I really want a yoke. I sent this email last week to RAM Controls. I got no response. Sigh.
"Hello, I’d like to buy a yoke and a USB adapter. I’m in Canada. I’m also aware of the controversy surrounding your company from KLOV and BYOAC.
I will purchase a yoke, adapter, if you will ship them to me via UPS Worldwide Express to Canada, and I’ll pay the extra shipping costs. If this agreeable I would also ask that you throw in the Atari decal. I would be willing to pay via Paypal (I am verified) and my paypal account is backed by a Visa. To be clear, if the parcel does not arrive with a working yoke and accessories in the time agreed upon, I will cancel my order. Either way, good or bad, I will post my experience on the forums.
Let me know."
You're insane on more fronts than just dealing with RAM. You want UPS shipping to Canada? Seriously??! They'll charge you an extra $30-$50 just in brokerage fees and that's on top of the shipping fee and taxes!
I buy online regularly from the US, as in at least monthly, and the difference between USPS and UPS from the US to Canada is a matter of timing, pricing, trust, and customer service. The brokerage and shipping fees I'd have paid with UPS are high but I get real time tracking and accuracy, which USPS claims to have but doesn't. I have received packages shipped via USPS months ago that still show "shipping information received, awaiting pickup" on the USPS website. Their tracking system is not reliable for shipments to Canada, as they hand off the delivery to another agency.
I still prefer USPS because it costs much less even if it takes an extra 2 weeks, but if I'm dealing with an entity where trust and timing is an issue, I have to use UPS, one of their competitors (UHL, FedEx,etc all whom charge similar from the US) or not make the purchase at all. The UPS guy who delivers to my place knows me well, and there have been times I have refused delivery because the brokerage fees have been excessive (and guess what happens, most often UPS relents, sometimes within a day, and sometimes because when the shipper finds out what they charged for brokerage they threaten to switch shippers).
In this case it is a very rare item (new, not refurbished) which will likely have a limited release window, and I know I'm dealing with a company of uncertain veracity. I don't put much weight into the posts from the Frizzle guy, while well intentioned he's just too wrapped up in the argument itself to the point I discard his comments (personal opinion only), but there is enough from others, and RAM itself, to be concerned.
This item is something I've been wanting for about 8 to 10 years. I finally decided to take the plunge, if I can ensure I won't be ripped off. The extra shipping and brokerage fees are well worth minimizing the risk, in this instance.
So no I'm not "insane". I have neither the skill, time or desire to deal with a sidewinder hack, a polyethylene pipe yoke, a refurb, or to troll auctions. At the same time I don't want to throw $500 away for nothing, and until the last few years, due to the exchange rate a yoke would have cost me much more than $500 Canadian. If I can get a plug and play solution, I'll pay. If this item was mass produced it would cost $50 or less. I've ordered parts from the ledwiz guy, and sometimes shake my head at how much I pay, but he sells specialty items and I don't have the ability to machine parts on my own, nor could my local fab shop, at his price. The fact of this hobby is, "new" items are specialty items, not high volume, and the price is reflected accordingly.
Yeah I know this is the "Build Your Own" site, some of us don't have that as a viable option but still would like the toys.