1FitzJames
Placing a volume in the cart today I noticed that the postage cost of a single volume has increased from £25 standard at the time of the January sale, to £30 standard/£40 express. For two or more it has jumped to £50 standard/£80 express from £38 standard.
I don't have the two January sale-era express figures as I never paid much attention to them. Delivery is to New Zealand, so I do not know if these changes are across the board for ROW.
I don't have the two January sale-era express figures as I never paid much attention to them. Delivery is to New Zealand, so I do not know if these changes are across the board for ROW.
2wcarter
>1 FitzJames:
Shipping prices for me in Australia are now the same as for you.
I just paid £70 for a two volume set to be shipped from an independent bookseller in the UK to me. The books themselves cost £100. Shipping prices have become ridiculously high making international book collecting a painfully expensive hobby.
Shipping prices for me in Australia are now the same as for you.
I just paid £70 for a two volume set to be shipped from an independent bookseller in the UK to me. The books themselves cost £100. Shipping prices have become ridiculously high making international book collecting a painfully expensive hobby.
3DZWB
This is frustrating. I was just levied a very substantial import charge into Singapore for my NY order. It all adds up!
4HonorWulf
>1 FitzJames: Looks like European ROW prices are the same but they updated the ROW shipping page with country specific exceptions:
https://www.foliosociety.com/row/customer-services/delivery-returns
Australia/NZ are at the bottom with the revised rates.
https://www.foliosociety.com/row/customer-services/delivery-returns
Australia/NZ are at the bottom with the revised rates.
5wcarter
>4 HonorWulf:
Cook Islands (in the middle of the Pacific and a New Zealand dependency) and New Caledonia (off the northeast cost of Australia) are £25 for one book, while Australia and New Zealand are £30 for one book.
And they can post to Belgium and Netherlands but not Luxembourg!
Very weird!
Cook Islands (in the middle of the Pacific and a New Zealand dependency) and New Caledonia (off the northeast cost of Australia) are £25 for one book, while Australia and New Zealand are £30 for one book.
And they can post to Belgium and Netherlands but not Luxembourg!
Very weird!
6LesMiserables
>5 wcarter: Incredible but not unexpected. Folio have a more recent history of putting Folio first.
7zorg2099
For me in Maldives, the standard prices have stayed the same (£25 for 1 and £38 for 2) but express has jumped up from £54 to £60.
The express price changed less than a week ago I think. I got quoted the old prices on 23rd January by Folio support when I enquired about the exact service used for my country if ordering standard (Fedex Cross Border it turns out).
The express price changed less than a week ago I think. I got quoted the old prices on 23rd January by Folio support when I enquired about the exact service used for my country if ordering standard (Fedex Cross Border it turns out).
8LesMiserables
These inexplicable anomalies reminds me of those days when our neighbours in Papua New Guinea (less than 100 miles from Australia) enjoyed significantly lower ROW pricing than Aussies getting roundly buggered on our unique Australian pricing.
9SF-72
They write: "In EU Europe tax will be charged at checkout at your local rate." If only. They still charge 15 Pounds extra on top of the UK price of Children of Dune although the German tax would be 5.60. But I'm relieved that at least we don't get ripped off even more for shipping. It looks like they switched from DHL Express to FedEx, a much better decision with regard to cost.
10inkwell-007
Is there any info why the increase is that high? Even if it accounts for VAT (which the website states is the customer's issue), then that'd only account for 7% to your country, meanwhile the releases are 15-20% more expensive. Can't be to cover shipping as that cost is also higher.
11SF-72
>10 inkwell-007:
The way I understand it, they stopped charging the correct tax and just raised prices to all ROW countries. Don't ask me what's the supposed logic behind that, especially since they had a working system in place that collected the right tax.
The way I understand it, they stopped charging the correct tax and just raised prices to all ROW countries. Don't ask me what's the supposed logic behind that, especially since they had a working system in place that collected the right tax.
12LesMiserables
>11 SF-72: I don't think legally they can do that. At least for countries like Australia, where GST has to be collected at purchase. They simply cannot hike a price then call some of it GST.
13HonorWulf
>12 LesMiserables: When you check out, they will show you the GST, which is deducted from the cost of the book.
15SF-72
>12 LesMiserables:
They raise the price by 20% compared to UK prices, then pay 7% of the whole price to the German tax office. They used to charge the UK price and added 7% to it during checkout, which was much better of course. I've reduced my purchases to a minimum since they changed their system like this.
They raise the price by 20% compared to UK prices, then pay 7% of the whole price to the German tax office. They used to charge the UK price and added 7% to it during checkout, which was much better of course. I've reduced my purchases to a minimum since they changed their system like this.
16stubedoo
Folio has become too expensive for me. Not to say they won't produce something that is a must-have for me again at some point (an LE Piranesi might swing it!), but the value isn't there when I look at the base price + postage to NZ. Would rather put the money towards older collectable books that weren't created as collectables (just bought a 1937 second impression Hobbit, for instance).
18LesMiserables
>15 SF-72: >16 stubedoo: >17 boldface:
And the more the merrier. More chance then of Adam Smith intervening, once Folio feels the pinch.
And the more the merrier. More chance then of Adam Smith intervening, once Folio feels the pinch.
19stubedoo
>18 LesMiserables: "More chance then of Adam Smith intervening, once Folio feels the pinch."
They don't seem to be feeling any pinch at the moment. They are in the "we can keep on increasing prices and we are trendy enough to get away with it" phase. Their customer base isn't particularly price-sensitive and isn't value cross-shopping with other publishers/presses.
How long that phase lasts is anyone's guess. I suspect when it does turn around (in a year or five years), it will be a very swift decline. Fads tend to go that way: All in, then all done.
They don't seem to be feeling any pinch at the moment. They are in the "we can keep on increasing prices and we are trendy enough to get away with it" phase. Their customer base isn't particularly price-sensitive and isn't value cross-shopping with other publishers/presses.
How long that phase lasts is anyone's guess. I suspect when it does turn around (in a year or five years), it will be a very swift decline. Fads tend to go that way: All in, then all done.
20Ibkay
>19 stubedoo: But which publishers/presses do we value cross-shop against Folio Society?
As far as I know, prices are high across the board for any press that's not the typical mass-market trade hardcover. Many are certainly higher quality than Folio, but they are also at a considerably higher price point too.
Those of about the same quality and title selection as Folio are usually not any less expensive. There seems no "cheap" way to get well-made contemporary titles at retail price anymore.
