Cost of Box and Shipping?

[Grim.Reaper]

Really interested in the manual but shipping costs seem a bit excessive unless I am doing something wrong. I live in the USA and the cost of shipping is $20, when the cost of the actual box upgrade is only $15. Would have thought shipping in the USA to be a lot lower and don't recall ever paying that much for shipping. When I ship books from other online book stores that are even much bigger, only a few dollars. Am I doing something wrong?

[budd]

nope your not doing anything wrong, same for me. Well thats a buzz kill, might have to wait until amazon sells it. I guess there sending product to Amazon soon. Doesnt seem to matter where you live, seems like a $20 flat rate no matter what, that defiantly seems excessive, i've ordered lots of things online and dont think ive ever payed $20 for shipping especially for a book.
I wonder if you buy the digital downlnowoad and then get the manual as an addon later will it still be $20 shipping.

[Grim.Reaper]

ORIGINAL: **budd**

nope your not doing anything wrong, same for me. Well thats a buzz kill, might have to wait until amazon sells it. I guess there sending product to Amazon soon. Doesnt seem to matter where you live, seems like a $20 flat rate no matter what, that defiantly seems excessive, i've ordered lots of things online and dont think ive ever payed $20 for shipping especially for a book.
I wonder if you buy the digital downlnowoad and then get the manual as an addon later will it still be $20 shipping.

Agreed, huge disappointment....book and shipping costs just about as much as the game itself. Unfortunately, if I want to buy this game, I can't wait until Amazon since I have the anniversary coupon that I need to use in the next day.

May have to go download only, can't remotely justify $20 for shipping a book.

[Dorb]

Just bought it and was thinking the same thing, but a sucker for manuals, let alone hardback ones so ended up just dealing with it and downloading now, but was surprised somewhat.(In Ohio $75.00 for everything.)

But it is what it is, and hobbies are expensive.

PS- just bought 2 Axis & Allies board games from CSI.(coolstuffinc) Europe and Pacific 1940 2nd edition. $62.00/e anything over $100 free freight - not sure how they do it but these are big heavy games and take a lot more space than a book for $20 and its free)

[Grim.Reaper]

That's what I don't get.....if I ship something from my home or local shipping spot, even something much bigger than a book, it only costs me a few dollars....I am just a person and not a company (so no volume discounts), yet I can do it for much cheaper....just doesn't add up.

[Dorb]

Maybe it is like ebay. Great price upfront but They get ya on the backside with freight. lol. [:'(]

Like I said, I'm old school and a sucker for game manuals, I blame Microprose, Interplay, SSI, Sierra, Three Sixty Games and Interactive Magic for my game manual OCD. [:D]
Just glad it is an option to buy if you want and not forced on us. Feel lucky for the folks who do not suffer the same obsession.[;)]

[Grim.Reaper]

Would have enjoyed the manual as well....but not going to pay $20 shipping for it. Went with digital download only, too bad.

[Zap]

Feel for you both. But some have it worse. I bought Civilization VI with shipping cost 69.00. then discovered my computer graphic card can't handle it. So now the cost rises to another 500. for a computer equal to the task! [:)]

[Dorb]

ORIGINAL: Zap

Feel for you both. But some have it worse. I bought Civilization VI with shipping cost 69.00. then discovered my computer graphic card can't handle it. So now the cost rises to another 500. for a computer equal to the task! [:)]

Ouch now that really hurts.
Look on the bright side, look at all the other games it may open up also.(that is when the real expense comes in)
I'm looking at Civ VI, like the Total War series - Gonna hold off and wait for all the DLC / patches to enjoy and at a reduced price. Have plenty of games to hold me over until then.

[sPzAbt653]

I was going to get the digital only for $40, but when I saw the 'boxed' version DOES come with a HARD COVER manual, it was a no-brainer to go for the manual [even though it will surely change in the future]. The last time I bought a 'box set' I did so because I assumed it came with a manual, but all I got for the extra $10 was a box [:(] [should have read the product info more carefully first].

So, to put a positive spin on it, the game is $40 and the beautiful hard cover manual with color photos will cost us $35. That's not bad at all for such a book, is it ?

