Post by Citroen on Apr 30, 2018 23:46:44 GMT 12
Just noticed that Amazon US no longer offers standard shipping to NZ.
Only Expedited or Priority shipping, so per shipment rate has gone from US$4.99 to $13.99, or $29.99
HK, AU, TW, KR, IN, JP are the only countries in Asia/Pacific with Standard option now.
Or is it just my Amazon, because of all the lost and damaged records I've had recently?
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Post by michaelw on Apr 30, 2018 23:57:49 GMT 12
me too !  and weirdly there are some records stocked by amazon that won't ship to nz. meanwhile... amazon uk still offer standard shipping.
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Post by Owen Y on May 1, 2018 12:10:33 GMT 12
Damn, I have accumulated a sm list - for when I've financially recovered from over enthusiasm in RSD week  Not to mention s/h trails to follow up.
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Post by michaelw on May 1, 2018 12:34:07 GMT 12
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Post by cooksferry on May 1, 2018 12:52:30 GMT 12
Amazon Japan has been collecting tax for a wee while. I got stung last year with an expensive Japanese CD set of the Rolling Stones in mono. Their tax charge was over 15% but they do say that they refund any excess and to their credit they did although it took a week or two for that to come through.
Even with a sales tax applied there will be some releases that are still much cheaper to procure online/overseas. If Amazon UK and the other European branches up the freight that will be more of a killer IMO.
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Post by Citroen on May 1, 2018 16:59:07 GMT 12
Amazon UK and DE prices seem to be getting higher and higher and fewer bargains, virtually no pre-order price discounts - often cheaper after release.
Does anyone know if price targeting is a real thing? Where the price adjusts depending on the buyer's history, or even how old or expensive the operating system, computer they are using? More expensive laptop, higher price...
Heard it was the new thing for online sellers to do, but maybe that wasn't Amazon?
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Post by guitardude on May 1, 2018 17:12:07 GMT 12
Getting very frustrated with Amazon here as last couple of things I tried to order they wouldn't ship to NZ. Mind you the last couple of things that arrived from prime came in stupidly oversized boxes (think an integrated amplifier size box to contain 1 LP !!)
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Post by Citroen on May 1, 2018 17:45:12 GMT 12
They usually offer ship in Amazon box (to cover original packaging ie their mailer).
I quite often use this option, for added protection but normally its an order of at least a few LPs in the box not just one.
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Post by michaelw on May 1, 2018 18:11:15 GMT 12
my it guru said yes, price targeting is real but not practiced by amazon. i use the amazon box option too 
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Post by cooksferry on May 1, 2018 18:32:00 GMT 12
Amazon UK and DE prices seem to be getting higher and higher and fewer bargains, virtually no pre-order price discounts - often cheaper after release. Does anyone know if price targeting is a real thing? Where the price adjusts depending on the buyer's history, or even how old or expensive the operating system, computer they are using? More expensive laptop, higher price... Heard it was the new thing for online sellers to do, but maybe that wasn't Amazon? I was still getting some reasonable pre order savings on Amazon Uk. What was really pissing me off is the slooow speed of delivery. Now a week and a half past due delivery date of one item and there's never any tracking available on smaller items. I had been using Import Cds direct the last few months, some sharp prices and freight is/was US$6.48.
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Post by Citroen on May 1, 2018 18:32:29 GMT 12
I don't feel so guilty as I recycle the packaging...
So who uses price targeting? So I know when I should use my old 386 computer to surf the online sites.
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Post by michaelw on May 1, 2018 19:56:33 GMT 12
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Post by Citroen on May 1, 2018 20:58:13 GMT 12
Amazon UK and DE prices seem to be getting higher and higher and fewer bargains, virtually no pre-order price discounts - often cheaper after release. Does anyone know if price targeting is a real thing? Where the price adjusts depending on the buyer's history, or even how old or expensive the operating system, computer they are using? More expensive laptop, higher price... Heard it was the new thing for online sellers to do, but maybe that wasn't Amazon? I was still getting some reasonable pre order savings on Amazon Uk. What was really pissing me off is the slooow speed of delivery. Now a week and a half past due delivery date of one item and there's never any tracking available on smaller items. I had been using Import Cds direct the last few months, some sharp prices and freight is/was US$6.48. If past the end delivery due date (about a month) I always just request a refund or replacement.