At this point, Library of America is one of the few presses I know that is "decent quality" and is still cheap. Most other publishers' books in that price range are the typical glued cardboard hardcovers with newspaper quality.
The other is Black Library (Warhammer books publishers) that publishes quality standard hardcovers at ~35 USD. But this is super niche and even their special editions are just as expensive as any other limited editions from other small presses.
As far as I know, prices are high across the board for any press that's not the typical mass-market trade hardcover. Many are certainly higher quality than Folio, but they are also at a considerably higher price point too.
Those of about the same quality and title selection as Folio are usually not any less expensive. There seems no "cheap" way to get well-made contemporary titles at retail price anymore.
At this point, Library of America is one of the few presses I know that is "decent quality" and is still cheap. Most other publishers' books in that price range are the typical glued cardboard hardcovers with newspaper quality.
The other is Black Library (Warhammer books publishers) that publishes quality standard hardcovers at ~35 USD. But this is super niche and even their special editions are just as expensive as any other limited editions from other small presses.
21stubedoo
>20 Ibkay:
With regards to cross-shopping, I was really thinking more in terms of the LEs, where - I think - Folio does tend to produce a sub-par product relative to the competition, on a price-for-price basis. You are often paying for stuff kicked out by Graphicom and LEGO to typical Graphicom/LEGO standards stuffed in slightly nicer boards. At least they aren't using Rotolito yet (just down the road from the other two) - Small mercies!
I think for the SE stuff, it is harder to really see a specifc publisher that competes over a broad range. But I also don't see Folio SEs as being particularly impressive quality (especially with the recent move to paper-covered bindings, rigid case bindings with flat spines, etc). Where other mainstream publishers do produce quality-equivalent editions as "deluxe" products, what makes those cheaper for the consumer is the typical deep discounting and much cheaper shipping.
Folio always strikes me as "kind of decent, but kind of overpriced". I don't think the market is bing enough for too much competition outside of the occasional higher-end offerings from mainstream publishers, though. The fine presses serve a different, albeit overlapping, market.
With regards to cross-shopping, I was really thinking more in terms of the LEs, where - I think - Folio does tend to produce a sub-par product relative to the competition, on a price-for-price basis. You are often paying for stuff kicked out by Graphicom and LEGO to typical Graphicom/LEGO standards stuffed in slightly nicer boards. At least they aren't using Rotolito yet (just down the road from the other two) - Small mercies!
I think for the SE stuff, it is harder to really see a specifc publisher that competes over a broad range. But I also don't see Folio SEs as being particularly impressive quality (especially with the recent move to paper-covered bindings, rigid case bindings with flat spines, etc). Where other mainstream publishers do produce quality-equivalent editions as "deluxe" products, what makes those cheaper for the consumer is the typical deep discounting and much cheaper shipping.
Folio always strikes me as "kind of decent, but kind of overpriced". I don't think the market is bing enough for too much competition outside of the occasional higher-end offerings from mainstream publishers, though. The fine presses serve a different, albeit overlapping, market.
22wcarter
The new American publisher, Fabelistik, is in the same quality range as The Folio Society, but far more expensive.
One of their books, Fourth Wing, is reviewed at https://www.librarything.com/topic/377865
One of their books, Fourth Wing, is reviewed at https://www.librarything.com/topic/377865
23HonorWulf
>22 wcarter: As Fabelistik is an imprint of Macmillan, I was surprised at their prices.
25zorg2099
>20 Ibkay: I feel like a lot of the "alternatives" to Folio seem to be based around signed/limited edition FOMO. I've heard it said more than once (elsewhere not in these forums) that Grim Oak Press are for instance "better" than FS.
I did buy Naomi Novik's Temeraire and Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar books and to be honest despite being substantially more expensive than your average FS SE book, the quality didn't seem to be on par with Folio SEs. The paper quality while not bad didnt seem particularly impressive, the typesetting and layout seemed pretty uninspired (just fitting the text evenly to the page rather than using anything approaching the canons of page construction), the cloth on Fionavar didn't seem as nice as any of the Folio cloth bound books and the Temeraire books were bound in bonded leather...
While they do still feel generally decently made, the value proposition seems to be based primarily on the fact that they are limited and signed. There's little point comparing them to more expensive limited Folio LE's when they seem a cut below Folio SEs.
While I don't own any books from them and so can't comment on quality, people bring up Centipede Press and Subterranean Press but again they all seem to do very limited runs at high prices. Despite the discouraging price increases, Folio remains the go to publisher for me in terms of publishing SE books I want to read, across a wide range of genres, and that don't involve a massive FOMO rush in order to pick up the book I want.
I'm also getting into the world of Fine Press publishers but that's another market segment entirely, who produce far fewer books per year and who only slightly overlap with some Folio LEs. The collectors editions from the likes of Conversation Tree Press (I would say even their Deluxe editions) and Suntup do seem better value than Folio LEs although its not often you're cross shopping the same title between Folio and them.
I did buy Naomi Novik's Temeraire and Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar books and to be honest despite being substantially more expensive than your average FS SE book, the quality didn't seem to be on par with Folio SEs. The paper quality while not bad didnt seem particularly impressive, the typesetting and layout seemed pretty uninspired (just fitting the text evenly to the page rather than using anything approaching the canons of page construction), the cloth on Fionavar didn't seem as nice as any of the Folio cloth bound books and the Temeraire books were bound in bonded leather...
While they do still feel generally decently made, the value proposition seems to be based primarily on the fact that they are limited and signed. There's little point comparing them to more expensive limited Folio LE's when they seem a cut below Folio SEs.
While I don't own any books from them and so can't comment on quality, people bring up Centipede Press and Subterranean Press but again they all seem to do very limited runs at high prices. Despite the discouraging price increases, Folio remains the go to publisher for me in terms of publishing SE books I want to read, across a wide range of genres, and that don't involve a massive FOMO rush in order to pick up the book I want.
I'm also getting into the world of Fine Press publishers but that's another market segment entirely, who produce far fewer books per year and who only slightly overlap with some Folio LEs. The collectors editions from the likes of Conversation Tree Press (I would say even their Deluxe editions) and Suntup do seem better value than Folio LEs although its not often you're cross shopping the same title between Folio and them.
26Ibkay
>21 stubedoo: I personally don't take the Folio LEs very seriously to be honest.
