Shipping: What it costs, then and now, and its impact on total "delivered" costs
I'm going to explain shipping costs, how they've been affected by recent currency fluctuations and what I'm doing about it.
I'll just lay the costs out spreadsheet-like: Here we go...
- B$267.20 Cost of 3.2kg package (one pair of headlights) shipped via Correios "express" service, from Jacobina, BA, Brazil to any US address (see attached image)
- B$25 Added cost of ground transportation to Correios' office
- B$292.20 Subtotal
- B$58.44 Service "adder" of 20% of subtotal, paid to Carlos for his time packaging and handling
- B$350.64 TOTAL
Now, let's look at the exchange rate and its effect.
Earlier this year, I was able to exchange at 5.3:1, so shipping was net US$66.16. (I also bought all the headlights at that exchange rate which was fortuitous, see Note [1]).
Recently (Apr3), with the exchange rate at ~4.66, the shipping is net US$75.24.
Keep in mind, with the recent shipments I'm paying for shipping as it happens, which means I'm converting money now at around 4.66:1 instead of 5.3:1. See note [2].
NOW, reflect back on the estimates I had provided earlier in this thread (back in ... January?). I guessed shipping would be around US$50/pr. That was a poorly founded estimate in retrospect, but it's what I used. My bad. Accordingly, I priced at that time a pair of headlights, delivered, at US$301 (Note [1])
Here we are today. These recent shipments are costing me around US$328/pr ($251/pr + $77 shipping) and I'm bumping the original price I quoted, US$301, up to US$325.
This may sound like sour grapes but it's not. It's me documenting the process and being transparent so that all know what's been involved.
I appreciate everyone's patience through this process, particularly those who got "bumped" by the Stage 1 debacle.
NOTES:
[1] As was discussed in detail in an earlier post in this thread, I bought the headlights in a block of 12 and gleaned a 20% discount which I passed along. After all was said and done, the headlights' cost was US$251/pr as explained there.
[2] I converted an appropriate sum at the 5.3:1 rate early in this process, anticipating its use for shipping, but I took a ~US$350 bath when the Stage 1 shipments bounced. So a chunk of what I had exchanged prior, for shipping, was then wasted. I ate the US$350 loss and charged it to "experience", but I now have to backfill at the ~4.66:1 exchange rate.
I'm going to explain shipping costs, how they've been affected by recent currency fluctuations and what I'm doing about it.
I'll just lay the costs out spreadsheet-like: Here we go...
- B$267.20 Cost of 3.2kg package (one pair of headlights) shipped via Correios "express" service, from Jacobina, BA, Brazil to any US address (see attached image)
- B$25 Added cost of ground transportation to Correios' office
- B$292.20 Subtotal
- B$58.44 Service "adder" of 20% of subtotal, paid to Carlos for his time packaging and handling
- B$350.64 TOTAL
Now, let's look at the exchange rate and its effect.
Earlier this year, I was able to exchange at 5.3:1, so shipping was net US$66.16. (I also bought all the headlights at that exchange rate which was fortuitous, see Note [1]).
Recently (Apr3), with the exchange rate at ~4.66, the shipping is net US$75.24.
Keep in mind, with the recent shipments I'm paying for shipping as it happens, which means I'm converting money now at around 4.66:1 instead of 5.3:1. See note [2].
NOW, reflect back on the estimates I had provided earlier in this thread (back in ... January?). I guessed shipping would be around US$50/pr. That was a poorly founded estimate in retrospect, but it's what I used. My bad. Accordingly, I priced at that time a pair of headlights, delivered, at US$301 (Note [1])
Here we are today. These recent shipments are costing me around US$328/pr ($251/pr + $77 shipping) and I'm bumping the original price I quoted, US$301, up to US$325.
This may sound like sour grapes but it's not. It's me documenting the process and being transparent so that all know what's been involved.
I appreciate everyone's patience through this process, particularly those who got "bumped" by the Stage 1 debacle.
NOTES:
[1] As was discussed in detail in an earlier post in this thread, I bought the headlights in a block of 12 and gleaned a 20% discount which I passed along. After all was said and done, the headlights' cost was US$251/pr as explained there.
[2] I converted an appropriate sum at the 5.3:1 rate early in this process, anticipating its use for shipping, but I took a ~US$350 bath when the Stage 1 shipments bounced. So a chunk of what I had exchanged prior, for shipping, was then wasted. I ate the US$350 loss and charged it to "experience", but I now have to backfill at the ~4.66:1 exchange rate.
Attachments
Last edited: