Postage - Alchemy Web bookshop

Alchemy Web bookshop

Postage costs

I now show the postage costs on the buy button panel. I have set up two separate buy buttons - one for UK and European customers to pay in UK Pounds and the other for customers in the rest of the world to pay in US Dollars.

This makes it easier for my customers as the price they see on the page describing the item is the price they will pay. There are no hidden charges added at the end of the transaction!

In the UK Postal system, postage rates rise linearly in 20 gram increments, so postage costs are not cheaper if one packs items together in the same package. So there is no saving of postage on multiple items.

Delivery times

With CD-Roms and prints I usually make up the order and post it out by the following working day. With books, I usually have to bind up a copy and this usually takes an extra day. So items are sent out within two working days (that is not counting the weekends). I send the customer an email acknowledgement when their package is collected from me by the postal service. From then on delivery is in the hands of the postal service.

For items sent to the UK - customers should expect delivery by first class mail within a day from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually within three days of placing an order.
For items sent to Europe - customers should expect delivery by air mail within five working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually well within a week from their placing an order.
For items sent to USA - customers should expect delivery by air mail in five to seven working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually a week at the quickest and say two weeks at the worst from the date of placing the order. In some cases items seem to be delayed by the US Customs or security authorities and then it can take a further week, but this is rare.
For items sent to the Rest of the World - customers should expect delivery by air mail in five to seven working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually a week at the quickest and say two weeks at the worst from the date of placing the order. With some countries there are inexplicable delays but I expect customers in such countries are used to this.

Why no Tracking number ?

Unfortunately, the postal service in the UK, Royal Mail, does not offer an international tracking service. Many international customers want tracking so they can see whether the packet has been delayed or held in some delivery office. This tracking of international packages once they leave the UK is not currently available.