I don't think a simultaneous release of say a Suntup numbered or CTP deluxe and a Folio LE of the same title will have any book buyers choosing the Folio LE (they will all be around the same price, or the Folio LE may even be slightly more expensive). The proper bound-in signature pages of other presses vs. the Folio signed bookplate is already mildly annoying enough, before going into other production details.
I suppose the Folio LEs are relevant where there is "no other choice" - like The Origin of Species LE, The Complete Jane Austen set LE, Shakespeare Complete Plays LE, or even the recent Anna Karenina LE etc. Folio does tend to have some very unique coverage in titles they publish.
But the Folio SE is where I really pay attention, and I think where Folio still holds a very strong position in general. It's quite difficult to find a more compelling alternative at the SE price point, all things considered.
I don't think a simultaneous release of say a Suntup numbered or CTP deluxe and a Folio LE of the same title will have any book buyers choosing the Folio LE (they will all be around the same price, or the Folio LE may even be slightly more expensive). The proper bound-in signature pages of other presses vs. the Folio signed bookplate is already mildly annoying enough, before going into other production details.
I suppose the Folio LEs are relevant where there is "no other choice" - like The Origin of Species LE, The Complete Jane Austen set LE, Shakespeare Complete Plays LE, or even the recent Anna Karenina LE etc. Folio does tend to have some very unique coverage in titles they publish.
But the Folio SE is where I really pay attention, and I think where Folio still holds a very strong position in general. It's quite difficult to find a more compelling alternative at the SE price point, all things considered.
27Ibkay
>25 zorg2099: Completely agree with your points about Grim Oak Press. I have about 40 Grim Oak titles (including the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy as well), and I easily prefer a typical cloth/buckram bound Folio SE which is roughly half the price when you include the slipcase (although Grim Oak slipcases are admittedly much higher quality than those of Folio SEs).
As you mentioned, the strongest selling point for the main Grim Oak titles is that they are always signed and numbered/lettered.
But as you also noted, the typography of Grim Oak titles is plainly speaking quite atrocious - I've been tempted on multiple occasions to send a "polite" email to Shawn Speakman encouraging him to study typography from Centipede, Suntup, Folio or Conversation Tree. Grim Oak tries to squeeze in as much text on each page as possible, with margins that are no different from a cheap mass-market hardcover and oftentimes even worse in my opinion. Subterranean is typically not much better in the typography department to be honest. Sold my SubPress copy of Gardens of the Moon mainly for this reason.
Centipede is probably my favorite of the American small presses - but their titles are heavily skewed towards weird fiction and horror, with the occasional sci-fi. Excellent typography (just as good or maybe even better than Folio), great production quality, and the best part is that Jerad often includes significant extra content to published titles. In addition to the occasional exclusive Introduction, you can expect an appendix full of goodies like interviews, cover art from most previous trade publications (including international/non-English editions), scans of the author's handwritten notes, letters between publishers and the author, afterword from the author's close associates etc. It's a treasure trove of the history of the particular title.
You can feel the effort and love put into the compilation of many Centipede press titles. For example, The Best of Weird Tales - The 1920s epitomizes Centipede at their best. It truly sets them apart from the pack and I've learnt a lot from all the extras included in these collections.
As you mentioned, the strongest selling point for the main Grim Oak titles is that they are always signed and numbered/lettered.
But as you also noted, the typography of Grim Oak titles is plainly speaking quite atrocious - I've been tempted on multiple occasions to send a "polite" email to Shawn Speakman encouraging him to study typography from Centipede, Suntup, Folio or Conversation Tree. Grim Oak tries to squeeze in as much text on each page as possible, with margins that are no different from a cheap mass-market hardcover and oftentimes even worse in my opinion. Subterranean is typically not much better in the typography department to be honest. Sold my SubPress copy of Gardens of the Moon mainly for this reason.
Centipede is probably my favorite of the American small presses - but their titles are heavily skewed towards weird fiction and horror, with the occasional sci-fi. Excellent typography (just as good or maybe even better than Folio), great production quality, and the best part is that Jerad often includes significant extra content to published titles. In addition to the occasional exclusive Introduction, you can expect an appendix full of goodies like interviews, cover art from most previous trade publications (including international/non-English editions), scans of the author's handwritten notes, letters between publishers and the author, afterword from the author's close associates etc. It's a treasure trove of the history of the particular title.
You can feel the effort and love put into the compilation of many Centipede press titles. For example, The Best of Weird Tales - The 1920s epitomizes Centipede at their best. It truly sets them apart from the pack and I've learnt a lot from all the extras included in these collections.
28SF-72
>22 wcarter:
Fabelistik tried to sell their books at exaggerated prices and it didn't work out for them. In recent months, they've been giving discounts and free shipping to try to get them sold after all.
Fabelistik tried to sell their books at exaggerated prices and it didn't work out for them. In recent months, they've been giving discounts and free shipping to try to get them sold after all.
29SF-72
About Grim Oak Press: They satisfy a different market from FS in my opinion. They have a really nice range of (modern) fantasy that mostly isn't covered by other publishers, illustrated, signed, limited (which isn't relevant for me, but is a factor in pricing) on acid-free paper with a good binding. I don't have any issues with their typography or margins. Their prices are higher than many FS standard editions, which aren't limited and signed, but lower than those of Subterranean Press, and their customer service is really great, as is their packaging. I don't really need fine press ambitions in my genre press books, though I don't mind it either, like Suntup or Curious King going for letterpress printing. I guess it's really about what expectations one has. I'm really happy with Grim Oak Press for what they are - a genre press with good quality, but not fine press.
30zorg2099
>29 SF-72: Yeah I'm not unhappy with them per se. I just feel they could do with slightly more generous margins for a bit more refined layout befitting a premium book plus the binding materials could be a bit better quality. Even Harper Collins trade hardcovers for Tolkien's works do better on the layout front (at least for the Alan Lee illustrated editions). I personally don't care deeply about signatures and limitations either but am willing to accept the premium for them if that's the only nice edition for a book I like. I'm mostly happy with the Kay and Novik books but for my buying preferences they feel like substantially less value than Folio was my general point.
I do appreciate that they exist and are making nice editions for books other presses haven't dealt with. The artist (Julian Delval) for Fionavar is even the same Conversation Tree is using for Tigana.
I do appreciate that they exist and are making nice editions for books other presses haven't dealt with. The artist (Julian Delval) for Fionavar is even the same Conversation Tree is using for Tigana.
