Hidden cost in Georgetown scuttle

[beaverboy]

After perusing the "Show me your scuttle" thread in the Score forum recently I decided to finally take the plunge and purchased a Georgetown scuttle from their website. Two days after my purchase and after having already deducted the total checkout price (cost of the piece + postage) from my bank account I have received an email informing me that a quite sizable additional fee will be required as "our web site cannot configure international shipping".

Have any other international customers of Georgetown Pottery experienced this? Nowhere on the website does it state that extra shipping may apply or that shipping charges are for CONUS only. Surely if the website allows you to select a country other than the US and click "finalize payment" then this implies that all such eventualities have been considered.

I also don't recall getting a similar email from Sue on the numerous occasions that I have purchased Mama Bear products so evidently her website is able to cope with international shipping charges.

Sorry if this seems like a rant, I just wish to know if this is a relatively widespread occurrence and to warn other buyers that hidden additional costs may apply if buying from some overseas vendors.

 

[Thebigspendur]

Well, if your dealing with a large company I would think they would have software to deal with this however they are a very small outfit and probably don't ship much outside the U.S so it doesn't suprise me.

The other thing is if your buying a heavy object its a given you will pay more for shipping. No one is going to ship overseas for a conus price so if I lived outside Conus I would never assume anything and specifically I would ask about shipping whether the web site says to or not. I would not have the surprise you did.

As I recall Oskar's scuttles cost around $30 or more for shipping to the U.S. as an example.

 

[miner]

I couldn't place an order through their website so I contacted Jess and Lori directly. The shipping cost to Oz was almost as much as the price as the scuttle. They could not tell me what the cost was until after they shipped but I was only charged the actual cost and the packaging was amazing. The scuttle arrived in perfect condition, double boxed and very well padded.

And it is a beautiful piece of gear!!

Cheers

 

[Rudy Vey]

Don't forget they have to pack it quite good for the transport to OZ. So, if they would use a box of about the same size mine came in, and I would put a weight of 5 lbs in the postage calculator, the postage would be between $42 and $54 for either a medium (11x8.5x5.5") or large (12x12x5.5") priority flatrate box - and it may take 6-10 day to get to you.

 

[thunderball]

After perusing the "Show me your scuttle" thread in the Score forum recently I decided to finally take the plunge and purchased a Georgetown scuttle from their website. Two days after my purchase and after having already deducted the total checkout price (cost of the piece + postage) from my bank account I have received an email informing me that a quite sizable additional fee will be required as "our web site cannot configure international shipping".

Have any other international customers of Georgetown Pottery experienced this? Nowhere on the website does it state that extra shipping may apply or that shipping charges are for CONUS only. Surely if the website allows you to select a country other than the US and click "finalize payment" then this implies that all such eventualities have been considered.

I also don't recall getting a similar email from Sue on the numerous occasions that I have purchased Mama Bear products so evidently her website is able to cope with international shipping charges.

Sorry if this seems like a rant, I just wish to know if this is a relatively widespread occurrence and to warn other buyers that hidden additional costs may apply if buying from some overseas vendors.

While I agree and understand that international shipping is of course more expensive than domestic, my opinion is that any reputable business should contact you with a total price by email before deducting an unknown amount from your account, or should plainly state on their website that an extra shipping charge will be deducted from your account before you are informed of the total price. I wouldn't be too happy either if I were you.

 

[highball]

while i agree and understand that international shipping is of course more expensive than domestic, my opinion is that any reputable business should contact you with a total price by email before deducting an unknown amount from your account, or should plainly state on their website that an extra shipping charge will be deducted from your account before you are informed of the total price. I wouldn't be too happy either if i were you.

+1

 

[TOB9595]

Call them and cancel the order.

What did they say when you called?
I'm probably off base with the phone call ...so email them and let us know if they fix this error.
Regards
Tom

 

[huntmol]

I think if you're overseas and you order from a small US company you gotta expect a higher shipping rate

 

[Hanzo]

I have the G3 and though a beautiful scuttle it just doesn't perform as well as the German scuttle.

Its curious to me that Georgetown is producing multiple generation of their scuttle and have yet to perfect it. I think they have made 4? generations of the scuttle and their have been complaints about each example.

 

[thunderball]

I think if you're overseas and you order from a small US company you gotta expect a higher shipping rate

Of course, but one should at least expect to be told what that rate is before any money changes hands.

 

[beaverboy]

I think if you're overseas and you order from a small US company you gotta expect a higher shipping rate

I have no issue with the price and am quite happy to pay over $100 AUD for what is obviously a fine quality, great looking and highly recommended scuttle. In fact, I continue to speak favorably about the Georgetown product should it come up in conversation. I also acknowledge that, living halfway around the world as I am, I will have to pay more for shaving gear which is usually American or European in origin. What I am disappointed with is this: The seller can hold me contractually obliged to any purchase that I make once I hit the "Finalize Payment" button. Once that button is clicked I have agreed to the terms on the website. However, without stating anywhere on his website that extra fees may apply or that his shipping calculating process is flawed, the vendor feels justified in requesting a change in the terms of the transaction.

I selected my country from a drop down menu and filled in my address before completing the transaction so I believe that I have a right to the assumption that they agree to sell me the item for the total shown on the screen.

As far as mediation goes I have sent a reply email stating my case and have not heard anything back in the last 48 hours. I also stated in the email that I would bring this issue up on the forums to fulfill what I see as their obligation to warn future customers of the potential for extra shipping fees to be incurred, in addition to what is advertised as the "total payment".

