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I love PTI stuff but I'm hesitant to order from them because of the ridiculously high shipping costs. They seem to do very well as a stamp company and I wonder why they don't offer free shipping to their international customers the way other (also small) stamp companies do. I'm sure they'd get a lot more orders if they did.
For those of you who have ordered from them despite the shipping costs, how long did it take for you to receive your order and did it come by USPS regular post or UPS courier? I read on another PTI post that their paper gets damaged in shipping. Has this also happened to you?
I also really want to order from them and live in Ontario so will be interested in following this thread. I haven't because of very high shipping. Love their stuff though.
I love there stuff too and before there shipping went up (like when they very first came out) I ordered a few times from them, everything went great I received my order in a timely matter etc... but now with the cost of shipping I can not afford it. I completely agree that if small stamp companies can offer shipping to Canada for only $5 or $10 why can't papertrey? but it does make me sad to see all the gorgeous stuff they have that I never will :(
oh and to answer your question my order came regular not courier. And my paper came just perfect everything was wrapped well packed tightly etc.. no problems with the company at all, just the cost of shipping.
I have ordered from PTI in the past and found that my items took just as long to get here as anything else I ordered from the US and it came regular post. I stopped ordering from them due to their high shipping costs. Have you thought about ordering from Gina K (assuming of course that you are after paper and not the signature PTI stamps)?
I can vouch for Gina's spectacular customer service, care in packaging and prompt shipping. I'm not affiliated with the company, just one really happy customer
I love the cardstock from PTI and even with the high shipping cost I still order about 4 times a year. I usually order a large amount of CS to justify the shipping cost though. I have never had any problem with bent CS, they usually put cardboard edges around the CS. I live in southern Saskatchewan and I usually have my order within 1 1/2 - 2 weeks and it comes USPS and I have to sign for it, it is a safe guard for the company so that no one can say that they never received there order when they have.
I can't really help you with your shipping questions, because the only times I've ordered from PTI I had it shipped to a Washington address and drove across the border to pick it up. I've never had anything damaged though. One time they shipped everything except an ink pad which was backordered. I emailed CS to ask them to just refund the pad since I didn't want to make the cross-border trip again just for an inkpad, and when they found out I actually live in Canada they told me they would ship it direct to my home as they did not realize it would be inconvenient for me! I was very happy with that.
I'd love to see something like free ship over $100. My credit card wouldn't like that though. If you have an order over $200, I think the shipping credit PTI gives you ($20 over $200) will bring your shipping costs down considerably. Of course, with that large an order, there is a bigger chance that customs will go to the trouble of billing you GST & PST. They tend to let the smaller orders go through without billing you.
Wow, I've never heard of anyone having paper damaged on a PTI order. The pack it so unusual for any company...cardboard protectors on the ends, then shrink wrap it. They even wrap every stamp set individually in tissue paper so it doesn't get damaged. So unless UPS is using 300 lb gorillas to move their packages, I dont think they can get damaged too easily.
As for the shipping, I think that the international shipping is very high, so they don't offer it. SU doesn't offer it either, nor to they offer any free shippig that I am aware of. At least PTI offers free shipping in the US over $60 and they are a tiny company compared to the profits that SU makes.
I paid over $100 in shipping alone on my last order from SU.
I also would love to try ordering from them but their rates are completely ridiculous. I order a lot of my supplies/stamps from the States and it all comes by flat rate USPS. I don't understand why they can't just ship regular post like all the other companies.
I don't have a problem paying for shipping but I refuse to pay the rates that PTI charges when I can order from other sites that either offer discounted shipping over a specific amount or just a flat rate based on purchase.
Just as a reference in Canada we pay approx $11 shipping on a large box of items (fits 12 x 12 items). So I don't mind paying $10 to $15 on an order as long as my purchase is worth it but last time I checked I would have to pay close to double that on PTI stuff.
I meant to mention in my post that I am primarily interested in their stamps only, so to pay $10 to $20 for some stamps that can be shipped for under $5 is the reason I won't purchase from them.
I agree with everything that has been said, including how fabulous PTI products are. I ordered for the first time when I was travelling to the US from Canada and had the order shipped to the hotel, so if this is an option for you, when vacationing, I suggest it, if the hotel is on-side about receiving packages on your behalf.
Now that I am hooked on PTI, and love their stamps, I'd love to place another order but being that I am at home in Canada and would pay out the nose for shipping, I will not order. I refuse to pay $20+ for shipping. I also agree that there should be a scale that allows for free shipping after a certain amount, even if that means that we would probably pay for GST charges.... It seems that as Canadians we get "penalized" in shipping costs...
