Amazon Shipping Costs

[Sutekh]

I went to order some Cyber Monday the other day from Amazon.com and Amazon wanted to charge me $25 US for shipping, which was more then several of the Blu Rays I wanted to order (Pulp Fiction for 4.99 US for example). Is that about average to what everyone else is paying for shipping?

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by Sutekh

I went to order some Cyber Monday the other day from Amazon.com and Amazon wanted to charge me $25 US for shipping, which was more then several of the Blu Rays I wanted to order (Pulp Fiction for 4.99 US for example). Is that about average to what everyone else is paying for shipping?

Did you select expedited or regular? And how many titles where you trying to purchase?

[LordCrumb]

Yeah that's about right when you start getting into the multiples.

To send one title standard post to NZ is US9.

2 titles cost me $12.97
3 titles cost me $16.96
4 titles cost me $20.95.

[Network23]

Always pick the free shipping option. Also if you are trying to make that $25 minimum to get the free shiping but come up a dollar or two are a few cents short use this site to fill your purchases.

http://www.filleritem.com/

It helped me, i just ordered Brazil(Criterion Blu), Cool hand Luke(Blu) + some cheap stickers that cost less than dollar to make it a total of $25

[slimdude]

How many blu-rays did you order, and what was the total? If the total amount of the blu-rays was $25.00 or more, you should have been eligible for free shipping. It appeared you've selected expedited shipping by accident. If this is the case, contact Amazon ASAP, and inform them, you would like to change your method of shipping to standard, and they'll refund the shipping changes, if it's not too late.

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by Network23

Always pick the free shipping option. Also if you are trying to make that $25 minimum to get the free shiping but come up a dollar or two are a few cents short use this site to fill your purchases.

http://www.filleritem.com/

It helped me, i just ordered Brazil(Criterion Blu), Cool hand Luke(Blu) + some cheap stickers that cost less than dollar to make it a total of $25

Originally Posted by slimdude

How many blu-rays did you order, and what was the total? If the total amount of the blu-rays was $25.00 or more, you should have been eligible for free shipping. It appeared you've selected expedited shipping by accident. If this is the case, contact Amazon ASAP, and inform them, you would like to change your method of shipping to standard, and they'll refund the shipping changes, if it's not too late.

I think both of you are missing the fact that the OP lives in New Zealand. No such thing as free shipping to there or Australia unfortunately, no matter how much we spend!

[15ofclubs]

Originally Posted by atexp80

I think both of you are missing the fact that the OP lives in New Zealand. No such thing as free shipping to there or Australia unfortunately, no matter how much we spend!

Yep,
US Amazon is US$5.98 for 1st blu & then -99c ea.
UK Amazon is GBP 3.58 for 1st, then 1.49 ea. HOWEVER they deduct VAT British tax on orders to Australia from the item 16.6% off purchase price, so an average basket with some cheapies & some new releases & box sets should work out roughly the full cost of the items alone with free postage.

[insomniac]

I don't think I've ever paid more than $10 for shipping from Amazon, and that's with a handful of titles.

If they're charging you $25, that seems a huge different between Aus and NZ.

I ordered Alien Anthology, Cinderella (Diamond Ed) and Sucker Punch recently. And that's 9 discs, plus one has a book packaging, and it only costed $7.95 to ship.

[Sutekh]

Thanks for the responses. I was going to order 5 Blu rays (all cheapies), but ended up not getting any from Amazon because it really isn't a deal after one adds on the shipping and the exchange rate. I'll wait for a JB Hi Fi sale. Tho I'm still tempted to order some Criterions since they aren't available locally.

[Sutekh]

Originally Posted by insomniac

I don't think I've ever paid more than $10 for shipping from Amazon, and that's with a handful of titles.

If they're charging you $25, that seems a huge different between Aus and NZ.

I ordered Alien Anthology, Cinderella (Diamond Ed) and Sucker Punch recently. And that's 9 discs, plus one has a book packaging, and it only costed $7.95 to ship.

