Page 1 of 2

Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:16 pm
by Skyman
Does any knife retailer/ website offer free shipping to India?

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:04 pm
by nagarifle
no such thing as free shipping, it will be included in the price.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:26 pm
by Skyman
I mean you don't have to pay over and above the item price.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 9:16 pm
by Sujay
Dealextreme offers free shipping. Shipping is done from HongKong but was never
able to make out how the "free" shipping stuff works

http://s.dealextreme.com/search/knife.h ... 862&page=2

I have purchased some other things from this site. Actually delivered free but has
a delivery time of nearly three weeks for all items. Due to their website malfunction,
the amount was deducted twice from my card, they made a refund without the need to
follow it up.

Cannot comment on the adequacy of the range of knifes they offer and whether their
prices are inflated to include the likely shipping costs.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:56 pm
by Skyman
I ordered a boker clone from them yesterday, for 500 bucks.Lets see how it goes.

I meant some one who deals in knives specially like knife depot.

Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:24 pm
by choombak
No US based dealers offer free international shipping as it involves paper work and possibly a visit to the post office. Secondly, cheapest USPS shipping to India is about $6. Reliable shipping starts at $18. These are too steep prices to be included in the cost of a knife.

Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:26 pm
by choombak
Sujay wrote:Dealextreme offers free shipping. Shipping is done from HongKong but was never
able to make out how the "free" shipping stuff works

http://s.dealextreme.com/search/knife.h ... 862&page=2

I have purchased some other things from this site. Actually delivered free but has
a delivery time of nearly three weeks for all items. Due to their website malfunction,
the amount was deducted twice from my card, they made a refund without the need to
follow it up.

Cannot comment on the adequacy of the range of knifes they offer and whether their
prices are inflated to include the likely shipping costs.
Always opt for registered/insured shipping from them which costs about $2 extra but allows for end to end tracking on our site. You were lucky that things reached you.

Secondly dx quality on many items is a hit or miss, and returns are a pain. I typically avoid them as much as possible.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:35 pm
by Skyman
You are right.Shipping costs like 20$ standard, but i doubt tracking is available? I think US post costs 20 bucks. Fed ex or ups might offer tracking for the same cash.

Choombak, i am thinking of upgrading to an endura some time later.What say you? You own one if i remember right..?

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:53 pm
by choombak
Skyman wrote:You are right.Shipping costs like 20$ standard, but i doubt tracking is available? I think US post costs 20 bucks. Fed ex or ups might offer tracking for the same cash.

Choombak, i am thinking of upgrading to an endura some time later.What say you? You own one if i remember right..?
Here are the many (few?) options for USPS:
(a) First Class Mail International
- costs $5 upwards.
- 3rd party insurance available, no tracking, no guarantee of delivery, approx time 3-4 weeks to India.

(b) Priority Mail International
- flat rate box costs $16.95
- no indemnity coverage on flat rate boxes, typical times 2 weeks to India
- items can be confiscated at US end or India end.

(c) Express Mail International
- starts from $30 or so. Guaranteed delivery and end-to-end tracking.
- Our customs almost always holds it back to extract both - duty and bribe

(d) Global Express Guaranteed
- starts around $45. Everything else same as #c.

Registered mail (additional) service for $12 to India. So the most economic option, with end-to-end tracking is USPS First Class International + $12 Registered shipping, so about $20 and you can track your stuff. Plus it is kept in lock-and-key at most transit points, so theft is less. Registration service is available for Priority Mail International as well.

My experience after losing goods worth Rs. 20K in the last three years shipped from the US. If it is not Registered, it is lost. Now, no knife shop is willing to go that extra mile to have things registered, because it entails a trip to the local PO for the Registration process, and additional form filling. There are a few exceptions, like Jim and Barbara's "Howe's Knife Shop", which I am a big fan of. I always opt for RELIABLE shipping now, which costs anywhere from $20 through $30 or so.

Please note, all USPS services feed into our Indian postal system, so there is some sort of uncertainty always involved (maybe in terms of time delays, torn packages, etc.). If you wish to bypass Indian post service, the only way is to opt for Knifecenter and get the FedEx $30 shipping (NOTE: Confirm with KC that they'd ship via FedEx and nothing else). However, FedEx almost always guarantees a duty and some service taxes, but the goods are delivered as promised in time.

Endura? Well, its with another IFGian now, and I carry a Doug Ritter mini-grip as an EDC (and soon arriving is a ZT 550 !yay!). PM me, and we'll discuss if Endura is right for you to carry -- there may be better options.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:43 pm
by Skyman
Choombak, thank you for the above.I shall keep it in mind, as should others on this forum.Now we all know how much it takes to be assured of our maal.

You are right, Howe's knife shop has an excellent selection and impeccable business ethics. :agree: .

Thank You for the info.

Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:23 pm
by choombak
Oh, and interestingly FedEx individual to India costs around $100, but only kc has some deal with them to ship it for wayyyyyyyy less!!!

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:26 pm
by Skyman
But if i am not mistaken, different dealers offer different options.But Ups standard for 20$ seems to be a commonly offered one.Have not seen any one offer 6$ shipping, or even 10-15$!! 20-25, sometimes 50$ is the norm.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:26 pm
by Skyman
But if i am not mistaken, different dealers offer different options.But Ups standard for 20$ seems to be a commonly offered one.Have not seen any one offer 6$ shipping, or even 10-15$!! 20-25, sometimes 50$ is the norm.

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:05 pm
by SHASHANK_KESHAVA
Knifecenter offers free shipping for purchase above $149

Re: Any knife dealer offers free shipping?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:30 am
by choombak
SHASHANK_KESHAVA wrote:Knifecenter offers free shipping for purchase above $149
Within US. :-)