New forward service from NZ Post: YouShop

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#940991 26-Nov-2013 12:38

Edit: Note I wrote this before I read your previous response.

Looking at the info on the Amazon page (and using some common sense) it seems obvious that this package should be using the actual weight rather than volumetric weight for shipping. Volumetric weight only really kicks in for large, light objects, right?

Using the dimensions listed (45.0cm x 35.3cm x 15.5cm) gives a volumetric weight of just under 5kg which is far less than the 12.7kg shipping weight. Shipping 13kg should've cost $12.50 + 26 x $4.75 = $136, more or less like you've said.

We don't know for sure that the original box they got was packed the same, almost certainly it can't have been. However, for it to cost $241.75 means a volumetric weight of 24kg (120,000cm^3)! That sounds like a pretty big box, but it's "only" an extra 10cm on each side. I'd be really interested to know that the dimensions of the box they received was.

Edit 2: I agree that the costs are lottery but that's hardly their fault, is it? Why should they be held responsible for the varying shipping practices of Amazon et al?

Edit 3: (oops!) The problem with volumetric pricing is that just a 25% increase in each dimension doubles the weight/cost.

dclegg

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#940997 26-Nov-2013 12:47

bazzer: I agree that the costs are lottery but that's hardly their fault, is it? Why should they be held responsible for the varying shipping practices of Amazon et al?

Thats why they need to be clearer about this happening on their website. I had no idea that the volumetric calculations could result in such a wild variation between the expected and actual costs.

It is also why I am disappointed about them not even being able to offer me a 15% discount to help make me a little happier. In fact their online support rep got quite snarky when I raised the suggestion. And yet a week later they were offering this exact discount to Kiwibank customers.

So while it isn't their fault as such, they certainly can be a bit more customer focused in this area.

timmmay

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#941016 26-Nov-2013 12:59

If they give one person a discount when they ask they have to give it to everyone. I think you've made your position and opinions sufficiently clear.

Nuwanda

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#941019 26-Nov-2013 13:02

Thats why they need to be clearer about this happening on their website. I had no idea that the volumetric calculations could result in such a wild variation between the expected and actual costs.

That's it in a nutshell.

The YouShop freight comes by air, right? Volume is at a premium for air freight, and I guess weight is, too. Weight would be a far lesser concern on a ship, but volume would still be important as every container has limited capacity. What I'm getting at is that volumetric pricing would always take precedence and always result in a big cost jump due to the aforementioned.

As I suggested in a previous post, I suspect that YS is erring substantially on the side of caution. They don't have their own planes or freight systems like FedEx, UPS, etc. do. They are a pretty small cog in a large global freighting machine.

dclegg

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#941023 26-Nov-2013 13:04

timmmay: If they give one person a discount when they ask they have to give it to everyone. I think you've made your position and opinions sufficiently clear.

Having room to be flexible when dealing with your customers is key to maintaining successful customer relations. Its not as if I'm going to be contacting the 50,000 other YouShop customers and telling them that I didn't have to pay full price on my shipping. But I have already shared my negative customer service story with people on various social media platforms. Had they come to an acceptable resolution with me, I would've shared that as well.

Nuwanda

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#941032 26-Nov-2013 13:17

I agree that the costs are lottery but that's hardly their fault, is it? Why should they be held responsible for the varying shipping practices of Amazon et al?

Which begs the question: how closely has YS worked with the major retailers to determine what their actual shipping practises are? Could they have gleaned some useful info from such research to offer a more accurate calculation method?

I'm guessing they haven't simply because the conceit inherent in what YS (and others) is doing is to sidestep restrictions on shipping goods imposed by the in-country suppliers. And just like the problem of voided warranties, returns, replacements, etc., highly variable freight costs are the price you pay.

A possible alternative, and one I've used in the past, is to have the item shipped to a friend in the US (or perhaps Canada) who then sends it on to you.

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bazzer

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#941035 26-Nov-2013 13:20

Nuwanda:
I agree that the costs are lottery but that's hardly their fault, is it? Why should they be held responsible for the varying shipping practices of Amazon et al?

Which begs the question: how closely has YS worked with the major retailers to determine what their actual shipping practises are? Could they have gleaned some useful info from such research to offer a more accurate calculation method?

I'm guessing they haven't simply because the conceit inherent in what YS (and others) is doing is to sidestep restrictions on shipping goods imposed by the in-country suppliers. And just like the problem of voided warranties, returns, replacements, etc., highly variable freight costs are the price you pay.

