Freight to Oz

[billjam]

is killing me!

Just venting

I am trying to buy some goods for my new business from a company in Chicago and it seems that the shipping companies make heaps more on the deal than the supplier.

200lbs of steel hooks and silicon caps and plugs (for powder-coating) was quoted as costing $950 for shipping an order value of $660.
I dropped 100lbs out of the order and they still want $800 for shipping a $500 order!

Part of the problem is that if incoming goods + shipping are valued over $A1000, duties and taxes of about 20% apply, so apart from the obvious incentive to keep a lid on freight cost, it has that extra 20% sting in the tail if total value goes over about $900!

Separate vent ...
I can't believe how unresponsive this supplier is to queries. It's like they really find it too hard to actually read questions in an email and answer them. The 12 hour time difference makes telephone calls difficult and turns email correspondence into a long drawn out affair. If I query something, I almost never get a response the next day ... it's always one and a half or two and a half days later and then they usually only answer half my queries.
I tossed up with buying this stuff from China, but opted to go with same language rather than same time zone.
Getting close to cancelling the order.

Before I do that, has anyone got a good lead on best shipping rates to Oz.
The USPS rates that apply to Pelican's shipping seem much more reasonable, but supplier doesn't want to use USPS.

[red-beard]

What is the weight of the shipment?

[GG Allin]

I work in airfreight (Chicago) and I wonder sometimes how international trade even works. The cost of the lift alone on some of the larger shipments is insane.

Curious, who's the supplier?

[Head416]

Can you not find the material in the US? Even if it costs more you might save money considering the shipping costs.

[billjam]

Originally Posted by red-beard

What is the weight of the shipment?

The initial order was 200lbs, then I cut it down to 100lbs to reduce freight cost.

Originally Posted by GG Allin

I work in airfreight (Chicago) and I wonder sometimes how international trade even works. The cost of the lift alone on some of the larger shipments is insane.
Curious, who's the supplier?

Mighty Hook

Originally Posted by Head416

Can you not find the material in the US? Even if it costs more you might save money considering the shipping costs.

I think you have misread this. I am in Australia and trying to buy from the US.

[Heel n Toe]

You need to join up for that Amazon Prime thing... problem solved.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by billjam

......but supplier doesn't want to use USPS.

First question, what is so great about the US product that you can't find a supplier in AU?

Maybe there is a manufacturing business you should be starting?

Who cares if the supplier does not want to use UPS.

Arrange the shipment from your end.

I do it all the time when I buy stuff and don't feel like dealing with a seller/supplier who could care less about the shipping cost because it's not a cost they have to pay.

Get the weights and dims, get your own freight forwarder, tell supplier to have it ready and you will have it picked up. If supplier does not like that they don't get the order.

Another thing to look at is how the supplier is packing your order. At some point the size of the box/boxes comes into play and you start paying dimensional weight instead of actual weight. Meaning if the box were above a certain size it could be empty but you will still pay through the nose.

[billjam]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

First question, what is so great about the US product that you can't find a supplier in AU?

Maybe there is a manufacturing business you should be starting?

Who cares if the supplier does not want to use UPS.

Arrange the shipment from your end.

I do it all the time when I buy stuff and don't feel like dealing with a seller/supplier who could care less about the shipping cost because it's not a cost they have to pay.

Get the weights and dims, get your own freight forwarder, tell supplier to have it ready and you will have it picked up. If supplier does not like that they don't get the order.

Another thing to look at is how the supplier is packing your order. At some point the size of the box/boxes comes into play and you start paying dimensional weight instead of actual weight. Meaning if the box were above a certain size it could be empty but you will still pay through the nose.

Some interesting observations there.
The products are available in Oz, although the much smaller production runs here make the parts many times more expensive than equivalent imports from China or US.
Setting up to make spring steel hooks and injection moulding of silicon plugs isn't an option due to high capital cost and low local market volumes.
The supplier is quoting UPS rates, not USPS which I've found to be much more economical.
Managing the international shipping from here is more hassle than its worth. I do it for cars, but I have never had to worry about it for small stuff like this. Apart from that, getting any information from the supplier is like drawing teeth and I am losing patience (and confidence) in them.

[sc_rufctr]

Can you use a shipping broker? (If Adelaide has them I'm sure Perth does to) They don't charge much and they do this sort of thing all the time.

I used one to import and engine from the US. Really easy and as part of their service they organized payment of GST and import duties.

Another option is "buying" a square meter of space on a boat. It's just a wooden crate 1 meter cubed but there's no weight limit except what the crate can handle. Again Shipping broker can organize this for you.
One issue though is you have to organize getting the stuff to the port at the other end.

[stomachmonkey]

Sounds like you are consuming the product and not reselling?

I would approach the supplier about becoming their official AU distributor.

How large is Mighty Hook?

Do you know if you are dealing with some random slacker employee or an owner?

Might be worth staying up late one night and escalating up the food chain.

Most companies like to hear about issues that cost them business.

[zelrik911]

Originally Posted by billjam

is killing me!

Just venting

I am trying to buy some goods for my new business from a company in Chicago and it seems that the shipping companies make heaps more on the deal than the supplier.

200lbs of steel hooks and silicon caps and plugs (for powder-coating) was quoted as costing $950 for shipping an order value of $660.
I dropped 100lbs out of the order and they still want $800 for shipping a $500 order!

**
Before I do that, has anyone got a good lead on best shipping rates to Oz.
The USPS rates that apply to Pelican's shipping seem much more reasonable, but supplier doesn't want to use USPS.

This happens to me too - every now & then - but on a much smaller scale!!!

Someone recommended to me that I use an Australia based online parcel broker. This is the one they said, although I havent used them myself yet:

http://www.interparcel.com.au

Re: USPS vs UPS
As a customer in Australia, I have never had any real delivery problems with either firm. But we recently visited USA (Washington DC) and I felt that there is a class &/or race bias thing about using one or the other. I maybe wrong but to me it seems to be more than just the best price???

The UPS website is a piece of crap for estimating shipping to Australia. It seems to add customs & VAT charges that do not apply here (under $1000), maybe it was coded in India and they mistake Oz for Austria? If your supplier's system links to the UPS website, you will get stupid figures.

You cant talk sense to anyone in a short timeframe because the ordertakers are increasingly working from home & that home might be in Manilla - they usually know very little about their products & cant do anything unusual.

Hope you can sort something out.
Peter
PS: Lately I have got very good prices & service from DHL - could you source from the fatherland?

[red-beard]

I would get a quote from DHL. For international, they usually have the best rates.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Sounds like you need a new supplier. Unresponsive and not helpful don't get my business.

[red-beard]

I would get a quote from DHL. For international, they usually have the best rates.

[regency]

Have you heard about the recent merger between the Norfolk RR freight lines & the Way Trucking Company??

Norfolk & Way........when it's gotta be there overnight

1973 911 T MFI Coupe, Aubergine

Steve