to be mean or nasty. Curious. I E-Bayed some allen head bolt plugs from China, little plastic do-hickies that go where the wrench goes. Got 50 of them for $1.99 shipped and I was.... wtf its .50 to mail a letter?

[Admiral Beez]

China is a communist dictatorship, and in its thirst for foreign currency demands exports. So, China subsidies the shipping cost.

[Cipher]

Can you explain how Chinese shipping is subsidized. I am not trying to be mean or nasty. Curious. I E-Bayed some allen head bolt plugs from China, little plastic do-hickies that go where the wrench goes. Got 50 of them for $1.99 shipped and I was.... wtf its .50 to mail a letter?

Universal postal union per wiki a snippet of the article

In recent years UPU members have encountered serious problems triggered by the enormous increase in e-commerce originating from the Far East, where the terminal dues do not cover the unit costs of delivery in the destination countries, and the volumes are so big that the losses cannot be compensated by better terminal dues from other traffic. In 2016, a new remuneration system was implemented with a focus on e-commerce.^[13] but while the 2016 reform balanced the costs to the delivery services, postage costs for shippers are still asymmetric. As of 2018, US companies pay more than twice as much to mail an item from a US plant to a US customer than does a manufacturer in China to mail an item to a US customer.^[14][15][16]