31SF-72
>30 zorg2099:
I expect margins to be comfortable for reading, as in I don't have to force the book open and my fingertips don't get into the text when I hold the book. Once that's the case, I'm happy enough. Larger margins than that actually irritate me, but I know that's not the case for everyone. To each their own.
Both presses using Julian Delval for their Kay books is really fortuitous in my opinion. The art is beautiful and I love it that the books will fit together in this way.
I expect margins to be comfortable for reading, as in I don't have to force the book open and my fingertips don't get into the text when I hold the book. Once that's the case, I'm happy enough. Larger margins than that actually irritate me, but I know that's not the case for everyone. To each their own.
Both presses using Julian Delval for their Kay books is really fortuitous in my opinion. The art is beautiful and I love it that the books will fit together in this way.
32Ibkay
>31 SF-72: Not to derail the thread much further, but I do agree that the Grim Oak title selections are quite unique - especially in the contemporary fantasy genre. It's why I keep getting their books despite my reservations about their overall typography. Beloved fantasy titles from Stephen R. Donaldson, Jim Butcher, Mark Lawrence, Tad Williams, Patrick Rothfuss, Peter V. Brett, Naomi Novik and of course the Grim Oak staples of Terry Brooks are all present in my collection. Quality of artwork can also be very strong, especially when done in color.
But I'm not exaggerating when I say the typography can sometimes be really poor - even occasionally worse than mass market trade hardcovers, which is frankly a very weak showing for books that cost up to ~240 USD when you include the optional slipcase.
The Mark Lawrence omnibuses for example - Red Queen's War, Book of the Ancestor and Broken Empire quite literally have a bottom margin of about only one line and a line space. It's "readable", but very far from a pleasant experience as your eyes get no rest on bordering whitespace, and the whole page feels choked and claustrophobic. It's an exhausting experience and shows very little consideration for the reader. I understand trying to minimize page count, but not to such an extent that it's severely detrimental to the main purpose of the book.
Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy (in 4 books) as well as Patrick Rothfuss's Name of the Wind are only slightly better in this regard. Very crowded page blocks that have little breathing room. Admittedly, some titles are not as bad like most of the Terry Brooks, Jim Butcher, Stephen Donaldson titles, and the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by GGK.
While I'm not necessarily asking Grim Oak for Folio-class typography and margins, it could be much, much better. A moderate "compromise" that shows consideration for those reading the books will go a very long way imho.
But I'm not exaggerating when I say the typography can sometimes be really poor - even occasionally worse than mass market trade hardcovers, which is frankly a very weak showing for books that cost up to ~240 USD when you include the optional slipcase.
The Mark Lawrence omnibuses for example - Red Queen's War, Book of the Ancestor and Broken Empire quite literally have a bottom margin of about only one line and a line space. It's "readable", but very far from a pleasant experience as your eyes get no rest on bordering whitespace, and the whole page feels choked and claustrophobic. It's an exhausting experience and shows very little consideration for the reader. I understand trying to minimize page count, but not to such an extent that it's severely detrimental to the main purpose of the book.
Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy (in 4 books) as well as Patrick Rothfuss's Name of the Wind are only slightly better in this regard. Very crowded page blocks that have little breathing room. Admittedly, some titles are not as bad like most of the Terry Brooks, Jim Butcher, Stephen Donaldson titles, and the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by GGK.
While I'm not necessarily asking Grim Oak for Folio-class typography and margins, it could be much, much better. A moderate "compromise" that shows consideration for those reading the books will go a very long way imho.
33SF-72
>32 Ibkay:
Those omnibuses really are unpleasant to read, though what irritated me personally when doing so wasn't the margins but the sheer weight and size. I much prefer single books to huge volumes like this. They are really only geared at stuffing as much as possible into one huge book and reading comfort is lost in the process. But they seem to do well with some customers because they are cheaper than three books. I wish Grim Oak Press went straight to those, though.
And you are right, of course, we are moving off topic here. Still, it was an interesting exchange to me.
Those omnibuses really are unpleasant to read, though what irritated me personally when doing so wasn't the margins but the sheer weight and size. I much prefer single books to huge volumes like this. They are really only geared at stuffing as much as possible into one huge book and reading comfort is lost in the process. But they seem to do well with some customers because they are cheaper than three books. I wish Grim Oak Press went straight to those, though.
And you are right, of course, we are moving off topic here. Still, it was an interesting exchange to me.
34Normandia
Oh I was not aware of this change. Shipping the last time I made a purchase was £20, now they want £40 for it. Absolutely ridiculous. That's the end of buying Folios
35wcarter
>34 Normandia:
It will cost you this much, and more, to but any book from the UK.
It will cost you this much, and more, to but any book from the UK.
36Normandia
No, it won't. Most independent sellers on Abebooks can ship a hardcover for around the £20 price. If I had family in the UK the cost of domestic shipping plus tracked Royal Mail to me would still be cheaper than what Folio is now charging.
They are clearly doing well in sales despite continuous yearly price hikes, so hey all the power to their profit. But it's a choice the company is making and it's a choice of the customer to say when it's enough.
They are clearly doing well in sales despite continuous yearly price hikes, so hey all the power to their profit. But it's a choice the company is making and it's a choice of the customer to say when it's enough.
37wcarter
>36 Normandia:
You must be closer to the UK than I am.
You must be closer to the UK than I am.
38Normandia
If you're paying £40+ in shipping for every single book purchase I'm not sure whether to be sorry or happy for you that you can afford it. I surely would find it financially impossible.
If FS wanted they could find more affordable shipping partners, like many other bookshops do.
If FS wanted they could find more affordable shipping partners, like many other bookshops do.
39Chemren
>38 Normandia: Hence the strategy of only buying once or twice a year and getting large orders shipped at the two or more price. I don't feel bad about the shipping cost when I get three heavy boxes delivered.
40stubedoo
>35 wcarter: "It will cost you this much, and more, to buy any book from the UK."
Honestly, for mainstream publishers that sell through retailers, this isn't true at all. I get books shipped from Kennys.ie to NZ for 2 EUR (that isn't a typo). Awesomebooks charges 8 EUR.
Folio is typically more expensive than Royal Mail economy tracked. Which is a bit silly, given they must have some economies of scale with their shipping vs me just going to the post office.
Used stuff on Abe is variable, but essentially always less than £40 for a single book. £40 would be super unusual.
Honestly, for mainstream publishers that sell through retailers, this isn't true at all. I get books shipped from Kennys.ie to NZ for 2 EUR (that isn't a typo). Awesomebooks charges 8 EUR.
