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Unbelievably exorbitant postage rates
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:19 pm
by brucesim2003
I was going to order some mounted maps from ADB. However the online shop wanted to charge 45USD to post a 30USD product to New Zealand.
This is highway robbery. I can't imagine postage for this product would cost this anywhere on planet earth! And if postage would be sorted out and then a refund of the balance made to my CC afterward, well this is the 21st century. Get your act together! I have never encountered this problem
anywhere else.
Also, the order form insisted that the choice "outside the USA" from the drop-down menu was invalid.
As it stands ADB's E-shop has turned me right off purchasing anything from ADB.
Bruce
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:02 pm
by Kang
I always find that a quick note to Leanna on
sales@starfleetgames.com is invariably met with a prompt, courteous and thoroughly reasonable reply. I suggest you try that!
These guys really do have excellent customer service - some of the best I have ever seen - and really bend over backwards to do right by their customers.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:40 pm
by mike_espo
Don't know if this helps, but both times I orderd from ADB, they sent me refunds for half the postage costs.

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:56 pm
by Steve Cole
The way the shopping cart works, it calculates the "expected" postage. Many times, the "actual" postage is less and we charge the actual amount. (The cart "authorizes" the expected amount but only Leanna can "charge" your card, and she adjusts the charge before it goes through, so it's rarely a matter of a refund, but just a lower than expected charge.) The cart simply isn't smart enough to calculate every possible combination of shipping boxes, countries, and products, and Leanna can play the post office like a caliope and make them charge less.
What you can do is email Leanna and ask her to go pull the order and weigh it and tell you the "actual" cost. The cart is still going to charge you the "expected" cost (which Leanna always adjusts when she charges the card) but at least you'll know what the real charge it.
This is a function of the banks and the post office, not anything ADB is doing, and we don't get any of the postage money (so if the cost is "exhorbitant" you can talk to the post office, not us, as we're not the ones charging it). Most companies would not give you the lower rate (just pocketing the difference) but then most companies would charge you "shipping and handling" with handling covering the cost of the box and the warehouse guy who packs the order, things we don't charge for. Our shipping costs are the lowest around, at least, the ones that actually show up on your card are.
The alternative (calculate the postage charges and add them to the charge) doesn't work since the cart "authorizes" a specific amount, and we can charge less but not more. We'd have to email you the postage and have you place a separate "order" just for the postage costs.
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:32 am
by Burning Chrome
I'll second the statement that ADB has excellent customer service.
I recently placed and order for a few items such as a D6M mini, some of the first Captain's Logs, and Module K, Fast Patrol Ships.
I'm excited to see what all the fuss is about PFs and looking forward to checking out the D6P and KRP.
Then after snooping around a bit more I was shocked to find the KRP is not included in Module K. WTH?
The KRP is in R4? Huh? Man... Doesn't make much sense to me (might after I receive my order and review it) and I notified Leanna of my predicament.
She assisted me by holding my original order, updating it with my order of R4, and shipping it all together to reduce postage fees. Thank you Leanna!
I chose to utilize UPS as I'm hoping it takes less time to arrive than the USPS. We'll see.
Can't believe all the cash I've dropped on SFB and FC stuff in the past 6 months...and have yet to play a single game. Enjoy the read though and hoping to play a few FC games here in the near future.