As I wrote, my goal “is that the feedback from this thread will be the reason to make the known Chinese e-shops that don’t offer free shipping for batteries to our country understand that their shipping policy is wrong. They must find the way that some of their competitors already know, in order to offer competitive prices for good batteries and free shipping (or/and $0 to small charge for tracking nr) at the same time, as I’m sure we’re not buying from them only batteries/flashlights/chargers, but many items”.
I don’t aim for a solution to the shipping cost only for my country, that’s why I’m asking feedback regarding BAT’s free shipping from various e-shops and as many countries as possible. This thread could be a way to put some pressure on those e-shops, making them understand that “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Unfortunately, so far the feedback is under my expectations. I don’t believe that BLF members (most of them flashaholics with big battery needs ) don’t care about BAT’s shipping cost. Maybe the thread is in the wrong place, maybe I didn’t express the right way what’s it’s purpose, maybe I was aiming high and expecting too much, maybe most members are buying batteries cheap and with free shipping, maybe… who knows what else…
Yea i also have to pay extra shipping so i understand. But batteries i only buy every so often and i usually buy a lot at once. Either way it will always be cheaper to buy from China then From an Australian seller. Plus i always pay for extra fast shipping usually only a few dollars maybe $4 dollars.
I ordered some batteries from DX, they emailed me saying they “cannot be shipped lonely in one package” and to order something else with them. So I did. Then I got the message my order “has failed to pass the airline security check as it contains lithium batteries/knives” and they “switched it to another delivery channel”. I didn’t pay anything for shipping.
The other items arrived separately from the batteries. The batteries eventually arrived in two separate shipments.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of these charges are based on a percentage of what they think they can get away with. Also remember that they are managing a complex balancing act with multiple shipping agents and shipments sent, not only from their own warehouses, but also direct from many different subcontractors.
This is becoming a mute point , the shipping of lithium batteries. There are international laws in place that dictate the shipment and proper procedures for shipping of lithium batteries. These are in addition to ones own countries regulations and individual carriers regulations.
In order to ship these batteries legally the retailer must jump through so many hoops and have proof of documentation proving amount of lithium in cell etc and “that the particular cell” in question is part of those tested.The testing cost alone is $4000.00-5000.00
If any of you are interested in why it is becoming so difficult you only need to go on line and read the UN regualtions , Transportation Regulations IATA in addition to the myriad of conditions from as mentioned individual carriers.
The reason you will not receive the $40.00 gift card is because he is correct! Suppliers are pulling back due to heavy fines that are being handed out. In addition they do not have the necessary paperwork to support the documented tests. This becomes especially true when it comes to “Clone Cells” which simply cannot pass and are the leading problem in terms of failures which is not to say that legit cells are not prone to failure! They to have had their issues as well.
The other fact is these batteries must be shipped as “Dangerous Goods” which in of its self has a higher cost which Vendors are incapable of absorbing. Those doing so are not following the regulations and are not sending the batteries via “Dangerous Goods”
These regulations are having a tremendous effect on the market for the small vendors that already make nothing on the batteries as it is and who cannot afford the cost to properly ship these items in accordance with UN and international dangerous good legislation.
This will only get worse before it gets better in terms of shipping costs! The goal being to buy in bulk with genuine suppliers with document proof of genuine product while paying a dangerous goods surcharge on shipping. The most we can hope for is that the charges come down in price with proper verification of authentic products and proper packaging by vendors of the individual cells that would diminish potential accidents.
Agreed as far as fast shipping goes. I think what will happen next is the Chinese seller’s cheap shipping options will be going to sea-borne carriers where regulations are less stringently enforced (and where they can play the “mislabeled” game all over again :person_facepalming: ). So you’ll either have to pay through the nose or wait months instead of weeks if you can’t afford air-shipping rates.
The good part of this is that will allow local sellers to be more competitive overall. That will help everyone’s local economy where they live which can be only a good thing :+1: Glad I got stocked up before this recent increase!
As I wrote at my OP, that's not the reason for I've opened this topic.
Besides that I agree -in theory- with you, but:
What do you mean "he is correct"? Correct in what? Have you seen any answer/opinion of his? I don't remember having seen something.
Can you (or anybody else) explain what I wrote/quoted at #21? So far I haven't seen any answer... :TIRED:
Anyway, the topic is gone totally off-topic. Nobody (almost) answered to the question that I thought all members would be interested to know: Which of the known online Chinese e-shops still offer Free Batterry Shipping to BLF member's country?
I am assuming that if you can convince Gearbest to offer free shipping on batteries he would provide a $40.00 gift card! My replay was and still is that it will never happen for the reasons given. Those offering free shipping are doing so illegally by adding a false description of what is in the package.
The real question is who has a package that was sent as dangerous goods and labelled lithium batteries in the description “that was not charged”? That i would say is no one!
The e stores will do this until they are caught and heavily fined or the products get confiscated at the borders and they have to reimburse the buyers. These little e stores do not have the funds to pay heavy fines like amazon just did.
There was reference to the number of batteries being shipped and weight classification for the “type of cells” being shipped which caused a fluctuation in the shipping costs.
Do a search on lithium battery International shipping requirements and UN lithium battery shipping regulations. Then you are welcome to review the transportation shipping requirements from individual carriers on top of it which make it very clear that these procedures /requirements are not being followed by the e stores.
It would be like asking you to send lithium batteries for free up to Canada! Heck one cant get a bic pen sent up to Canada for under $15.00 U.S and that isn”t even Dangerous Goods pricing!
Well, you might be assuming whatever (and you might be right), but once more I repeat that my goal by opening this topic is other:
I'm totally not trying to "treat well" GB in order to get (under strict terms) a $40 gift card. I won't get rich if I get it!
I understand what you're saying, and -as I wrote before- I agree in theory with you (if you follow the link at my OP you'll realize that I've done some reading regarding air-mail shipping legistlation for Li batteries), but "my replay was and still is" that so far I haven't seen any satisfying (or not) explanation regarding what I wrote/quoted at #21.
As I don't like repeating the same over & over again, I don't intend to make further discussion regarding shipping regulations, especially since such a simple question I've made/quoted hasn't been explained -so far- with simple logic.
Since (last I checked), lithium-ion batteries can be shipped by air inside of consumer products, wouldn’t it be easier to just design a $1.00 5mm LED “disposable” flashlight that 18650s can be shipped inside of? Or even a multi-cell version for bigger orders?
FastTech can’t ship batteries to my country.
GearBest can ship, but the cost is too much, IMHO.
Recently I bought 2 pair of batteries on eBay, shipping cost $5.
GB’s CS really ridiculous for me, they can’t figure out what my questions and the answers. I want to know their battery product date before buy. Poor guy.
Same with the other vendor from HK where I ordered my 18650 and 14500 recently. I was like “what??! somebody must have sent me the wrong items” when I first opened my parcel
Shipping batteries inside cheap disposable shells is a very good idea. :exclamation: I wonder why the rest e-shops (chinese or not) aren’t doing it. It’s been times that I’ve been asking myself if I should buy powerbanks with good 18650s, open them and take their cells. They cost less that way!
We will be waiting a very long time for this. Its not to long ago some companies started to ship cells inside a case instead of a plastic bag! At this rate we will all be aliens before they decide to ship cells inside a light lol I tried to buy a shaver like a beard trimmer and they are charging extra shipping on that even thought the battery is built in.
) don’t care about BAT’s shipping cost. Maybe the thread is in the wrong place, maybe I didn’t express the right way what’s it’s purpose, maybe I was aiming high and expecting too much, maybe most members are buying batteries cheap and with free shipping, maybe… who knows what else…
