[Thor Joachim Haga]

I just read somehwer what the Dollar exchange rate to Euro dropped since Trump is president. Does not really help yet (And Norway not in any case ;-))

Actually, the dollar is weaker for the Norwegian krone too. Right now, a dollar is under 10 kroner for the first time in a long, long time. So I suppose that helps a BIT. But not enough, of course, when you have those shipping costs….and the new customs system.

Of course, back in the day, it was a different reality altogether, as Nick alludes to. I believe we talked about this earlier in the thread too. Some 20 years ago, I paid about $3-4 in shipping for a single CD (without jewel case) from overseas, often bought from the seller One-Cent-CDs on eBay. We had a tax-free limit of 300 kroner ($30) as well, which was annoyingly low, but MUCH better than now when 25% tax is added either in the web store itself, or when it arrives in Norway. And the CDs themselves were much cheaper, or rather, it was easier to find bargains.

You can adjust all of this for inflation, of course, but it will still show a considerable price rise.

[Malte Müller]

I don’t even know why it’s $4.- for each additional CD? Don’t postage rates usually come in brackets.

Yeah, seems all have similar things. Quartet and Musicbox have no actual per CD addition just ranges, But even a 2CD set counts as 2 CDs there. And even their shipping ratets are rather expensive by now.

Here locally it is a bit better. Soundtrackcorner has free shipping starting with 100 Euro which you certain easily achieve if you buy several CDs… One CD would cost 5 Euros shipping btw. Or jpc.de for more regular commerical releases has free shipping from 20 Euros onwards (and free shipping special days every now and then),

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Yes, these things vary from country to country.

In desperation, I was thinking of starting an ‘exchange thread’ where we could help each other out with CD purchases. For example, if I saw something on Discogs I wanted, from a seller in Germany, I could have it sent to you, and then you could send it on to me. Of course, that means paying shipping TWICE (first to the seller, and then to you), but maybe it would still be cheaper. At least compared to some of those outrageous shipping costs I see there. You could send it on without jewel case, for example. I haven’t done the math, but something to ponder. I would obviously also do the same on my end.

[Malte Müller]

Sure, that is certainly something we can do. Within Europe at least the customs should be lower I guess. Although actually the fee for example DHL charges for paying it upfront is the most expensive part here…

[Thor Joachim Haga]

It would be a way to circumvent customs too, as there is no customs within Germany (or Norway or whatever the country of origin), and I think one can still send stuff marked as ‘gift’ from one private citizen to the other without paying customs. I just checked the Norwegian postal service, and as far as I can tell, it’s 60 NOK ($6) for a ‘thick’ letter sent to Germany, meaning a letter with the CD inside (without jewel case). Maybe it’s the same in Germany. Let’s say the seller charges 5 Euro to send it within Germany. That’s another 60 NOK. So I pay 120 NOK for shipping, about $12. Still a LOT, but in many cases half the price.

Anyways, something to consider. It could be a trade as well.

[Jon Aanensen]

I always tell the sellers on Discogs to mark the package as gift. No customs then.

I recently bought 17 items from one seller. Cost me 2.45 euro pr item incl postage.

[Malte Müller]

I just checked the Norwegian postal service, and as far as I can tell, it’s 60 NOK ($6) for a ‘thick’ letter sent to Germany, meaning a letter with the CD inside (without jewel case).

According to the DP a “compact letter” (max length 23.5 cm, max width max. 12.5 cm, max height. 1 cm) costs Euro 1.80 internationally (0.70 Euro more than within Germany). That would probably fit for a CD/booklet without case and some hardpaper for protection.

However if they consider it as a small package and not a letter for some reasons – officially only documents are allowed internationally – the price would go up and since Norway is not EU it is a bit more expensive starting at 11 Euros or so.

Worth a try nevertheless I guess.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Well, if it’s €11, on top of the original shipping, it kinda defeats the purpose. But if it’s the letter thing, it could work. Obviously an exchange thread would also accomodate whoever’s interested from other countries as well, and whatever systems they have.

I’m willing to do anything to circumvent the four threats!

[Nick Zwar]

I’d be too worried about CDs getting scratched if they are just sent as letters without protective casing.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

One would need to use bubble wrap envelopes, of course.

[Nick Zwar]

There is one more thing I wonder about: except for some rare exceptions, good deal or used CD er., would it really be cheaper in all but a very few cases to order CDs into one country and then sending them to another country, instead of sending them directly into the country?

[Malte Müller]

would it really be cheaper

That has to be checked on case by case bases. At least when I recently ordered something via discogs every seller seems to set shipping costs at will. It only made sense to use local sellers for me her, too.

One would need to use bubble wrap envelopes, of course.

Yes, sometimes some cardboard can also work and there are also envelops with one cardboard side. Unless anyone really throws it around and breaks it anyway…

[Thor Joachim Haga]

There is one more thing I wonder about: except for some rare exceptions, good deal or used CD er., would it really be cheaper in all but a very few cases to order CDs into one country and then sending them to another country, instead of sending them directly into the country?

That’s the working theory. It would have to be some €6-7, max, for the two shippings combined, and the CD itself as cheap as possible, of course. It MIGHT be lower than having it shipped directly, but these are untested waters.

Since my economy is poor – it’s basically a slightly-below average annual income for the year 1995, which means I can basically only afford 1995 prices on everything – I refuse to pay more than what a full-price CD cost up to just a few years ago, i.e. about 160 NOK (about $16), all combined, as opposed to the 300 NOK ($30) it’s risen to in just 5-6 years – a 100% increase! That’s my life at the moment. Sad.

[Malte Müller]

I am not swimming in money as well and I stripped down score buying and other stuff a great deal, too. It’s not I hadn’t enough to listen to for several lifetimes already 😉

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Yes, of course. I have more than enough music to last me the rest of my life. It’s just those titles that I need for completist purposes (some 30-40 titles in total). It’s the OCD gene in me, I guess. And the fan-to-fan solution would alleviate some of the four threats.

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