In response to TOB9595: I don't wish to cancel the order as I still believe in the company and product and still have a desire to own (at least) one of their scuttles, I just feel that the international shaving community has a right to be warned of this issue until such time as Georgetown Pottery either changes the way their site calculates shipping or places a "please email for estimates on international shipping" (or similar) disclaimer on their shipping page.

 

[miner]

I have no issue with the price and am quite happy to pay over $100 AUD for what is obviously a fine quality, great looking and highly recommended scuttle. In fact, I continue to speak favorably about the Georgetown product should it come up in conversation. I also acknowledge that, living halfway around the world as I am, I will have to pay more for shaving gear which is usually American or European in origin. What I am disappointed with is this: The seller can hold me contractually obliged to any purchase that I make once I hit the "Finalize Payment" button. Once that button is clicked I have agreed to the terms on the website. However, without stating anywhere on his website that extra fees may apply or that his shipping calculating process is flawed, the vendor feels justified in requesting a change in the terms of the transaction.

I selected my country from a drop down menu and filled in my address before completing the transaction so I believe that I have a right to the assumption that they agree to sell me the item for the total shown on the screen.

As far as mediation goes I have sent a reply email stating my case and have not heard anything back in the last 48 hours. I also stated in the email that I would bring this issue up on the forums to fulfill what I see as their obligation to warn future customers of the potential for extra shipping fees to be incurred, in addition to what is advertised as the "total payment".

In response to TOB9595: I don't wish to cancel the order as I still believe in the company and product and still have a desire to own (at least) one of their scuttles, I just feel that the international shaving community has a right to be warned of this issue until such time as Georgetown Pottery either changes the way their site calculates shipping or places a "please email for estimates on international shipping" (or similar) disclaimer on their shipping page.

Mate

I hear and understand all you have said and Yes, you have many good points. But Georgetown Pottery is a small company, please give them a chance to develop and grow and accommodate the amazing growth in their business.

Your points are valid, send them to GP, I am sure they will listen and change.

ATEOTD they have a fantastic product, please don't shoot them down because their website is ****

For me Shavemac + Pens BB + G4 Fatboy + GP Scuttle = Heaven

Cheers

 

[beaverboy]

I don't mean to deride their entire company or their product on the basis of their website. Far from it in fact. As I posted above, I still reccomend their scuttle and have still continued with my order. I just wanted to let people know so that they dont get the same rude post-purchase sticker shock that I did.

 

[juleswinnfield]

While I agree and understand that international shipping is of course more expensive than domestic, my opinion is that any reputable business should contact you with a total price by email before deducting an unknown amount from your account, or should plainly state on their website that an extra shipping charge will be deducted from your account before you are informed of the total price. I wouldn't be too happy either if I were you.

I couldn't agree more. I just think you should know BEFORE HAND. I have been debating the Georgetown scuttle myself, and I would be a domestic order for them, but I think that just made me pick the Dirtybird.

 

[koso]

If this were my business I would be inclined to eat the first shipping charge as my own mistake, then put up a notice on the site (pronto) that international shipping charges will have to be figured then emailed to the customer.

This should have been done the first time the issue came up. Clearly beaverboy's was not the first scuttle Georgetown shipped overseas.

Poor business practice not excused by the size of the company, in my opinion.

 

[gregs656]

Poor business practice not excused by the size of the company, in my opinion.

agreed. A simple 'contact us for international shipping rates' added somewhere obvious on the site is all that needs to happen.

I would be more than slightly annoyed if a company continued to withdraw cash from my account after the initial payment with out contacting me FIRST.

From my own experience selling stuff on ebay, and on here or SRP, I sell everything including postage, or on ebay I pick a number I think is about right. Sometimes I pay a fair bit more than I expected, sometimes I spend less, but they were the terms of the contract and you gotta chalk it up to experience and work it out better next time.

I guess what I'm saying is, I would not feel obliged to pay, I would expect to see that money back in my account.

 

[northpaw]

If this were my business I would be inclined to eat the first shipping charge as my own mistake, then put up a notice on the site (pronto) that international shipping charges will have to be figured then emailed to the customer.

+1

Seems like the obvious solution, really.

 

[Confilo]

I have the G3 and though a beautiful scuttle it just doesn't perform as well as the German scuttle.

Its curious to me that Georgetown is producing multiple generation of their scuttle and have yet to perfect it. I think they have made 4? generations of the scuttle and their have been complaints about each example.

+1
I say it again, the Swar...German scuttle outperform all of the others.

 

[brothers]

Also, if anyone's purchased the famous Moss Scuttle, you are aware that the lovely young woman who makes them and ships them out will tell purchasers, if asked, that she honestly does not know the shipping cost until after she's already made the scuttle and taken it to the post office and sent it. At that time she lets the purchaser know how much it has cost the purchaser (past tense). I hope I have understood this and reported it accurately, and if this is incorrect, please let me know, so I can amend this part to be accurate.

In Georgetown's case, as someone above has already stated, perhaps it would be helpful (as beaverboy has already suggested to them) to simply state the obvious fact that it costs more to send heavy and fragile products around the world, and that actual costs of shipping will be charged.

 

[dpmtherrien]

I have the Georgetown scuttle and have been using it for several weeks now. Of course where I live is very close to where it was shipped from, so the cost was very reasonable. I find it to be a really good product and enjoy using it with each shave. As for the extra shipping charges I guess one has to expect the extra what with the distance involved. I think you have a very good scuttle, so enjoy it. Its in your shave gear now, so all the best.