If you are looking for great paper and stamps, I too suggest Gina K. Fab and fast service. And the paper is amazing for Copic'ing...
And as a suggestion, we should also try emailing PTI and communicate our concerns with them, who knows, maybe they may change some of their policies.
Guess I could go on another warm holiday to buy PTI, if I must - lol
__________________ ~Amanda
When I learned how to stamp, I forgot how to cook and clean.
Bethshaya, Did you order 1000.00 worth of SU product because that is what you would have been charged for shipping. I order from SU on a regular basis and I am in Canada. My items get to with 7 days and I only pay 10%.
I love the look of PTI and the way they are going with their line but my previous experiences with them have not been positive. I have used their first stamp sets and I was not happy with them. I found that acrylic to be too soft to work with. I don't know if they changed their product since then. Their shipping is extremely high and has taken more than 3 weeks to get to me. I have dealt with a few other companys in the US and have not had that long a wait and usually with regular shipping. I have dealt with GinaK and she does have awesome customer service.
I think it is a personal preference for what you are willing to pay and/or put up with for the product you want.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't PTI offer reasonable shipping to Canada when they first opened? I recall that a number of packages were getting lost and that they had to replace them out of pocket. It seems to me that they had to go with higher shipping for insurance/ tracking purposes.
If I recall correctly, it had something to do with orders being received in Canada and on time. Many claimed they didnt get them and there was no way to track them when they were sent first class. This is the same reason why many people at SCS are reluctant to trade stamps across borders etc
So they are now shipped via Priority which is very costly.
I did see this on their website
We no longer ship packages via First Class International Mail. We have found it to be very unreliable which leads to customer dissatisfaction. All international shipments are sent
Priority Mail International and include insurance in the event a package is lost or damaged.
As this has significantly increased shipping costs for our international customers, we offer
the following discounts.
Any International order that totals $100 or more before shipping, will receive a $10
credit.
Any International order that totals $200 or more before shipping, will receive a $20
credit.
Please be aware that these credits will not be applied during the checkout
process, the adjustment will be made once the order has been processed.
Julie, are they affiliated with Papertrey? It seems that so many of their stamps resemble very closely the ones from Papertrey but not exactly. And their color lines with coordinating ribbon look almost identical. Just wondering. If so, this might be a great option for Canadians!
Julie, are they affiliated with Papertrey? It seems that so many of their stamps resemble very closely the ones from Papertrey but not exactly. And their color lines with coordinating ribbon look almost identical. Just wondering. If so, this might be a great option for Canadians!
I had the same thought!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Julie, are they affiliated with Papertrey? It seems that so many of their stamps resemble very closely the ones from Papertrey but not exactly. And their color lines with coordinating ribbon look almost identical. Just wondering. If so, this might be a great option for Canadians!
I have no idea, Karolyn and would be inclined to assume not. I don't know them personally and I've never ordered from them so I honestly cannot testify to neither product quality nor customer service.
I just remembered they had been mentioned in the forums, or perhaps had even advertised here on SCS at one point, and were based right in Canada.
HTH!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
i'm another one that won't order from them. when i was interested i put a bunch of stamps in my basket then saw the shipping, i had to walk away.
it's a shame, beautiful product, but no way will i pay that much for shipping.
i'll stick to ginak and others.
I LOVE PTI and all of their high quality products, terrific colors, papers, buttons, ribbons and more.
I order about 4 times per year-and always an order that is over $200 so that I qualify for the largest shipping discount. I stock up on papers, and get the stamps, inks, some ribbon.
I ALWAYS pay tax (GST) and postal handling fee on arrival. For a $200 order I expect to pay about $30 or so upon delivery. Signature is required.
I am a happy and dedicated PTI shopper-I wish that I could find a PTI stamping buddy close to home and split on the shipping though.
Julie, are they affiliated with Papertrey? It seems that so many of their stamps resemble very closely the ones from Papertrey but not exactly. And their color lines with coordinating ribbon look almost identical. Just wondering. If so, this might be a great option for Canadians!
I also love their stamps but will not buy from them as their shipping costs are outrageous to Canada .... I always go to the site ... make a nice order and back out of it when I see the shipping costs ....
Maybe if enough of us comment on this thread they will take notice and come up with a better deal for us Canucks !!!
Well, I'm not Canadian, but I'm an Australian that orders from PTI reasonably regularly. The shipping to Australia is really expensive so I wait and order either by $100 or $200 lots to take advantage of the discounted shipping.
