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Thread started 04/29/17 7:07am

mrfog

Paisley Park international shipping

Is anyone else frustrated that the Paisley Park online store won't ship internationally? Items they currently have for sale in the US are being scalped by traders on eBay with a 700% markup, exploiting desperate fans oversees.

It seems unfathomable to me that in this day and age PP don't offer this service. Obviously, the amount of potential customers outside the US, Mexico and Canada is absolutely huge.

I've already contacted them to politely ask that they remedy the situation, but have received no reply. Perhaps if some other forum members were to write and let them know how big the international demand is for Paisley Park products, we might be able to get this sorted out...
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Reply #1 posted 04/29/17 8:31am

laytonian

.
They are obviously using amateurs who don't know what they are doing and they are obviously using UPS or FedEx which tack on customs brokerage fees.
.
They could avoid all that if they used USPS, because they could also ship to PO Boxes.
Let the international customers pay their own customs fees.
I got them to ship to our winter address (a PO Box) a few months ago so I know they know how to ship USPS.
.
I'm waiting for an order I paid for weeks ago and it still shows UNFULFILLED in my account.
.
If I was in that area, I would seriously go in there and straighten them out.
.
.
Shipping is complicated but easy if you know how.
.
They are losing money on shipping books and overcharging on other items.
[Edited 4/29/17 8:32am]
Welcome to "the org", laytonian… come bathe with me.
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Reply #2 posted 04/29/17 9:37am

mrfog

laytonian said:

.
They are obviously using amateurs who don't know what they are doing and they are obviously using UPS or FedEx which tack on customs brokerage fees.
.
They could avoid all that if they used USPS, because they could also ship to PO Boxes.
Let the international customers pay their own customs fees.
I got them to ship to our winter address (a PO Box) a few months ago so I know they know how to ship USPS.
.
I'm waiting for an order I paid for weeks ago and it still shows UNFULFILLED in my account.
.
If I was in that area, I would seriously go in there and straighten them out.
.
.
Shipping is complicated but easy if you know how.
.
They are losing money on shipping books and overcharging on other items.
[Edited 4/29/17 8:32am]


Yeah, I already mentioned USPS in my message to them, and pointed out that practically every websore/online business out there ships worldwide - but I got no reply.

Obviously, the recipients would pay customs charges - that's standard practice...
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Reply #3 posted 04/29/17 9:58am

xRachx

It's so ridiculous. I buy from loads of US websites and they can send to my address.
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Reply #4 posted 04/29/17 10:01am

Identity

Edit...

[Edited 4/30/17 7:54am]

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Reply #5 posted 04/29/17 10:36am

mrfog

If anyone else is unhappy about this, please write and let them know.

I want to support the continuation of Paisley Park, but how can I if they won't ship to my home? If they exclude countless potential customers from around the globe, it seems really bad business. I mean, how many Prince fans are there in Europe or Asia that can't buy products?

Overseas shipping is elementary stuff for online stores these days - PP's inability to sort it out is just weird...
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Reply #6 posted 04/29/17 2:26pm

FunkOnTheOne

It is certainly helping people to exploit the items. The books that are $35 are now on eBay for $225
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Reply #7 posted 04/29/17 4:13pm

mrfog

FunkOnTheOne said:

It is certainly helping people to exploit the items. The books that are $35 are now on eBay for $225


It was exactly seeing that stuff going on that made we want to start this thread so dissatisfied orgers could get together and sort the situation out...
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Reply #8 posted 04/29/17 9:22pm

jfrost

avatar

FunkOnTheOne said:

It is certainly helping people to exploit the items. The books that are $35 are now on eBay for $225

And what makes you think that isn't Paisley Park?

Just saying
The right to free discussion is protected!!
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Reply #9 posted 04/29/17 9:46pm

mrfog

jfrost said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

It is certainly helping people to exploit the items. The books that are $35 are now on eBay for $225

And what makes you think that isn't Paisley Park?

