Any update on non-UPS shipping options?

First of all I'm happy to see something is going on with this issue.

But, what about other countrys around the world?
Will I be able to use USPS to ship from Holand to Israel?

When will the NY manufacturing be active, will I be able to ship with USPS from the NY facility?

Any chances for a USPS option to Israel (and Israeli P.O. Boxes especially like the one I have)? I ended up paying $19.99 for the shipping of an item costing merely $9.99.

I'd love to have a USPS Economy option (if it is air-mail). I don't care if the goods take a month to get to me if it saves a good deal of money.

For reference, here are a few US businesses of which I am a customer and their shipping costs to Israel (for miniatures):

Rebel Minis (http://www.rebelminis.com/info.html):
$6 shipping cost worldwide regardless of shipping size. Normal USPS air-mail, IIRC.


Khurasan Miniatures (http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/ordering.html):
From $0.01 to $16.00 is $4.00
From $16.01 to $36.00 is $8.00
From $36.01 to $56.00 is $11.00
From $56.01 to $86.00 is $17.00
$86.01 and up is $26.00

By normal USPS air-mail.

Mad Robot Miniatures ( http://madrobotminiatures.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=sh ippinginfo&zenid=9d8d38bf8bd2b2520ccbe5ecbd95b9fe):
All international orders ship via USPS 1st Class International Mail. Cost is as follows:

$27 & under = $8
$27.01 - $50 = $9
$50.01 - $100 = $10
100.01 & up = $13

The answer to this and another very important improvement for us designers was "we are too busy with other important things to implement this right now". I can't imagine what is more important than allowing their designers to expand their customer base beyond U.S. residents with Paypal accounts, but it must be really big. I can't wait for whatever it is.

Well the response on uservoice is this:
"Hi all,

just to let you know that this issue IS on our radar and we're discussing how to resolve this. It's not a simple problem to solve however (we'd have to start supporting multiple shipping companies and also figure out which shipper works best for each specific country).

Wel'll keep you informed."

This issue is also at the top of uservoice. So this is not a backseat issue. This issue is in the foreground.

Hi Johnny, as Michael quoted, we ARE taking this seriously, it is not on the back-burner at all. We do hear your requests, and since this issue has been at the top of the feedback list for some time, we have been addressing it.

Making shipping easier and cheaper is a complex solution and rather than continuing to say "we are working on it", I have been waiting until the solution is implemented to announce it.

I am sorry if this came off as dismissive, it was not the intention, and as Michael quoted from UserVoice, it is being researched right now.

Best,
Natalia

Obviously this isn't the case in this particular issue, but being top of Uservoice doesn't necessarily mean anything.

After uTorrent implemented uservoice, the request "make it open source" went straight to number 1 and stayed there for a long time.

Recently they announced they would not be making it open source. Fat lot of good that did!

While I can't speak for UTorrent, when something is at the top of UserVoice, you can be SURE we are actually working on it.

We implemented this feedback system to get a very clear idea of which issues are the most important for our community.

That said, some issues involve longer solutions that others. Shipping falls into this category - it is a complex solution that we want to make sure is scaleable around the world. As we grow, we want to make sure that our shipping solution can handle the WHOLE world.

So thank you for your patience while we work on bringing a complete solution for everyone.

I know, you said already you were working on it. That's why I said "Obviously this isn't the case in this particular issue"

But I just wanted to point out to the guy who said that "This issue is also at the top of uservoice. So this is not a backseat issue. " that it's not an absolute guarantee of anything in all cases.

I was referring to Shapeways UserVoice policy. As a Shapeways employee, and never working for another company that has used UserVoice, I can't speak for how others choose to use UserVoice.

That's good to know!

This topic has been going on for more than a year.

I can't imagine it would be that difficult to start shipping things by USPS.

Anyone who has ever bought something from the states has dealt with USPS and I personally have never had an issue.

How has it taken so long to resolve. Just time Canadian orders to the post office, charge an extra $2 handling and be done with it.

I posted over almost a month ago, and no response.

Just got my bill from USPS.

Shapeway (2 orders) = $6.50 x 2 = $13

UPS Brokerage/Bond/Free = $49.38

total shipping cost = $62.38 for 2 orders of items no bigger than a pencil!!

That is such a rip off.

Yes, this subject has been "looked at" for a looooong time now. I just recently ordered some silver chain from US and paid $5.80 for USPS shipping. I've ordered from them before and I know there won't be any customs or brokerage fees. Now, admittedly, they do say to allow three to four weeks for delivery but the point is if I'm prepared to wait and have USPS as an option then I will choose that method.

Glenn

I don't understand why USPS is still not an option.

The same issue was brought up with Ponoko who have even higher shipping prices on 3D prints from their USA location and they have not done anything yet either as far as I know.

I imagine there would be more customers if they were given cheaper shipping options.

I honestly can no longer bring myself to purchase anything that will total over $30, as I will be hit with a +$20 brokerage fee from UPS.

Shapeways shipping choice (or more likely contract) is really hurting its customers outside of USA.

I work in Canada at the moment and I'd like to add how awful it is to actually RECEIVE deliveries. I work M-F, 9-6 and had them redirect my first Shapeway orders. It took them THREE days to straighten it out and I think it's on route. of course I worry that if i'm in a meeting, or lunch, then they will just go away since I need to pay them the COD taxes upon receipt.

Picking it up at their shipping facility is not an option since they are available only M-F. no weekends. Not to mention that they are always out in the middle of no where (about 1 hr from Vancouver).

Canada has Canadian Post, which is located everywhere, open all 7 days so I can actually receive things.

it is a shame that the time it takes for Shapeways to create and ship and arrive in Canada is actually shorter than the time it takes for UPS to actually deliver it to me from its local ship facility.

I received a shipment from NYC to Canada yesterday: I was charged a $10 brokerage fee, no duty and 13% HST. The randomness of what UPS and Canada Customs charges is maddening - I hope Shapeways opens a Canadian distribution terminal soon!

Just because there appears to be some dispute and question about why UPS charges these fees, and why, and when, I'll clarify (I've become intimately familiar with their practices over time):

The fee you get from UPS (at least in Canada) is a brokerage fee. This is not levied by the government, but by UPS itself. The long and the short of it is, when UPS brings your parcel over the border, they need to sign a paper or two, and the brokerage fee is what they charge for signing that paper. Generally, the fee winds up being ~50% of your total package value - so if you order $200 worth of goods, it's a pretty safe bet your brokerage fee will be around $100. Lastly, and sadly, there is no way to escape this fee. It doesn't matter what your item is classified as, it doesn't matter who shipped it or from where (unless it was from within Canada). It has nothing to do with taxation or border fees. It's just UPS grabbing your cash in exchange for the effort of signing a slip of paper for you.

Just one of the many, many reasons we need an alternative.


The one and only way to escape the brokerage fee, I feel I should point out, is if your order is under $20 (not counting shipping). And thank god, because otherwise I wouldn't order a single thing from Shapeways. So as long as your total parcel value is less than $20, UPS won't bother to charge you.

While I would agree your last statement appears to be true now there was one time early on when I ordered a $7.50 WSF model from Shapeways and was charged $14 by UPS! I wasn't savvy enough to argue at the time but I sure as heck would now!

Glenn