HeadRoom shocking for internation customers

[d-cee]

Originally Posted by Chri5peed

Oh, I forgot everything is new and only available RRP.


You may not have noticed the Sale/Trade forum here? Also living miles from anywhere is generally going to cost more.

Like us UKers expect to be completely ripped off buying electrical goods here, its just the price you pay, literally.

this has been beaten to death, and you're going round in circles

the OP probably has the phones in his hand by now.

lock the thread

[Chri5peed]

^ If its old news and lock-worthy why wasn't this thread locked aeons ago?

Its not exactly a secret Headroom charge 'a lot' for delivery.

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

I miss the good-ol days when headroom offered free shipping.

[tktran]

Hi,

I recently had 2 pairs of Koss KSC clip-on earphones shipped to me (WA, Australia) from USA. Arrived in a week, USPS First Class International shipping.
Cost was $8.

Next week I've got a pair of Shure IEMs coming in from Amazon (US). Shipping cost will be $6. I'll let you know when they arrive.

Reasonable shipping rates are available, if companies are able to offer them.

[BIG POPPA]

I just think some forgot, it is not how much it cost...... It is how much it weighs, distance, taxes. And insurance is extra! If you live half way around the world from the origination you are going to pay a premium. You pay for THAT luxury. Remember you get what you pay for.

[Chri5peed]

Originally Posted by BIG POPPA

I just think some forgot, it is not how much it cost...... It is how much it weighs, distance, taxes. And insurance is extra! If you live half way around the world from the origination you are going to pay a premium. You pay for THAT luxury. Remember you get what you pay for.

Its not just weight. As I said before an inflated balloon sent around the world would cost a fortune.

As Tyll and a lot of others said, Headroom don't make a penny on delivery. They've explained why they opt for top dollar delivery.

Would you want your $500 item arriving damaged or not at all. I ordered a torch on eBayUSA sent via USPS in November, it came at the end of March.:stoic:



My MicroAmp came in 4 days.

[Jasper994]

Originally Posted by MrSlacker

According to USPS.com, shipping from USA to Australia for such an item would be $32 and take 5 days. Add that to shipping materials and labor.

Also consider that the package may grow in size as the proper amount of packaging is added on. I am a graphic designer and print manager for a company that also ships and packs things. In order to properly package an item that is considered fragile (which a headphone or earphone is) requires 2-3 inches of bubble wrap on all sides. That's 4-6" added to length, width, and height.

Now take this box that's probably around 10" cube and ship it from Montana to Australia. I think $45 is pretty reasonable if you consider what it took to pack it, and then send a package of that size over that distance.

[Jasper994]

Originally Posted by davidw89

Fine talk about quality shipping and stuff BUT shouldn't we the consumer have a choice between crap shipping and high end shipping (some people are prepared to take the risk)?

Absolutely not. This would be nothing but a PR nightmare for any company, let alone the additional costs involved. Regardless of any waivers that people will sign to try and save a buck, it will still reflect negatively on the company any time anything goes wrong with the shipment. On top of the negative PR, costs would go through the roof.

Think about how you would react as a customer. You expect the company to choose reliable shipping methods. Even if you did sign a waiver, you'd be calling the company up when your package didn't arrive or arrives damaged. You'd "rip them an new one" in hopes that they'd send out a new product for you. When the person who initially takes the call can't help you (5 minutes), you demand to speak with a manager and argue with him/her about your package (5 minutes of the manager's time and possibly 5 more minutes of the customer service rep's time). So now they've spent 10-15 minutes of labor on the phone with you and have to make a choice:

1) They could send you a new package (cost of the item + cost of repacking the thing + cost of shipping (probably at a higher rate since they'd probably opt to use a better carrier and faster service so they could get you your product and shut you up).

2) They could point to the waiver you signed and apologize profusely with the understanding that you'll probably get on a forum like this and create a lot of negative PR that could cost them MANY much more valuable sales.

Now do you really think it's worth it for a company to offer "crap shipping"? If you still do for some strange reason let's look at the actual dollars and cents of this thing: Consider that most internet retailers make less than the traditional margin (50% sometimes a bit more but we'll go with 50% for arguments sake) on a product. So let's say the item costs them $30. A traditional markup would put the selling price at $60. So let's just say the internet company sells the item for $50. Let's also use a "crappy shipping" price of $6 and assume the seller doesn't mark up shipping prices but that the materials and labor to pack it are embedded in that $6, unrealistic, but hey we'll go with it. If this is the package that gets lost or damaged let's look at what it might cost the company. The phone call alone could eat up the entire $20 margin but let's say it only eats up $2.91 (5 minutes of manager time based on the manager making $25/hour and 10 minutes of the customer service rep's time assuming he/she makes $10/hr). Let's also say that the manager decides to send you a new product but now chooses to ship it properly and quickly. That's $30 for the original item, another $30 for the new item, $2.91 labor, $5 to package it properly, and $30 (or more; most likely much more) for the shipping. So now the item that the company sold for $50 now cost them $97.91. ...and this pails in comparison to the potential revenue lost from choosing option 2 and telling you to stick it.

[Chri5peed]

You don't see the benefits of expensive shipping if all goes smoothly. It just seems to cost a lot.

Think of it like Car Insurance. Its verging on irony, how the majority of the time it seems for all intents & purposes to be throwing money away, but if you're in a crash you'll thank the stars you were insured.

[Alanbass1]

Originally Posted by davidw89

I import stuff from Hong Kong (50 range) and shipping cost me about $10. Yes you can get it locally, BUT we're talking about Australia ffs, and the only store that sells it has a very steep price. SO in another word, theres nothing wrong with importing a $59 item because it cost like twice as much up here.

Fine talk about quality shipping and stuff BUT shouldn't we the consumer have a choice between crap shipping and high end shipping (some people are prepared to take the risk)?

P.S. Not a rant..i'll probably get something high end anyway to justify the shipping cost.

Consumers and retailers both have a choice. The retailer can choose which shipping methods (and associated costs) they offer and consumers can chose to buy from that retailer. If you don't like the total cost move on and buy from where you can the item cheaper

When buying anything I always look at the total cost, as well as the guarantees/return policies offerred and reputation of the dealer. Often the case that gurantees and dealer reputation means my preferred dealer is not the cheapest, but if they are within 5 - 10% of the cheapest no problem in my book. My choice, and the dealers choice to offer more expensive shipping options to both protect themselves and preserve/enhance their reputation.