Just saying


I checked the sellers' other items, past listings, and locations - they are freelance scalpers. The only thing Paisley Park gets out of this is the original retail value of the products...
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Reply #10 posted 04/29/17 10:22pm

pricetag

From what I hear, the books are stunning; and I can't wait to get mine. I also hear PP are trying to keep up with orders from their own country (so prob not too worried about losing money)! It's a fledgling company so give it time. They may be able to accommodate the rest of the world at some point. If not now, then for whatever comes around next time...
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Reply #11 posted 04/29/17 11:29pm

mrfog

pricetag said:

From what I hear, the books are stunning; and I can't wait to get mine. I also hear PP are trying to keep up with orders from their own country (so prob not too worried about losing money)! It's a fledgling company so give it time. They may be able to accommodate the rest of the world at some point. If not now, then for whatever comes around next time...


I understand that it's a fairly new enterprise, but to not have international shipping in place from when the site went live is just plain incompetent. It's been a basic part of the biz for webstores to send stuff out worldwide since the 1990s and the birth of the commercial internet. I have friends who run online businesses from home with a total staff of one, and they still manage to ship stuff worldwide.

Whether it's domestic or international shipping, it could all go through USPS. None of this is rocket science. Currently however, the Paisley Park store doesn't even have an option within their account menu to register customers' address locations outside the US, Canada & Mexico. Without this ridiculously simple thing, how can they even know what the demand is?

My personal circumstance is that I have relatives in the US, so I can order stuff to be forwarded through them. Many other fans are not so fortunate, and so now may have to buy from opportunistic scalpers on eBay, or run the risk of seeing sold-out items climb even higher in price...
[Edited 4/30/17 0:19am]
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Reply #12 posted 04/30/17 12:32am

pricetag

mrfog said:

pricetag said:

From what I hear, the books are stunning; and I can't wait to get mine. I also hear PP are trying to keep up with orders from their own country (so prob not too worried about losing money)! It's a fledgling company so give it time. They may be able to accommodate the rest of the world at some point. If not now, then for whatever comes around next time...


I understand that it's a fairly new enterprise, but to not have international shipping in place from when the site went live is just plain incompetent. It's been a basic part of the biz for webstores to send stuff out worldwide since the 1990s and the birth of the commercial internet. I have friends who run online businesses from home with a total staff of one, and they still manage to ship stuff worldwide.

Whether it's domestic or international shipping, it could all go through USPS. None of this is rocket science. Currently however, the Paisley Park store doesn't even have an option within their account menu to register customers' address locations outside the US, Canada & Mexico. Without this ridiculously simple thing, how can they even know what the demand is?

My personal circumstance is that I have relatives in the US, so I can order stuff to be forwarded through them. Many other fans are not so fortunate, and so now may have to buy from opportunistic scalpers on eBay, or run the risk of seeing sold-out items climb even higher in price...
[Edited 4/30/17 0:19am]


You don't know that it's incompetence. That's what you feel. It could be that selling a few books to someone in Slovenia or England isn't a top priority for them right now. They're having a tough time keeping up with demand domestically! Relax. As Sir Mick once said, 'you can't always get what you want'. Such is life.
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Reply #13 posted 04/30/17 1:15am

mrfog

pricetag said:



You don't know that it's incompetence. That's what you feel. It could be that selling a few books to someone in Slovenia or England isn't a top priority for them right now. They're having a tough time keeping up with demand domestically! Relax. As Sir Mick once said, 'you can't always get what you want'. Such is life.


If you don't think PP would ideally like as many customers as possible to pay them money for goods, you perhaps misunderstand the purpose of a business enterprise. The market worldwide is huge and important - that's why other webstores offer international shipping as a matter of course. To not do so is practically unheard of.
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Reply #14 posted 04/30/17 7:26am

FunkOnTheOne

mrfog said:

pricetag said:
You don't know that it's incompetence. That's what you feel. It could be that selling a few books to someone in Slovenia or England isn't a top priority for them right now. They're having a tough time keeping up with demand domestically! Relax. As Sir Mick once said, 'you can't always get what you want'. Such is life.
If you don't think PP would ideally like as many customers as possible to pay them money for goods, you perhaps misunderstand the purpose of a business enterprise. The market worldwide is huge and important - that's why other webstores offer international shipping as a matter of course. To not do so is practically unheard of.