I have found that what I am charged (before the discount) is actually less than that is charged by USPS, so I guess they are taking a hit on postage whenever I order.
As mentioned previously, their shipping policy changed after the first release as I believe quite a few orders did not make their destination.
I have never had any problems with any of my goods being damaged during transit. Everything is packed and wrapped so nicely it's almost a shame to unwrap to use, lol!
Maybe you could get together with some friends and arrange to share the shipping costs.
I stopped ordering from them a while ago. I have a ton of stuff I would love to have, but $30+ s/h is outrageous. What is even sadder, is if you look at what they pay IS what they charge :( The problem is they are using the wrong shipping method. I know it's suppose to be for the insurance & reliability but I've had more issues getting the items when I've paid the higher priced shipping than paying the one price box. I went on a spending spree one day, and bought from PTI and several other US & European companies all on the same day. I received my items from Magnolia the quickest. I **LOVE** their plastic bagelopes! They zip right through customs. PTI arrived a week and a half after everything else.
Bethshaya, Did you order 1000.00 worth of SU product because that is what you would have been charged for shipping. I order from SU on a regular basis and I am in Canada. My items get to with 7 days and I only pay 10%.
I love the look of PTI and the way they are going with their line but my previous experiences with them have not been positive. I have used their first stamp sets and I was not happy with them. I found that acrylic to be too soft to work with. I don't know if they changed their product since then. Their shipping is extremely high and has taken more than 3 weeks to get to me. I have dealt with a few other companys in the US and have not had that long a wait and usually with regular shipping. I have dealt with GinaK and she does have awesome customer service.
I think it is a personal preference for what you are willing to pay and/or put up with for the product you want.
Lorri
Yes, I did. Nearly that amount. But for that amount of business, you'd think they'd give you a shipping deal.
I just ordered the same amount this shipment for PTI and have free shipping.
Has anyone here joined the Passion for Papertrey website where all the International customers pool up and share the costs of shipping together? It is a way to hook up with others in your area to pool your resources and still save on shipping. While primarily for UK and Europe, Canadians use the site too.
And as a suggestion, we should also try emailing PTI and communicate our concerns with them, who knows, maybe they may change some of their policies.
We are currently exploring other options, but I will let you know that our current shipping rates reflect the charges of the USPS with the added services of insurance and tracking. That way, if your package gets lost, there is a course of action that we can take with the carrier. Prior to implementing this policy, far too many shipments got lost, and the cost of replacing those shipments fell on us. As with any small company, we need to be very aware of our bottom line so that the costs are not passed on to our customers.
I'll be honest, though, an email campaign isn't necessary. We know that this is something that is affecting the Canadians adversely and we are trying to find a middle ground - we are listening!
__________________ ~ Jennifer Ellefson Created From Paper, a paper crafting blog
When I went to purchase one stamp set worth 24.00 from PTI the shipping was 16.00 to BC, Canada. I don't care what anyone says this is an outrageous price to pay for shipping and insurance. Even Canada only charges 1.00 for extra shipping.
I'd love to see something like free ship over $100. My credit card wouldn't like that though. If you have an order over $200, I think the shipping credit PTI gives you ($20 over $200) will bring your shipping costs down considerably. Of course, with that large an order, there is a bigger chance that customs will go to the trouble of billing you GST & PST. They tend to let the smaller orders go through without billing you.
nina
Nope customs bill me on a $39 dollar used stamps I had order, GST & PST and a $5.00 service charge on top of it. So my 'good find' end up costing my more.
Nope customs bill me on a $39 dollar used stamps I had order, GST & PST and a $5.00 service charge on top of it. So my 'good find' end up costing my more.
Debra
Wow, ouch! I guess I've been lucky so far. Technically anything (retail, items marked as gifts can be more, I think up to $60??) over $20 CAD is charged all taxes, but in my personal experience any craft item I've ordered under $70 has gone through. Driving across the border is hit and miss - they've let me through with $200 before.
Nope customs bill me on a $39 dollar used stamps I had order, GST & PST and a $5.00 service charge on top of it. So my 'good find' end up costing my more.
Debra
I order from the states all the time and have never been charged GST or any duty charges .. nor a 5.00 service charge ... i guess I have been very lucky..
I'm another one that desperately wants to place a PTI order but haven't found anyone in Newfoundland that is willing to go in on an order so we can split or prorate the shipping. I follow all the PTI threads in hopes of learning of a change in the policy.
