Shipping to Botswana is Insane

[vinaduro]

I've been eyeing one of those beautiful BM235s for a while now, and I eventually decided to get one. I added it to my cart, and clicked on calculate shipping, and it came to AU$80.... AU$80?? That's just crazy. So I decided to hell with that, There is no way I'm going to be extorted like that just for shipping!!!
So instead, I'm buying a ticket to Australia, and fetching it myself.

Actually going for my brother-in-law's wedding, which is taking place in Tasmania, but having the MM shipped to him in Sydney. I can't wait to see 'Strahlia, it's going to be a blast. I obviously also can't wait to get my fancy new MM. My current multi meter (haha) is about 15 years old already, so definitely time for an upgrade.

[james_s]

International shipping to everywhere is insanely expensive these days. I don't know about other countries but USPS eliminated the surface option years ago and now only offer the high priced air services.

[SiliconWizard]

Yep. Except, "oddly" enough... from China. For which shipping costs haven't changed a whole lot.

[vinaduro]

Yeah dude, shipping from the US to here is hectic. Sometimes the shipping through Amazon is 1.5x the cost of the actual item. That's what we get for living in a third-world country. It is an extremely beautiful third world country though, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. :-)

[vinaduro]

Yep. Except, "oddly" enough... from China. For which shipping costs haven't changed a whole lot.

Cheap shipping from China has saved my bacon a few times, so I'm not going to complain. 

[SiliconWizard]

Well, even in Europe, getting anyting from the US has gotten pretty expensive.

[Neper]

It even costs an arm and a leg to send a simple parcel from Belgium to Germany nowadays.

[vinaduro]

It even costs an arm and a leg to send a simple parcel from Belgium to Germany nowadays.

Wow, I would assume that shipping that close would be fairly cheap. For us to ship between southern African countries is fairly affordable. Customs and import duties can be a little hectic at times, but that's regardless of where the item is being shipped from.

[DeanA]

It's bloody expensive sending anything from Sydney to Perth as well, but it is about 4000km.
Enjoy your trip to Australia, hope to visit Africa and Botswana myself one day. 

[SeanB]

It even costs an arm and a leg to send a simple parcel from Belgium to Germany nowadays.

Wow, I would assume that shipping that close would be fairly cheap. For us to ship between southern African countries is fairly affordable. Customs and import duties can be a little hectic at times, but that's regardless of where the item is being shipped from.

Living next door to the right, yes, though you guys do have cheap petrol, which comes via tanker truck from South Africa, yet you pay a shed load less than the users in the sending company. Botswana is on my list of places to visit, especially the nature reserves.

[Circlotron]

It is an extremely beautiful third world country though, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. :-)

Everything I know about Botswana is from No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. 
https://www.youtube.com/user/felixotoo100/videos

[TERRA Operative]

Yep. Except, "oddly" enough... from China. For which shipping costs haven't changed a whole lot.

Government subsidised shipping, along with gaming the universal postal union treaty will make for continued cheap trinkets from China.

[vinaduro]

It's bloody expensive sending anything from Sydney to Perth as well, but it is about 4000km.
Enjoy your trip to Australia, hope to visit Africa and Botswana myself one day. 

Apparently there is a train trip that you can do from Perth to Sydney, my wife wants to do that. As long as I have internet, I'm happy to just sit in a train for a few days. lol

You definitely need to visit, this place is just amazing.

[vinaduro]

It even costs an arm and a leg to send a simple parcel from Belgium to Germany nowadays.

Wow, I would assume that shipping that close would be fairly cheap. For us to ship between southern African countries is fairly affordable. Customs and import duties can be a little hectic at times, but that's regardless of where the item is being shipped from.

Living next door to the right, yes, though you guys do have cheap petrol, which comes via tanker truck from South Africa, yet you pay a shed load less than the users in the sending company. Botswana is on my list of places to visit, especially the nature reserves.

Yep, I'm originally from SA, and moved to Bots a few years ago. You're right, the petrol comes from SA, but it's almost half-price here. Bots has lower taxes on petrol though, so that's the main reason.

You definitely need to visit Bots if you get the chance, especially up north.

[vinaduro]

It is an extremely beautiful third world country though, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. :-)

Everything I know about Botswana is from No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. 
https://www.youtube.com/user/felixotoo100/videos

Oh wow, I knew about the books, but I never knew that they made a video series. I'm not much of a fiction reader, so I haven't read the books, but I'll definitely watch the series. Thanks for linking it.

[SiliconWizard]

Yep. Except, "oddly" enough... from China. For which shipping costs haven't changed a whole lot.

Government subsidised shipping, along with gaming the universal postal union treaty will make for continued cheap trinkets from China.

Well, sure. And there are two different things. Very cheap shipping from China is usually slow - using those large shipping cargos. People buying from China are used to that, but wouldn't accept waiting for several weeks to get something from the US. If you use faster shipping options, then shipping from China is not that cheap anymore.

And then there are import taxes/VAT/etc. I have *never* had to pay anything like that when buying stuff from China, whereas I have *every time* when buying from the US, or many other countries in the world. It's like customs are still pretty tolerant of anything coming from China. That can make a huge difference on the final cost.

[nali]

You definitely need to visit, this place is just amazing.

I can second that, having been lucky enough to drive through from Jo'burg, Gaberone then up through the Chobe National Park through to Livingstone. Definately a trip I'll never forget.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Yep. Except, "oddly" enough... from China. For which shipping costs haven't changed a whole lot.

Not my experience - on my last couple of JLCPCB orders, the shipping has been more than the boards, which nevre used to be the case

[DeanA]

Apparently there is a train trip that you can do from Perth to Sydney, my wife wants to do that. As long as I have internet, I'm happy to just sit in a train for a few days. lol

You definitely need to visit, this place is just amazing.

Yeh, the Indian Pacific is rail trip from Sydney to Perth, probably be a good trip to do if you have the time and like sand dunes :-)
Yes, Botswana is on the bucket list, I understand it is quite safe for tourists there, unlike SA, one of the reasons I haven't visited the African continent yet.

[vinaduro]

Apparently there is a train trip that you can do from Perth to Sydney, my wife wants to do that. As long as I have internet, I'm happy to just sit in a train for a few days. lol

You definitely need to visit, this place is just amazing.

Yeh, the Indian Pacific is rail trip from Sydney to Perth, probably be a good trip to do if you have the time and like sand dunes :-)
Yes, Botswana is on the bucket list, I understand it is quite safe for tourists there, unlike SA, one of the reasons I haven't visited the African continent yet.

Botswana is definitely much safer than SA, but I don't think you should let the crime rate in SA deter you. 99.9% of the crime that happens is against locals. I don't think tourists are ever really targeted, but maybe on the odd occasion get caught in the crossfire. If you only have the opportunity to visit 1 country in Africa, then Botswana is definitely the one.