Someone in Melbourne with an American express card?

[fraser130]

Hello all, I know it's a big ask, but I thought I'd ask anyway......

I'm after a couple of things from Provantage in the US (a SATA RAID cage and a OEM WHS software disc) and they only accept American Express or Direct bank transfer($35US extra charge+local bank charge) for international orders.
I don't have an AE card, and would rather not spend a fortune on bank fees!
Perhaps there is a kind and honest person out there with a Paypal Account that I could send the money to, who would then order it with their card, and I could drop by and pick it up when it arrives?

Ta,

Fraser

[hiline]

if i had a card i'd do it no probs

but i dont use credit cards ..............

[Tombie]

Paypal will stitch you up 4% anyway..

Easier to just pay the fee... You'll be paying it one way or another...

[fraser130]

Paypal will stitch you up 4% anyway..

Easier to just pay the fee... You'll be paying it one way or another...

$35US+ local charges on a purchase of $250US.....
Too much for me!

Fraser

[andrew e]

I have a friend in nigeria that can help. just foward him all your deatils.....

Sorry.

Andy

[hiline]

I have a friend in nigeria that can help. just foward him all your deatils.....

Sorry.

Andy

:Rolling::Rolling::Rolling:very funny i liked that one ...........

[sashadidi]

Hello all, I know it's a big ask, but I thought I'd ask anyway......

I'm after a couple of things from Provantage in the US (a SATA RAID cage and a OEM WHS software disc) and they only accept American Express or Direct bank transfer($35US extra charge+local bank charge) for international orders.
I don't have an AE card, and would rather not spend a fortune on bank fees!
Perhaps there is a kind and honest person out there with a Paypal Account that I could send the money to, who would then order it with their card, and I could drop by and pick it up when it arrives?

Ta,

Fraser

if they accept paypal account?, then you can setup payapl and link a visa or mastercard to it, paypal will take the money from this and send to the firm no problem

[p38arover]

Fraser, their website says, under the International Orders tab:


We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card, and American Express for most international orders up to US$1000. However, we regret that we cannot accept credit card payment from some countries. Your Smart Shopping Cart will let you know. In that event, a good alternative payment option is a bank transfer.

Does their Smart Shopping Cart not mention Visa. Mastercard, etc?

[fraser130]

Ron, when I got to the point of "check out" it said international oreder have to pay by AE or Bank Transfer!
As I'm only looking at $254US, $35US plus local charges just seemed a bit extreme!
I guess we really are the "bottom of the world" when it comes to international trade (and political weight - but that also has it's pluses)
The same products through Australian distributers is $700Au ish!!!!!

F

[p38arover]

I have one but it doesn't help you.

[Bigbjorn]

I would not deal with any firm that only accepts the one card. These people have no marketing sense. I have never encountered a USA supplier that does not take Visa. so simple.

[fraser130]

Brian, I agree in principal, but this company is the only one I could find that will ship internationally, and are selling at a good price.....
I'll work it out somehow!
I guess it's because I want a particular item, not a generic chinese copy.
There is nothing comparable available in Oz that isn't a cheap knock-off, and I don't want to risk cooking 5 hard drives!
what I'm after is a OEM copy of Windows Home Server ($99US) and a SATA RAID cage for 5 drives($109US)
Here in Au WHS is $220 and the RAID cage is $350!!!!!!
as I said earlier, we are considered the back end of bottom screw as far as the global economy is concerned!

Fraser

[Bigbjorn]

Light stuff like that is easy to ship from USA. Tell them to use US Postal Service International Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes. USPS supply the boxes free. You can have up to 20 pounds in the biggest one. There are three sizes. Air mail (no longer any surface mail service) charges for these boxes are - small (4lbs) US $12.95, medium (20lbs) US$41.95, large (20lbs) US$53.95. First Class Mail International Package (4lbs) US$31.40.

[p38arover]

I would not deal with any firm that only accepts the one card. These people have no marketing sense. I have never encountered a USA supplier that does not take Visa. so simple.

It seems that they take Visa and Mastercard - but not from dodgy places like Nigeria, er, Australia!.


I've found many US companies will not ship outside the USA. It's all too hard for them.

[Bigbjorn]

I've found many US companies will not ship outside the USA. It's all too hard for them.

If you come across this, tell them to look at the US Post Office website. They can do the address labels and customs declaration on-line, print them out, and as I wrote above get the boxes free. USPS supply boxes in flat packs of ten.

[isuzurover]

Light stuff like that is easy to ship from USA. Tell them to use US Postal Service International Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes. USPS supply the boxes free. You can have up to 20 pounds in the biggest one. There are three sizes. Air mail (no longer any surface mail service) charges for these boxes are - small (4lbs) US $12.95, medium (20lbs) US$41.95, large (20lbs) US$53.95. First Class Mail International Package (4lbs) US$31.40.

Ah but it isn't that simple. I have bought quite a bit of stuff over the past few years from the US for work.

Most recently, the company refused to ship using anything other than UPS or FEDEX. No USPS, No DHL. No other alternatives.

99% of the time they make you photocopy both sides of your CC and fax it to them along with a photocopy of your drivers licence to complete the order. They have said their CC/billing system doesn't allow them to view details of "foreign" cards.

Note that this hasn't just been shipping to Australia, but also shipping to Germany.

Many companies refuse to ship outside the US as stated. No ifs, no buts.


Fraser - try giving them a call. It is likely they will accept visa payment if you fax photocopies of card/licence as above.

[Bigbjorn]

I import machine shop, hobby engineers and restorer's supplies from the US on a regular basis and have done so for more than 10 years. I have never come across any supplier who refused a Visa Card or refused to ship overseas.

The only problem I ever had was an auto lighting specialist in San Jose who sent two light units for pre WWII foglights by Fedex instead of USPS as instructed. Fedex charged A$125. USPS air mail would have been US$16.50 at that time. The supplier refused to give a refund of the excess cost caused by their error. I found another supplier and I have not bought anything from them since.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

if i had a card i'd do it no probs

but i dont use credit cards ..............
Yep you only Accept SCHWARTZ!!!:D:D:D:D:D:angel: