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Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: Kitsune on August 13, 2019, 10:22:50 AM

Title: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Kitsune on August 13, 2019, 10:22:50 AM
Look on the Empress site. See nice Cromwell model. 」5 - sold, on the spot. Add to basket. P&P is 」8.75!!

Am I missing something? Thats an extortionate amount!
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: AKULA on August 13, 2019, 10:31:00 AM
Just tried the same thing postage was 75p

Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Kitsune on August 13, 2019, 11:04:24 AM
Just tried the same thing postage was 75p

Really? I知 getting 」8.75 for a 」5 model and 」9.50 for a 」10 order!
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Dr. Zombie on August 13, 2019, 11:05:46 AM
Postage will always be expensive if you only buy one model. I always figure into my purchases that postage is 」10
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: armchairgeneral on August 13, 2019, 11:27:30 AM
I got 75p as well  ???
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: AKULA on August 13, 2019, 11:31:26 AM
Really? I知 getting 」8.75 for a 」5 model and 」9.50 for a 」10 order!

I知 guessing you are Uk based, and not Outer Mongolia?

Have you been on holiday recently? Might be that it thinks you are overseas still...clear your history/cookies, and open a fresh page?
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 13, 2019, 11:52:17 AM
No Outer Mongolia, but I am in Spain and one of the reasons I buy from Empress less than I would like is how high their P&P is. Even compared with other British manufacturers. Nick, from North Star, or Iain, from Flags of War, charge a fraction of what Empress does. I still buy from them, as their product is top notch, but not as much nor as frequently as I wish. It is simply that I can't afford to pay their higher shipping costs. Usually, P&P from Empress to outside the UK represents an extra cost between 30-50% of the original order (smaller orders, higher percentage). I wonder what will happen after Brexit is in force. I guess I will save all the money to travel to Salute (or Crisis) and collect there the models for the year!  lol
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul Hicks on August 13, 2019, 12:42:21 PM
No Outer Mongolia, but I am in Spain and one of the reasons I buy from Empress less than I would like is how high their P&P is. Even compared with other British manufacturers. Nick, from North Star, or Iain, from Flags of War, charge a fraction of what Empress does. I still buy from them, as their product is top notch, but not as much nor as frequently as I wish. It is simply that I can't afford to pay their higher shipping costs. Usually, P&P from Empress to outside the UK represents an extra cost between 30-50% of the original order (smaller orders, higher percentage). I wonder what will happen after Brexit is in force. I guess I will save all the money to travel to Salute (or Crisis) and collect there the models for the year!  lol

Have you tried the Spanish distributor https://www.empressminiatures.com/international-distributors-24-w.asp
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: fastolfrus on August 13, 2019, 12:45:45 PM
Salute can be an expensive show, Partizan at Newark is cheaper, Empress and North Star are both going and the accommodation is much cheaper in Newark than London. Also if you come across for a couple of days, Newark is close to Nottingham so you could visit North Star, Warlord, Mantic, Caliver (and Foundry is nearby too)
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 13, 2019, 01:35:16 PM
Have you tried the Spanish distributor https://www.empressminiatures.com/international-distributors-24-w.asp

Yes, Paul, but they don't carry Iron Duke Miniatures... Mind that I blame you for sculpting those figures!  lol

By the way, I understand that Empress is charging what they think is the right amount to provide the best possible shipping for their customers outside UK. In the plus side, I receive my packages fast and all are signed for (i.e. tracked). I know that extra service comes with extra expenses. It is only that I would like to be able to chose if I want to pay that extra or spend more money in figures and use a cheaper shipping option.

Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 13, 2019, 01:37:19 PM
Salute can be an expensive show, Partizan at Newark is cheaper, Empress and North Star are both going and the accommodation is much cheaper in Newark than London. Also if you come across for a couple of days, Newark is close to Nottingham so you could visit North Star, Warlord, Mantic, Caliver (and Foundry is nearby too)

That's a very good suggestion. I keep forgetting about Partizan. Dunno why. I was with my wife long ago and had great fun. Thanks for the reminder.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Dags on August 13, 2019, 05:05:58 PM
The RM International Tracked & Signed service is expensive; you're not being ripped off.

It is the only way that a company can get insurance on overseas mail so I can't blame anyone, especially a 'smaller' company for covering themselves if parcels go missing.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: OSHIROmodels on August 13, 2019, 05:39:01 PM
The RM International Tracked & Signed service is expensive; you're not being ripped off.

It is the only way that a company can get insurance on overseas mail so I can't blame anyone, especially a 'smaller' company for covering themselves if parcels go missing.

This.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 13, 2019, 06:26:26 PM
The RM International Tracked & Signed service is expensive; you're not being ripped off.

It is the only way that a company can get insurance on overseas mail so I can't blame anyone, especially a 'smaller' company for covering themselves if parcels go missing.

I am aware of it. And wouldn't dare to accuse Empress of such a behaviour! I know for a fact that they are perfectly honest gentlemen and always have been in all the deals I have done with them. If any of my messages have communicated anything else, it has been totally unintended. As I said: I understand why they charge that much, even though it forces me to spend in shipping what I could spend in miniatures.