I very much get your point. Keeping up with orders shouldn't be too difficult, just print some more books. The average Ebay seller offers International Selling options. It is sadly, rather amateur.

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Reply #15 posted 04/30/17 12:55pm

laytonian

mrfog said:


I have friends who run online businesses from home with a total staff of one, and they still manage to ship stuff worldwide.

Whether it's domestic or international shipping, it could all go through USPS. None of this is rocket science. Currently however, the Paisley Park store doesn't even have an option within their account menu to register customers' address locations outside the US, Canada & Mexico. Without this ridiculously simple thing, how can they even know what the demand is?

My personal circumstance is that I have relatives in the US, so I can order stuff to be forwarded through them. Many other fans are not so fortunate, and so now may have to buy from opportunistic scalpers on eBay, or run the risk of seeing sold-out items climb even higher in price...
[Edited 4/30/17 0:19am]


I've been selling on eBay for over 20 years. I ship anywhere. I send crystal and glass to Russia. I mail books.
It's no big deal.
.
Overseas customers pay any customs fees.
But the shipping prices are so wacky, I really think they don't even have a postage scale.
.
PP, start using USPS. Your customers will enter their addresses.
Get free priority mail boxes so those nice books are insured.
.
Don't make me come up there. I'm old, cranky and have done this over 12,000 times.
.
[Edited 4/30/17 12:56pm]
Welcome to "the org", laytonian… come bathe with me.
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Reply #16 posted 05/01/17 5:47am

mrfog

laytonian said:


I've been selling on eBay for over 20 years. I ship anywhere. I send crystal and glass to Russia. I mail books.
It's no big deal.
.
Overseas customers pay any customs fees.
But the shipping prices are so wacky, I really think they don't even have a postage scale.
.
PP, start using USPS. Your customers will enter their addresses.
Get free priority mail boxes so those nice books are insured.
.
Don't make me come up there. I'm old, cranky and have done this over 12,000 times.
.
[Edited 4/30/17 12:56pm]

It certainly sounds like you could sort things out for them! I still haven't had any reply to my email enquiry, which was nothing but polite...
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Reply #17 posted 05/03/17 9:54am

casi1

mrfog said:

laytonian said:


I've been selling on eBay for over 20 years. I ship anywhere. I send crystal and glass to Russia. I mail books.
It's no big deal.
.
Overseas customers pay any customs fees.
But the shipping prices are so wacky, I really think they don't even have a postage scale.
.
PP, start using USPS. Your customers will enter their addresses.
Get free priority mail boxes so those nice books are insured.
.
Don't make me come up there. I'm old, cranky and have done this over 12,000 times.
.
[Edited 4/30/17 12:56pm]

It certainly sounds like you could sort things out for them! I still haven't had any reply to my email enquiry, which was nothing but polite...


I feel your pain; the international shipping thing sucks right now but things appear to be getting better state-side so I'm sure the international situation will get resolved too. I know folks who just placed an order for the books 2 days ago and have already received shipping notices. I think this situation was just an example of growing pains. I do know that they read the emails; they may not respond to every one of them but they have been acting on them.

As for the $35 books selling on ebay for $200, I get it. Its business I guess. Supply. Demand. I have sold over a thousand items on ebay with 100% feedback (and I picked up extra copies of the books for family members during my last outing at PP) but I'm just not cool with exploiting the current shipping snafu or gouging a fellow fan because they couldnt make it to Paisley Park during an event. I'm no saint but thats just not my cup o tea.

I have faith that PP will get themselves together and straighten this situation out. They are learning and growing.
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