Folio is typically more expensive than Royal Mail economy tracked. Which is a bit silly, given they must have some economies of scale with their shipping vs me just going to the post office.
Used stuff on Abe is variable, but essentially always less than £40 for a single book. £40 would be super unusual.
41wcarter
I received a two volume book from an independent bookstore in the UK last week. The book cost £95, the postage was £58. One of the joys of living in the antipodes.
42kcshankd
I paid £21 shipping for a three book, £47 Fitzcarraldo order to the US this week. That is a better deal than last year when they wouldn't ship to the US at all due to our mad tariffier-in-chief.
43HonorWulf
>42 kcshankd: That sounds about right -- that's basically $28 US. A same three book Folio order would cost $36 US for larger, heavier books on average. International shipping has simply gotten ridiculously expensive since 2020. Fedex rates are up almost 40% for standard shipping and over 100% for heavy freight.
44TheEconomist
>40 stubedoo: "Honestly, for mainstream publishers that sell through retailers, this isn't true at all. I get books shipped from Kennys.ie to NZ for 2 EUR (that isn't a typo). Awesomebooks charges 8 EUR."
NZ is one of the most expensive places to ship to if you are based in the UK. I have access to the Royal Mail business website, and have just looked up the prices FS will be paying; a 1kg parcel is about £18, 2kg about £29 and 3kg about £40. That suggests charging £40 for a single book is on the high side, but if you order multiple books it is quite likely they will make a loss on the postage. Swings and Roundabouts.
Kennys and Awesomebooks will be charging higher postage rates if you order from them on abebooks. I suspect that the low postage charges on their own websites are a way of tempting people away from the umbrella sites (where they have to pay fees, and have to compete with other booksellers) to their own websites (where these downsides do not apply).
NZ is one of the most expensive places to ship to if you are based in the UK. I have access to the Royal Mail business website, and have just looked up the prices FS will be paying; a 1kg parcel is about £18, 2kg about £29 and 3kg about £40. That suggests charging £40 for a single book is on the high side, but if you order multiple books it is quite likely they will make a loss on the postage. Swings and Roundabouts.
Kennys and Awesomebooks will be charging higher postage rates if you order from them on abebooks. I suspect that the low postage charges on their own websites are a way of tempting people away from the umbrella sites (where they have to pay fees, and have to compete with other booksellers) to their own websites (where these downsides do not apply).
45mr.philistine
>44 TheEconomist: I suspect that the low postage charges on their own websites are a way of tempting people away from the umbrella sites...
AwesomeBooks charge £2.50 to ship international from their eBay storefront.
AwesomeBooks charge £2.50 to ship international from their eBay storefront.
46inkwell-007
I think postage wouldn't have to be as low as 2 pounds/euros/whatever because they want to guarantee it arrives fast, with a courier that tosses the packages just the right amount, and ideally includes custom clearance. But what they're asking for is just not reflective of what it costs in most cases. At least not to where I live. And I suspect very few people buy 10+ books where they'd indeed make a loss.
47HonorWulf
Awesome Books builds the cost of shipping into their book prices and offers free shipping to the US and others, and minimal upcharges elsewhere. Not really a comparable example as they are a low margin, high volume used goods seller that gets the bulk of their products for free from charity clearances and recycling centers.
48Normandia
Kennys also charges $2 for shipping on Abebooks and most of their books are also discounted/competitively priced—and they're a regular store selling new books so no base of donations like Awesome. But even keeping to UK bookshops only (Kennys is Irish), Broken Binding ships a full trilogy of heavy hardcovers for around £40 and a single book is between 15-18. Curious King ships through BB so uses the same rates. Goldsboro charges £15 at most for a single book. Fitzcarraldo has been mentioned already... anyway yes Folio's new price is an aberration and not the standard, at least to my location which received the biggest increase.
If they want to insist on using expensive courier services exclusively and not giving people a lower cost, longer delivery time option, I'll assume it's because they don't want these customers as they're doing well without them.
If they want to insist on using expensive courier services exclusively and not giving people a lower cost, longer delivery time option, I'll assume it's because they don't want these customers as they're doing well without them.
49stubedoo
>47 HonorWulf:
AwesomeBooks sells new books. Similar range to most other book retailers. They are usually quite discounted. Kenny’s essentially the same deal.
They both - so far as I am aware - use bulk parcel services that then relabel and on-ship once in the target country.
AwesomeBooks sells new books. Similar range to most other book retailers. They are usually quite discounted. Kenny’s essentially the same deal.
They both - so far as I am aware - use bulk parcel services that then relabel and on-ship once in the target country.
50HonorWulf
>49 stubedoo: Their new books are overstocked and remaindered inventory that publishers are unloading at pennies on the dollar.
51HonorWulf
>48 Normandia: If they want to insist on using expensive courier services exclusively and not giving people a lower cost, longer delivery time option, I'll assume it's because they don't want these customers as they're doing well without them.
Given the replacement value for the books, it's not practical. They have enough issues with Fedex damaging packages as it is, I can't imagine the headaches with using low cost carriers. They certainly wouldn't be able to provide the superior level of Customer Service that they do today, which, for me, offsets the shipping premiums. Since the switch to Fedex three years ago, I've had four (4) damaged books from shipping and one (1) printing defect out of 53 books ordered, which were replaced not only for free, but express shipped to me in the United States.
Given the replacement value for the books, it's not practical. They have enough issues with Fedex damaging packages as it is, I can't imagine the headaches with using low cost carriers. They certainly wouldn't be able to provide the superior level of Customer Service that they do today, which, for me, offsets the shipping premiums. Since the switch to Fedex three years ago, I've had four (4) damaged books from shipping and one (1) printing defect out of 53 books ordered, which were replaced not only for free, but express shipped to me in the United States.
52Normandia
>51 HonorWulf: They don't have to send replacements with Express, though. It's a choice. And it's a choice also if they're so free with replacements that it requires so much more in shipping on top of ROW prices being higher. Many bookshops are stricter with replacements and I would personally rather they be also if that means more people can afford them.
Like, Kennys ships in a simple cardboard package with the cheapest shipping ever and a simple and fragile Penguin Classics paperback is still capable to cross the pond and arrive in my location in new condition, and I buy these every month so it's not 1 occasion, it's frequently.
Like, Kennys ships in a simple cardboard package with the cheapest shipping ever and a simple and fragile Penguin Classics paperback is still capable to cross the pond and arrive in my location in new condition, and I buy these every month so it's not 1 occasion, it's frequently.
