Thread: Poor Pen making Aussies

I doubt they go via Australia Post I think last pen I sent to the US was about $17 ,I used to think US postage was bad,doubled at least in the last few years ,but Good old AU post is off the richter scale But I agree we seem to get the short end of the stick most times ,cheers ~ John

To be honest I must admit I was a little dissapointed when I placed my order and was charged shipping, as I had also seen the free shipping thing. Postage is a big cost and expect to have the cost passed on, but also thought overseas costs would have been higher that domestic. Such is life.

Timberbits have on their site explained in detail from time to time how postage from him is determined I would think anyone with thoughts about dealing with any firm would contact them first with any query. All my life if I had a question the first approach and best one is face to face these days with communication methods such as the telephone and also the internet. I have personal knowledge of penmakers overseas who deal with Timberbits receiving their free offer of postage etc completely legitimately running his business his own way.

Regarding who what and how assuming or guessing is useless get the information from the firm itself. Timberbits is easy to contact and having done that it will be made clear. I know about poor Australians as a pensioner I do not take offence but face reality. I think I have bought without quivocation from most all dealers in Australia and I accept their terms of doing business.

Wish you well in your search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow guys Dorno you sell product how do you publish your freight prices and price your pens etc, I understand all of us are obliged to be up front in our dealings with others when we choose to run a business no matter how small or large that business is. Trust you prosper and dealers as well mate.

Kind regards Peter.

Yes, the overseas buyers get a good deal. As John (Gawdelpus) said, obviously not posted through Aust. Post.
I am sure if David could provide as cheap shipping/postage here locally, he would pass it on.

As a small business owner I can understand that costs have to be passed on, with marginal profits they can't be just absorbed by the business owner, or you will be soon out of business.
I just bought some products off a US supplier, total cost was just over $200, $70 of that was for postage!!!
That will have to be passed on to my customers unfortunately .

David has an explanation on his web site

on another note I purchased something in the US recently and was cheaper to ship to Sydney than to Las Vegas, go figure

From his site

FREE SHIPPING FOR ORDERS OVER $200*
We are proud to offer FREE shipping for order over $200AUD within Australia. Yes I know there is FREE shipping for orders over $80 for international Customers, but that's because it costs me more to ship a parcel to the next suburb than it cost me to ship the same parcel overseas - try to work that one out! I can't - I know it dosen't make sence.

From Timberbits website:

FREE SHIPPING FOR ORDERS OVER $200*
We are proud to offer FREE shipping for order over $200AUD within Australia. Yes I know there is FREE shipping for orders over $80 for international Customers, but that's because it costs me more to ship a parcel to the next suburb than it cost me to ship the same parcel overseas - try to work that one out! I can't - I know it dosen't make sence.

It has been awhile since I purchased anything from Timberbits, but I can get an order from him in under 48 hours from placing the order, a couple of times it has been delivered with in 24 hours. NO ONE anywhere in Australia can match that! so I don't have a problem with paying the postage.

Fully agree with Kev!

Originally Posted by Kev Y.

It has been awhile since I purchased anything from Timberbits, but I can get an order from him in under 48 hours from placing the order, a couple of times it has been delivered with in 24 hours. NO ONE anywhere in Australia can match that! so I don't have a problem with paying the postage.

Originally Posted by Kev Y.

It has been awhile since I purchased anything from Timberbits, but I can get an order from him in under 48 hours from placing the order, a couple of times it has been delivered with in 24 hours. NO ONE anywhere in Australia can match that! so I don't have a problem with paying the postage.

Yep I can, interstate order placed at 11pm, delivered to door at 10am in morning!

Oh crap, that's right, that was Timberbits

Well I suppose I am going to have to think that I am the only who feels this way or am i the only one prepared to speak up. A few of you have me wrong because I am not complaining about the speed in which the delivery gets to you but I am just saying that it seems unfair that you have to spen $200 Austrailian to get the free postage but the US get away with spending $80. I cannot understand how you think it could be cheaper to send to the US than around OZ thats what I was trying to say. I know some disagree and you are all entitled to have a say.With regards to you Peter (Pen pal) I am not looking for a pot of gold at any rainbow jut a fair go for EVERYONE and also I I send something to somebody they always know the price up from and it is the same scale for all.

Cheers Ian

It certainly makes it expensive to put in a small order when you have to add on the postage costs. I can send pens around Australia for $5-60 which includes registered post and $100 insurance. Aust Post may not be as fast - usually 48 hours - but it is a lot cheaper for smaller items.

i would guess that David sends the US packages via courier, last time i sent a parcel to the US by Aust. Post it cost somewhere around $30

is there another Australian dealer that will send a package to you with free shipping... i haven't found one yet in fact most of those that i have purchased from charge more than the postage fees to cover packaging and time to take your parcel to the post office... am i complaining about this.... no they have a product and i want it so i pay the required amount

when it all comes down to it i am sure you are passing on the freight charges to your customers so your not really paying anyway

parcels delivered within 48 hours... more often 24 hours... how can you beat that... and thats from all the pen supply sites that i have supported

i will take this chance to say thanks to you all for great speedy service

MIK

Timberbits is awesome. I've received excellent and fast service on every order.

Up until recently, my wife and I ran a highly successful LEGO online operation. Fifth highest volume of any seller in Oz. I can tell you that delivery in Australia is an absolute nightmare.

AusPost is a rabid curse on this country. The earlier is it privatised and exposed to competition the better.

The LHWWP calculations were a nightmare. Building a highly reliable system to capture a multitude of estimates without getting any particular attribute too far off is impossible. Worse was Australia Post where their API postcode calcs were often hysterically wrong.

Correspondingly, sending OS was a simple function of weight. We had every overseas courier company throwing themselves at us (fill those planes going back empty!). They couldn't get enough.

It was often cheaper to send things to the other side of the world than the very next suburb. This is the truth.

We ended up going with E-GO courier for 98% of Oz deliveries. They saved us an absolute fortune.

I still use them for pickups and deliveries of my work and can completely understand why this insanity exists.