Why is shipping from China so cheap?
- Thread starter Linctex
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I can buy stuff from Aust and the UK freight free...but never from the US.
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
China Small Packet, which is slow, is cheap, but once something is a reasonable size or weight it becomes quite expensive, as does any faster shipping method.
As far as subsidizing their Postal service, that's a difficult charge to support ... virtually every national postal service is supported to the extent that losses are covered by the national treasury if and when they occur. Unlike many utilities, the Postal Service is like Police ... a very old concept, for starters, and one that is considered necessary for the national good. In some cases and many nations the postal service actually pre-dates police; they delivered mail when only the military was available to keep the peace.
Where it differs from an ordinary delivery service is that it will service every corner of the nation ... for example UPS and FedEx can (and do) refuse to deliver to some areas or communities, the Postal System does not. It's this aspect that makes it exempt from accusations of unfair competition, as it does things the private sector is not obligated to do. You won't get far accusing this or that nation of subsidizing the post. It's essentially off-limits to criticism.
If anyone is interested in further investigating the issue, you could research UPS's two lawsuits vs Canada Post, where they essentially argued that delivering parcels was illegal (and Canada Post is a corporation, one that has a history of delivering profits, not losses, and is not an arm of government).
As far as subsidizing their Postal service, that's a difficult charge to support ... virtually every national postal service is supported to the extent that losses are covered by the national treasury if and when they occur. Unlike many utilities, the Postal Service is like Police ... a very old concept, for starters, and one that is considered necessary for the national good. In some cases and many nations the postal service actually pre-dates police; they delivered mail when only the military was available to keep the peace.
Where it differs from an ordinary delivery service is that it will service every corner of the nation ... for example UPS and FedEx can (and do) refuse to deliver to some areas or communities, the Postal System does not. It's this aspect that makes it exempt from accusations of unfair competition, as it does things the private sector is not obligated to do. You won't get far accusing this or that nation of subsidizing the post. It's essentially off-limits to criticism.
If anyone is interested in further investigating the issue, you could research UPS's two lawsuits vs Canada Post, where they essentially argued that delivering parcels was illegal (and Canada Post is a corporation, one that has a history of delivering profits, not losses, and is not an arm of government).
From ONE experience: My wee shipment of 2 H7 bulbs arrived in 6 days.
DETAILS: 2 H7 halogen bulbs for $1.71 w/free shipping. I have NO idea. Some sort of data gathering exercise perhaps. Kira
DETAILS: 2 H7 halogen bulbs for $1.71 w/free shipping. I have NO idea. Some sort of data gathering exercise perhaps. Kira
$US 1.71 is a lot of money in China. That's a bit under the average hour's wages ... so the equivalent to perhaps $10 in America.
Prices are always relative. A town with a $5 wage with beef at $1 a pound is exactly the same economically as one with a $30 wage and beef at $6 a pound. They both run exactly the same, they both are equally prosperous within the town's jurisdiction. But if someone from town B visits town A, and brings his $30 an hour money with him, he seems rich. Now imagine that person wondering why a postal stamp doesn't cost $2 like back home. It's essentially what is being asked here.
Prices are always relative. A town with a $5 wage with beef at $1 a pound is exactly the same economically as one with a $30 wage and beef at $6 a pound. They both run exactly the same, they both are equally prosperous within the town's jurisdiction. But if someone from town B visits town A, and brings his $30 an hour money with him, he seems rich. Now imagine that person wondering why a postal stamp doesn't cost $2 like back home. It's essentially what is being asked here.
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
i ordered a cell phone battery from ebay. Shipped from china and was here in 4 days or so.
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
i ordered a cell phone battery from ebay. Shipped from china and was here in 4 days or so.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
i ordered a cell phone battery from ebay. Shipped from china and was here in 4 days or so.
Doubt it shipped from china.. probably had a US warehouse.
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
i ordered a cell phone battery from ebay. Shipped from china and was here in 4 days or so.
Doubt it shipped from china.. probably had a US warehouse.
I get Ebay things from China with free shipping all the time. 3 weeks is the norm lately. It used to take longer. I have received some electronic parts from Shenzhen province in 7 days. I just ordered a car antenna this week. We will see. 5 weeks is the longest and that was a few years ago.
I usually get my shipments from China within 2 weeks.
I also get much of my E-Bay shipments from the U.S. with free shipping.
I also get much of my E-Bay shipments from the U.S. with free shipping.
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Rand
Doubt it shipped from china.. probably had a US warehouse.
Not always.... sometimes its very surprising
I agree, sometimes have received things in less than 7 days! Not always true, though!
Originally Posted By: Rand
Doubt it shipped from china.. probably had a US warehouse.
Not always.... sometimes its very surprising
I agree, sometimes have received things in less than 7 days! Not always true, though!
Originally Posted By: eljefino
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/stor...m=.373139f185b4
Thanks, very informative.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/stor...m=.373139f185b4
Thanks, very informative.
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
Not always. I ordered some nice swing arm spools for my Yamaha on Amazon (only $8) and the product was shipped for free from China, and it only took 1 week to arrive.
It's takes 2 months to receive your merchandise
Not always. I ordered some nice swing arm spools for my Yamaha on Amazon (only $8) and the product was shipped for free from China, and it only took 1 week to arrive.
Don't forget that since we import so much and export so little that there are 40' shipping containers at really good prices. They're stacking up all over the place. Time to build that underground man cave for real men.
Do they put many packages in larger boxes/ small containers on a plane and get them here that way? The boat would take a while.
I ordered a book that came from Thailand a while back. IIRC, The "over ocean / trans continental" travel time was less than 24 hrs and the container it was in was held up by customs in Chicago.
I ordered a book that came from Thailand a while back. IIRC, The "over ocean / trans continental" travel time was less than 24 hrs and the container it was in was held up by customs in Chicago.
customs may be part of the delay in some cases.
off topic, but I think our ( US ) Post office does a good job)
off topic, but I think our ( US ) Post office does a good job)
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Got an aftermarket keyless remote guard - took 2-1/2 months with 2 months estimated ... no worries
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