Mikes International Shipping costs is now Bullshit

[xsPete]

Ok, so I tried to change the title with edit but responses are stiil showing the original.

I an administrator can change to International Shipping cost are now bullshit.

Having said that, I reckon this is about closure time on this thread. It was started in error (by me), which I've after I checked other suppliers rates.

Tks Pete

 

[weekendrider]

Well said Pete. Shipping itself is getting to be ridiculous. It's not Mike's. Some stuff maybe but shipping costs have been going up and up. My cribbage peg business suffers from this as well. You can thank oil prices for that.

Middle and smaller size business are paying the costs of FREE shipping contracts UPS is losing money on.
The "free" shipping of Amazon, Best Buy, Target etc. isn't free, it is being supported by those that can't meet volume discounting. A familiar story? Maybe.

Think of another large logistics organization that has cheap bulk rates. And it needs large fleets, facilites and people to run it. Trying to make up the gap by charging those that don't utilize or need the large infrastructure.
They are going broke.

Hard times ahead for UPS and Fedex.

 

[pamcopete]

Well said Pete. Shipping itself is getting to be ridiculous. It's not Mike's. Some stuff maybe but shipping costs have been going up and up. My cribbage peg business suffers from this as well. You can thank oil prices for that.

Well, my comment is that I think some of the problem is related to the threat of terrorism. They do not want shipping times to be predictable. Think about the explosive printer cartridges shipped from Yemen to Detroit via Heathrow on UPS. UPS was so predictable that they had it timed to go off over the Atlantic. Express mail and the UPS equivalent cost a lot more and I think this pays for additional scrutiny of the packages. Terrorists can also use tracking.

As for me, I am trying to maintain my FREE shipping for orders in the US using priority mail. I used to offer the same into Canada using International First Class mail, but that takes 4 weeks now, so I have started charging my Canadian customers for International Priority Mail, but even that can take two weeks.

But, like a lot of issues, shipping costs and delays can be a business opportunity as was mentioned in this thread. The way to beat the high cost and delays of overseas shipping is to set up mini distributors in strategic countries. I have a friend of mine who was from Germany and just recently moved back there and he may be able to act as a mini distributor for me now that I have 6 different models of the PAMCO.

 

[ReycleBill]

I sell more books around the world than I sell in the US. I'm always amazed when people spend 3-5 times the price of the book for shipping. And if you really want a kick, try shipping to Siberia in the winter. Air mail takes 24 to 48 hours to Moscow and six more weeks by truck and train to Siberia. And you don't want to know the price.

Where's Scotty with his Star Trex transporters?

 

[MikesXS]

Hi Everyone, I thought I would weight in on this topic. We use UPS and USPS to ship our parts and the rates that are charged belong to USPS and UPS. We have to track every shipment that leaves our facility, so we can verify that it was delivered. Also, it allows the customer to see when the package will arrive. We are always looking for ways to save you shipping expense. For example, we carry about 20 different box sizes, so we can fit the smallest and lightest box with the size of your order. Less weight and dimension, less cost. Right now we are testing USPS on orders shipped to the westcoast. They are arriving in half the time. There is no relationship between what you pay for an item and what it cost to ship. The advance rod pin is a great example. I think it cost the same to send you the rod as it does the pins. When you figure the cost of someone to pull three pins from the warehouse, the packaging and label cost the only one making money is the shipping company. It looks like we will be getting more rate increases on shipping in the near future because of fuel cost. Thanks for business you give us. Mike's XS

 

[xsPete]

Hi Everyone, I thought I would weight in on this topic. We use UPS and USPS to ship our parts and the rates that are charged belong to USPS and UPS. We have to track every shipment that leaves our facility, so we can verify that it was delivered. Also, it allows the customer to see when the package will arrive. We are always looking for ways to save you shipping expense. For example, we carry about 20 different box sizes, so we can fit the smallest and lightest box with the size of your order. Less weight and dimension, less cost. Right now we are testing USPS on orders shipped to the westcoast. They are arriving in half the time. There is no relationship between what you pay for an item and what it cost to ship. The advance rod pin is a great example. I think it cost the same to send you the rod as it does the pins. When you figure the cost of someone to pull three pins from the warehouse, the packaging and label cost the only one making money is the shipping company. It looks like we will be getting more rate increases on shipping in the near future because of fuel cost. Thanks for business you give us. Mike's XS

I got this response from Mikes

RE: Order Confirmation No: 109353‏
To see messages related to this one, group messages by conversation.
Find email Add to contactsTo Peter Delaney
From: Mikes XS (customerservice@mikesxs.net)
To: Peter Delaney


Hi Peter, They are not our shipping cost. This is what USPS charges us. We do not make a profit on shipping. Thanks________________________________________From: Peter Delaney [pdelaney@live.com.au]Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 5:53 PMTo: Mikes XSSubject: Re: Order Confirmation No: 109353

Checked a couple of others after this, 2 cables with banjo fitting etc from MM. Shipping $23.95 UPS with Tracking.
Mr Luckys $41 Intl Priority

Looks like UPS is staring to cash in on the inernet boom more and more.

And Mikes did take the time to respond.

Pete

Ok Pamcopete,

I eat humble pie on this looks like the title should be
International shipping is getting to be bullshit.

Regards,
Pete

Ok, so I tried to change the title with edit but responses are stiil showing the original.

I an administrator can change to International Shipping cost are now bullshit.

Having said that, I reckon this is about closure time on this thread. It was started in error (by me), which I've after I checked other suppliers rates.

Tks Pete

G'day Guys,

As you can see above, I started this. As i have stated it was in error when I checked some other rates and asked on here if an administrator could change the title.

I think it wasn't as noticable when buying mutiple items, but when I bought a tiny item, whoa.

Being in Aus, everything is way over the top on price locally and I guess frustration set in.

The international shipping is certainly on the way up but it looks like it's across the board now.

One thing I will say is Mikes has always had the fastest deliveries to me in Aus.

Boy am I sorry I started this thread in the heat of the moment.

Pete

 

[pamcopete]

Pete,

That's OK......none of us would be here were it not for the heat of the moment...