I can't speak to shipments from India to the U.K., of course, but for a few metres of fabric ("few" being relative but ultimately the avoirdupois weight is what is important as would be volume after a given point), a parcel will be sent by air from the United States. That's a given. The options after that would be how 'Express' the delivery is to be.
Both the Indian silks and the brocade from the USA came by airmail. As recorded and signed for packages, they get priority shipment once within GPO control. Stuff arrived from both places in less than the week we expected. And when the silk brocade we originally wanted was out of stock from the USA firm, they let us know the same day! When we couldn't get their website to accept the order, we rang them and they put it through over the phone. :) PROPER customer service!
The last bits from Kashmir that we are waiting for are being specially hand embroidered for us. We wanted the pattern re-sized smaller for clothing rather than furnishing, and in slightly different colours than their standard range. Nothing was too much trouble for them, but we always knew this one would be going to the wire on time because of when we could order it (getting several customers all lined up at once!). It was still faster and cheaper than doing it ourselves! If we get almost everything else done this week, that gives us a fortnight to finish the
Eeh! Yes; I'm with you. The last time I sent a package to the U.K., it went First Class Mail, but to send it overseas automatically means air mail. For me (and from the standpoint of time the recipient, who wasn't in a huge hurry), this was the fastest service for the least expense for me.
Some folks, though, might elect to ship internationally by United Parcel Service or FedEx and, again, to get the parcel to Europe there's bound to be a plane involved. Only an extremely bulky (the size of a semi-tractor-trailer truck, for example, or a medium-sized boat, or something of similar proportions) and/or very, very heavy parcel would have warranted shipping by water and then only if water were cheaper. And, of course, if you'd elected shipping by boat if by boat were an option and not the only means of transport. But then, I don't expect you'd be buying THAT much fabric from one source at one go. Not until your business has expanded a bit more, eh?
I think we'd have exploded rather than expanded! ;) Yes, less than half a car sized comes by air usually. But lots of tiny stuff is horrifically expensive to get from the USA. It seems to cost the same whether it's half an pound in weight or half a ton!
I doubt this will be much consolation to you, but I've found shipping within the U.S. to be horrifically expensive, ESPECIALLY if the carrier is other than the United States Postal Service. Only very, very rarely do I opt for anything other than the basic ground service. For my personal purchases, basic serves me very well. If it takes eight business days to reach me, it does, and that's just fine. If it takes fourteen or sixteen calendar days, that's all right, too. I can readily see, however, that you would need to receive goods much more quickly than works for my personal schedule.
"But lots of tiny stuff is horrifically expensive to get from the USA. It seems to cost the same whether it's half an pound in weight or half a ton!" I believe it!
We are happy to wait and get cheaper shipping for the customer if they ORDER in time, WE know in advance so can plan for it, and it's enough cheaper to make a substantial difference. Some of our suppliers (like Henry Betrand and Hainsworth will ONLY ship next day by courier on an insured service and it's £15 however much or little we order. We just tell the customer that up front, so the choice is theirs.
A couple of years back I wanted to send a large Christmas parcel to my FiL. The GPO wanted to charge £78 for a two day service. My local carrier, Candy, sent it next day for £15! Bit of a difference there! We will probably send out at least one of the costumes via the carrier as it'll be cheaper than the post. It seems the only places shipping by post these days have enough of a business to get a great deal from the PO!
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The last bits from Kashmir that we are waiting for are being specially hand embroidered for us. We wanted the pattern re-sized smaller for clothing rather than furnishing, and in slightly different colours than their standard range. Nothing was too much trouble for them, but we always knew this one would be going to the wire on time because of when we could order it (getting several customers all lined up at once!). It was still faster and cheaper than doing it ourselves! If we get almost everything else done this week, that gives us a fortnight to finish the
Reply
The last time I sent a package to the U.K., it went First Class Mail, but to send it overseas automatically means air mail. For me (and from the standpoint of time the recipient, who wasn't in a huge hurry), this was the fastest service for the least expense for me.
Some folks, though, might elect to ship internationally by United Parcel Service or FedEx and, again, to get the parcel to Europe there's bound to be a plane involved.
Only an extremely bulky (the size of a semi-tractor-trailer truck, for example, or a medium-sized boat, or something of similar proportions) and/or very, very heavy parcel would have warranted shipping by water and then only if water were cheaper.
And, of course, if you'd elected shipping by boat if by boat were an option and not the only means of transport. But then, I don't expect you'd be buying THAT much fabric from one source at one go. Not until your business has expanded a bit more, eh?
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Only very, very rarely do I opt for anything other than the basic ground service. For my personal purchases, basic serves me very well. If it takes eight business days to reach me, it does, and that's just fine. If it takes fourteen or sixteen calendar days, that's all right, too.
I can readily see, however, that you would need to receive goods much more quickly than works for my personal schedule.
"But lots of tiny stuff is horrifically expensive to get from the USA. It seems to cost the same whether it's half an pound in weight or half a ton!"
I believe it!
Reply
A couple of years back I wanted to send a large Christmas parcel to my FiL. The GPO wanted to charge £78 for a two day service. My local carrier, Candy, sent it next day for £15! Bit of a difference there! We will probably send out at least one of the costumes via the carrier as it'll be cheaper than the post. It seems the only places shipping by post these days have enough of a business to get a great deal from the PO!
Reply
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