granny_59

The promotion code is MERRY20 , is good for the entire website and it will last for three days. Thats the good part.

The bad one: I thought this might be the occation to order the Dr. Suess fabric and got a discount for the 6 yards of $ 10,78. But the shipping cost for a international flat rate envelope quoted $ 20!? Normal is about $ 14 so my discout would be cut down to lousy $4.78.

I contacted them and they let me know that the minimum shipping for international orders will be $20.
What kind of 20% discount is this? And why dont they mention it in advance.
BTW : the mail says that the offer expires today at 5 p.m. CST. I got the mail this morning........funny three days.

Granny

granny_59

well I ordered the fabric now at the fat quarter shop. They have the bigger selection and the shipping is $13.50!?
Will order at hancocks of paducah in the future only if they have free shipping.
Granny

MTS

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.

ghostrider

Hancock's of Paducah is one of the few places that charges the same for shipping to Canada as they do within the US, and from what I've seen, their international rates are quite reasonable compared to some other fabric stores. I think they do the very best they can on shipping charges. As for the late arrival of your email notification, I got mine very early three days ago in plenty of time to do major damage to my wallet!! :oops:

granny_59

well I was pretty happy with them so far but raising the shipping costs from $ 13.50 to $ 20 within two weeks leaves me speachless.............specially since USPS did not raise their rates!

EasyPeezy

I agree with ghostrider...Hancocks of Paducah has one of the most
reasonable shipping costs (specially for Canada). Another one would be
Connecting Threads. Unfortunately the choice of fabrics from CT is a bit
limited.
Don't know why you only got their email today. I've received two or three
emails from them. Maybe they just like me (or my wallet). LOL

granny_59

considering the orders I placed with them so far they dont only like my wallet - they own it! But an almost 50% higher shipping charge I have to figure out by myself (at checking out) is too much

QKO

Shipping cost is about 14.50 for a flat rate envelope to Europe. And filling out a customs form doesn't take much more time than a regular shipping label for us, because we do so many, but it may be that Hancocks has an automated system for regular shipping labels but not for customs forms, so they feel that that requires an extra premium. This is probably the reason a lot of larger outlets won't even do international shipping.

Having said all that, putting 6 yards into a flat rate envelope requires a lot of extra time in careful folding and packing to make it barely fit and there is also a lot of extra messing around with it. And the fabric is not well-protected when it's all done because there is no room for good protective packaging.

Our maximum for flat rate envelope shipping is 4 yds, domestic or int'l because we use heavy duty inner packaging to avoid damage, and we don't want to have our packages broken, returned because they're overstuffed or spend an extra half-hour reconstructing those cheap cardboard envelopes with tape.

With a 6-10 yard order, it'll still fit into 1st class parcel (4 pounds max), (which lots of shops won't use because you have to supply your own packaging), get there just as fast and be just as cheap or within a few dollars of flat rate envelopes.

Even with higher shipping costs though, you really need to compare the total cost of purchase online with what you would have to pay for the same thing locally, including taxes, shipping and even transportation to get to your local stores. This applies to domestic or international online shopping.

granny_59

Sorry QKO.I have to disagree. I had dozens of flat rate envelopes with 6 yards of fabric in the mail without any problems and I cant see any problem to fit that amount of fabric into a flat rate envelope.
I would not shop at a place that only puts 4 yards into it.

I dont mind if they raise the shipping/handling costs but I would like them to tell me in advance! And for the costs I would have to pay locally..............what differenz does this make to an american company?? They want to sell their stuff so they better offer good conditions or they loose their business with me.

MTS

And you're absolutely right about that. They should explain the reasoning behind the increase.


I wasn't implying that your local prices would make a difference to an American company. It would/should maybe make a difference to you.

And so they lose your business. I'm pretty sure they'll still be there the next time I pass through Kentucky.