lighthound.com International shipping costs FYI

Today i tried to buy some lights from http://www.lighthound.com they had some eagletac lights on offer that i fancied, added 3 x Eagletac D25 range lights in my basket total value $102.98.

Just to be clear http://www.lighthound.com is an american based company and i am in the united kingdom so international shipping is required.

I goto checkout and the only delivery option was UPS and was $90, now i may have been spoiled by banggood/fasttech free shipping but to me that seems to be way to much. (swearing filter blocked what i wished to say)

As an fyi i added a $10 body extention from there clearance section to a shopping basket :

Order Total
1 Item(s): $10.00
Shipping: $91.46
Taxes: $0.00
TOTAL: $101.46

I did contact the company asking if they did any other cheaper shipping method and was a somewhat curt no.

If you are in the USA they offer free shipping on orders over $75.

I can only guess they do not want to ship international orders, i would preffer that they at least be honest about it.

This is because they haven’t bothered to setup their shipping rates properly and are just using a flat rate for everything. I got 2 motorcycle tyres shipped to Sydney from US for $60 shipping.

Check with a shipping forwarder company for USA purchases including eBay purchases from sellers who will not ship internationally at all or only at a ridiculous price.

Here are shipping prices for only 6 ounces, to the UK. Every ounce takes it much higher. It's a disaster over here, to ship out of the US.

GXG and Priority Mail Express International™ Options Scheduled Delivery Date Price Online Price
Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG)**
Value of contents can not exceed $2,499.00
Min. length 9-1/2", height 5-1/2"
Max. length 46", width 35", height 46" and max. length plus girth combined 108"
1 - 3 business days to many major markets
USPS GXG™ Envelopes**
Value of contents can not exceed $2,499.00
USPS-Produced regular size cardboard envelope (12-1/2" x 9-1/2"), the legal-sized cardboard envelope (15" x 9-1/2") and the GXG Tyvek envelope (15-1/2" x 12-1/2")
1 - 3 business days to many major markets
$65.95
$62.02
Priority Mail Express International™
(Calculate Guaranteed Date)
Max. length 36", max. length plus girth 79"
3 - 5 business days to many major markets1, 2
$52.00
$48.96
Priority Mail Express International™ Flat Rate Boxes
(Calculate Guaranteed Date)
USPS-Produced Box: 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" or 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"
Maximum weight 20 pounds.
3 - 5 business days to many major markets1, 2
$84.95
$78.25
Priority Mail International® Options Expected Delivery Date Price Online Price
Priority Mail International®
Max. length 60", max. length plus girth combined 108"
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$43.50
$40.33
Priority Mail International® Large Flat Rate Box
USPS-Produced Box: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"
Maximum weight 20 pounds.
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$80.50
$76.50
Priority Mail International® Medium Flat Rate Box
USPS-Produced Box: 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" or 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"
Maximum weight 20 pounds.
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$61.75
$58.65
Priority Mail International® Small Flat Rate Box**
Value of contents can not exceed $400.00
USPS-Produced Box: 8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8"
Maximum weight 4 pounds.
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$24.75
$23.50
Priority Mail International® DVD Flat Rate priced box**
Value of contents can not exceed $400.00
USPS-Produced Box: 7-9/16" x 5-7/16" x 5/8"
Maximum weight 4 pounds.
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$24.75
$23.50
Priority Mail International® Large Video Flat Rate priced box**
Value of contents can not exceed $400.00
USPS-Produced Box: 9-1/4" x 6-1/4" x 2"
Maximum weight 4 pounds.
6 - 10 business days to many major markets1, 2
$24.75
$23.50
First-Class International Options Expected Delivery Date Price Online Price
First-Class Package International Service™**
Value of contents can not exceed $400.00
Other than rolls: Max. length 24", max length, height and depth (thickness) combined 36"
Rolls: Max. length 36". Max length and twice the diameter combined 42"
Varies by destination
$12.75
$11.48

They are probably going with Priority. Many places will not ship overseas unless it's Priority, because of no insurance. Nothing is insured unless it goes Pripeity or Express. That's how the US Mail works, like it or not. All that money is used to line pockets and subsidize Chinese shipping costs.

Just the way it is...

Some vendors such as Illumn or Fenix-Store manage to send the lights overseas with a shipping cost of less than $20. So why some other vendors such as Goinggear are unable to do the same thing is beyond my comprehension.

The USPS rate varies on distance and mail service type but, there are a few ways to ship via USPS much cheaper than whats above. Some countries like Russia must use Priority Express which is expensive. I try and use First Class Mail when I can. 2 pounds First Class International in a 16”x 10” box to London England would be $21.45 and that’s insured and tracked. My most common international shipment is around $13 to $17 unless its a really small order. I ship regularly to Oz, those guys order $200 or more and the shipping runs an average of $33 to $37 for up to 4lbs tracked and insured.

Commercial shippers get a substantial discount over what you pay at a Post Office. Its not hard to fill out the customs form either, it takes about 5 minutes more to most countries, although places like Russia are hard to insure so you have to use Express Mail. South America is just about a lost cause, no one will insure first class packages down there, its just to risky. The USPS will insure it only if you use the expensive Express service, private postal insurance companies don’t offer any insurance to South America. But, many countries are totally safe and quick. England only takes around 8 days from Alabama and the insurance is cheap.

Maybe I should start selling flash lights…. :money_mouth_face:

Use a freight forwarder => http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1847381 <=

Most of the low cost shipping that you see is based on contract. The shop contracts with a shipping company to provide services but you need a minimum amount of business.

Banggood and others only offer free shipping to certain country where there are reciprocity agreements on postal rates, otherwise the same free shipping can be 15% or expedited shipping becomes 50% or more of your order.

And by the way, my experiences with light hound have always been extremely positive.

I have read the whole post and apparently only Shipito.com stands out. Has anybody used their services? Any better freight forwarding company to suggest?