NightOwl Cat wrote:
Back during peak Covid times, when Australia wasn't accepting anything other than Priority Mail Express mail (EMS) a guy came in to send an LP that he sold to someone there. When I told him the only way it could get there was Express/EMS and it would be $80 US for shipping.... He wasn't very happy about it, but that was the only way it was getting there.
I recall when I first moved to Australia discovered FM that the rates to Aus were quite reasonable but back then the AU$ was in parity with the US$. eg I bought a 300/2.8 AF-S I from someone in the States and had it shipped here by USPS at a reasonable cost although I don't recall exactly how much it was less than 100 bucks IIRC.
To be fair, the rates to post things in the UK and Australia especially posting things overseas are and have always been just as bad.
It's interesting because some countries in Europe eg Germany seem to have really reasonable shipping costs using their postal service and it's always been the case that a lot of lens purchases on ebay from Japan have come with free shipping (although there are more these days that seem to have exorbitantly high rates, presumably to reduce the fees for final value from ebay)
eg I've bought motorcycle parts from Germany and paid 10 euros for the postage.
I'm turning into one of those old men who complains about the price of everything "these days"
Finally feeling like it is Spring. More photo opportunities. Here's some old lens charm. I love this cheap and cheerful, plastic lens. Great Df companion.
Df + AI Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.5-4.8S | 70mm f/5.6 ISO 400
To be fair, Express is top of the line. It would have been more if he'd gone to UPS or FedEx as their shipments were also limited to their equivalent of our Express service.
Now that things have settled down, depending on size, a four pound package to Australia ranges from $44.50 for small flat rate priority box, first class at $71.20 up to 24"x6"x4", medium flat rate priority at $87.50, Large FR at 107.80 ( medium and large flat rate boxes can be up to 20 pounds for that price), express international is $99.65, and super top of the line is GXG, Global Express Guaranteed, a 16"x6"x6" four pound box would run $154.45
Priority and Express both come with insurance up to $200, more can be bought. GXG only has $100 included, more can be bought. First class, no insurance, and item cannot be worth more than $400.
cadman342001 wrote:
I recall when I first moved to Australia discovered FM that the rates to Aus were quite reasonable but back then the AU$ was in parity with the US$. eg I bought a 300/2.8 AF-S I from someone in the States and had it shipped here by USPS at a reasonable cost although I don't recall exactly how much it was less than 100 bucks IIRC.
To be fair, the rates to post things in the UK and Australia especially posting things overseas are and have always been just as bad.
It's interesting because some countries in Europe eg Germany seem to have really reasonable shipping costs using their postal service and it's always been the case that a lot of lens purchases on ebay from Japan have come with free shipping (although there are more these days that seem to have exorbitantly high rates, presumably to reduce the fees for final value from ebay)
eg I've bought motorcycle parts from Germany and paid 10 euros for the postage.
I'm turning into one of those old men who complains about the price of everything "these days" ...Show more →