And I will leave it here, as any further explanation would be repetitive and therefore pointless.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Dags on August 13, 2019, 06:38:41 PM
Apologies.... was aimed at the OP with the 'extortionate amount' comment
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 13, 2019, 06:58:50 PM
Apologies.... was aimed at the OP with the 'extortionate amount' comment

In that case, who owes you an apology is me.

Best regards
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Dags on August 13, 2019, 07:00:41 PM
Don't be daft, I should have made myself clearer
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Shahbahraz on August 13, 2019, 07:16:33 PM
Salute can be an expensive show, Partizan at Newark is cheaper, Empress and North Star are both going and the accommodation is much cheaper in Newark than London. Also if you come across for a couple of days, Newark is close to Nottingham so you could visit North Star, Warlord, Mantic, Caliver (and Foundry is nearby too)

And Spanish Customs will be waiting for him as he arrives with 45 kg of shiny new figures :)
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Belligerentparrot on August 13, 2019, 07:54:08 PM
Newark is close to Nottingham so you could visit North Star, Warlord, Mantic, Caliver (and Foundry is nearby too)

I have nothing productive to add to the discussion, but I laughed out loud at your list of Nottingham-based wargames companies. Thanks for brightening my day!
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Wookington on August 14, 2019, 12:15:46 AM
This does lead to a question though, it might be an idea to offer an uninsured shipping option for occasions like these where the buyer agrees to get cheaper postage by gambling that the parcel might go astray.  Probably too much of a bother to implement, but I could see it being worth it when it works out like it has for OP.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Kitsune on August 14, 2019, 01:16:32 AM
Apologies.... was aimed at the OP with the 'extortionate amount' comment

Sorry, but 」8.75 to send a single model to London is a kings ransom! 」3-4 is more in line.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul Hicks on August 14, 2019, 04:53:49 AM
Sorry, but 」8.75 to send a single model to London is a kings ransom! 」3-4 is more in line.

I知 getting 」0.75 p&p to sunny Buckinghamshire for the Cromwell Figure.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul @ Empress Miniatures on August 14, 2019, 09:03:45 AM
Sorry, but 」8.75 to send a single model to London is a kings ransom! 」3-4 is more in line.

Kitsune,

The charge for someone in the UK is .75p, that includes London.

The extra 」8 is an international charge which is added to customer orders outside the UK and is added per order NOT per item.

Therefore the only thing I can suggest is that you are visiting from outside the country and Paypal is picking this up in your account and automatically adding the export charge. In short that's at your end not ours.

The best way to deal with this would have been to e mail us at Empress Miniatures so that we could simply sort the situation out. We take credit / debit cards or can send a direct Paypal request. However weirdly you have not made direct contact but decided to post on a non Empress Miniatures forum. Why????

You are also not bothering to read the helpful comments that have been posted. Why?

To make it easy simple e mail us at mail@empressmiiatures.com. and we can sort your problem out.

Cheers,

Paul


Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Duncan McDane on August 14, 2019, 09:28:30 AM
I wonder what will happen after Brexit is in force. I guess I will save all the money to travel to Salute (or Crisis) and collect there the models for the year!  lol

This is our plan aswell. The shipping costs are just too high for a couple of models, so how much I like some of the new sculptor's Oldhammer style models, or the "hey, I made this Ogre, will be a single run casting, 12 pounds + P&P." And then the P&P turns out to be 6 pounds or, when tracked, - much - more. That's too much to support starting sculptors or for a getting a fun thing you don't really need. Better to save the money and get the airplane/car once a year for a long weekend to visit a convention and go on to visit some shops than sponsoring the Royal Mail.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul @ Empress Miniatures on August 14, 2019, 09:29:33 AM
The RM International Tracked & Signed service is expensive; you're not being ripped off.

It is the only way that a company can get insurance on overseas mail so I can't blame anyone, especially a 'smaller' company for covering themselves if parcels go missing.

Exactly. Thank you for the dose of common sense.

We charge what is cost for P&P infact its less than cost as prices have increased twice in the past year and we have swallowed it but will not be for the next one.
Our parcels are sent tracked and signed for, where it is possible as some countries do not have agreements between international postal service. This ensures that the vast majority of what we send arrives safely and when it does not we can sort and claim. If a customer places an order that generates too much charge to cover the cost of post & packing we refund the difference although in the past year this has become less and les as charges increase.

We research, design, get sculpted, get manufactured the best possible figures we can. We do not run the worlds postal services. When they start subsidising Empress Miniatures we will start subsidising them. Bigger companies who manufacture inhouse are a lot cheaper because they have significant costs reductions. We go for best quality and that's expensive and make far less profit to play with. Plus we actually like to eat occasionally and not live in a bush. Perhaps you should be asking why they charge so much for their figures rather than concentrating on our postage........and packing.

