Cheap postage

[papermoon.lady]

I was looking at Beethoven's Sonatas as a Christmas present to myself (I didn't want to buy them now, I was just looking), and I found them in shop in the UK. They are 3 volumes, and pretty heavy, and the postage details state:

GBP 2.99 Free Australia Standard International Flat Rate Postage

GBP 2.99 GBP 2.00 Australia Economy Int'l Postage

The second tab is for additional items.

It seems to be a bit cheap for the whole set. What do you think? Maybe the price is for each volume? But it is not stated anywhere, and they are selling the whole lot: 3 Volume Box Set

The books themselves are about 50% cheaper than elsewhere.

[extra-keen]

I think I'd be asking before I purchased. You don't want to get a rude surprise.

Also, GB government supports their business folks and only charges what it costs them to get it out of the country.Once in Australia, Australia post pays the rest (which means we sellers, not only pay for our own parcels, but we subsidise nearly everything that comes into the country as well). Hence our postage costs are so SO expensive by comparison, no subsidies for poor old us.

[digital*ghost]

Can you put up the exact item title? (I can't seem to find one that's GBP 2.99 with free postage).

[papermoon.lady]

The exact title is: BEETHOVEN PIANO SONATAS (35) 3 Volume Box Set

Free referred to additional items (actually a little bit strange too... - let's assume a teacher wants to buy 5 or 6 sets for their students - would they really pay less than 3 pounds for 15-18 volumes???)

PS: Yes, Australia Post is more expensive. They want more than twice as much...

[thesoulyearns]

International postage can be ridiculously cheap overseas. It's mainly here that it's so expensive. Sometimes sellers will sell things for a very low price just to make the sale and often the item is 100% legit. As said, ask any questions if you're unsure.

[digital*ghost]

Ah, I thought you meant the purchase price was GBP 2.99 with free postage.

With the item price at GBP 55.00, I would think that some of the P&H is subsidised in the purchase price. (They may have it at 55.00 with free domestic price, then just add the difference to international P&H prices.

A lot of sellers do it this way on select items (myself included - on BINs I generally put the P&H for 3kg satchels at <$10 even though it costs me a little more, then make up the rest in the item price).

[papermoon.lady]

Yes, it is pretty good. If I order the set in November it should arrive before Christmas.

The cheapest music store here wants $120 + $10 for shipping, so that set from the UK is obviously better for me... 😄

[the3coopers]

Sort your search by Price - lowest including postage.

Order the one that you feel is the best overall deal.

When it arrives, do NOT look at the cost that the seller paid for postage.

Easy. Saves heaps of time thinking, worrying, analysing and posting on eBay forums. 😛

[phorum_junkie*]

Also, GB government supports their business folks and only charges what it costs them to get it out of the country.Once in Australia, Australia post pays the rest (which means we sellers, not only pay for our own parcels, but we subsidise nearly everything that comes into the country as well). Hence our postage costs are so SO expensive by comparison, no subsidies for poor old us.

Also, Au government supports their business folks and only charges what it costs them to get it out of the country.Once in the UK, Royal Mail pays the rest (which means we sellers, not only pay for our own parcels, but we subsidise nearly everything that comes into the country as well). Hence our postage costs are so SO expensive by comparison, no subsidies for poor old Poms.

Neither country pays the rest of anything, nearly every country in the world has an agreement to deliver overseas parcels without any additional charge being made.

I should think the Au government subsidises AP to a far greater extent than the UK subsidises Royal mail.

Many UK stores/sites have warehouses in other European countries where postage is considerably cheaper and send from there, Amazon is one example, also high volume UK sellers have contracts with other courier services which are much cheaper than using RM or Parcelforce.

Many sellers in all countries add some of the postage cost into their item price so it looks as if they are offering cheaper postage, as Coops says all you need to be concerned with is the total price.

[papermoon.lady]

That is the cheapest I could find, even on other sites. Those volumes usually cost $37 each (minimum) and postage is about $10 within Australia and 20 from overseas, so it seems to be a good deal... Of course, because I am waiting another couple of months, I will check again before buying.