Rising Shipping Costs - what can be done about it?

[archery]

This topic needs its own thread as shipping charges for international customers are now out of control. I appreciate this is an industry wide problem but I've felt the rise most with PCS purchases. The cost of shipping Kintaro (1/4) is 50% HIGHER than what I paid to ship Sub Zero (1/3) just ONE month ago. This is insane.

I'm not sure what Voodoo math Fedex are using to calculate these charges, but I'm fairly sure it involves pulling numbers straight out of their ass and then doubling them. The worst thing for a collector is when a statue fully paid off on PO date is ready to ship - only for the high shipping charge to kill your enthusiasm for the piece.

Some of us European customers are also hit with handling charges/fees on top VAT (which is unavoidable - but has been reduced considerably thanks to the 9703 customs code). I appreciate PCS are at the mercy of whatever Fedex/USPS are charging. So I would like PCS to consider the following:

1. Look into alternative shipping options. Maybe a slow boat option for those of us willing to wait a little longer.

2. Look into alternative couriers. UPS? Are there not other low cost international couriers based in the US?

3. Provide the most up-to-date shipping cost chart in all payment requests. These have been absent from recent emails. Transparency is important.

4. Provide box dimensions and box weight information as soon as possible so that customers can try to find cheaper alternatives before statues arrive in the warehouse.

5. As mentioned before, the sooner ALL QC is done in China the sooner PCS can ship direct from China and international customers can bypass US couriers altogether.

6. Most importantly, set up at least two key distribution warehouses. One for Europe and one in China for the rest of the world so we can benefit from local low cost couriers.

This may not be important to PCS if only 10% of customers are outside the US. Would be nice to get some visibility on this from Red Ant as I assume the priority is directly correlated to the revenue international customers generate.

Specifically for Europe, I believe one or two customers working in the shipping sector have offered to look into warehouse options in the Facebook group.

PCS have done a great job of keeping prices reasonable in the face of rising production costs. But all of this good work is going to be undone if customers buy less statues because shipping costs are too high.....

.

[ukshaun]

I hope by the time Chun-Li 1/3 and Mileena 1/3 are ready to ship, PCS will have the European warehouse up and running

[vinnnie]

Thank you archery, for making this thread + post. Hopefully it will lead to a solution. Hate to give up ordering directly from PCS...

[red_ant]

I just posted an analysis on the FB CG on shipping to give an example that you are pay a deep discount compare to the regular rates. I used Blanka as an example. Box is 20x12x19 and weighs 20lbs. To ship to the Netherlands our customers paid $105. See the pics below for the retail rates for UPS and FedEx directly from their website.

[Old Snake]

Kintaro's shipping costs as much as my 1/3 Akuma did.

[kagero_no_mai]

Originally Posted by red_ant

See the pics below for the retail rates for UPS and FedEx directly from their website.

PCS used to ship internationally via USPS until a few months ago, can we get that option back please?
UPS and FedEx rates are outrageous and many European customers (myself included) will be priced out soon.

Also, I remember PCS used to eat a bit of the international cost to make it more affordable, isn't that the case anymore?

[red_ant]

Originally Posted by kagero_no_mai

PCS used to ship internationally via USPS until a few months ago, can we get that option back please?
UPS and FedEx rates are outrageous and many European customers (myself included) will be priced out soon.

Also, I remember PCS used to eat a bit of the international cost to make it more affordable, isn't that the case anymore?

USPS was $128-$200 for Blanka, still more than the $105. Also we will not use USPS because of all the issues when it comes to how they handle damaged shipments. I doubt international customers would agree to taking a statue as is even if it arrived broken so that takes USPS of the table. And yes we still eat some of the costs.

[kagero_no_mai]

Originally Posted by red_ant

USPS was $128-$200 for Blanka, still more than the $105. Also we will not use USPS because of all the issues when it comes to how they handle damaged shipments. I doubt international customers would agree to taking a statue as is even if it arrived broken so that takes USPS of the table. And yes we still eat some of the costs.

Thanks for answering. Please try starting the EU warehouse thing asap!

[DeadGhostKnight]

I use interparcel.com here in the UK for my shipping and i can ship my 1:3 Shin Akuma from the UK to the USA for £91/$118, i understand it might be different shipping from the USA to the UK/Europe but it seems crazy you are getting $500 prices for the netherlands?!

That's a 40 pound weight 20x18x31 inches, much larger than Blanka.

[Marcel54]

Over the last 10 years I have used USPS Priority Mail International to ship all my collectibles (statues, scrimshaw and really expensive custom made knives) to me in the Netherlands. In all those years I only had one issue, and that got resolved. On top of that it is much cheaper than the other shippers.

That said I would really like to have a EU based warehouse, not only for PCS but for all the large (r) statue companies. That would take away quite a bit of hassle.