To the suggestion that we should offer a cheaper service unfortunately that's not logical. We ensure that customers get their product whatever the postal services try to do to the boxes. That's our customer services pledge. That means that we replace damages or losses. Not always financially recoverable. Some countries have horrendous issues. Countries that you would not necessarily expect. The German postal service is a nightmare, and the Canadian one is beyond belief. Over the Christmas period they stopped operating for a few months and simply put into storage ALL foreign post. Royal Mail actually stopped accepting post for Canada for a few weeks as it ran out of storage in the UK . We had to take the hit on some of this as did a lot of other companies.

Sorry guys but the real prospect is that over the next few months the possibility is that this could all get a lot more expensive due to the B word especially as the 」 nose dives.

Over 50% of our sales are export, so a huge number of customers of which  the vast majority keep coming back so they are obviously happy. ;)

Antonio J Carrasco contact Atlantica, details on our site,  and ask them to stock what you want to buy and I am sure Raphael will be happy to. Even if you place your orders via him if he does not wish to carry the range.  Problem solved.

Cheers, Paul


 

Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Duncan McDane on August 14, 2019, 09:40:08 AM
This does lead to a question though, it might be an idea to offer an uninsured shipping option for occasions like these where the buyer agrees to get cheaper postage by gambling that the parcel might go astray.  Probably too much of a bother to implement, but I could see it being worth it when it works out like it has for OP.

Wouldn't work because even at their own risk many buyers start complaining and harrassing the seller and that's something the seller didn't ask for. I talk from experience. I only ship abroad at buyers cost and risk and, as our national mail seems to be using the cheapest, most unreliable parties in other countries I only use GLS. Expensive, yes, but safe ( but as I sell mostly used stereo equip it's a good thing wieght doesn't count, only size, so that's a plus ). If the buyers doesn't accept my terms, then I won't sell. It's not my business, it's a hobby - I've collected wayyy too much stuff over the years - and I don't want to have negative experiences that I cannot prevent from happening.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Antonio J Carrasco on August 14, 2019, 01:12:07 PM

Over 50% of our sales are export, so a huge number of customers of which  the vast majority keep coming back so they are obviously happy. ;)

Antonio J Carrasco contact Atlantica, details on our site,  and ask them to stock what you want to buy and I am sure Raphael will be happy to. Even if you place your orders via him if he does not wish to carry the range.  Problem solved.

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul

I do, but what can I say? I am impatient enough to pay the extra shipping costs instead waiting to Atlantica to re-stock your stuff! If you wouldn't carry such a damned good models it would be easier for me to wait...

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion. Rafa is a great chap... Maybe I can arrange with him some kind of "standing order". Or just go for a big order instead smaller ones. Dunno. Will do some numbers and see what its better, financially speaking.

Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul @ Empress Miniatures on August 14, 2019, 01:57:54 PM
 :-*

I am sure Rafael will help. Great guy and we have been working together for over 12 years. Or tell him to sell the Mutiny range  lol

If not either visit us which seems expensive or suffer the postage. Remember the more you buy the cheaper it actually works out.  ;)

Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Kitsune on August 15, 2019, 03:43:55 AM
Kitsune,

The charge for someone in the UK is .75p, that includes London.

The extra 」8 is an international charge which is added to customer orders outside the UK and is added per order NOT per item.

Therefore the only thing I can suggest is that you are visiting from outside the country and Paypal is picking this up in your account and automatically adding the export charge. In short that's at your end not ours.

The best way to deal with this would have been to e mail us at Empress Miniatures so that we could simply sort the situation out. We take credit / debit cards or can send a direct Paypal request. However weirdly you have not made direct contact but decided to post on a non Empress Miniatures forum. Why????

You are also not bothering to read the helpful comments that have been posted. Why?

To make it easy simple e mail us at mail@empressmiiatures.com. and we can sort your problem out.

Cheers,

Paul

Thanks. I値l have a chat with IT as to why my computer is registering as outside the UK, when I知 sat in London.
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Paul @ Empress Miniatures on August 15, 2019, 06:32:33 AM
Thanks. I値l have a chat with IT as to why my computer is registering as outside the UK, when I知 sat in London.

But you have not e mailed Empress to help you order?
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Arrigo on August 15, 2019, 02:22:04 PM
Quote
Thanks. I値l have a chat with IT as to why my computer is registering as outside the UK, when I知 sat in London.

I am the only one who, reading this, is thinking we are relying on machines a bit too much...   lol
Title: Re: Empress Miniatures - P&P?
Post by: Condottiere on August 15, 2019, 04:20:23 PM
Why does my computer think its in a different country?  (https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-does-my-computer-think-its-in-a-different/c7c4c5aa-7db6-4104-9850-d9150679293b)

https://www.google.com/search?q=Why+does+my+computer+think+its+in+a+different+cou+site:answers.microsoft.com&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXpKTSo4XkAhVlUt8KHYDvA3IQrQIoBDAAegQIBhAL&biw=1600&bih=736 (https://www.google.com/search?q=Why+does+my+computer+think+its+in+a+different+cou+site:answers.microsoft.com&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXpKTSo4XkAhVlUt8KHYDvA3IQrQIoBDAAegQIBhAL&biw=1600&bih=736)