Thread: Overseas online woodworking purchases

Lee Valley & Rockler are both very reliable, plus they charge very close to their cost on postage - or sometimes take a small loss judging by the documentation on the parcel. US postge is a bit cheaper than Canadian - about 10% I'd guess.

A number of US suppliers will try to make a killing on post & 'packaging' for overseas orders, but will drop the price if you query the amount - in one case recently by more than half.

It definitely pays to check out several sites, and carefully check the conditions - some will only use UPS which I have found to be slow & expensive after they stack on 'fees' at this end on top of the freight charge you paid thru' the shipper - 50%-100% extra, or sometimes nothing

Originally Posted by sw337

Does anyone do this regularly? With the dollar so high I have been trying to crunch the numbers on buying blades through Amazon and priceusa.com.au but the postage doesn't seem to make it worthwhile. Router bits on the other hand seem more cost effective due to their smaller size.

If you do order from OS could you list some of the sites you use.

Try Woodcraft.com they have an easter sale on I have always found them reliable and postage is reasonable. They confirm postage costs beforethey despatch your order.

amazon.com is definitely worthwhile, only if they have what you want.

I have found that Amazon very often will not ship to Australia. This seems to depend on the product brand. I think the suppliers won't let Amazon ship if there is already an Aussie agent.

I have used Buy DeWALT Power Tools, Makita Tools, Porter Cable Tools, Milwaukee Tools Online - HardwareSales.com many times and they have been excellent. Prices are good , shipping costs are reasonable and they ship same day, I usually get delivery within 4 days. I have often found that cost + shipping turns out cheaper than the local agent for some products.

I have bought stuff from this site before without a problem.
Chipping Away Dedicated to Wood Carvers

Originally Posted by Avery

I have found that Amazon very often will not ship to Australia. This seems to depend on the product brand. I think the suppliers won't let Amazon ship if there is already an Aussie agent.

Has anybody EVER found a woodworking product that Amazon would send to Australia direct? I had always assumed they would not send anything from the entire "Tools & Hardware" category. Their prices are so much lower than everyone else, there must be a way to do it.

Yeah

I ordered a drive centre with my last book order
one of [ame="http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCENTSS22-1-Inch-Center/dp/B000KICD52/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_c"]these [/ame]
no probs - but I think it may have slowed the order down as I think Amazon had to get it from PSI

Originally Posted by sw337

Has anybody EVER found a woodworking product that Amazon would send to Australia direct? I had always assumed they would not send anything from the entire "Tools & Hardware" category. Their prices are so much lower than everyone else, there must be a way to do it.

In my experience their prices are exactly the same as other sources. Consider progrip clamps:

Straight Edge Clamps - Peachtree Woodworking Supply

I placed an order with peachtree last week because they sell a lot of progrip accessories that carbatec don't carry. I added a few other odds and sods because the shipping goes up slower than the order total. $235US later I have:

10102 router base
745 saw
594 back to back clamps
569 90 degree head
3358 Microjig Steel Splitter Combo Package
3216 Kreg Jig R3

Comming.

The progrip stuff is just resold through amazon and comes from peachtree anyway. Unfortunately peachtree won't ship clamps just now as they have had too many damaged in international shipping.

incremental tools offer fantastic service. Unfortunately for some items shipping becomes prohibitive but if your buying, for example, a LS super system it was about 40% cheaper when I got mine than buying locally. Obviously the smaller stuff is economical to ship and I've had several smaller shipments from them.

I've been buying online from the US mainly since the mid 90's. Back then pre paypal/ebay the options were more limited. I have saved more thousands of dollars than I can recall and have had very few problems. Typically things bought carefully overseas are between half and three quarters the local cost after shipping. Occasionally I'll do even better.

The recent protest by certain local retailers was absurd. Adding 10% GST would make absolutely no difference, we're not talking 10% savings they are simply much much higher, and that's on the local "sale" prices. They of course argue that they provide warrantee and after sales service. Many really don't, but anyway they get the advantage of bulk shipping. If I can bring in an individual item and still save 40% on their retail my sympathy is limited. The after sales service from many of the vendors mentioned above is excellant.

Would I pay more to buy local ? you bet and often I do, but there is a break point where my money goes overseas.

Originally Posted by sw337

Has anybody EVER found a woodworking product that Amazon would send to Australia direct? I had always assumed they would not send anything from the entire "Tools & Hardware" category. Their prices are so much lower than everyone else, there must be a way to do it.

Yes, Bessey clamps, Festool clamps and vacum bags and hoses, a Drill Doctor and lots of doodahs.

Amazon shipping is ridiculously cheap and quick.

i am yet to figure out a rule by which you can know what they will or won’t ship overseas. It also seems to change from time to time with more and more items being included in their international sales.

Elite Tools are another good O/S site for buying.

Axminster and Woodwork Heven both in the UK are the only overseas tool places I have tried so far. No probs with either.
Regards
John

Have to say that since coming to NZ I have used Hardwaresales.com several times, twice orders placed on a Friday have arrived on Monday morning, fantastic service and 5% discount on repeat orders. I also telephoned for advice and there staff were great,if they were unsure of an answer they found someone who did know. My PLS laser was still 50% cheaper after shipping!!

I buy a lot of stuff of various kinds from o/s, mainly the US, and have found that even if one supplier says they're banned from shipping a partic. brand to Aus another will.

Amazon is just a portal for a range of gear. Always worth tracking down who they're the shopfront for to see if they have their own website and checking there.

Apart from that, as bsrlee says, it's always worth checking the shipping prices from various suppliers as they can vary widely.

There are many online shops competing in the US and base prices can also vary a great deal.

If you pay via credit card you get a basic level of protection from fraud or incompetence as the contract is btwn your CC company and the retailer, and if need be you can claim on your card company.

For woody's stuff, Lee Valley is reliable, and fair on shipping for mid to large size stuff. Also Woodcraft and Highland Woodworking.

I've used Axminster in the UK a couple of times and for my Robert Sorby turning chisels I use Turners Retreat, again in the UK.

If you buy from a UK site you get your items VAT free. VAT is the Pommy version of GST but it runs at 17.5% so it's quite a considerable saving.