Whatever happened to the 'Global Trader' ?

[will53]

First post and and it's a query. Have been trying to buy some smallish Barrel Laps and Blind hole laps from the USA, delivery from a UK supplier, who I think was really German, quoted 2 weeks and the equivalent of $60 for one lap, no way, tried emails to two manufacturers and two tool suppliers on the US east coast (they're closer to me here in the UK ?) and whats been the response........ zilch/nix/nothing and I also emailed a seller on that well known auction site if he would ship international, he's replied with a shipping cost of $62, they travelling first class or what? And before anyone suggests it I'm not wanting to make any as I go off on to many tangents anyhow. Now when I used to keep my US Fords/Mercury running over here I could get parts in two/four days as the suppliers would ship small and large orders within a day and at an affordable price. What's happened, are the guys in the US stopping supplying to the potential customers abroad or what ?????? Any road up, as they say over here, can someone prove me wrong and perhaps give me a lead to a company/supplier that will ship to the UK at a reasonable cost, any replies gratefully received

 

[deverett]

Postage charges have gone up sky high - for airmail, obviously! - all over the world. Coupled with the fact that there is now no international surface mail for small packages means that you need deep pockets for the postage charge on top of what you are buying. Exchange rate is not too good at the moment, either.

I get caught all the time getting stuff sent from England over to Ireland. It is almost double what you would have to pay for internal post.

In the US, they do have fixed rate boxes, so if you can fill one (of 3 sizes?) it will make it slightly more economical.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[will53]

Thanks for that Dave. Do understand that charges have gone up, but what I don't understand is the apparent reticence of USA manufacturers/suppliers to even respond to you, it wasn't like that in past years, service was second to none. For info. I phoned the guy advertising on the auction site and he said the same, over 4lbs in weight would be $62. I asked what the cost would be to send it to California (the missus has got a relative there) he said it would cost $12, now that's about the same distance to the west as to here in the east ( he's in Mass.) so it's a puzzle to me. Think I might see if I can get a response if I phone them direct, suppose they can only tell me to 'go away'.

Will

 

[jixxerbill]

I dont know if they ship overseas but this is who i use and they are really nice to work with. Hope this helps...Bill
http://americanlap.com/

 

[stevehuckss396]

International shipping is expensive. I just sent a box that weighed almost nothing to Morayfield Australia. It was just shy of 17 bucks USD. It is based on weight not size. The 3 plastic parts weighed less than the box so it was at the top of the chart and couldn't be any cheaper. That was the cheapest shipping around. I cant imagine what a few pounds of brass lapp would cost.

 

[will53]

Hi Jixxerbill.
American Lap Company was one of the two I emailed, they have exactly what I need but no reply. It might be that they don't do International especially for a $50 order but a reply, negative or positive, would have been good. In the past always found US suppliers/manufacturers willing to fill an order from far and wide and to offer exemplary service.
Hi Steve.
Seems that International shipping is indeed now high, much different to what it was, but I find it hard to understand why the same length of journey internally is 20% the cost to another country. Anyhow the shipping cost is not the real issue, naturally I don't want to be ripped off, but my beef if you like, is the perceived change in attitude of US companies to international orders in a shrinking world and not responding to a simple email, negative or positive. Service used to be great, lots would go an extra mile for you and International was no problem, and I'd had dealings in the past with suppliers as far apart as Tx, Ma and Ca, they'd ship to all points as long as they got paid........... and I can't fault them for that, now it seems just to much trouble.

 

[petertha]

Hi Jixxerbill.
American Lap Company was one of the two I emailed, they have exactly what I need but no reply. It might be that they don't do International especially for a $50 order but a reply, negative or positive, would have been good..

My (limited) experience on machine tooling purchasing is that many of the tool manufacturers prefer to sell through specific sales distribution centers & those centers are the connection point to Joe Consumer. The manufacturers want to focus on $10,000 orders, not $10 orders, so to speak. Shipping destination might be a secondary issue. Some websites politely explain what they do & don't do, or will offer a contact list of downstream distributers. Some just don't.