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Post by cooksferry on May 2, 2018 7:13:29 GMT 12
Did a couple of trial purchases on Amazon US last night and yes freight has gone through the roof. I guess I just scraped in with the Neil Young Roxy release as that shipped last week at the US$6 and cents price. I think I'd only purchased two items from that store in the last year so I'm probably not going to miss it.
It's bye bye Amazon US from me. Are we seeing the end of the good times for online buying, can others be far behind?
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Post by sub on May 2, 2018 8:26:14 GMT 12
Bought an LP off Amazon US last week, got stung $13.17 for packaging and delivery. Not that Impressed by the exchange rate - charged $42.50 NZ and was listed at $29 US, total of $55.67,
!
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Post by Citroen on May 2, 2018 9:00:31 GMT 12
That was the old rate sub.
Because the per item charge is lower, it pays to buy more than a few lps at a time.
When you think about it $13 is not a lot for transporting a package halfway around the world. Think of how many people/man hours were involved in getting it here, through the various distribution warehouses, sorting centres, airports, local couriers/delivery men. Let alone the cost of the av gas and petrol. Add the cost of the packaging, labelling materials...and no I don't work in that industry.
I use to use Amazon Canada a lot until they dropped the per shipment + per item charge, replaced by a fixed fee of around NZ$9. So each lp cost an extra $9 even if they all came in the same box. Otherwise a good rate for a single lp, about the same as what NZ Post charges to ship between NZ cities, let alone between continents.
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Post by guitardude on May 2, 2018 17:47:12 GMT 12
Good to see your 12 step vinyl withdrawal program is working well cooks.
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Post by Citroen on May 2, 2018 18:05:42 GMT 12
How do you get onto this 12 step program? I think I might need some help too. Is that step 1? 
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Post by cooksferry on May 3, 2018 7:55:08 GMT 12
Good to see your 12 step vinyl withdrawal program is working well cooks. In my defense the Neil Young lp was pre order dating back several weeks. Haven't ordered anything in 2 weeks now. Not easy breaking the habit though and it'd be easier if I unsubscribed to all the sites that flood my inbox with exciting new releases.
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Post by sub on May 5, 2018 12:14:55 GMT 12
Did a couple of trial purchases on Amazon US last night and yes freight has gone through the roof. How do you do trial purchases? As Amazons prices are in US $, hard to know what final cost is until you hit check out, or can you bail out at that point? Also, a couple of things I am currently interested in seem to attract sales tax. If the item is exported is the sales tax still added on? If it is, probably cheaper to buy in NZ.
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Post by michaelw on May 5, 2018 13:12:48 GMT 12
yes, you can go through the process and get costs etc. without having to place the order.
you also have the option to order in NZD.
the amazon exchange rate is usually lower than an nz bank but when you add the typical bank currency conversion charges of 2.5%, amazon is usually in the ballpark.
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Post by michaelw on Jun 18, 2018 13:00:07 GMT 12
update... standard shipping to nz is back on the menu at amazon us 
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Post by Citroen on Jun 18, 2018 17:49:05 GMT 12
Yes, strange that. I put in an order last week and noticed it was back but not quite at the same rates as before.
I think the per item rate is higher than before, US3.99 per item, whereas I think it was $1.99 before.
But still better than no standard shipping at all!
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Post by michaelw on Jun 18, 2018 18:07:17 GMT 12
didn't check the new rates.
what did you order ?
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Post by Citroen on Jun 18, 2018 18:18:56 GMT 12
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Post by Citroen on Oct 17, 2018 4:17:03 GMT 12
Standard shipping gone again
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Post by michaelw on Oct 17, 2018 12:38:24 GMT 12
i see it on amazon us and amazon uk
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Post by Citroen on Oct 17, 2018 13:37:08 GMT 12
I checked this morning with a few different album selections, and none had it.
But just tried again and its back 👍
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