Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[PowellPressburger]

Regarding the new and less improved shipping practices at SAE I sent an e-mail to SAE voicing my dissaproval of UPS Mail Innovations and Ed responded

We are staying with this new system for now - Ed

The new system only benefits SAE and not the customer at all.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Regarding the new and less improved shipping practices at SAE I sent an e-mail to SAE voicing my dissaproval of UPS Mail Innovations and Ed responded



The new system only benefits SAE and not the customer at all.

That doesn't surprise me. I was a regular customer of SAE's for years but when their website started regularly crashing during the checkout process on the day limited editions were announced I was told that absolutely no-one else had this problem and the company was now too big to deal with any customers who 'claimed' to have any regular problems with the checkout (and that was before they started adding premiums to their shipping for certain territories, which in real terms just translated into much slower shipping). Which is why I'm glad they're no longer the only place you can get Twilight Time's titles from.

[atfree]

I've decided to get international, region free versions of films to which TT has US rights (Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Blue Max, etc). Same transfers, lower price. I will pay a premium for a premium product (Criterion), but will not continue to pay a premium price for a non-premium product. The arbitrary 3000 "limited edition" issue, being forced to use SAE's crappy website, plus the limited extras, etc simply do not justify TT's price point.

Shout Factory and other license holder/distributors do basically the same thing as TT and apparently do well without manipulating supply to justify inflated prices (plus the horrendous black market TT has created with secondary market prices of up to $100 for some titles).


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[Dex Robinson]

I'll be interested to see if and how the new shipping system affects international customers. Using certain levels of UPS service can have catastrophic effects for people outside the United States. If done properly, it's not TOO bad...but if the wrong types of service is chosen, enormous brokerage and handling fees can result...not to mention that, IN CANADA, the package will likley be processed to include taxes (PST, GST. HST) and handling charges that were usually not levied before.

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

I'll be interested to see if and how the new shipping system affects international customers. Using certain levels of UPS service can have catastrophic effects for people outside the United States. If done properly, it's not TOO bad...but if the wrong types of service is chosen, enormous brokerage and handling fees can result...not to mention that, IN CANADA, the package will likley be processed to include taxes (PST, GST. HST) and handling charges that were usually not levied before.

Well, I got dinged for customs/HST for the first time since buying from SAE, under the new shipping.

[Dex Robinson]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

Well, I got dinged for customs/HST for the first time since buying from SAE, under the new shipping.

Yikes...that's extremely bad news.

It's not just the cost...but if they are collecting for tax/duty/handling charges, that means they won't drop off the package in your mailbox if you aren't home to receive it. They'll leave a note telling you to go the nearest postal outlet the following business day (hope they don't attempt delivery on a Friday).

That's an enormous inconvenience. In Winnipeg, mid-winter trip to the post office at -30C is no afternoon walk (especially if I have to now PAY extra for the privelege). I've got about 13 Twilight Time titles and it looks like that may be the end of the collection for me.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

Well, I got dinged for customs/HST for the first time since buying from SAE, under the new shipping.

Same here when I bit the bullet and ordered a couple of titles that had low quantity warnings - and it took twice as long to arrive.

[Zoodles95]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

Well, I got dinged for customs/HST for the first time since buying from SAE, under the new shipping.

Bah...

I live in Canada too and I am waiting on an order of Oliver, The Driver, and Steel Magnolias. This will make my Twilight "Collection" a grand total of 6 BDs. If I get nailed for HST and Customs then that is it for me. I will just have to hope that future releases get overseas region free releases and I will have to wait and gamble that way.

As much as I hate the $29.99 plus shipping price point for what are essentially "bare bones" Blu-Rays I was willing to play along since movies like As Good As It Gets were worth the headache and pricepoint to play the Twilight Time game.

Will be a hard thing for me if About Scmidt gets the TT treatment as well.

The pricepoint and limited quantities were annoying enough as it was. If I get nailed by Canada Customs for Blu-Rays then Twilight Time has lost a fairly regular customer.

[Paul.R.S]

Originally Posted by Zoodles95

Will be a hard thing for me if About Scmidt gets the TT treatment as well.

You're in luck on that title. At least from the current looks of who TT has relationships with and how the different studios treat catalogers, it's unlikely Schmidt would go to TT: It's a New Line movie.

[Paul.R.S]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Regarding the new and less improved shipping practices at SAE I sent an e-mail to SAE voicing my dissaproval of UPS Mail Innovations and Ed responded


The new system only benefits SAE and not the customer at all.

At least he responded. I spoke with him this morning as well. It's a new trial. I think polite, critical feedback will be important.

[cgurley]

Originally Posted by Sporkies

Ugh, that's like Fedex Smartpost which I detest - mostly because my local post office seems unable to deal with it for some reason.

Yeah, FedEx smartpost is horrible. I have something coming to me that shipped 9 days ago, and I still don't have it. Not scheduled to be delivered for two more days.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

Well, I got dinged for customs/HST for the first time since buying from SAE, under the new shipping.

When did you have to pay those? When you picked the package up from the post office or had it delivered? Was it Canada Post who delivered it to you or a courier company? I sure hope that SAE isn't charging that stuff up front when you order now.

[SammymeBlu]

Originally Posted by davidthenikonuser

11/20 at 4PM is when the pre-orders go live.

Thank you pal,i'll be there

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

When did you have to pay those? When you picked the package up from the post office or had it delivered? Was it Canada Post who delivered it to you or a courier company? I sure hope that SAE isn't charging that stuff up front when you order now.

I wasn't home at the time and my wife paid for it, It was xpresspost and was marked COD.

ps. the declared value was $35, there was 4 blu-rays in the package.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

ps. the declared value was $35, there was 4 blu-rays in the package.

Good ole SAE.

[EddieLarkin]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

I wasn't home at the time and my wife paid for it, It was xpresspost and was marked COD.

ps. the declared value was $35, there was 4 blu-rays in the package.

How do they usually mark it? What's changed?

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

I wasn't home at the time and my wife paid for it, It was xpresspost and was marked COD.

ps. the declared value was $35, there was 4 blu-rays in the package.

If the declared value was 35.00 how come you still had to pay fees? Is that normal for that amount? I figured the order would have to be much higher before import fees would occur.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

If the declared value was 35.00 how come you still had to pay fees? Is that normal for that amount? I figured the order would have to be much higher before import fees would occur.

Canada adds import fees if the declared value is $20 CAD or greater.

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by EddieLarkin

How do they usually mark it? What's changed?

It could just be a coincidence, every so often I get nabbed by CRA, when it get through it's a bonus, it's like Russian Roulette.

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

Yikes...that's extremely bad news.

It's not just the cost...but if they are collecting for tax/duty/handling charges, that means they won't drop off the package in your mailbox if you aren't home to receive it. They'll leave a note telling you to go the nearest postal outlet the following business day (hope they don't attempt delivery on a Friday).

That's an enormous inconvenience. In Winnipeg, mid-winter trip to the post office at -30C is no afternoon walk (especially if I have to now PAY extra for the privelege). I've got about 13 Twilight Time titles and it looks like that may be the end of the collection for me.

they don't call it Winterpeg for nothing