[t001001001]

nm

[sPzAbt653]

And let us not forget, the game is ONLY $40 ! Are you kidding me ? I would have been happy with at least $60 and expected it to be more. I fully suspect that this game isn't something that most of us will spend a few hours on and then move on to something else. I know most of us will playing it for years [&o]

[operating]

I like nothing better than getting away from a computer screen to read up on a problem or an understanding about the game. Also from the looks of it, to run a version through my printer would likely cost at least one ink cartridge plus a ream of paper weighing 20 lbs..

[Grim.Reaper]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

And let us not forget, the game is ONLY $40 ! Are you kidding me ? I would have been happy with at least $60 and expected it to be more. I fully suspect that this game isn't something that most of us will spend a few hours on and then move on to something else. I know most of us will playing it for years [&o]

The cost of the game nor the actual manual is not in question....both are very reasonable. But $20 shipping (possibly more in other countries) is not reasonable when any one of us can ship something similar for far less. If part of the reason is they use some kind of expedited shipping then they should have other options available since for some people there is no rush to receive.

I understand some people are fine with paying that much, but just doesn't seem to add up. But at this point I just bought the download version and the manual displays fine on my ipad. Still disappointed since I had every intention of buying the manual.

[sPzAbt653]

Sir, do a mind control exercise on yourself :

~ The Game costs $50, the Manual costs $25, and shipping is free ~

Repeat this to yourself as you fall asleep, and when you awake, you will be a happy customer. [:D]

And the normal disclaimer - what is stated above is NOT true, I'm just trying to lighten the mood a little.

[Theages]

I live in Austria (Europe).
In December 2014 I bought "War in the West" boxed version (EUR 81,99). The shipment cost was EUR 2,50.
Today I checked, the price is EUR 93,99 and shipment is EUR 34,52 (!!).
So the shipment cost ist the same as it is now for SC.

1 US-Dollar ≈ 0,94 Euro

The shipment cost first implied to me, that they are shipping from the US (WitW came from within the European Union), which leads to the problem of import taxes, which are calculated from the product price and the shipping costs, which raises the total price by another at least 20%.

BUT:
My last purchase showed Matrixgames address in Great Britain.
I looked on FedEx home page, what I would have to pay for a delivery from Matrixgames' address to mine. It showed EUR 47,20 (!!!!) for a 2kg package (~ EUR 39 for 1kg). So Matrixgames does charge less than the nominal fee.

When checked how much the Austrian "POST" would charge for a shipment from Austria to Great Britain it only showed EUR 15,75 (cheapest with recipient signing.
When I checked UPS it showed EUR 97,09.
British Royal Mail would cost about EUR 20,00.

I think the shipment cost is prohibitive.

Sidenote:
I also could not purchase the digital version, because my VISA did not work. It had worked 7 days ago on Matrixgames-store and did work today on the store of another vendor.

[Meteor2]

I just checked it, too.
Nearly 35 € for shipping. I planned (of course) to buy the boxed version, but not for these shipping costs.
Hard to understand, why such high costs are needed. In the past I bought books in the US and the shipping was 10 - 20$ to Germany.
35 € seem to be very high.. [:(]

[xwormwood]

But on the other hand the hardcover manual looks so unbelievable awesome!
[:D]

[Theages]

I just got a reply from Slitherine support.
"Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately the German Warehouse has closed so items do ship from the US. We are working on reopening the German Warehouse but do not yet have a date for when this will be done. We are also due to get the game sent to the UK Amazon store, which will reduce shipping costs and avoid customs for European customers, so this will be available in the coming weeks. Unfortunately though at this moment there is only the option to purchase from the site. I'm sorry for this."

So for european customers there not only the high shipment costs (trans-atlantic) to be paid but also the customs (import VAT) have to be additionally paid (at delivery).

[IainMcNeil]

While there used to be cases of people being charged import duty, in practice we find it is not applied, at least not recently. For the last couple of years its been shipping from the US and haven't heard of anyone complaining for years about this problem. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong and you've been charged tax but I've not heard of this for a long long time.