Each time when I buy something from overseas, “mostly China” that is shipped for free.
That gets into the Netherlands and gets delivered to my door by a man in a white van, I think to myself…
This cannot last forever.
Meaning PostNL is delivering a package that costs them time and gas and they don’t get paid for it.
Also I reckon more and more people are going to find out about buying overseas and how much more cheaper it is.
I mean I just got 1000 5mm blue leds for 10$! a year ago I went to an electronic shop in my city and asked for 3 blue leds and had to pay 1.50 euro each!
Sure in a big city the man in the van doesn’t have to get out of his way to get to you, but what about small villages?
Do you think PostNL is going to start charging a fee for packages coming from overseas, that you ordered using free shipping?
1/ The fact that we don’t pay explicitly for shipping, does not mean we are just paying for the goods alone.
2/ PostNL will not deliver goods for free. They will be payed by (… the seller, or PostChina). That is not your/my concern.
3/ So the seller is loosing money on shipping (no shipping fee, and PostNL has to be payed). Eh …… no.
4/ The Chinese gouvernment is subsidizing shipping.
Some say postage service of country it is shipped to pays but it is regulated and prices fixed every four years and the countries supposedly paying so much are having a seat at the congress so I think this partially can be true but another part ia we have no idea how cheap the stuff we buy actually is made so there is much much more room for profit and shipping in even a $2 thing then we can Imagine.