53TheEconomist
>48 Normandia: "Kennys also charges $2 for shipping on Abebooks and most of their books are also discounted/competitively priced"
Are their books really competitively priced? My experience is that they are usually pretty expensive compared to other dealers on abebooks. For example, they are currently offering "Deutsche Blauhelme Afrika Bundesrepublik" by Konopka Torsten for £10,410.34 from their Irish outlet and £12,482.12 from their North American outlet; this is a book published in 2023 that is available elsewhere for just over £50. And the FS "Hours in Library" set for £90.27? (available elsewhere for £10), Captain Cook's Voyages (1997 edition) for £67.70? (available elsewhere for £12) Greek Myths (2 volume set) for £63.19? etc etc etc.
I think the evidence is that, like AwesomeBooks, they build an extra amount into their selling prices, and use that to subsidise cheap shipping.
Are their books really competitively priced? My experience is that they are usually pretty expensive compared to other dealers on abebooks. For example, they are currently offering "Deutsche Blauhelme Afrika Bundesrepublik" by Konopka Torsten for £10,410.34 from their Irish outlet and £12,482.12 from their North American outlet; this is a book published in 2023 that is available elsewhere for just over £50. And the FS "Hours in Library" set for £90.27? (available elsewhere for £10), Captain Cook's Voyages (1997 edition) for £67.70? (available elsewhere for £12) Greek Myths (2 volume set) for £63.19? etc etc etc.
I think the evidence is that, like AwesomeBooks, they build an extra amount into their selling prices, and use that to subsidise cheap shipping.
54SF-72
>52 Normandia:
When I books like this, I want to be able to rely on getting books in new / mint condition, which is not always the case on the first go, but I can be certain that I will get a replacement in that case. Sellers that are 'stricter' expect one to accept damaged goods at collector's prices. That's not something I'm willing to play along with at all. That's a very good way of losing my business.
That being said, there are cheaper alternatives than the express services they have been using, some also very fast, e. g. drop-shipping services that some book clubs are using, to name one example. The Broken Binding can get undamaged books to customers using excellent packaging and Royal Mail at under 10 Pounds per book, which includes IOSS services. So there are options, Folio Society just doesn't use them, maybe because this system is easier for them.
When I books like this, I want to be able to rely on getting books in new / mint condition, which is not always the case on the first go, but I can be certain that I will get a replacement in that case. Sellers that are 'stricter' expect one to accept damaged goods at collector's prices. That's not something I'm willing to play along with at all. That's a very good way of losing my business.
That being said, there are cheaper alternatives than the express services they have been using, some also very fast, e. g. drop-shipping services that some book clubs are using, to name one example. The Broken Binding can get undamaged books to customers using excellent packaging and Royal Mail at under 10 Pounds per book, which includes IOSS services. So there are options, Folio Society just doesn't use them, maybe because this system is easier for them.
55Normandia
>53 TheEconomist: I guess it depends on what you're looking to buy. I use them for regular literature paperbacks and hardcovers and find that they're most affordable choice most of the time.
56Normandia
>54 SF-72: To be clear, I agree that one should not accept damaged books. I once saw on Reddit a guy who asked for a replacement for his Dune copy because he didn't like the way the text block was cut - something which was very normal for printing presses and absolutely not considered a fault - and Folio sent him a replacement anyway. I understand this is the type of thing that gets customers to buy again, but at some point you have to wonder that some people are willing to buy these books for these ever increasing prices only because they know they'll get 2 of them.
I think they could get stricter to obvious shipping damage or product quality issues and still keep their customer service high-performance. The way it is it sounds like they keep increasing costs instead of addressing this. And of course, also agree with your last point entirely, there are options - other shops are using them, Folio isn't.
I think they could get stricter to obvious shipping damage or product quality issues and still keep their customer service high-performance. The way it is it sounds like they keep increasing costs instead of addressing this. And of course, also agree with your last point entirely, there are options - other shops are using them, Folio isn't.
57SF-72
>56 Normandia:
It's bad when this gets abused, but I've been at the other end of the stick, buying a new collector's edition and getting one with several bumped corners and damage to the dustjacket and being told that's not bad enough for me to get a decent copy instead. That's just unacceptable and those are sellers I don't want to support. But yes, there are people who abuse this. Ideally, there are ways to return the book so they can sell it in a scratch and dent sale themselves, but internationally that's often cost-prohibitive, though not so much from where I live (Germany). When they asked me to deface a limited edition I was able to convince them to pay the 17 Euros for a return, which made a lot more sense in that case.
I also wish FS increased their quality control, especially for limited editions. I haven't bought one in a while but there have been some in recent years that were clearly a complete mess in that regard.
It's bad when this gets abused, but I've been at the other end of the stick, buying a new collector's edition and getting one with several bumped corners and damage to the dustjacket and being told that's not bad enough for me to get a decent copy instead. That's just unacceptable and those are sellers I don't want to support. But yes, there are people who abuse this. Ideally, there are ways to return the book so they can sell it in a scratch and dent sale themselves, but internationally that's often cost-prohibitive, though not so much from where I live (Germany). When they asked me to deface a limited edition I was able to convince them to pay the 17 Euros for a return, which made a lot more sense in that case.
I also wish FS increased their quality control, especially for limited editions. I haven't bought one in a while but there have been some in recent years that were clearly a complete mess in that regard.
58stubedoo
>53 TheEconomist:
Kenny’s adjusts their discounts on particular titles. With new stuff I usually get 40% off if I keep my eyes out for the discount. Varies though, I got the recent Tolkien Biography deluxe 40% off, but Letters has not been discounted by them as yet.
Kenny’s adjusts their discounts on particular titles. With new stuff I usually get 40% off if I keep my eyes out for the discount. Varies though, I got the recent Tolkien Biography deluxe 40% off, but Letters has not been discounted by them as yet.
59LesMiserables
All said and done, I think there is a general consensus, on here at least, that the shipping issue, from pricing to carrier, is problematic.
Some, and I agree shipping costs have become prohibitive, lean towards seeing some brazen profiteering going on, whilst others - possibly those with money to burn - care more about protection of goods.
Has this not been going on for years now? The carrier issue initially, with the cost issue latterly.
I am at a loss how Folio can't find a solution to this over so many years. One that can charge reasonably affordable shipping, whilst delivering on time, in good condition.
