aspqrz02
Posts: 1024
Joined: 7/20/2004 Status: offline
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At least all we have to consider is the additional mailing costs ... there are no customs duties or sales taxes on imports under $1000 as the gummint (sensibly, for once) did their sums and found that it would cost more to check and determine whether duties were collectable and/or collect those duties than they'd get back for items under that amount ... at least that's the way it is at present, and will remain that way until Gerry Harvey and his rent-seeking retail store pals get it changed to benefit their 19th century ripoff business model with their inflated prices. I toyed with getting it shipped to my remailer who, typically, can get 50-60% discount on the shipping charges lazy sellers (and RPG and Computer Game sellers mostly qualify, I have no idea whether Matrix does) accept from Fedex/DML etc. ... but since the shipping was only $45 extra on top of the $111 for the game, and I'd been prepared to pay c. $150 for the game, it was not worth it ... $9 shipping to the remailer, $8.50 handling charge by them, and, maybe, $20-25 for shipping ... almost the same amount as Matrix charges. Since I don't have any objection, per se, to having the books ... and, though I use my iPad for reading a fair bit these days, I still prefer books that can be propped open and thumbed through for RPGs and Computer Games, I don't mind the actual physical shipment, even though I am playing the game (or fiddling with it, more correctly) right now. Of course, the fact that the shipping charges are ALL that an Aussie customer will pay extra adds certainty, whereas other non-US customers have real problems that I appreciate. Still, it's a crazy business model from Matrix. Phil
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Author, Space Opera (FGU); RBB #1 (FASA); Road to Armageddon; Farm, Forge and Steam; Orbis Mundi; Displaced (PGD) ---------------------------------------------- Email: aspqrz@tpg.com.au
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