I'm not defending it (and I happily do it all the time for friends) but sending a package overseas from the US these days is one huge royal PITA.
The customs forms have to be filled out (and the online version is worse than the written one). And I have to stand in line at the PO - I can't just drop in the priority kiosk in the PO like I can with a stamped domestic package.
So I can maybe understand some shops adding a "handling" fee when they normally in the past have charged just the actual postage.
Still beats buying it from Lapps-Elisa, right? (A lovely shop, btw.)
I buy lots of product from Japan so I'm familiar with sticker shock shipping costs.
Just offering it up as a possible explanation.
And does Hancock ever offer free shipping overseas? Most of my friends just have it sent here and I combine and repackage it and then re-ship it out to them.