(05-11-2011, 07:14 AM)cathb Wrote:

(05-11-2011, 01:24 AM)harumi Wrote: Wow...I always go for the cheapest shipping method (whether it be from Yesasia, CDJapan, Japan Discoveries, etc) and I have never had a problem ever. I've been using Yesasia the longest. I think Japan Discoveries is a good option for preorders (they had the best price on the mekuri calendar and photobook that I saw) but when you're getting into rare, difficult to find items then you do seem to get into more money.

I don't understand why the shipping costs so much. The last couple months I've had to ship a couple things from here to Japan for a friend and it didn't seem unreasonable for shipping internationally...but put the shoe on the other foot...for example, I love to buy manga but I will only read it in the original Japanese so my only option is online...if I want to buy a set of manga, the shipping fees usually end up being more or less equal to the cost of the books themselves...ridiculous. I lived in Japan for 4 years, but I really don't know much about mailing stuff back and forth internationally...(we had military addresses there so anything our families sent to us from the states and vice versa was still considered domestic) but I wish there was some kind of media mail option like we have in the states...

You know, in the back of my mind I kind of wonder if that shipping money really and truly is going to shipping or if some of it isn't just more profit for them....it just seems beyond exorbitant sometimes...

Many places used to call it shipping & handling, but I don't see that listed much any more. Part of the fee used to be for packing it up.

I knew what to expect when I got the L'Anniversary DVD set and the VAMPS calendar at the same time. And the invoice from cdjapan showed exactly what I said I was going to be charged. However, my creadit card statement had the "foreign transaction fee" of over $20 tacked on. Since this varies according to what you buy, I never know how much I am getting soaked for there.

But yeah....pricey shipping. I was thrilled one time to find the old complete, unopened box L'arc set on auction and I snagged it for $80. I literally stole it. Shipping price.......$150. I about died when I saw that bill.

i think the credit card companies charge more for transaction fees than if you use bank debit or paypal connected back to bank rather than to a credit card. i got rid of all of my cards for years until recently and after using it on HMV because my bank somehow can't get the concept of "yen" as being legit all of a sudden, i'll stick with some other retailer and get cheaper transaction fees. as i said, never more than 4 bucks tops so far. obviously that could change at any moment. lol

but yeah, i think we all tend to "shop around" for the best deals. at these prices, you HAVE to.