Cost of Box and Shipping?

[budd]

Question Ian, if I buy from Amazon and then register the game to my account in the future will I be able to download it or will I always have to use the disk to install?

What state in US do you guys ship out of?

[Theages]

The problem is not import duty (that would only be applied, when the product + shipping is more than EUR 150). The Problem is import sales tax.

Whenever a product is bought outside the EU (by a consumer), importing it into the EU incurs a sales tax equivalent to the sales tax, you would have to pay in the EU (in Austria 20%), if the worth of the product ist higher than EUR 22. It is calculated from the sum of the price of the product and the shipment cost to the border of the EU (there are fixed portions according to the point of origin).
This is regulated in the national laws (for Austria § 1 Abs 1 Z 3 UStG), which are partly referring to the "Zoll Kodex" ("customs code" of the EU). Besides other things, §26 UStG regulates that the person, who is sending the product, has to declare the price and shipment cost easily accessible for the customs.

In Austria this called "Einfuhrumsatzsteuer" (= import sales tax). If a product is bought and sent from within the EU there is no such tax, since the normal sales tax has to be paid by the vendor according to the laws of his store. (eg. if the store is in Germany, german tax has to be paid to the german authorities).

If the product is bought outside the EU but delivered from a place within the EU there is no such tax.
If it is bought from an UK based vendor (a week ago BlueSnap referred to Matrixgames with an address in the UK), but delivered with a point of origin outside the EU, the import sales tax is applied and has to be paid by the consumer.

Therefore it is really bad, that there is no warehouse (which may not be a "Zolllager", that is treated like it was outside the EU) within the EU.

[IainMcNeil]

My point is Theages that they don't apply that in practice. People can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm not aware of this being charged and not heard any recent complaints of this. I know it happened a few years ago but stopped for some reason. If anyone has been charged it please shout but as I say I'm not aware of it and it never happens when we place orders shipped here. The fact that nobody is complaining about it makes me believe it just doesn't happen.

having said that we'd been arguing for a European Warehouse consistently. We hope it might happen but its beyond our control and only happens if our supplier decide to do it. It would make life easier in many ways.

[IainMcNeil]

Budd we're trying to automate the process of re-downloading games so no matter where you bought you'll be able to download again from us. The system is not fully set up and will probably be a number of months before its ready but ultimately that is the goal.

[Grim.Reaper]

I apologize if I missed, but I see the discussion of remote country costs , but why is USA costs high too if warehouse here?

[IainMcNeil]

Looking this up, this is what we are charged. We actually make a loss on postage, but a small one. We have to charge an averaged rate so all US postage is one price, while in reality we get charged a specific rate for each item but its not something we can pre calculate so have to estimate it. We use UPS and FedEx for international. If you know of a cheaper option then we'd love to hear.

We looked at all sorts of options. We found that shipping to Switzerland is vastly cheaper than shipping anywhere else in Europe so looked at setting up a redirection office there. Only to find shipping anything out of Switzerland is extortionate. We'd love to offer a better option but all our efforts have been frustrated so far

[Challerain]

Iain - that doesn't really make sense. A Priority Mail medium box is a flat rate $13.45.

[dox44]

even to waxahachie

[IainMcNeil]

Remember the books are very heavy - please send me the details of where you get your info from. We're not making our numbers up - this is what we get charged (and make a small loss)!

[IslandInland]

Shipping to the UK is £29.70. That is a dealbreaker for me. It rankles even more given Slitherine are based in the UK and yet the product ships from the US.

I decided to wait for the Amazon release and see how much shipping is there.

I'm not buying it anyway, my other half is buying it for my birthday, but I don't expect her to pay nearly £30 shipping. [:D]

[Challerain]

From the USPS web site

USPS

[budd]

I looked on Amazon to get an idea of cost. Looked at DCB, there price $61, it's a prime item so I'd get 2 day free shipping but will have taxes. At the end of the day, maybe around $10 savings if it's a prime item.

[bazjak]

ORIGINAL: XXXCorps

Shipping to the UK is £29.70. That is a dealbreaker for me. It rankles even more given Slitherine are based in the UK and yet the product ships from the US.

No way am i paying that
that is s rediculas price
Would cost me £76.81
so no chance
Theres us Brits being ripped off again

[HannoMeier]

I am also interested in the boxed version and + 15 EUR is fine for that. But additional 35 EUR shipping to Germany is too expensive. The old warehouse solution within Germany worked fine with 2,5 EUR shipping.

I really would like to have have full game with hardcover manual in the end. Is it possible to upgrade digital => boxed later, when a shipping solution within europe is established?

Regards,
Hanno

[Raikkonen]

My question,

If we purchase from Amazon, will we still have a Steam key from the SN?

[IainMcNeil]

When the game launches on steam you'll get a steam key no matter where you bought, you just need a valid serial.

We do want a German warehouse and have been told they will do it again for the 2nd or 3rd time, but we're waiting to see before we make any promises. It would solve a lot of problems.

[Grim.Reaper]

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

When the game launches on steam you'll get a steam key no matter where you bought, you just need a valid serial.

We do want a German warehouse and have been told they will do it again for the 2nd or 3rd time, but we're waiting to see before we make any promises. It would solve a lot of problems.

Won't solve the issue within the US...sorry to keep mentioning it, just disappointed in how it all turned out, especially since there does seem to be alternatives as pointed out a few posts above with USPS, which is one of the main carriers.

Just doesn't seem to make sense that cost of book (shipping included) is $35 compared to game price of $39...and actual shipping cost of $20 is greater cost then the book itself. can't recall too many times (unless expedited) where shipping costs more than the product itself.

[IainMcNeil]

UPS is the service we use and thats what they charge... not sure what else to say. The cheap options can't be used for the books.

[Grim.Reaper]

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

UPS is the service we use and thats what they charge... not sure what else to say. The cheap options can't be used for the books.

Guess I don't understand...earlier in this thread you asked for people to point out a better option, which another poster did. That option can be used for books and I am surprised UPS doesn't either since I get a ton of books via UPS and never pay $20.

I guess it is pointless to discuss anymore, doesn't seem like any consideration of change coming.

[IslandInland]

@ Iain McNeil

This situation has been extant for at least a year judging by the DC: Barbarossa debacle exactly a year ago. If Matrix/Slitherine really do make a small loss on the physical editions with the manual then why not just sell all those through Amazon?

Maybe I'm missing something but this seems the best solution.


I'm not criticising you personally Iain, or indeed Matrix/Slitherine. I'm glad this company exists and brings us great wargames. I just wish the shipping costs were not so bloody extortionate.