Can someone please explain Adorama's insane shipping rates to Canada???

::sorry in advance - ranting::

I've heard great things about Adorama from this forum. So when I wanted to buy a new Kata backpack, I checked them out along with B&H. Adorama had the pack on for $15 less than B&H. Cost of the pack was $64.99 (B&H's cost was @79.95) BUT the lowest shipping cost to my address in BC was over $80US! That was UPS Worldwide Expedited - the other 2 UPS options were well over $100.

So I'm trying to figure it out, saying to myself that the pack must be oversized, etc. I went to B&H and checked their shipping cost on the exact same pack using UPS Worldwide Expedited. Their cost was - get this - $30.80.

So I look at a lens that I've been wanting. Adorama and B&H have the lens listed at the same price. Shipping from Adorama - over $60. Shipping from B&H - $32.

Both these stores are in NY, right? How can the shipping be so different?

Can B&H have that much of a better deal with UPS? Or does Adorama secretly not want to fuss with shipping to Canada, so thay make us pay through the nose? And if that's the case, why offer shipping to us at all?

All I know is that any US purchases I make will ONLY be from B&H.

::rant over::

because they are shipping via UPS 2 day worldwide. go to ups.com and check the rates yourself.

if they were shipping via usps, without tracking, it'd probably be $10

I know how they were shipping - did you not read my post? I'm saying that using the exact same shipping method, Adorama charges between $30 and $50 MORE than B&H to ship the same item.

And it's NOT 2 day worldwide, it's UPS Worldwide Expedited, which takes about a week to my address. Same item - same method - B&H less than $31 - Adorama over $80.

Does this make sense???

i guess BH got a better deal with UPS

I would call to confirm. The website may just be set up with somewhat default or ballpark shipping rates that rely on the item description data being accurate, i.e. size, weight etc. A real person would be able to better confirm the shipping price based on knowing the true dimensions of the final shipping package.

But it could also be different agreements between the parties with the shippers.

Many US companies overcharge for shipping to Canada. I moved from the southern US to the great white north four years ago, and I'm constantly shocked by the outrageous shipping costs many online merchants charge to get boxes here.

[For background, I've developed a bunch of ecommerce websites and have worked extensively setting up the shipping pricing for many merchants]

These companies are shipping primarily within the USA, and UPS or FedEx are great for that. However, these shippers have very high costs to Canada -- and if the merchant isn't focusing on the Canadian market, they probably haven't configured their International shipping to be 'friendly' or 'reasonable' to those of us to the north.

Shipping by the US post office is almost always MUCH less expensive than UPS, FedEx, or DHL - but it is a pain in the rear for the company because they usually have to physically take the packages to the local post office and stand in line to drop them off - whereas the other shipping companies stop by daily to pick up all the boxes going out. It is MUCH easier for the merchant to use UPS or similar services.

I simply don't pay those outrageous shipping prices and shop elsewhere. It's unfortunate, but a fact of life that the US merchants charge too much to ship to Canada.

Maybe the shipping companies negotiate the hassles and costs of Canadian Customs, and that cost in included in the elevated shipping costs?

They charge the end user those fees, not the shipper.

I emailed Adorama and they just said it was Expedited. That was it - one sentence. No comment at all about why Expedited with them is twice the price of Expedited with B&H for the same item to the same address.

So I'll just go with B&H, and Happily pay a bit more for the item if need be....

Which backpack was it if you don't mind me asking? Sometimes I find that with bags, it's cheaper to get it locally (even if you factor in the exchange rate and shipping). Otherwise, do you what you did and add up the product cost + shipping cost from reputable dealers and choose the lower priced option.

patrick835 wrote in post #8083099
i guess BH got a better deal with UPS

This is exactly it. Big shippers get special treatment from UPS....even jackets!