Ask Slashdot: Package Redirection Service For Shipping to Australia? 206
An anonymous reader writes "I've recently moved continents, and one of the things I've noticed is the lack of the latest technology, as well as high prices for books and other goods here in Australia. I'm looking at package redirection services from the US, and there's a bewildering array of offerings, at a wide range of prices. What should I look out for? I'm hoping to reduce overall shipping costs to, but obviously worried about costs to deliver mostly empty boxes (yes, I'm talking about you, Amazon), damage to electrical goods from rough handling, packages going missing (does everything have to be registered post or tracked?), import duties (I'm not buying anything that should attract import duty, but still...) and overall costs (I'm not going to be buying frequently, just occasionally). What have other slashdot readers used, and what would they recommend?"
Not quite the exact topic (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:welcome to the socialist wonderland (Score:4, Insightful)
Jesus H Christ, do you people have any fucking clue what socialism is? Are you calling Tony Abbott a socialist? OMFG you people need to go back to kindergarten and start again. Idiot.
Re:Why buy from the USA? (Score:5, Insightful)
Why didn't you call an ambulance and go to ER just like you did in the US? That's weird. Your post suggests that Australia doesn't have hospital, ambulances and ER and that complete and utter rubbish.
Re:welcome to the socialist wonderland (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:welcome to the socialist wonderland (Score:5, Insightful)
From your tone, it sounds as if you have some sort of problem with the idea of higher taxes being used to pay for services such as healthcare etc. Your poetic allusion to weighty statist utopias is lovely writing, but noticeably lacking any real criticism.
I live in Australia - the atmosphere here is not particularly oppressive, nor are the taxes too onerous to poorer people like me as the tax free threshold is $18,200. As a sufferer from a usually mild but ongoing medical condition, the free, world class, healthcare I receive eases any angsty feelings of constriction that might otherwise bother me.
Have you read the works of Gramsci? I'm not saying he's right, but I really think North Americans would benefit from a deeper understanding of the concept of Cultural Hegemony. It is one possible explanation as to why so many of you spend so much time and money transferring wealth from the poorest majority to a few wealthy people.
With a higher median household income than many other countries, I'd imagine that, apart from the murders, the US would be an amazing place to live. [Provided you were white, male, rich and healthy]
Nothing to do with "socialist wonderland" (Score:5, Insightful)
Our government has nothing at all to do with it apart from taking 10%. We didn't vote for price gouging, it's just because there are a small number of distributors so frequently there is a monopoly a product type. As an example, I'm wearing a pair of hiking boots that are made in Italy, cost $125US in Italy and the USA and they were advertised "on special" in Australia for $450 (at close to parity to the $450US then). I was prepared to wait a couple of weeks to save close to $300 once postage was included.
Another example is Apple, where not many years ago even a trip to Hawaii and back plus paying full customs duty was a cheaper way to get a powerbook than buying it in Australia.
The blame lies squarely with the distribution chain and the government has nothing to do with it apart from asking for their 10% for the final sale. What is it you you "guvvamint dis" guvvamint dat" "damn commie weasels" people? You've got a full sized brain - try using it.
Re:Dear Slashdot (Score:2, Insightful)
The taxes don't increase the retail price to well over double in some cases, it's price gouging due to monopolists marking their "territory" and making it difficult to get things any other way.
The submitter is trying to find a way to get around anti-capitalistic behaviour and get items at a fair market price.
Re:welcome to the socialist wonderland (Score:5, Insightful)
FWIW I can confirm, having experienced hospitalization in the U.S. - with top-tier Blue Cross coverage - and later in Australia as well - the ordinary everyday Medicare system - there is no real difference in the quality of care.
The equipment, the people, and the access are all very good in both countries - assuming you have insurance in the U.S., and I'm comparing major cities to major cities here of course.
What's dramatically different is the cost, and the level of paperwork. In America we were snowed under for years with insurance company statements and bills from a dozen providers - we ended up just sorting them by color and then weighing them... and we had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket after Blue Cross was finished.
In Australia, you pay maybe $80 for a doctor visit, and get some of it back from the government Prescriptions average $10-$20. If you go to the ER and get admitted to a room, you have to pay $6 a day if you want the TV to work. And I think you sign like one form on your way out. You never hear from them again.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)