I wonder if its possible for you to get an international account set up with the likes of KBC, MSC or Travers? For example I typed 'lap' into KBC (Canadian distributer) & it pops up the usual list of names.
http://www.kbctools.com/can/Navigation/NavPDF.cfm?PDFPage=608

Their product range is of course limited to whatever they decide to stock, so could be USA/Europe/Asian names. But they facilitate onsey-twosey sales. These distributers don't manufacture anything. Their entire business model revolves around repackaging other peoples tooling goods & getting it to an end customer.

I had a reverse experience trying to get a Bison chuck accessory (eastern block Europe manufacturer). I learned their products are landed by a regional N-Am distributer, then it goes to the larger houses as mentioned above. I was able to get info from the regional distributer but I'm pretty sure a direct inquiry to Bison in Poland would go to the trash bin. Maybe the smaller shops still answer their mail Good luck.

 

[GWRdriver]

Hello Will,
I'm sorry to hear of your experience with a US supplier but if it's any consolation service in some sectors in the USA isn't at all what it used to be, and the industrial sector is one of those. My guess is that for several reasons, including simply not knowing how to go about filling a foreign order, they don't want to be bothered. Yes you should be due a response but many youngsters these days haven't been taught that an answer, if not an obligation, is at least an expected courtesy.

I used to trade a great deal in the UK (among other things I was a Stuart dealer) and I have a few service horror stories from years ago, but when I last did much trading I found the service to be generally greatly improved. I no longer trade much in the UK for several reasons (I'm no longer a dealer of anything), I have what I need for the foreseeable future, and then of course shipping has simply become prohibitive. I'm afraid we can't hope for that to improve.

One solution for a need like yours is to cultivate a friendship over here and arrange for local purchase and re-mailing. I once had a very good friend in London who was in need of various bits from our industrial supplier "MSC." At the time MSC wouldn't ship overseas, but they would accept a foreign order, so he placed the order with his credit card and had the goods shipped to me. I would have mailed them, but it wasn't too long before I would be traveling to the UK so I put them in my bag and handed them off when we met in London.

I will do something similar this summer. By then I'll have ordered a few goodies, some from UK eBay sellers who won't ship to the USA, and had them shipped to an old friend in the UK (not the same one) who I will visit. I'll stuff the goodies in my travel bag bring them home with me. As an aside to this, there have been a couple of times when I knew I would be flying home with what to airport security or customs agents might look like strange or even dangerous things. In those cases I've taken the trouble to make and pack copies of catalogues, specifications, or drawings which show what the items are, or are used for, and in at least once instance that saved me a long interrogation and delayed departure.

 

[will53]

Hi Guys.
Thanks for your replies. Some good news in that Newman Tools who I emailed over the weekend after my original email blitz replied, they declined but at least they didn't ignore it. Travers was one of the companies who haven't replied. We have MSC in the UK and they're great for what they list but for some reason Laps are no longer stocked.
Petertha...... Understand that parts supply is a 'trickle down' to end user and that maybe some manufacturers will point you to a listed distributor but that's not happened but will try KBC later, see what they're like, thanks for the tip.
GWR.......... Sounds like you've got it sussed with a personal contact where you want to source parts that's great might be something to explore.

 

[will53]

Just to let you guys know, was pointed in the direction of Mold Tools in Traverse City ?, Michigan, looked at the web site, was listing what I needed, phoned them, placed an order, shipping $23, professional, pleasant to deal with, no drama over international, just like I remember it.

 

[petertha]

Would you mind providing a web link to Mold Tools?

 

[will53]

Website is http://www.moldshoptools.com/catalog/list.php?category_id=273

Travers have emailed me back today, minimum order $100, items cost about $28 and stating carriage greater than items cost, at least they got back to me even if they didn't want the order, miles more expensive than Mold. Suggested I get in touch with their French operation! but ordered with Mold Tools now (2 times the order qty that I'd asked Travers for) and will use them as and when I need anything, couldn't fault them, total shipped cost was $59. No one else has replied.