I’m about to buy a Yuni 20" Trials unicycle with the Profile setup from unicycle.com. Because this is my only option, I’m forced to pay a shipping fee of US$135 which is almost $250 Australian! I think this is ridiculous and that it surely wouldn’t cost unicycle.com that much to ship it. It makes it really hard for someone like me who’s only just saved up the $1060 Australian for the unicycle and then has to pay so much more to get it here. This also means I’m going to have to probably wait a few more weeks to get the thing.
Is it just Australia that gets charged this much? I understand that it is on the other side of the world but surely it can’t cost this much.
I think that everyone here is sympathetic to your situation, especially in light of your age and that it is likely that it takes some effort for you to save up this kind of cash.
However, no one here can do anything except offer opinions. The only people with whom you can really discuss this are the folks at Unicycle.com.
Now most here will tell you that they have had dealings with various unscrupulous businesspeople and to be wary on this account. However, I believe with almost no exceptions, all here will tell you that Unicycle.com has dealt with them in no manner other than honorable and honest.
You might also wish to go to the websites of the US Postal Service (www.usps.gov), FedEx (www.fedex.com) and UPS (www.ups.com) and see if you can’t check the approximate shipping charges to Australia for yourself.
I am in no way trying to minimize your understandable frustration, only suggesting that you can do some checking on your own and really need to bring this up with the Drummonds.
Still how would you like to pay $135 to get your $250 unicycle shipped to you? Thats bull shit, you may want to try and get in touch with GizmoDuck I think he’s from NZ he may be able to help you out on a tip about getting a uni down under for a decent price.
I doubt unicycle.com are trying to rip you off, I’d speak to (or e-mail) them directly. They should be able to tell you why it cost $135 to ship it from the US to Aus. I’ve always found Roger (unicycle.uk.com) really nice and he goes out of his way to help.
Chex
“Illegitimis non carborundum.” (Latin)
Gen. Joseph Stilwell
I really don’t think unicycle.com is trying to shaft Andrew. I think they are charging the price for shipping because that’s what the shipper charges i.e. UPS, FedEx or whoever is carrying the unicycle.
When I buy something from unicycle.com at get it shipped to California via UPS, it’s around 6 bucks. That covers the shipping.
I assume that the labor to pack any item I buy is buried in the price.
That unicycle is going a long way to Australia. If I bought a unicycle online from some business in Australia, I bet I would have to pay high shipping costs not from the unicycle seller, but from the cargo carrier.
So I wouldn’t get on the back of unicycle.com. I really don’t think the high price is their fault.
Andrew, your right, that price is high for shipping. Just wait until you want to buy another one…
It seems high, but I just ran a rate check with UPS. Surprise! It came up with $175.37 or $188.50. I’d say the $135 was a bargain. Maybe going through a local bike shop would be cheaper if they could order more than one item.
There might be a lower cost option if it is shipped on a cargo ship instead of by air which might be the case for that price you got. This will take longer to ship though, but is good if you got more time to wait than you have cash. Check with Unicycle.com to see if they have other options for you.
It may be nicer, but then my Toasters Avitar or whatever the little icon things are called wouldnt make as much sence.
You guys may notice I was trying to help instead of just bitching about the cost of shipping wich sucks. Yeah shipping is high and did I at all blame Unicycle.com, I dont think so. I still think that paying $135 to ship a 15 lb (arround 7kg box) is F… Messed up at that price I woundt even be able to afford a torker.
I think the bike shop order may be a good route to go with too, perhaps they can get wholesale prices from Unicyclist.com making the end Retail price more bearable. I would even be willing to accept frequent flyer mile donations from everyone in order to get that flight to Aus which yes that too is at an exhuberant price, in order to hand deliver Andrew the package at a lower cost.
Perhaps the world is different to thoese of you who have money. But to a college student who’s Kitchen just burned down I hardly have enough money to pay for school and eat. Unicycling is a sport where the equipment is keept to a minimum. I mean were basically riding arround on crude bicycle forks with pedals.
When ever someone wants to bitch about the price of someone why do they deserve the Unicycle.com nazi’s jumping down thier back saying its a good price. They kinda seem like a Monopoly with unicycling equipment as far as I can tell. So how can you say what is a good price? If there is no compitition they can ask whatever they want for equipment, like 1200+ for an original KH uni.
Thanks a lot everyone for all your advice. I guess I was being pretty ignorant thinking that it was all unicycle.com’s fault. I never even considered that they get UPS or someone else to ship it for them. Thanks ‘trsrdr’ for checking that price for me, and ‘JJuggle’ for those links. I suppose I’ll just stop whining and pay the shipping cost. I could wait until the end of the year when our family’s going to a wedding in Canada and have it shipped there but I just can’t wait that long:) .
Australia has some intereseting import/export dynamics. Ya’ll don’t export as much as import- so it is significantly cheeper to export. Air Fraight from AU is about the same as Surface cost to AU…
So, to some extent, you are paying for an empty space on an outbound fraighter.
As to politics- Uni.com has NEVER screwed me on shipping. In fact, they posted quite a few Miyata sadles for free when they weren’t in stock for cycles they were wed to. They also ship fast. 'Course, they make of for these expences elseware…
Thanks Christopher, that’s really interesting about the import/export costs. And don’t worry, I’m not blaming unicycle.com anymore now that everyone has filled me in on what goes on.
If I decide to get ‘One Tired Guy’ (Kris Holm’s video) shipped over to Australia with my unicycle will it add to the cost much? What I mean is, do they have a certain charge for general shipping that makes up most of the cost and then add on a little depending on the weight? Or is the shipping cost affected a lot by an increase in weight?
I tried to find a way to calculate shipping of both items, but i dont think i can do it without actually buying it. Alone shipping the Yuni is 131$ and the video alone is 46$( I think this is in American currency) I highly doubt that it would cost 175$, and i think it just will add on a few dollars for the extra weight. The problem enlies here:http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=480
scroll down to the very bottom of the page, and you see a note that says, Shipping begins December 5. From what i concieve this would mean that unless you were planning on waiting until Dec. 5 to buy your unicycle THAT particular video wouldnt ship because its not out to the general public yet.
Correct me if im wrong.
Scott
Andrew, one thing to bear in mind is the American NTSC format v. Rest of The World minus France (more or less) PAL format. Recent PAL TVs can decode NTSC signals OK but videos can be a bit fussier. It may be worth checking your video can play NTSC videos. If it can’t and unicycle.com can’t ship a PAL copy, try unicycle.uk.com (sorry for adding to your problems rather than answering them)