If we are going to heap plaudits on a CEO who courts the media on bewildering tales of saving Folio - ON EVERY METRIC - then correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't that include actually delivering the goods too?
Some, and I agree shipping costs have become prohibitive, lean towards seeing some brazen profiteering going on, whilst others - possibly those with money to burn - care more about protection of goods.
Has this not been going on for years now? The carrier issue initially, with the cost issue latterly.
I am at a loss how Folio can't find a solution to this over so many years. One that can charge reasonably affordable shipping, whilst delivering on time, in good condition.
If we are going to heap plaudits on a CEO who courts the media on bewildering tales of saving Folio - ON EVERY METRIC - then correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't that include actually delivering the goods too?
60bruinuclafan
This is very tangentially related to shipping, but is there a place to exchange unused birthday codes? I’d love to offset these crazy shipping charges.
61Inceptic
>60 bruinuclafan: They are generally nontransferable, in my experience.
62bruinuclafan
>61 Inceptic: The Facebook group sometimes has people give their code to others so there must be some way to get it to work. Maybe you have to be in the same region or something like that.
63njritchie
>61 Inceptic: I think that they *are* regional, but (if you are in the right region) they do work if you make sure that you are not logged in as yourself, i.e. do your order as a guest user.
64dyhtstriyk
Reopening this thread. The magnitude of the increases had not completely dawned on me, since the last book I ordered was Piranesi last summer.
But a friend just bought my birthday present and that's when I understood that in the Americas the shipping cost went double! It's now 40 pounds for a single book and 80 for +1, while the express is 90 pounds per one book! This is absolute madness.
But a friend just bought my birthday present and that's when I understood that in the Americas the shipping cost went double! It's now 40 pounds for a single book and 80 for +1, while the express is 90 pounds per one book! This is absolute madness.
65SF-72
>64 dyhtstriyk:
I've heard from several book companies that shipping costs have risen extremely, especially in the US, due to the war in the Middle East and the resulting rise in costs for fuel. For the US you can add Trump's tariffs to the problem. From Germany, the only way you can still ship something to the US is with very expensive courier services starting at 100 Euros because only those will deal with the tariffs situation. It's a total mess but not the fault of FS in this case.
I've heard from several book companies that shipping costs have risen extremely, especially in the US, due to the war in the Middle East and the resulting rise in costs for fuel. For the US you can add Trump's tariffs to the problem. From Germany, the only way you can still ship something to the US is with very expensive courier services starting at 100 Euros because only those will deal with the tariffs situation. It's a total mess but not the fault of FS in this case.
67David_Mauduit
>66 coynedj: that was Trump's objective. Push you to buy Suntup instead of FS.
68RickartAllen
>64 dyhtstriyk: I just received in Santa Fe, New Mexico a copy of The Wanderer, and Folio charged me $25 for postage. That's a lot, but short of 40 pounds (which I think would be roughly $53 US).
It made me curious about postage from the UK. Last August I bought a second hand Folio edition of Andrew Wheatcroft's The Habsburgs through ABE from a dealer in NY, and the domestic postage was $3.99. Looking at ABE today, for the same book, postage from dealers in the UK are asking between $13 and $25 for postage from the UK to the US. Seems odd to me that there would be such a range for the identical book. I suppose it might involve packaging, and I have to admit it took me about 5 minutes to get through the extensive wrapping around The Wanderer.
When I received The Wanderer it was had a USPS shipping label and had come from California. At first I thought there must be a Folio warehouse there, but then I noticed that peeking out from behind the USPS label was a FedEx International Connect label. So I assume that Folio sends the individual box by a combination of the two. It seems to come out on the high end of US to UK deliveries, but not outrageously so.
By the way, does anybody know whatever happened to the international book rate/media mail rate? It seems to have gone the way of the dodo.
It made me curious about postage from the UK. Last August I bought a second hand Folio edition of Andrew Wheatcroft's The Habsburgs through ABE from a dealer in NY, and the domestic postage was $3.99. Looking at ABE today, for the same book, postage from dealers in the UK are asking between $13 and $25 for postage from the UK to the US. Seems odd to me that there would be such a range for the identical book. I suppose it might involve packaging, and I have to admit it took me about 5 minutes to get through the extensive wrapping around The Wanderer.
When I received The Wanderer it was had a USPS shipping label and had come from California. At first I thought there must be a Folio warehouse there, but then I noticed that peeking out from behind the USPS label was a FedEx International Connect label. So I assume that Folio sends the individual box by a combination of the two. It seems to come out on the high end of US to UK deliveries, but not outrageously so.
By the way, does anybody know whatever happened to the international book rate/media mail rate? It seems to have gone the way of the dodo.
69HonorWulf
>68 RickartAllen: Yes, Folio's are dispatched from the UK to overseas via Fedex. Once they reach the country of origin, Fedex farms out the domestic delivery based on location (i.e. sometimes Fedex handles the local delivery themselves, sometimes they pass it off to USPS, sometimes to smaller local partners). The USPS media / book rate has always been domestic only. USPS does offer international Airbags for bulk book shipments (11+ pounds), but they're still expensive and take forever to arrive. In general, though, to ship a book from the UK to the USA via Fedex is £40 on average (Folio can do it for cheaper because of their discounted corporate rate). Royal Mail Economy is probably closer to £15 to £20.
70SF-72
>69 HonorWulf:
'The USPS media / book rate has always been domestic only.'
Not in my experience, though it was quit a few years ago. A bookseller used to ship about 20 Pounds of books for 20$ media mail in a large bag by ship, for about 40$ by plane from the US to Germany. It was a fantastic deal, as were flat rate envelopes for very little money as priority air mail. Prices exploded after a while and these excellent options ceased to exist.
'The USPS media / book rate has always been domestic only.'
Not in my experience, though it was quit a few years ago. A bookseller used to ship about 20 Pounds of books for 20$ media mail in a large bag by ship, for about 40$ by plane from the US to Germany. It was a fantastic deal, as were flat rate envelopes for very little money as priority air mail. Prices exploded after a while and these excellent options ceased to exist.
71HonorWulf
>70 SF-72: Over 11 pounds of books, and you're eligible for the international Airmail M-Bag service, which currently starts at around $85 and takes 4 to 8 weeks to arrive. But you are correct in that they used to offer a slow boat M-Bag service option, but it was discontinued nearly 20 years ago circa 2007. However, this is a different service from what we call Media Mail in the USA, which has no weight restrictions and typically delivers in under a week.
