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Shipping Questions

What shipping method should I use?

The answer to this question depends on what is more important to you - price or speed. If speed is the most important requirement then Express Mail is the best option. If cost is more important then Priority Mail or First Class Air Mail are the best options. Air Mail is not available for orders over US$100. Please note that all USPS mail is now air freight. As of May 2007 the United States Postal Service (UPSP) no longer offers surface (sea) shipping to Australia.

If your item will fit in either a prepaid envelope (4lbs max) or prepaid box (20lbs max), and it is cheaper than shipping using the actual shipping weight, then we will use this option and refund you the difference. Only flat objects can fit in envelopes.

If your order is too large to ship via USPS then it can be shipped via FedEx. My agent has a high volume account with them which provides him with a discount of approximately 60% off the standard rate. Approximately, the cost of shipping via FedEx on a weight-for-weight basis is the same as via express mail.

If your order is valued over US$100 then you must select either FedEx, Express or Priority mail shipping.

What is return insurance?

Return insurance provides for coverage of the shipping cost involved in a making a warranty repair any time during the item warranty. This includes the shipping from Australia to the USA, shipping within the USA, and return shipping to Australia. Return insurance also covers damage to the item that occurred during shipping. While return insurance is optional, it must be purchased at the time of item purchase. The cost of return insurance is 20% of the total shipping charges.

If you purchased return insurance and need to make a claim please before shipping your item as it may be cheaper and faster to have a item repaired here in Australia.

Does delivery insurance cover items that arrives not working or is the wrong size?

No. Delivery insurance only covers replacement of shipments that do not arrive. Because of the extra time involved in shipping an item to and from Australia we can't just return dead on arrival (DOA) items to the original store. This means that DOA will need to be replaced or repaired under the warranty conditions. If you need an item repaired under warranty please Delivery insurance also does not cover the wrong item being shipped by the company you choose to my agent.

What are the USPS shipping size limits?

You can find out more about USPS shipping costs and size limits by visiting the USPS information page for Australia.

It is important to know that light, bulky items may cost more to ship than their actual weight suggest since USPS also has a maximum volume for any given weight. For example, if your item only weighs 4lbs, but is very bulky, then the actual shipping "weight" may be 10lbs. The limits for the different USPS mail options are shown below.

If your item is larger than the USPS limits please as we can arrange to ship large items using courier delivery although FedEx, however, this is around the same price as express mail on a lb per lb basis.

USPS Express Mail International

Weight Limits

• 44 pounds max (20kg).

Dimensions

• Maximum length: 36 inches (90 cm).
• Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches (197.5 cm).

USPS Priority Mail International

Weight Limits

• 66 pounds max (30kg).

Dimensions

• Maximum length: 42 inches (105 cm).
• Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches (197.5 cm).

USPS First Class Air Mail International

Weight Limit

• 4 pounds max (1.8kg).

Dimensions (Envelopes and Packages)

• Minimum length and height: 5.5 inches x 3.5 inches (13.75 cm x 8.75 cm).
• Minimum depth (thickness): .007 inch (0.175 mm).
• Maximum length: 24 inches (60 cm).
• Maximum length, height, depth (thickness) combined: 36 inches (90 cm).

My item is larger than the USPS 79" size limit. How can I ship it?

The best option is to ship it via FedEx. My agent has a large volume account which gives him an approximately 50% discount off the standard FedEx rates. For example, to ship a snowboard from the USA to Australia via FedEx cost approximately US$70 to $100.

What are lbs and inches?

These are the American weight and length measurement. One pound (lbs) equals 0.45kg and one inch (also written as '') is 2.5cm. Most USA companies will quote shipping sizes and dimensions in pounds and inches.

I don't know how much my item weighs? What should I do?

Don't panic. If you don't know what the shipping weight is either make a guess so that you can get a rough estimate of how much the order will cost to ship, or select one of the "estimate shipping for me" options. I check all orders and will check the shipping weight in your final quote. If I am unsure of how much a shipment will cost, or if the item weights more than originally estimated then, I will send you a bill when the item arrives at my agents address. One good place to find the shipping weight of an item is Amazon as they list the shipping weight for most products.

What happens if my item weighs more or less than estimated?

Please remember that the "shipping to Australia" price provided in the final quote is only an estimate. If the item costs $5.00 more to ship than originally estimated I will contact you when the item arrives at my agent's address to let you know what the final cost will be. Alternatively, if the shipping estimate was $5 or more too high then I will refund you the excess shipping charges. In all cases you only pay what the shipping actually costs.

How long will it take for my order to arrive?

This is difficult to estimate as it depends on a number of factors outside our control, such as how quick the USA shipping is and how quickly the original supplier processes the order. We place your order within 24 hours of receiving payment and my USA agent ships the goods the next business day after they arrive at their address. You can expect that most orders will take between 10 to 21 days. USA FREE OR GROUND SHIPPING IS SLOW (up to 8 to 15 business days).

How long do each of the different shipping options take?

These are the shipping time ranges I have observed with each of the different shipping options over the last 24 months.

• USA Ground Shipping (free shipping): 8 to 14 days.
• Express Mail: 5 to 7 days
• Priority Mail: 8 to 10 days
• Air Mail (First Class): 9 to 21 days

The most variable shipping time is for USA Ground (Free) Shipping. This is the shipping from the original store to our agent. Many stores seem to give a very low priority to free shipping orders so as to "encourage" you to pay extra for the more expensive shipping. If you are in a hurry to get an item it is may be worth paying for faster USA shipping.

My order hasn't arrive yet. What should I do?

Sometimes shipping take longer than it should. If your order was shipped by my agent by express, priority, or FedEx more than 21 days ago then please and we will arrange for a replacement. If your order has been shipped by First Class Air Mail please allow up to 8 weeks. While most first class air mail shipments arrive within a couple of weeks, we have had the rare order take as long as 7 weeks. Unfortunately if your order has been shipped by first class air mail we are not able to find where it is as this class of mail does not have a tracking number. This is one of the major disadvantages to using this method.

I should mention that the tracking information provided by USPS is very often inaccurate. If your order has supposedly been delivered then please contact your local Australia Post office. My experience is that in 9 out of 10 case these "delivered" packages are actually sitting at the post office collecting dust.

What happens if my goods arrive damaged or not working?

Please contact me to arrange for return of the item. Please do not ship the item directly to me or my USA agent without first. This also applies if the wrong item has been shipped.

Can I have my goods shipped to a different address?

Yes. To select a different shipping address please check the "ship to different address" box on the order form. This will displays the "shipping address" section allowing you to enter a different delivery address. If you are shipping to your work address please include your companies name.

Can you change the declared value of my order?

No. This is customs fraud. This also does not protect you from later charges by customs. They may send you a bill anytime in the next five years if we under declare. While there are some companies out there that will do this, it is worth considering if you want to use the services of someone that is willing to commit customs fraud.