A possible alternative, and one I've used in the past, is to have the item shipped to a friend in the US (or perhaps Canada) who then sends it on to you.

But their calculation method is accurate and fully documented on their site!

dclegg

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#941039 26-Nov-2013 13:23

bazzer:
Nuwanda:
I agree that the costs are lottery but that's hardly their fault, is it? Why should they be held responsible for the varying shipping practices of Amazon et al?

Which begs the question: how closely has YS worked with the major retailers to determine what their actual shipping practises are? Could they have gleaned some useful info from such research to offer a more accurate calculation method?

I'm guessing they haven't simply because the conceit inherent in what YS (and others) is doing is to sidestep restrictions on shipping goods imposed by the in-country suppliers. And just like the problem of voided warranties, returns, replacements, etc., highly variable freight costs are the price you pay.

A possible alternative, and one I've used in the past, is to have the item shipped to a friend in the US (or perhaps Canada) who then sends it on to you.

But there calculation method is accurate and fully documented on their site!%MCEPASTEBIN%

Their calculation method may be well defined. What is less defined or clear (especially to n00bs at this kind of thing) is how variable the received package size can be. My experience has even shown that the same product ordered from the same merchant can result in differing package sizes.

loceff13

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#941349 26-Nov-2013 22:15

It's highly likely it was amazon using a larger box, it's kinda of expected if you have ever ordered from them before the packaging is excessive to say the least. Kind of like Telecom's distribution I've had SIM cards arrive in a5, a4, a3 size courier bags and even small a5 size cardboard boxes (for a $5 SIM pack and a a4 terms document).

Next time vote with your feet, send an email expressing the hope they add a repacking service in future and direct your business elsewhere

dclegg

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#941354 26-Nov-2013 22:29

loceff13: It's highly likely it was amazon using a larger box, it's kinda of expected if you have ever ordered from them before the packaging is excessive to say the least. Kind of like Telecom's distribution I've had SIM cards arrive in a5, a4, a3 size courier bags and even small a5 size cardboard boxes (for a $5 SIM pack and a a4 terms document).

Next time vote with your feet, send an email expressing the hope they add a repacking service in future and direct your business elsewhere

Yeah, I imagine the fault lays with Amazon WRT the bigger box. What is odd is that the same product ordered from Amazon had two vastly differently sized boxes. Had the volumetric pricing been applied by YouShop on the box that Amazon shipped directly to me, I'd be looking at around $150 in YouShop shipping fees.

And YouShop do offer a repacking service, but in this instance my package was deemed ineligible.

nzkiwiman

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#941682 27-Nov-2013 12:39

Been using YouShop for a year now, and once the parcel hits New Zealand I have had the parcel in Dunedin the next day.

However today - nothing
My parcel status is stuck at 'destination sort'

Does anyone know if this is an extension of everything being treated as a second class parcel when it hits New Zealand and needing 3-5 days to get somewhere (even EMS parcels)

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NzBeagle

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#941686 27-Nov-2013 12:49

nzkiwiman: Been using YouShop for a year now, and once the parcel hits New Zealand I have had the parcel in Dunedin the next day.

However today - nothing
My parcel status is stuck at 'destination sort'

Does anyone know if this is an extension of everything being treated as a second class parcel when it hits New Zealand and needing 3-5 days to get somewhere (even EMS parcels)

Should still be coming through, if you don't have it tomorrow I'd raise it, but given the demand will have increased that might slow it up a day?

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#941716 27-Nov-2013 13:34

nzkiwiman:
My parcel status is stuck at 'destination sort'

I have a package also sitting on 'destination sort' and won't be worrying about escalating it until tomorrow or Friday at the very earliest. Often times i've found the tracking updates can be up to 24 hours behind the actual action. As in, my last youshop package arrived at my house yet the tracking said it was still being sorted. An hour or two later the information was updated online.

nzkiwiman

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#941751 27-Nov-2013 14:13

Looks like it just go lost in Auckland, as the status has changed (as of 1.40) to Auckland Parcel Sorter which in recent YouShop parcels has been the last recorded action.

I really do hope that 2-3 days in Auckland is not the new trend for YouShop parcels

NzBeagle

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#941768 27-Nov-2013 14:36

nzkiwiman: Looks like it just go lost in Auckland, as the status has changed (as of 1.40) to Auckland Parcel Sorter which in recent YouShop parcels has been the last recorded action.

I really do hope that 2-3 days in Auckland is not the new trend for YouShop parcels

I would put all these things back to being that time of the year unfortunately.

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