Welcome to MY world!

[johnrt]

I see you guys complaining about part and cab prices all the time. Well, here's the reality in Norway:

(This is just an example, I didn't order this one)

But I did order a few things from Mikes Arcade ($89). The shipping was $45.

Well, no one said this hobby would be cheap... 

[chopperthedog]

It's all about being in the right nad sack on the right continent at the right time.



good day.

[johnrt]

It's all about being in the right nad sack on the right continent at the right time.

Yeah, tell me about it! 

[matsadona]

Been there done that. Please also add some customs fee and taxes to the Swedish government and the happiness reaches maximum   

[Green Giant]

Be creative and use what you can get for cheap.

Make your own joys out of reindeer antlers.

[Le Chuck]

Be creative and use what you can get for cheap.

Make your own joys out of reindeer antlers.

And disrupt the entire Norwegian Steering wheel industry?!  Crazy!

[SlappyKungFuGrip]

I have never seen any arcade game inn Norway go  under 1200 $ regardless the condition.

[Alejo I]

Man, that's rough.

Have you tried to order from European shops? I believe that IL still ships worldwide from the factory if you need some joysticks and buttons.

[Endprodukt]

Any reasons not to buy from German shops? They cover most of the stuff needed. If not... I can get everything else from GB.

[JDFan]

Have to remember also that it is shipping from the US where the Postal service gouges citizens and tries to keep us from mailing things to each other let alone other countries as a means to keep us from being able to compete with vendors in China etc. -- I can get things delivered from China with Tracking for less than $1 including the price of the item yet to mail the same item using the USPS to my next door neighbor with tracking would cost me $2 - $4 and to send back to China would run $40 - $50

[Slippyblade]

JD...  You realize the reason for that is that the Chinese government subsidizes the shipping over there?  It's not some American conspiracy, it's the Chinese govt making sure their own business are more attractive to international buyers.  The US Post Office is the ONLY govt agency that doesn't use any tax dollars at all, they are entirely self-sufficient.

You can't have it both ways, you want the kind of shipping services as China -> taxes.  You want lower taxes -> not as many services.

[JDFan]

Actually it is more the deal struck between the USPS and China Post ( http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y15/m06/i17/s01 )

The system for setting international shipping rates is complicated. The Postal Service offers the ePacket product through a bilateral agreement it reached with its Chinese counterpart, offering special rates for domestic delivery of shipments bound from China weighing 4.4 pounds or less.

Misener pointed out some rather odd pricing disparities that have resulted from that deal. By his estimate, the cost to ship a one-pound package from South Carolina to New York City would run nearly $6; from Beijing to NYC: $3.66.

and then on top of that the same 1lb. package from NYC to China would start at $18 without tracking and if you want it tracked add another $14 for a $32 shipping charge -- which kind of makes it hard for a US based business to compete with the Chinese !

[Slippyblade]

-- which kind of makes it hard for a US based business to compete with the Chinese !

Assuming you manage to find someone in China who wants to import from here anyway...

[matsadona]

-- which kind of makes it hard for a US based business to compete with the Chinese !

Assuming you manage to find someone in China who wants to import from here anyway...

I believe the comment was about US to US business, not US to China...