SIDESHOW FEEDBACK ON POSTAGE

[peterpil]

Hi Sideshow, I know you renegotiated with Fedex, but your rates are still too high for p&h.

I just got an email, and Der kinderstood's postage cost me $47. But the figure only costs $45. I paid more for postage than the figure.

From me, for example who ONLY buys exclusives/sell-out quick items from your site now due to inflated postage, you are losing at least $2000 per year from me (I'm really sorry)

In today's terms that's the equivalent of a $16 000 lump sum payment.

You might make the mistake of thinking that since your items sell out eventually that you do not lose this amount. Well, for the items that do sell out, this is true, but you are not taking into account 1) time value of money 2) cash-flow. (i.e. getting money now is more valuable because it can be reinvested, and also used to service short-term debt) among other things such as the fact that it costs you to keep things stored in a warehouse! Most importantly, if postage were cheaper, more of us would buy from the site directly, thus you would end up increasing the edition numbers to meet the demand and make a greater profit. So you are in fact losing money from international buyers.

What I am suggesting, in my humble opinion, apart from not using Fedex, is that you SUBSIDISE postage for international buyers on a country per country basis. Even by $10 for 12 inch up to $20 for 1/4 scale for us Australian customers would help immensely. You should get your finance to do an analysis and see if it is worth doing, at the very least.

This is just some constructive feedback from a customer, and not meant to offend anyone.

--Peter

[creecher]

Chicky started a thread ages ago addressing your numerous concerns, Peterpil. Actually, calling for comment on shipping concerns, from around the globe.

I was surprised at the rise in postage, however. I thought it was US$35 and my last aquisition cost, as you say, US$47. Like you, I ordered Der Kinderstod upon its release, because Sideshow never revealed, at the time, that they were in fact, having a seperate allotment for overseas distributors. Upon knowing that information I cancelled my order. I am now picking it up, when it arrives, from my dealer in Dandenong Victoria. Because of that, I forego the US$47 and still get a discount on the distributors advertised figure. Which will probably be around A$80, but for me around A$70. The distributor does have a monopoly, virtually, and the customer service is, in my opinion, lacking. Unfortunately, the fact that the distributor orders container loads of stuff, from a variety of sources, and spreads the shipping costs across the board, which makes the prices quite competitive, we have not much choice. If it weren't for these facts, Sideshow product here would be cost prohibitive. As it stands, Sideshow figures are much cheaper than Dragon or BBi products.

As you say, from our stance, one exclusive equates to about three regular figures. For me this has meant foregoing exclusives. I am entrenched in the Universal line of 1/6 figures, and so, was disappointed that an exclusive pervaded the line. I was forced to order The Invisible Man. Oh man, what a way to go.

So, I am reminded of our other overseas brothers, from Mexico, Indonesia and other places, where postal service unreliability and downright immunity to consequence, means they are at more of a disadvantage than we could ever hope to comprehend.

The Americans have all the advantages. Without their numbers to feed the market, there would be no Sideshow product for us to suckle on. Thank your guardian, that Sideshow chooses to climb assorted Everests, in order that we, the collector, have some feasable access at all. I am not critical of your comments either. I was once like you. Naievely enquiring. No shame in that. We are all here to help each other, through understanding and empathy.

:grouphug

[Doomhammer]

Same goes for my, I only go for the exclusives as shipping and VAT add an enormous chunk to the cost.
An item like Gandalfax or Sauron I'll get from SS though since I'm willing to pay extra on the replacement guaranties they offer.

[Azog of Moria]

With higher fuel prices comes higher paostage, the US Stamp is set to it 40 cent soon...

[creecher]

I think that is a bit of misguided propaganda. Is the postal service there a government run agency? Wouldn't their fuel be non taxed, or isnt your fuel taxed there? Ours is, and I would think, here, they would get their fuel cheaper, but you never see prices fall. Ten years ago the barrel was a similar price to what it is now, and here, the price of fuel has doubled. We aren't dumb but we accept this crap and put up with it. I guess that means we are stupid after all.

[Migwit]

I think in general, at least from what I've heard, items that are shipped via air would cost more if the airline is charging more. So if a package is going via air and the company flying the plane (be it FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.) has to pay more for their fuel, then the cost of shipping an item goes up, yeah?

The post office here in the U.S. is what's known as a "self-supported government corporation." As far as I can tell, that means that while it's government-run, it doesn't get funding from taxes and has to make its own money just like any other business from the fees it charges for its services. I have no idea if the fuel that they buy is non-taxed, but if the price of gas goes up, they pay more regardless of whether or not they pay taxes on it.

[GilGalad HK]

Fortunately I dont have to deal with the high international shipping cost, but I do have a suggestion for SS. When you guys send the invoice with the tracking numbers for FedEx, Why isn't the link to track the package one to track with FedEx??? The link to track your package takes you to the UPS tracking system???? How are you supposed to track your FedEx package through UPS?

[creecher]

Yes Migwit I see our systems are similar. We probably just have a higher domestic fuel tax. They run them like a private business, having to make their profits sustain them, but in the end they have all the tax advantaged of the parent body, the government. A blatant act of usurping the productive individual, of their morally gained property, by double dipping. I shouldn't be talking politics. I just end up laughing. What a joke. :lol

The times I've had, the tracking system took me to the Fedex system.

[pordey2]

I'm always trying to stay positive and happy, but you people in the US is starting to worry and cry about the fuel-prices. It's just dumb and crazy. Think about it, in Norway, which is a pretty low populated and long country (means a lot of driving) has a gasolineprice 9 - 12 NOK, which means $1,5 - $2 per liter...
:thud

We're not happy about it, but we still put up with it because pollution from personal cars in on of our biggest dangerst for the enviroment...

EDIT:
And about shipping, Sideshow isn't very cheap and I would like that they shipped more than one thing every time. If they had sent them together, we all would saved a lot of shippingcost (I think)