Mac OS 9 Lives

Classic Mac OS Hardware => General Hardware Discussions => Topic started by: FdB on July 29, 2017, 05:42:42 AM

Title: US to UK shipping rates / paths
Post by: FdB on July 29, 2017, 05:42:42 AM
Anyone know of a less-expensive shipping rate, or any possible 'other' solution for shipping an estimated, 5 pound Apple Extended II keyboard to the UK? Current USPS rate ($62.00) and UPS ($166.57).

Short of establishing an import/export license for reduced rates, as if that might actually provide reduced costs?

(I shudder to think what shipping an actual entire MDD might cost.)
Title: US/UK/Euro shipping rates/pathways
Post by: FdB on March 23, 2018, 09:48:16 AM
And now (perhaps quite possibly somehow related to Brexit)…
again considering another (smaller but slightly heavier) package
to the UK. Has it now become time to consider a UK airlift path?
(Much like the old Berlin airlift effort?)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vboOsL0T8PeXlnCAxPvOBuE0jBvK0eh4

Seems that perhaps shipping to a neighboring country and then
a small holiday trip TO that country FROM the UK for that parcel
pickup… could garner reduced shipping cost?

Or... diplomatic pouches?

Judging from all the responses to the previous post…
everyone’s on the very edge of their seats over this.


Q: Whatever happened to Fury?

A: Ahh, he went into the Apple/Mac smuggling *biz.

                                          Aaaaargh, me mateys!

*Highly lucrative? Not.
Title: Re: US to UK shipping rates / paths
Post by: reader50 on March 23, 2018, 01:19:03 PM
Check rates for FedEx and DHL also.

Sounds like you're seeing airmail rates. Someone should offer ground rates on the slow boat.
Title: International Surrender
Post by: FdB on March 24, 2018, 02:06:17 PM
Alas, perhaps my final word on shipping to the “nether regions”
(outside of the good ol’ U.S.of A. and especially to the U.K.)…
fur-gid aboud it. (Okay... "words".)

Unless it’s a very small and very lightweight package. Even that
however can sometimes prove near impossible or too costly.*

Just acquired a LaCie 2Big Quadra 6TB Hard Drive Array with
the original intent of shipping it to a forum member in the U.K..
This nine pound package, 5”x9”x10” via FedEx…$214.18 to $274.97.
AND via DHL… $230.92 (minus a 28% promo code) = $166.26.

Regular parcel post is undoubtedly, much less expensive.
Still, not cheap. And the aforementioned member has gracefully
and quite understandably, declined… and I now happily find myself
with more backup/storage space than I shall probably ever need.
(But, very very inexpensively.)

“Happier than Mr. Happy” perhaps yet again, here.

Point being (as so very aptly put by our UK Comrade)
 “Truly, the macOS 9 clan are comrades, brothers
(and sisters) against a rising tide of corporate greed.
Yet we’re all still up against the frustrations of trying to ship our
less-expensive goodies  to others across the globe… thusly
and further attempting to perpetuate (not for profit) all-good-things
Mac... within our “circle”. Propagation of the “faith”.

Seller of the LaCie did mention that he has family in Wales and
that they rarely ship anything “across the pond”. Instead, they
transfer items back and forth via luggage… when family members
visit between countries.

I do hereby surrender my overt quest via normal shipping routes,
of anything other than very small items… excepting perhaps even
*a simple G5 power cord to Jubadub in South America. Most of us
would love to share, it’s just not economically feasible for y’all…
nor for us. AND I thoroughly despise this fact.

Perhaps the day of individually & privately owned, GPS enabled,
long distance drones for such future covert deliveries across
distant borders may soon come?

…”to sleep, perchance to dream”.
(A SCSI port installed into my skull, long before "Johnny Mnemonic".)
Title: Re: International Surrender
Post by: mrhappy on March 25, 2018, 07:54:30 AM

Just acquired a LaCie 2Big Quadra 6TB Hard Drive Array


Yes...all that storage should indeed make you quite happy!! ;D
Title: Re: International Surrender
Post by: mrhappy on March 25, 2018, 08:13:40 AM

they transfer items back and forth via luggage

I've personally used the 'Loaded Luggage' method, (nicknamed 'DHL'... "Damned Heavy Luggage"!! ;D ;D) while my daughter was in England a few years ago... of coarse employing the bathroom scale to bump the bags up to the max weight limit! I HIGHLY recommend this method due to the great times I had on my trips back and forth... fish & chips for everyone!! ;D
Title: Re: US to UK shipping rates / paths
Post by: reader50 on March 25, 2018, 09:56:42 AM
If you have a US military friend on the outside-US side, you might investigate APO/FPO military mail (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_mail#U.S._Military_Postal_Service_(MPS)). Assuming you can use it, you would only be charged for the US domestic leg, at normal USPS rates.

I don't know what sizes/weights are allowed, though I've read it *cannot* be used for a profit. Items would have to be sent either free or at cost. There are likely other requirements.
Title: International Shipping
Post by: FdB on March 25, 2018, 11:22:47 AM
Cup O’ tea? Mr. Happy.
“DHL”… funny. ;D
Fish and chips? Yes please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoaktW-Lu38
(YouTube links are okay? Just not embedded videos, right?)

And thanks reader50. Good info for our out-of-country members…
should they wish to possibly befriend one of our many service people
currently located in their region(s) for such possible routing. ;)