72coynedj
>71 HonorWulf: USPS Media Mail does have a 70 pound weight limit - I know, because I once sent out a 66-pound box! It does take longer than other USPS options, and carries no insurance.
73HonorWulf
>72 coynedj: That's true! Was thinking about the minimum weight, but, yes, there are upper limits in both weight as well as overall box size. In terms of insurance, there's none by default, but you can add it for a nominal fee.
74Ibkay
>69 HonorWulf: I think Folio can ship international "cheaper" because they've already built in the shipping cost into the unit cost of the non-UK book pricing. This is quite obvious from a direct price comparison between Folio UK and others.
In other words, non-UK buyers (ROW, US etc.) have already paid for shipping in the quoted base price. The additional shipping paid at checkout is an admirably clever ploy to get you to fill your cart to the maximum permitted by your wallet, under the illusion of "flat-rate" shipping which almost feels free if you are getting say 10 or more books.
It works remarkably well for Folio though, as the psychology of adding "just one or two more" books to cart without incurring additional shipping gets me all the time. I'm probably not alone in this regard.
In other words, non-UK buyers (ROW, US etc.) have already paid for shipping in the quoted base price. The additional shipping paid at checkout is an admirably clever ploy to get you to fill your cart to the maximum permitted by your wallet, under the illusion of "flat-rate" shipping which almost feels free if you are getting say 10 or more books.
It works remarkably well for Folio though, as the psychology of adding "just one or two more" books to cart without incurring additional shipping gets me all the time. I'm probably not alone in this regard.
75zorg2099
>74 Ibkay: I'm fairly familiar with the bulk rates offered by Fedex International Economy via freight forwarding services which I use for non Folio books and eBay UK. This is the service Folio typically uses to where I live if I choose priority shipping, I think I still come out ahead sometimes if I place a larger order even accounting for the 15% ROW price difference to the UK.
As a case study shipping 7 second hand Aubrey/Maturin books recently would have cost me £194 via Economy (I ended up using connect plus). These are fairly typical octavo sized Folio books.
If I ordered say 7 books directly from Folio on the cheaper end such as the Starless Sea at £80 ROW, I am paying around £130 effectively for shipping. That is £60 "flat rate" plus 7x£10 ROW UK price difference.
Because the ROW price difference is percentage based you are more likely to come out ahead when ordering cheaper books. I should graph this out one day for the break-even point for a given Folio order vs current Fedex quotes from the forwarder lol. But I'll need a formula for estimating weight and volumetric weight for a given Folio order as well to generative useful quotes from the forwarder.
As a case study shipping 7 second hand Aubrey/Maturin books recently would have cost me £194 via Economy (I ended up using connect plus). These are fairly typical octavo sized Folio books.
If I ordered say 7 books directly from Folio on the cheaper end such as the Starless Sea at £80 ROW, I am paying around £130 effectively for shipping. That is £60 "flat rate" plus 7x£10 ROW UK price difference.
Because the ROW price difference is percentage based you are more likely to come out ahead when ordering cheaper books. I should graph this out one day for the break-even point for a given Folio order vs current Fedex quotes from the forwarder lol. But I'll need a formula for estimating weight and volumetric weight for a given Folio order as well to generative useful quotes from the forwarder.
76SF-72
>71 HonorWulf:
Good to know. I was told back then that this was a media only option (ergo M-bag, M for media), thus my thinking it was media mail. I used to buy from a very small shop selling remainder copies like this, but without good international shipping rates buying from them didn't make sense anymore, which I really regretted.
Good to know. I was told back then that this was a media only option (ergo M-bag, M for media), thus my thinking it was media mail. I used to buy from a very small shop selling remainder copies like this, but without good international shipping rates buying from them didn't make sense anymore, which I really regretted.
77HonorWulf
>74 Ibkay: For sure, they are certainly offsetting some of the shipping costs with the international mark-up. However, for ROW customers, they are eating the VAT cost out of this mark-up as well. It also subsidizes damage replacements, which appear to be increasing as shipping services continue to degrade around the world.
78HonorWulf
>76 SF-72: Some fun with USPS postal terms.... Officially, the "M" in M-Bag stands for "Mail", but historically it meant "Matter" as in Printed Matter, since it was designed for things like books, magazines, sheet music, etc. USPS uses the term "Media" to encompass both Printed and Digital Matter (Domestic "Media Mail" used to be known as "Book Rate" before they included digital matter). However, M-Bags cannot be used strictly for Digital Matter unless they are tied directly to Printed Matter (i.e. a book that includes an audio disc). Pop quiz in the morning!
79SF-72
>78 HonorWulf:
That is interesting, thank you. In Germany there also used to be a rate just for books, which was nice and cheap, but now it involves any goods that are sent, costs a lot more, and can't be as large as it used to be. Oh well...
That is interesting, thank you. In Germany there also used to be a rate just for books, which was nice and cheap, but now it involves any goods that are sent, costs a lot more, and can't be as large as it used to be. Oh well...
80HonorWulf
>79 SF-72: Fortunately, domestic USPS Media Mail is still a good bargain -- can be 50% cheaper depending on the weight of the book(s). As an aside, my oldest daughter lives in Germany -- sending her anything directly (and vice versa) is quite expensive!
81dyhtstriyk
>68 RickartAllen: Ah, I didn't realize they kept the US shipping cost somewhat affordable (discounting the huge markup of the US store). The 40 pound for standard is for shipments to the Americas outside US & CA.
82HonorWulf
>81 dyhtstriyk: I think it's because they charge US customers tax on top of the mark-up instead of taking it out of the mark-up like they do with ROW and VAT.
83SF-72
>80 HonorWulf:
Shipping between the US and Germany has definitely become very expensive, at our end more so since the tariffs. Until a few months ago, I used a forwarding service and was very happy with them, but that unfortunately changed. I'm still looking for a good alternative.
Shipping between the US and Germany has definitely become very expensive, at our end more so since the tariffs. Until a few months ago, I used a forwarding service and was very happy with them, but that unfortunately changed. I'm still looking for a good alternative.
84dyhtstriyk
Back to this topic again. Tomorrow I'll go to the post office to pick up my first post-increase package and I've just found out that, at least to where I live, not only they doubled the shipping fee, but they also downgraded the shipping method. It used to be an EMS, now its a parcel sent by ordinary international tracked mail. At least I have a tracking number, but this is the kind of packages that do tend to get lost in certain countries.
