[78-L] Help Requested For Foreign Shipping Rates

[David Lennick]

I just tried the website and got nowhere. I send small packages from Toronto to 
the UK regularly but not parcels of records, and it looks as if their only goal 
is to separate you from as much of your money as is possible. As for auction 
winnings and eBay items, I keep a mailbox in the US and collect my stuff every 
couple of weeks..even staying overnight, which qualifies me for a certain 
amount duty free, is cheaper than having the stuff shipped here and having to 
pay outrageous duty, tax and processing charges.

dl

Malcolm - Venerable Music wrote:
> OK - I know I am replying to my own message, but I am really hoping for some 
> help this time - especially from our Canadian list mates!
> 
> Again, for those who are interested, I have created some set price shipping 
> rates for the upcoming Venerable Music record auctions. You can view the 
> tables here - http://www.venerablemusic.com/shippingtables.htm
> 
> My main question is that Canada seems to not offer a standard Air Mail above 
> 4lb, 4oz? Using the Canadian Postal website, I was only able to get surface 
> (or Express type) mail options. Is that correct, or am I missing something? 
> Can you ship a 5 lb (2.5 kg) package from Canada to the UK via Air Mail?
> 
> If anyone sees any egregious errors in the tables, please let me know. Of 
> course it will not be a perfect system, but hopefully one everyone can work 
> with!
> 
> Thanks Again for any insight provided!
> Malcolm
> 
> Venerable Music - http://www.venerablemusic.com/
> Venerable Radio - http://www.venerablemusic.com/samphpweb/index.html
> On Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/venerablemusic
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Malcolm - Venerable Music" <malcolm at venerablemusic.com>
> To: <78-L at 78online.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 5:16 PM
> Subject: [78-L] Help Requested For Foreign Shipping Rates
> 
> 
>> Hello everyone - as many of you know, I have been working on a 
>> multi-seller online auction (specific to 78s & cylinders) to rival the 
>> ever-worsening eboy site.
>>
>>
>>
>> If you have not yet heard of the project, there is more information here - 
>> http://www.venerablemusic.com/auction.htm
>>
>>
>>
>> In the past few weeks we have changed programmers and the project has gone 
>> from moving at a snails pace to somewhat briskly. I have even been quoted 
>> that the target date for having the site ready as soon as 6-weeks away 
>> (but I'll believe it when I see it)!
>>
>>
>>
>> One of the stipulations of selling on the site will be agreeing to set 
>> shipping rates that are a standard cost of supplies plus shipping. Since 
>> everyone has different methods & ideas on the best way to ship, I was 
>> hoping to get some feedback from both the selling and buying perspective.
>>
>>
>>
>> First off, does anyone routinely prefer to pay extra for Priority 
>> shipping? The problem with set rates on Priority Mail is that the price 
>> increases quickly depending on distance (especially from record traveling 
>> coast to coast). So then, set rates either are too high for say a package 
>> moving only a short distance (and the buyer is screwed) or the rates are 
>> too low for a package moving across the country (and the seller is 
>> screwed). Media Mail pricing is much more liberal & does not increase with 
>> the same ferocity, so my gut wants to set the shipping rates to err with 
>> the seller (and screw the buyer) if the buyer chooses a Priority option 
>> rather than a Media Mail option? I do want to prompt this by stating that 
>> my goal is to benefit the seller whenever possible as they are the ones 
>> that will end up ultimately paying for the service. I believe the buyers 
>> will go where ever the records are being sold, so the goal is to create a 
>> better atmosphere for the sellers.
>>
>>
>>
>> This will be a global system, so where I will really need help is shipping 
>> rates for UK to UK sales as well as well as -
>>
>> UK to US
>>
>> UK to Japan
>>
>> UK to Australia
>>
>> UK to Africa
>>
>> UK to South America
>>
>>
>>
>> The prices will be set in the following manner -
>>
>> 1-2 records
>>
>> 3-5 records
>>
>> 6-10 records
>>
>> & 10 +
>>
>>
>>
>> As an example (these are not the actual set rates that will apply - just a 
>> guess). These will be rates for First Class Air Mail - as I feel it would 
>> be best to use the lowest common denominator.
>>
>> US to UK sales
>>
>> 1-2 records - $17
>>
>> 3-5 records - $25
>>
>> 6-10 records - $38
>>
>> 10 + records - $50
>>
>>
>>
>> So, if any of our UK, Australian or Japanese members can help out with 
>> what they feel a good, round, generic shipping rate would be (again, from 
>> either a buyer or seller perspective) it would truly be appreciated. 
>> Especially costs within ones country - UK to UK, Japan to Japan (or Asia 
>> included), Australia to Australia - as I am having a hard time figuring 
>> shipping prices for countries other than my own.
>>
>>
>>
>> Please, feel free to reply to me privately or via the 78-l group!
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Malcolm (in Georgia)
>>
>>
>> Venerable Music - http://www.venerablemusic.com
>> Venerable Radio - http://www.venerablemusic.com/samphpweb/index.html
>> On Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/venerablemusic
>> _______________________________________________