CD Japan

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, that is believable. The materials should be tariff-free, of course, but without actual direction from the "top," it's anyone's guess what would be applied and how...

[JSngry]

13 hours ago, T.D. said:

I just got an e-mail announcement from cdjapan:

Today, we would like to inform you of our new update regarding shipping.

Depending on the size and combination of items in your order, the size of the box used for packing will vary, which in turn affects the shipping cost. To help reduce your shipping costs, CDJapan has implemented an Optimal Box Selection Algorithm.

This new system automatically selects the smallest possible box to pack your items. No action is required on your part.

In addition to reducing shipping costs, it minimizes empty space to lower the risk of damage during transit, and also increases the chances of using size-restricted shipping methods such as Airmail and FedEx Pak.

Unfortunately, the elephant in the room (tariffs) was not mentioned.

That sizing thing sounds like a efficient that should have happened long ago  just because.

[T.D.]

25 minutes ago, JSngry said:

That sizing thing sounds like a efficient that should have happened long ago  just because.

Very true. 

But a lot of big US vendors seem to have lagged on this. List too long to mention. Maybe it was more pressing for cdjapan because they do a lot of pricey int'l shipping.

[jcam_44]

So I had pre-ordered a record from Korea I forgot about until Tuesday when I got an email it shipped. It was pre-ordered in July or August, I don’t remember but definitely before de minimus ended. Either way I wasn't asked to pay anything extra so either they ate the cost or FedEx will ask for money, though tracking doesn’t indicate I owe anything extra. Will be here tomorrow. We shall see. 

[cliffpeterson]

Just sharing some info.  Ordered and received 3 regular size cds and one double cd in a special package about half the size of an lp from CD Japan. My shipping costs (FEDEX FICP) and "Customs Clearance Fees" totaled 5323 yen.  Given the size of the special 2cd package I figure around $7 per cd for those extra costs.  So If I bought Harper's "Trying to Make Heaven my Home" from CD Japan (its selling price is $13.11) combined with 3-4 other cds, my total cost would probably be around $20-21.  For me living in New York, Dusty Groove sells that item for $19.00 plus shipping costs (no sales tax).  I was not asked to pay tariffs.  

To review, for me there may be little difference in cost between ordering from CD Japan and DG (I did preorder the Harper from them). My CD Japan package came with 2 magnets-there was nothing on the label to indicate that something other than cds were included and therefore may not be exempted from tariffs.   Shipping label was created on Friday, October 3rd at 9:12 PM. I received the package today< October 8th, at 2:41 PM. The package came by way of Anchorage but appears to have gone through customs in Newark. It arrived at the FedEX hub in Newark at 1:11 PM yesterday, apparently entered or cleared customs at 2:31 PM ("international shipment release-import")  and finally left that hub by 9:30 PM that same day. 

[T.D.]

19 hours ago, cliffpeterson said:

Just sharing some info.  Ordered and received 3 regular size cds and one double cd in a special package about half the size of an lp from CD Japan. My shipping costs (FEDEX FICP) and "Customs Clearance Fees" totaled 5323 yen.  Given the size of the special 2cd package I figure around $7 per cd for those extra costs.  So If I bought Harper's "Trying to Make Heaven my Home" from CD Japan (its selling price is $13.11) combined with 3-4 other cds, my total cost would probably be around $20-21.  For me living in New York, Dusty Groove sells that item for $19.00 plus shipping costs (no sales tax).  I was not asked to pay tariffs.  

To review, for me there may be little difference in cost between ordering from CD Japan and DG (I did preorder the Harper from them). My CD Japan package came with 2 magnets-there was nothing on the label to indicate that something other than cds were included and therefore may not be exempted from tariffs.   Shipping label was created on Friday, October 3rd at 9:12 PM. I received the package today< October 8th, at 2:41 PM. The package came by way of Anchorage but appears to have gone through customs in Newark. It arrived at the FedEX hub in Newark at 1:11 PM yesterday, apparently entered or cleared customs at 2:31 PM ("international shipment release-import")  and finally left that hub by 9:30 PM that same day. 

Thanks, that's useful info.

I always thought the breakeven/crossover point for Japanese imports from cdjapan vs DG was about a 4-CD order.

My last 2 cdjapan shipping charges, pre-tariff, were 3864 yen for 9 CD and 4042 yen for 10. I've always received orders very quickly, even within 2 days of shipping, so that appears to have slowed (though still reasonably fast).

Don't have time at the moment, but I'll have to make some test carts and try to back out the formula for "customs clearance fees" vs regular shipping. Maybe also compare Fedex and DHL in that regard.

[Bluesnik]

Will this touch us Europeans or is it just affecting Americans?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

3 minutes ago, Bluesnik said:

Will this touch us Europeans or is it just affecting Americans?

I have only heard of the US having tariffs being added to Japanese imports. Is the EU adding tariffs to Japanese imports too? I hadn't heard that.

[Bluesnik]

No, I think it's just that tariff business. But I am curious if it will affect everybody.

[cliffpeterson]

Just to be clear, I don't think CD Japan is adding monies for tariffs-it is the job of the US Customs office to impose that.  Yes, CD Japan's shipping charges have gone up because, I think, the shipping companies, e.g., DHL, FEDEX, are charging more money in anticipation of additional hassles relating to the imposition of a tariff, whether in fact a tariff is imposed.  

My cost for shipping for the 4 items in my latest order (my smallest order in years, perhaps ever) was essentially the same cost for my previous order of  7 cds.

 

And, the "customs clearance fee" was a set price, 1300 yen, whether I bought 1 or 4 cds, which influenced my decision to buy more than 1 item this time.

Edited 5 hours ago by cliffpeterson

[T.D.]

18 minutes ago, cliffpeterson said:

Just to be clear, I don't thing CD Japan is adding monies for tariffs-it is the job of the US Customs office to impose that.  Yes, CD Japan's shipping charges have gone up because, I think, the shipping companies, e.g., DHL, FEDEX, are charging more money in anticipation of additional hassles relating to the imposition of a tariff, whether in fact a tariff is imposed.  

My cost for shipping for the 4 items in my latest order (my smallest order in years, perhaps ever) was essentially the same cost for my previous order of  7 cds.

 

And, the "customs clearance fee" was a set price, 1300 yen, whether I bought 1 or 4 cds, which influenced my decision to buy more than 1 item this time.

Thanks. I didn't think cdjapan was adding anything for tariffs, and I expected shipping prices to go up for the reasons you mentioned. But I expected the "customs clearance fees" to be a percentage of the pre-shipping total...i.e. I figured tariffs would be collected.

Your experience is positive IMO, as you didn't pay tariffs, just hassle fees.

I'm still not confident enough to order. It'd be just my luck to get nailed with customs fees/tariffs, or have the shipment impounded by Customs, or some damned thing. 😨 Although cdjapan sent out a coupon offer yesterday.

Edited 5 hours ago by T.D.

[felser]

18 minutes ago, T.D. said:

I'm still not confident enough to order. 

+1

[cliffpeterson]

My second to last order, the 7 cds, was shipped by DHL, not FEDEX FICP.  That order was made 2 months previous to my last order.  DHL still retained the shipping details in its database (I can access this information by using the tracking number on DHL's website).  That shipping information indicates that the US customs clearing process can, and in that case did, start in Japan when DHL received (or even before its receipt of) the shipping information from CD Japan:

"Customs clearance status updated. Note - The Customs clearance process may start while the shipment is in transit to the destination. - CINCINNATI HUB - Ohio - USA".