New Zealand is lumped in with Asia & Pacific, so it's $4.99 (US) per shipment plus $3.99 (US) per item vs. $4.99 (US) per shipment plus .99(US) per item for Australia.
I read that before, but was hoping there was some way around that that I didn't know about.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by atexp80

I think both of you are missing the fact that the OP lives in New Zealand. No such thing as free shipping to there or Australia unfortunately, no matter how much we spend!

I didn't notice the original poster's location, but you're right. Well that explains his inquiry! He's being charged extra for international shipping.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by slimdude

I didn't notice the original poster's location, but you're right. Well that explains his inquiry! He's being charged extra for international shipping.

You didn't notice you're in an "international" () forum?

[lucretia]

Paid $17.86 Shipping for 13 blu-ray
$9.94 For 5
both on standard shipping

[alexander323]

For expedited shipping Amazon US charges $11.82 for one title and $1.98 for each title there after. It's a bit expensive but I hate waiting more than two weeks to receive my purchases. It's not so bad if you make big orders.

[MacEachaidh]

Well, it looks like all those people forcing Amazon to refund shipping costs for slightly-overdue items has taken its toll. And not in a good way.

I placed an order with Amazon US this morning, and the only shipping option available to me was Standard. (The one that can take up to six weeks.) I queried this with Amazon customer service, and I've just received this reply:

Hello,

I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused to you.

Because packages shipped by non-trackable methods frequently don't arrive in a reasonable time-frame, we now offer only Standard International Shipping. We realize that Standard International Shipping can be a little slower, and we're sorry for this inconvenience. However, we feel it is in the best interest of our international customers to ensure that the items they've ordered reach them safely and on time.

Amazon cares about our international customers, and we're working to improve our service and selection.

I think they mean "packages shipped by trackable methods" in the first line of the second paragraph. But if this e.mail is correct, it looks like, instead of sorting MSI out, they've simply taken any faster methods of shipping away from us instead.

Anyone else feel like writing a letter of concern to Amazon?

[Hucksta G]

By the sound of it Standard is more reliable than MSI. I have never had a problem with Standard from the US, the longest it has ever taken to reach me was two weeks.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Hucksta G

By the sound of it Standard is more reliable than MSI. I have never had a problem with Standard from the US, the longest it has ever taken to reach me was two weeks.

MSI was only one of three expedited shippers, though. The other two were much more reliable. And I personally don't share your experience of standard shipping — it's been at least two years since I've had a "standard" parcel take less than 4-5 weeks.

Anyway, people wanted Amazon to sort out their shipping times — and like the Sydney trains, they've simply pushed the problem into the background by making everything slower.

[Cevolution]

MSI can't even get your items here within 6 weeks half the time. I'm beginning to wonder whether they just send everything via sea, regardless of what shipping method you choose. I've got an order pending that was sent via expedited shipping through MSI almost 5 weeks ago (it hits 5 weeks in a few days), and it's now 2 weeks overdue. I haven't complained about it yet, but I plan to if it goes past the end of this week. Amazon taking away the other options won't do much to solve the issue IMO, and I'd say they still will be having to give out plenty of refunds and replacements due to MSI's incompetence. As matter of fact things could even get worse, as I can see MSI often just pushing back the 6 weeks deadline to 8 weeks, as there will be less insentive and obligation since everything will be sent via the cheapest form of delivery.

Amazon must have only just change it, cause I made an order or two only 3-5 days ago, and all 3 shipping speeds were available when I placed those orders.

[Lazlo]

Just threw a few blus in my cart to test, and all three shipping options were there.

If we can get back to the 2-3 week standard shipping that'd be fine with me. Expedited is a nice alternative to msi but takes 2 weeks.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

Amazon must have only just change it, cause I made an order or two only 3-5 days ago, and all 3 shipping speeds were available when I placed those orders.

That's why I said "if this e.mail is correct".

I never take the info from a single Amazon service agent as gospel, but since the other options were definitively not there when I placed the order, i thought I'd report it here to see what others were experiencing.

But since I've also had to get a replacement sent for a faulty item, and they did the usual charging in full + refunding the charge because "UK customs charge fees if the item isn't paid for", even after I explained I was in Australia, I do think some of the people answering these info requests have a hard time keeping their info straight at times.