Buying From Amazon - Queries

[darqueside]

Appreciate if any MySciFiFan forum members (forumers? ) who are regular buyers of stuffs from Amazon.com can help me out with my queries

• Will the credit card company / issuing bank levy *hidden* charges on top of the exchange rate, when purchasing items in US dollars / other foreign currencies? Or is this dependent on particular credit cards and varies from bank to bank? Simply put, if I multiply my purchases (in US dollars) by 3.8, is the final amount a fairly accurate figure (in RM, Malaysian Ringgit) of what will appear on my monthly statement?
  
• In terms of shipping, will they use Pos Malaysia for Expedited International Shipping? What about Priority International Courier?
  
• Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I only purchase one item, I'll only have to look up the Per Item shipping rates, right? Then it's only USD8.99 for International Courier vs USD 6.99 for Expedited Int'nl Shipping, not much difference there
  
• Some may be conventional novels, but there are books that I'm spotting that may be slightly oversized, how will that affect the rates? There are no entries under Shipping Restrictions for those particular books, so it's safe to assume normal delivery rates worldwide?
  
• How strong / sturdy are those Amazon mailing boxes? Do they include bubble-wrap? I mean, I hate to think that my hardcovers are gonna arrived "dented" & "bruised" ;D
  
• And finally(whew! ;D) the fan-fav question, will Customs Malaysia impose any additional surcharges / taxation if we're only bringing in books?
  

Appreciate any / all feedbacks, even if not to answer any of my above queries, just share with me your Amazon experience.

For the record, I'm just enquiring around. I've noticed that for some items, if i take the discounted Amazon price, add in the shipping rates and convert to Malaysian Ringgit (assuming a rate of RM3.8, and with no *hidden*-extra charges) the final price is considerably cheaper than what is being offered by Kino, Mph, or Acmabooks. Just wondering if there are others who feel & think the same way.

Have a great Sunday, y'all..

[datazak]

Amazon regular customer here. Been buying books from them since 1997 and dvds since 2002. About your questions:

1)Well, there are no hidden charges in my experience. I use Amex, though.

2)I've always used standard shipping and never tried the faster shipping methods. ETA about 2 weeks. Can't help you there.

3)See no. 2 above.

4)Well, I've ordered big sized books before. No difference in rates. The size does not affect anything.

5)They are cardboard boxes. The items are shrink wrapped and is surrounded with airbags. That baby is going nowhere...except into your hands.

6)Books are tax-free.

Additional tip: If after the estimated delivery date your item has not yet arrived, you can email Amazon and they will ship another free of charge. I've ordered from them for 7 years now and my orders have gone missing about 3 times. Everytime they re-ship my order free of charge with no questions asked. Now that's good service.

[TheEdge]

ah, fellow amazon newbie. i still am also in a way. those relating more towards credit card related, i probably may not have the most accurate answer, because my purchases so far were charged to family or friend's card (i was still a student back then). but i try to answer your questions :

- i think the figure on your statement would be acccording to the figure calculated on Amazon. if you take 3.8, it will be a safe number as I recall the exchange rate on the credit card statement was less than 3.8
- Expedited Internation Shipping uses Pos Malaysia. Bad thing is Pos Malaysia aren't known to be very good in handling, as my delivery boxes were dented slightly (but item inside had backboards so it helped). Don't know about courier ones though.
- Er, is it ? i never noticed.
- Shouldn't affect rates in my opinion. Again, DVDs and books could be a different thing.
- Haven't purchased books, only DVDs (SW Trilgoy Boxset and EpI and EpII). item packed with a backboard placed in a larger delivery box. any dents damages the delivery box and not the item. (unless it's a very BAAAD dent)
- Custom did not tax mine. I've heard that small quantity items don't really catch their fancy.

And yes, I purchased through Amazon because it gives me a better price for the same item here. Besides, I insist on Region 1 DVDs anyway. Star Wars Trilogy boxset cost about RM180 from Amazon but the Region 3 ones here cost RM299.

[vkkf1977]

for those of if, you stay in PJ, i can recommend this shop to you guys: toybox @ Atria. this guy takes orders and compiles 'em for amazon. then, the whole shipment gets send to him... that way, you don't have to worry abt shipping (coz it's together with other ppl's and also exchange rate) He takes the rate amazon sells (if amazon gives shipping discount, he gives that too!), and mutiplies that with 3.8...

have been using his service all this while...

[darqueside]

thanks datazak, theedge & vkkf for the pointers certainly takes the worrying off ordering through amazon, seeing as to how many myscififan members are already doing so ;D will place an order soonest & I'll share how it goes... thanks again!!