I'd also like to say that I do understand their shipping policy/charges but hope some day it will change so more people in Canada could experience their presumably wonderful products.
We are currently exploring other options, but I will let you know that our current shipping rates reflect the charges of the USPS with the added services of insurance and tracking. That way, if your package gets lost, there is a course of action that we can take with the carrier. Prior to implementing this policy, far too many shipments got lost, and the cost of replacing those shipments fell on us. As with any small company, we need to be very aware of our bottom line so that the costs are not passed on to our customers.
I'll be honest, though, an email campaign isn't necessary. We know that this is something that is affecting the Canadians adversely and we are trying to find a middle ground - we are listening!
So glad to hear this I am chomping at the bit to get my hands on your paper/inks/ribbon in all your colours. Please let us know as soon as it changes as I bet quite a few of us canucks will be all over it within minutes lol!
I am so glad to hear there are other options that PTI is looking at..I bought just about every stamp set from them for the first year while shipping was reasonable and stopped cold turkey when it went up. I still love their stamps, and some of their new products are to die for, but I cannot justify the shipping cost PLUS the duty and taxes that undoubtably get added onto a large order.
__________________ Alanna
"It's all fun and games until someone loses an eyelet..." Gallery & Blog
I always wondered (and am sure there is an answer to this!). Why not give the customer a choice?
Pay more and have the package insured and tracked.
Pay less and take your chances. PTI will send it but will not be responsible it you do not receive it.
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I vouch for Gina K's paper, too! Their shipping is reasonable and my order arrived in about 10 days without damage. I didn't have to pay any extra fees on top of what the website charged me initially.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blondie090277
I have ordered from PTI in the past and found that my items took just as long to get here as anything else I ordered from the US and it came regular post. I stopped ordering from them due to their high shipping costs. Have you thought about ordering from Gina K (assuming of course that you are after paper and not the signature PTI stamps)?
I can vouch for Gina's spectacular customer service, care in packaging and prompt shipping. I'm not affiliated with the company, just one really happy customer
I believe both Verve and Stamping Bella are similar sized companies to PTI and they offer free shipping to Canada and the US, plus Stamping Bella offers free shipping to the rest of the world with orders over $75 and I think that's fantastic! Even Taylored Expressions doesn't have high shipping rates.
Some SU demonstrators offer occasional free shipping with orders over $65 - at least mine does!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bethshaya
Wow, I've never heard of anyone having paper damaged on a PTI order. The pack it so unusual for any company...cardboard protectors on the ends, then shrink wrap it. They even wrap every stamp set individually in tissue paper so it doesn't get damaged. So unless UPS is using 300 lb gorillas to move their packages, I dont think they can get damaged too easily.
As for the shipping, I think that the international shipping is very high, so they don't offer it. SU doesn't offer it either, nor to they offer any free shippig that I am aware of. At least PTI offers free shipping in the US over $60 and they are a tiny company compared to the profits that SU makes.
I paid over $100 in shipping alone on my last order from SU.
I can only vouch for PTI's stamp sets as I've never used any of their other products. Their stamps are of an incredible quality and I love them! My sister bought me two of their sets last year and I've been dying for more. Alas, the pain of having her bring them to me and well, I'm just not ready to dish out all that money on shipping despite me drooling over their stuff!!
I'm glad PTI is listening! I think if someone's going to order just stamps that are so lightweight, shipping shouldn't actually double the cost of an order. I know our dollar is pretty good now but it's not that good. LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by kellybee
I'm another one that desperately wants to place a PTI order but haven't found anyone in Newfoundland that is willing to go in on an order so we can split or prorate the shipping. I follow all the PTI threads in hopes of learning of a change in the policy.
I'd also like to say that I do understand their shipping policy/charges but hope some day it will change so more people in Canada could experience their presumably wonderful products.
There has to be a cheaper way for them to ship, especially small, flat, lighter items. Like you said, it's all in the packaging!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1chrystal
I stopped ordering from them a while ago. I have a ton of stuff I would love to have, but $30+ s/h is outrageous. What is even sadder, is if you look at what they pay IS what they charge :( The problem is they are using the wrong shipping method. I know it's suppose to be for the insurance & reliability but I've had more issues getting the items when I've paid the higher priced shipping than paying the one price box. I went on a spending spree one day, and bought from PTI and several other US & European companies all on the same day. I received my items from Magnolia the quickest. I **LOVE** their plastic bagelopes! They zip right through customs. PTI arrived a week and a half after everything else.
Canadians Who Order from Papertrey Ink
