Please send any suggestions or comments to Richard@bentcover.com
I created this page because the phase "including domestic surface shipping" is misunderstood on a regular basis. "Including" and "shipping" get across quite well. It is the "domestic surface" part some have trouble with. Surface means buy truck or boat. Domestic means an actual state of the United States of America or a possession. To include but not limited to Alaska and Hawaii, or Puerto Rico and Guam. Canada is domesticated, but not domestic in this case. NAFTA does not seem apply to postal rates. In Canada, for example, I can send one or two books there cheaper than I can send it to another customer here locally. However, if the package goes over 4 pounds, that is about 1.8kg to the rest of the world, I can't send it 'book rate', (AKA cheaply). I have to use parcel post which obviously isn't a hardship on me, the customer pays for shipping, unless it deters my customer from buying.
A couple of examples come to mind. An order came in over the phone during the weekend our postal expert was off duty. That is not a going postal expert... read that as "mail boy", just not in front of my face; The customer was quoted "Domestic Surface" shipping charges, but the package was over 7 lbs. (15.4kg). The parcel post charges were $10 more than quoted. Canada, unlike most countries, limit 4th class mail to 4 pounds (1.8kg). Every other county is 11 pounds (5kg). Another time I tried send some sci-fi titles to Poland. I don't even think I have enough web site space to begin to explain bureaucratic regulation I and the customer has to comply with to send a package to Poland, a supposedly free country. The government there feels they must make sure that custom officials do not let any anti-government material into the country. I mean no offense, at least not much, to any one personally, but a country you can't talk poopoo about is poopoo! Some people complain about the "love it or leave" attitude of some arrogant Americans, but, in my opinion, it is better than "love it or get shot". Censorship is a sin. So sayeth the 13th commandment. I think there was even some sort of permit fee. Call me arrogant/ignorant, but that sounds like a legal bribe. It was almost funny. Just for giggles call your local UPS and ask them what it takes to send a 5 pound package of books to Warsaw. If you do not get mysteriously disconnected, you will be amazed.
Please take note that air mail is available, it just gets a little expensive for pond hoping.
To get an idea of the cost of postage (that's postage alone, we add one dollar and call it handling charges. It covers packaging cost, the cost of derived from delivering the package to the Post Office, and a Dr.Pepper while I'm on my "Post Office" break. Please note that these charges do not change during holiday seasons, even though the time required to mail a package is considerably longer, my boss says "It's a good thing you're salary!") check out these United States Postal Service rate calculators:
International Delivery
Domestic Delivery
This page is maintained courtesy of the The
Bent Cover Bookstore.
Please send any suggestions or comments to Richard@bentcover.com
