I have to vent here.............................
I wanted to get a couple of more STR skeins, as I do periodically. I knew there was an increase in shipping all over the US but I was GUTTED to see that the international shipping charges have doubled!!!
If an item is over $34/£18 (BTW all dollars are US) we have to pay customs from outside the EU. For example a past order from Loopy was $36 and at the time I bought it it was £18 (I checked with XE), however, when it arrived 1-2 weeks later I was charged £7 (approx $14) plus change in customs charges for the less than $2 dollars excess. This unexpected addition made the total $62.75/£34 instead of $48.75/£26.78 for 3 skeins of IT Tiny Toes. With the shipping hike now 2 skeins of STR to the UK with customs charges would potentially cost $76/£41.42, prohibitively expensive, or one skein would cost $43/£23.22 to $45.5/£24.57 (lightweight or mediumweight). Am I being unrealistic here?? I do feel sorry for the likes of BMFA and other sock clubs who will have to absorb the cost in predetermined club prices.
BTW I am not criticising the sellers, not at all. But what requires a 100% increase?? Why not phase this in over a time period?? If I get 3 skeins from Austrailia for $8 (US) why does it cost 300% more from the states, when it used to cost only 50% more ??? Why does this article say an average of 13% price increase?
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17 comments:
That seems very bizarre and it makes a huge difference to how much an item will cost to make. I wonder why the huge change.
Fiona I've read that USPS delayed increasing their costs for the past few years, and now they have to raise them, but it's a dramatic rise.
Not the way we in the NHS are used to getting our payrises! ;) Staged and subsequently reduced :Rolleyes: :)
Oh no! I wish I had know and I would have ordered some STR before the price hike. Before the increase, the cost of STR, even with the postage, wasnt that much more than a lot of UK sellers. Now, it will be far too much for me to justify buying :(
I was able to buy 4 skeins every 3 months Piglottie, no hardship to do so. Now it is way too much...........for most US purchases. :(
That is ridiculous! I'll stop complaining about my shipping prices now. :)
It's completely ridiculous, even for those of us who're only just across the border instead of across the ocean. I used to get almost everything from the US because I could get such discounts and even the shipping prices didn't negate it, but now, it's no better than getting it here (except that most of it I can't FIND here. RAWR).
That certainly puts more of their wool out of my reach...I ordered two skeins two weeks ago and I suspect there will be a large customs charge on that.
Oh yikes I hadn't realized it was going to be that high !! Well that makes buying from the US out of my price range as I too have bought a lot from the US lately . I guess it will affect a lot of things like the Secret Pals as well :(
Thank goodnes for shops like Posh Yarns, Piece of Beauty and The Yarn Yard. I'm afraid the US is out of my price bracket now.
Thanks for the info Gilraen : )
PS You asked me to remind you to take something to your crochet class on Saturday - can you remember what I was supposed to remind you about?????
A swift Claire ?? :D
Oh yes....Gilraen, please can you remember to take a swift on Saturday ROFLOL - sorry, having a dippy day!!
I recently asked for shipping prices to the UK from a small independent dyer... and the shipping was more expensive than the yarn! Maybe it is worth going to a Canadian site instead? Pick Up Sticks or the Sweet Sheep?
There are so many yarns I would like to try from the US. What a shame about the shipping. We will have to support all those lovely little hand dyers here!! :)
eeeek, we've got a couple of parcels on the way from the states - guess we'll be paying more for the postage then :( And I won't be able to afford STR now. Never mind, will just have to stick to good old british yarn!!
Thats reduced my retailers list somewhat. Probably just as well but I'd like to have been the one to decide.
I agree about supporting local retailers and dyers. I wish BMFA would let someone here stock their yarn, that might help. :)
RooBeeDoo, I forgot Canada doesn't have the same shipping, at least that way I can get Louet Gems :) Cheers!
I hadn't known about this till I read about it elsewhere - I DID receive a parcel from the US the other day and did think at the time that the postage seemed a lot, but just assumed it was the method they had used, because like everything I suppose there are cheaper and more expensive ways to do this.
I have been "taking advantage of" the favourable exchange rate for a while, but I am "Knitting from Stash" at the moment. When the time comes to buy yarn again I shall have to think very carefully about where I buy from.
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