Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Hello, I have a question.
I have been contacted by a lady that said she is interested in two of my bears but that the shipping prices are 'crazy', her word, and if I could do a better price for the shipping.
Now, I don't charge any extra for the shipping except the real costs. In Switzerland to send a package to the US, of these dimensions and weight, costs 12.00 CHF plus 2 CHF for the box, which makes it 14 CHF, converted into dollars it is 15 and something. I put my shipping price at 15 USD.
Do you people from other countries have such different figures? Is the Swiss post so much more expenisve?
I told the lady that if she is interested in both bears of course I can ship them together....they would love a cozy trip in company.... 
...and I would charge her for one shipping at 15 USD. Do you think it is fair or that I should have done differently?
Thanks for the advice....
Hi Francy, that is not a bad price at all. From Australia to the US the minimum cost for airmail is $10.50, once you go over 250g it goes to $23, if you want to send it by a way that protects you with Paypal, it's a minimum of about $23 even under 250g.
Shipping costs aren't pleasant and it surprises me that your potential buyer thinks $15 is too much, as even within the US now shipping is getting expensive. So don't feel bad, you are not asking an unreasonable amount.
Emo BearsI have to say, that sounds Cheap to me! 
Shipping costs are very high across the world - It would probably cost more than that to send a bear from the UK to the US easily, in fact it did to send my swop bear if i'm remembering right.
She's probably never bought from another country before. If so she might have a shock if she has to pay taxes on them too!
If it's coming to the US, she won't pay any additional taxes, so that's good news for her.
A small package from the US to Switzerland would cost at least $15, or twice as much for Priority Mail.
Becky
Well ladies,
thanks a lot for the feedback. I think she is not used to buying abroad, or maybe she is young and doesn't really know how those things go...or she didn't understand I was shipping from Switzerland? Who knows? Well, let's see if she gets back...if not, at least now I feel comfortable for the shipping prices I make! 
Well ladies,
thanks a lot for the feedback. I think she is not used to buying abroad, or maybe she is young and doesn't really know how those things go...or she didn't understand I was shipping from Switzerland? Who knows? Well, let's see if she gets back...if not, at least now I feel comfortable for the shipping prices I make! :)
Without sounding like the Grinch, it's also very possible she knows that usual and just hoping for a discount 
Don't feel guilty :hug:
Little Bear GuyIf it's coming to the US, she won't pay any additional taxes, so that's good news for her.
A small package from the US to Switzerland would cost at least $15, or twice as much for Priority Mail.
Becky
I'm surprised by this Becky, lots of my clients get hit with duty when a bear is shipped to the US. In fact my sister is taking four bears with her when she goes to the US on Thursday and shipping them for me so they don't get hit with import duties.
I must be doing something wrong or is there a trick to it. Most things have an import duty on them no matter the country and I'm pretty certain the US has them as well.
hugs
Shane
desertmountainbearI have ordered as much as $500.00 in goods from abroad and have never been charged an import tax. Maybe it is just luck of the draw?
Joanne
GJOYful BearsI dislike posting to the US because every time I go in and get a quote they say $40 or around that to post registered mail to there, and then when I go home, send the invoice, receive payment and go back and post bear all of a sudden the postage is $67 or $80 or something ridiculous. Shipping is usually huge internationally. I post worldwide I just wish it cost less, I always lose out when posting internationally and not by a small amount either lol.
I'm surprised by this Becky, lots of my clients get hit with duty when a bear is shipped to the US.
I've never ever paid to receive a package from any country. I just searched the USPS website, and all the information I could find about duties and customs taxes applied to other countries. (There must be something I couldn't find, though, if your US clients have had to pay.)
Becky
Little Bear GuyIt very well could be luck of the draw, I know even here it's hit or miss when we have something shipped in. I can't imagine the US not having some form of import tax or duty. I think every country does that's why there are free trade agreements. Well you guys are the lucky ones LOL.
Import taxes are a sore subject!
I live in Switzerland and here you always pay import taxes, you have to pay the postman when he gives you the goods. You don't pay only if the import is very small, or if you buy booksup to a certain amount, or if it's a gift. It was a shock for me because I have been living here for a year and a half, and when I bought my first batch of mohair from abroad had to pay 27 CHF (about 28 USD) for a 150 of mohair! 
Next time I will have everything I buy shipped to Italy, where we don't have any import taxes, at least THOSE taxes we don't ....and have my parents 'smuggle' everything when they visit.
Newcastle, OntarioShane, I have shipped to the U.S. for 15 years and always put full value and not one of my customers has ever been charged duty. I was under the impression that they could import several hundred dollars without paying, unless you are shipping UPS to a commercial store. - then they get dinged with duty. I ship UPS to private homes and no one has ever been charged. It is puzzling.
Francy, I just shipped two bears to The Netherlands today and at Small Package Airmail, it cost $33.15. My customer had paid $15.00 shipping for each bear, and I thought I would be able to refund some of it, but it ended up costing me a bit extra, which I didn't mind because the pieces were expensive. I think your shipping is reasonable.
Yes, now I see that I charge fair with shipping....then I should think that it was a sly way of asking for a discount... 
I don't know what to think about that either, have no experience in this field whatsoever. I used to own a shop, and a lot of people asked for discounts. I wouldn't know how to deal with it if I were asked straightaway for a discount on one of my bears. ...
What would you do?
Now that I thin of it, there was something about it in the library....I'll go and check,so that I won't bother any of you any longer
Newcastle, OntarioFrancy, I think people just don't have the money for a lot of extras with the global economy and maybe asking for a discount would possibly mean they could buy the bear, but you have your life and if you've chosen to make bears for sale, then people have to respect that. I would just politely tell your customer that your shipping is a reasonable cost to what the post office charges. If she is going to buy two bears, then maybe you could give her a small break on the cost, but if you are able to do it, I would package the two bears in a box and actually get an estimate for the shipping from the post office, so you could tell her what the exact cost would be. I know I felt terrible that my customer in Holland had paid full shipping for both bears, but when it was mailed, I could see that the shipping was actually quite accurate. I actually pointed out to my customer the cost of the shipping, so he wouldn't feel like I was trying to overcharge. I would have issued a refund, if the shipping had been less. If you have chosen to sell bears to earn money, then you really have to treat it as a business.
Little Bear GuyWell I guess it's just me, I guess customs has a thing against my bears LOL. I wonder then why the US would enter into any form of free trade agreements if they don't have any import taxes or duties there is no benefit to them. Why are there duty free shops going into the US? Sorry I am getting off topic here
Newcastle, OntarioShane, I find it really odd, too! I've been selling online since 2002 and 90 % of my bears go to the U.S., some by mail but mostly by UPS and I have never had one customer tell me they have paid duty, except one bunny, which I sent to a commercial bear store. Now I send them to her home and that's fine. I really wish I knew what the rules were. How do your ship yours?
Little Bear GuyUPS Brenda and they get stung everytime. Seems if it is over 200.00 they get stung. I don't think it's huge amounts, one bear was around 350.00 and she was pretty mad at us about the duty but I told her there was nothing we could do about it as that was out of our control.
Newcastle, OntarioShane, my bears are usually $200.00 or less, maybe that's why my customers get by without charges.
