Shipping woes...

[RayKay]

So, I ordered new VFF's. I am one of those smack dab in-between size people so I ordered two pairs of Bikilas - two different sizes and another pair of KSOs (a size smaller than I have for going without Injinjis).

I ordered them ALL last Friday. No show yet. The Bikilas are expected to come in on the 4th (UPS). I don't know about the others as they but I expect they also will arrive early next week.  Monday is a holiday (no deliveries) and I am heading down to Oregon on Tuesday morning for over a week to go to a didge festival. It looks like I am going to miss them all! I was hoping to have them before I went on vacation as I will be of course doing some running along the way.

I am kicking myself for not having them delivered to work so they could at least come here in my absence (I just did not think they would take that long) as now it is going to be a pain in the a$$ to reschedule delivery or have them hold them once they attempt first delivery (and I can't just have them leave at door as they are going to have duties and broker charges - and of course UPS is a rip off about duties too and I prefer to order from non-UPS shippers but it was too hard to find the Bikilas otherwise).

Of course, I'll also have to be shipping the one pair back that does not fit too...sigh.

Moral of the story - we need more Canada-based online retailers who sell VFFs. MEC does, but they have a small selection and are often out of stock anyway.  There is only one store around here that sells them and they have nothing in stock right now and have limited models too.

[N8Simmons]

I hear you.  I'm in Afghanistan right now and it took almost three weeks for my KSO's to arrive.  I think I about drove the mail clerks all crazy..

[RayKay]

I hear you.  I'm in Afghanistan right now and it took almost three weeks for my KSO's to arrive.  I think I about drove the mail clerks all crazy..

How much did you have to pay for shipping N8?

Fluck UPS, I tell you. Customs and duties on a $102 shipment - $65. $40 of that being their special "broker charges". And, even better, I have another one coming next week that will end up being the same sort of "deal". Spending just as much on the freaking duties than I do on the goods themselves. If it comes via USPS or something, it's only a $10-15 charged for broker fees and duty.

I don't know if retailers in the US recognize what a PAIN it is for people outside the US to deal with UPS, but retailers....it IS a pain in the a$$.

[N8Simmons]

I ordered through Vibram and they shippen to my APO address vis USPS for like 5 bucks.  I cant really complain about the price at all it just took forever for them to get here.  WIife mailed a box on the same day, also from the East Coast, which got here 10 days before my shoes....  The PITA part for me was finding them in stock from a vendor that would ship to my APO.

[RayKay]

Yeah, my KSOs and Treks came from Vibram site, $10 shipping plus $15 for taxes and broker fees. They go USPS so no worries.

But did not have that choice for my Bikilas!  The problem is those that go UPS standard, UPS adds extra charges scaled to item value. So shipping was only $15 an item but $40-50 for $100 item for them to "broker" through customs (plus $5-10 GST). If it is shipped with one of the faster and slightly more expensive methods they do not charge this.  Ridiculous.

Two pairs of Bikilas to only keep one (had to order from different places to get sizes) will run me $350 including shipping, tax and UPS's extra $90-$100 surcharges! I will get $100 back when I return a pair but I still have to also pay to ship them back!

[N8Simmons]

Thats just plain crazy.  $250 for a pair of Bilkas?  Where do you live.....Mars?

[RayKay]

Canada!

Yeah, it is nuts.

$100 for the shoes (more with exchange!).

$15 shipping.

$130 when I add in UPS COD x2.

Then probably $25 to ship back.

It is not the vendors fault, but UPS is a rip off and I do not think a lot of US vendors are aware of how much they ding Canadians just because. Basically they impose a 40% tax and have to do little for it.

If it was NOT UPS it would have been more like $130.

[N8Simmons]

Wow.  I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around that one.  Guess I shouldnt complain about waiting three weeks for mine.  A little perspective never hurts.