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Post by td2441 on Mar 27, 2008 16:05:37 GMT 8
Hi all
I have bought some fabric from an eBay seller based in Malaysia, it's about 31 yards and she is trying to charge me US$116 postage, which is well over £50!
I bought 18 yards from her last month and the parcel came thru with the following stamps on:
6 x RM1 4 x RM20
I can't figure out this postage value - if that is 6.80MYR then that translates into about $2 which is wrong for a postage price for sure!
Do the RM1 stamps denote 10MYR or something? What do the RM20 stamps denote?
If RM1 stamps are 10 MYR then that's MYR60.80 postage which is about US$20, a more accurate shipping price for 18 yards of fabric.
I am SURE I'm being ripped off here. US$116 is MYR371!!! I need to build a case before I can argue with the seller, help!!
Rache
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Post by The SITH OverLORD on Mar 27, 2008 19:43:41 GMT 8
Hi TD 2441,
Let me go through your points carefully here :
Based on the information you've provided, the total value of the stamps adds up to RM86.00 as follows :
6 x RM1 = RM 6.00 or SIX DOLLARS 4 x RM20 = RM 80.00 or EIGHTY DOLLARS
RM86.00 is equivalent to GBP 13.87 or USD 26.79 based on the prevailing exchange rate. Therefore it sure isn't $2 per your concerns.
Please note that: RM1 is 1 Ringgit Malaysia 1 which is exactly ONE DOLLAR of our currency or equivalent to GBP0.15 (or 15p) or USD 0.312. Conversion done at this website : www.xe.com
No, the RM 1 stamps denote a postage cost of ONE DOLLAR whilst we have a TEN DOLLAR stamp that is represented by RM 10. Likewise, TWENTY DOLLAR stamp is denoted by a RM20 stamp.
TD-2441 per my earlier answer RM 86 (based on the total of postage stamps that you've listed) is equivalent to US 26.79. So this figure is close to the accurate shipping price for 18 yds of fabric that you've mentioned.
Based on the prevailing exchange rate at www.xe.com, USD116 is about RM (or MYR) 372.28, hence your figure is close here. This figure would be for the 31 yards of fabric that you've mentioned in your first sentence.
If we take the total postage costs for 18 yards at RM86.00 which is equivalent to GBP 13.87 or USD 26.79 and make this hypothetical assumption that the postage costs for 31 yards is roughly DOUBLE the postage then the estimated costs will come to :
RM172.00 which is equivalent to GBP 27.74 or USD 53.58
From this rough computation I can see that USD116 postage is really DOUBLE the computed figure. Did she say that she is going to use any special shipping method that will command a premium to ship this 31 yards of fabric to you? Additional information on the mode of shipping to you in UK will help clarify matters.
If you have need further assistance, please do not hesitate post it here so that we can assist you as much as we can.
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Post by td2441 on Mar 27, 2008 21:17:22 GMT 8
You are so polite in your replies Well the last package came to me wrapped up with nothing but postage stamps on, and one computer printed barcode label. I didn't request any special shipping methods as I didn't need the fabrtic urgently. I think she's just hoping I'll pay up and not question her. So shipping from Malaysia generally isn't more expensive than the rest of the world then? There are no hoops to jump through for sending out fabric?
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Post by td2441 on Mar 28, 2008 15:26:49 GMT 8
Her reply: ================== Dear Rache, Hello, I think you have some misunderstanding here THe shipping cost for 28 yards is $100 ($5.50 for the first yard and $3.50 for each additional yard) and not $116 (as I stated in the invoice, the extra $16 if for the extra cost 4 yards after discount) I think that I have forgot to tell you that this time the package will be mailed with POSTLAJU (express mail, 3-10 days to arrive with tracking # & insurance), since the shipping cost this time can cover the express mail And plus the fuel surcharge rate as I am staying in a small island so there are additional charges that I need to pay that is not written on the stamps and also I am staying about 45 minutes away from the post office And for the extra rate you have, it is not the right one too, because when I transfer the payment to my currency with my banking system here, the bank will charge me some certain fee too, so it is about $30 USD for RM86 The cost to mail the previous package is not $86, it is RM120 so it is about $42 (plus the packing fee and transport fee) and I have charge you $55 for the shipping fee last time The cost to send the 28 yards this time with POSTLAJU is about RM275 which is about $95 (plus packing fee and transport fee) and I have charges you with $100 And if you want to go for AIRMAIL (1-3 weeks to arrive) the shipping cost is RM220, so I think it is better off and safe for me to mail the package with POSTLAJU because I can have some protection for the tracking # and insurance coverage as I won't be able to get insurance with AIRMAIL here Every single cents really meant a lot to me as ebay and paypal charges quite high these days and I really didn't lie about the shipping But a lot of buyers don't understanding the mailing system here as each country will have different mailing system Thanks, please let me know if you have any other questions, and hope you will understanding my situation now and hope you will have a great weekend Lillian
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Post by Plo Strax-Avix on Mar 31, 2008 15:40:14 GMT 8
If she is using Pos Laju then that's about correct for 31 yards of fabric.
You can request her to use 'E-Parcel', which takes longer but is also trackable online. This should drastically reduce the cost.
She can also buy insurance for packages sent via 'E-Parcel'. Insurance for every RM100(US$31.31) worth of goods is only RM1.50(US$0.46), so something that cost RM1000(US$313.14) only cost RM15(US$4.60) to insure.
'E-Parcel' is what I use to ship stuff to EU and US all the time and I have yet to encounter any problems with it.
Let me know if you need any further assistance or clarification.
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Post by td2441 on Apr 1, 2008 1:18:00 GMT 8
I've put this to her let's see what she says
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Dr EMH
Veteran fan
Please state the nature of the medical emergency?
Posts: 420
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Post by Dr EMH on Apr 3, 2008 22:26:27 GMT 8
Greetings, td2441. I was ordering my phaser rifle prop from UK two months back, and the UK seller delivered my prop to Singapore via Parcel Force ... Guess how much he charged me for S&H? My prop cost £200, but the shipment fee is £100! ... That's 50% extra cost! ... and I still need to pay an additional 7% Goods & Service Tax (equivalent to UK's VAT) on the whole of £300 when the delivery reached Singapore. myscififan.proboards40.com/index.cgi?board=scifiprops&action=display&thread=1153022162&page=2Shipment across the globe is never cheap ... *sigh*
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Post by td2441 on Apr 4, 2008 6:53:48 GMT 8
Here's her reply:
She's being awfully patient and polite and now the price has gone down by $20ish but I'm still dubious!
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Post by Plo Strax-Avix on Apr 7, 2008 0:22:21 GMT 8
I'm surprised the post office don't know what's E-Parcel, as that's the term they used when I first brought a big parcel to be shipped.
If you have made a bid on her eBay auction, and won, you have no choice but to honor the deal, even if you are feeling dubious.
Maybe this material is thicker and thus heavier? Or maybe the extra few yards make the box big enough to enter a different volumetric category? Just like something below 1kg would be really affordable but something just slightly above 1kg would cost almost double because its calculated based on a totally different scale. I'm not saying this IS the case here, but it COULD be.
Its always best to find out the exact shipping cost before committing to a deal. Sorry I can't be of more help
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Post by td2441 on Apr 17, 2008 14:36:40 GMT 8
No it's not thicker - if anything it's a thinner bedsheet style cotton. So I reduced my order and she reduced the postage to $58, it's just arrived and it has 4 x RM20 stamps and one $5 stamp - what's the $5 stamp in Malaysian money? The 4 RM20 converts to only $25 so I've definitely been bloody fleeced again???!!!!!!
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