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Shipment Options for DK2

gstercken
Honored Guest
I was wondering if it would be possible with DK2 to have a choice about the shipment options.

Concrete case: When I ordered the DK1 back in October 2013, Oculus VR automatically chose the shipment provider (in my case, HongKong Speedpost), probably based on lowest cost/fees for my destination (Philippines). However, what gets overlooked in the equation is the hidden cost for choosing the wrong courier service. The problem comes with the local procedures for customs clearance, and the import duties/fees to be paid. Here's a brief summary of the different options, and what it means to receive an imported package via different carriers (this applies to the Philippines, but I'm sure it must be similar with other countries which have comparable import policies):


  • A "public" carrier like USPS or HK Speedpost: When your package arrives here in Manila, the tracking status will usually be something like "pending customs inspection". It will remain like that for a couple of days. After that, you will receive a postcard (from EMS, the local "Express Mail Service") via snail mail, telling you that you can claim your item at their facility, close to the airport. So you have to travel there (in my case, since I'm in Metro Manila, it's only a 1hr trip, for others, it might be a day trip). Once you get there (it better be early in the morning), you have to wait in line at a counter, then wait in line again at another counter... Then wait in line again in front of some sort of factory hall, in the hot sun, for hours, until they call your number. Once inside, you wait again, maybe another two hours, this time with a couple of fans (no AC) until someone finally finds the time to open the package in your presence, and then, based on the indicated value, your face, and their current mood, someone at yet a different counter/desk establishes how much "import tax / duties" you have to pay. If you look caucasian (like me), you'd easily end up paying 100% duties on the imported item (that is, 350$ for the DK2, 50$ for shipment, plus VAT, plus tax on the VAT, plus tax on the tax, all scribbled down on an unreadable piece of paper, so you'd pay like another 500$). Yes, you can deal with them. You can argue. You can have them recalculate their fees. You can haggle. You can bribe them. But it's all not worth the hassle, compared to a UPS or DHL shipment (see below). I've really kept it short - the actual procedure is much longer, and more annoying - and if you're a developer, who has actual paid work to do, the wasted day alone will probably make the actual cost of the ordeal around 1500+$. All that for claiming an item worth 350$. Anyway, at the end of the day, you get to pick up your DK, and drive/travel home.

  • An "okay" carrier like FedEx: When the package arrives here in Manila, the status will still be "pending customs inspection", and remain like that for two days or so. However, FedEx has their own agents to deal with the import authorities, and usually get a fair deal (maybe 20% of the item's value). So when they finally ship it to your door, two days later, you only need to pay like 70$ import tax, plus (and this is the FedEx rip-off) another 50$ "storage fee" (after all, FedEx had to "store" your item for the two days it took to get customs clearance, right?).

  • A professional carrier like UPS or DHL: When the package arrives here in Manila, the status will shortly go to "pending customs inspection", and then, only minutes later, "out for delivery". UPS and DHL also have their agents for dealing with the customs authorities, but they seem to be very efficient, predictable, and straightforward. You can call them to inquire how much import duties you have to pay on delivery, and it will usually be a very reasonable percentage of the item's value (like 15..20%). No hidden "storage" fees. Delivery is usually quick and on time, right to your doorstep.


So... I was wondering if it would be possible to choose UPS or DHL for the delivery of thr DK2, instead of blindly selecting the seemingly cheapest carrier like HK Speedpost? 10$ or so more in shipment fees might actually buy you a $1400 advantage in actual delivery cost.
8 REPLIES 8

cybereality
Grand Champion
We choose the best carrier for each region based on a number of factors, not only price. I don't believe we will be giving customers the choice of different shipping carriers. I realize this may be an inconvenience to some people but it is what it is.
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bp2008
Protege
Holy cow. Are you serious about all the outdoor line waiting and hours of wait?

I've had a couple things imported to USA from China or South Korea over the years, and I too have found that DHL is among the best. China post services are always very slow. Fedex and DHL are faster, and Fedex always manages to ask me for paperwork they don't need because the item seller already gave it to them. I've never had an overseas UPS shipment. Anyway, none of these ever charged me an import duty or tax and I've never had to go further than the local post office to pick anything up.

gstercken
Honored Guest
"cybereality" wrote:
We choose the best carrier for each region based on a number of factors, not only price. I don't believe we will be giving customers the choice of different shipping carriers. I realize this may be an inconvenience to some people but it is what it is.

No kidding, cybereality? Seriously, all I'm saying is that your choice of the "best carrier for each region" might be terribly off in some cases - and I'm giving you a very concrete example, specifically about shipping to the Philippines. It's not merely about a little "inconvenience", it's about actually and seriously reducing the effective shipping cost to this region. I am also honestly taken aback by the somewhat arrogant statement that "I don't believe we will be giving customers the choice of different shipping carriers". Everyone does this - SparkFun, Adafruit, Jameco, MakerBot, YEI... They all give their customers the option to choose the most convenient carrier. So why would Oculus VR insit on choosing a shipment method that is definitely both the most inconvenient and expensive for their customers in a specific destination?

cybereality
Grand Champion
I'm not disagreeing with you. I certainly think we will have to have some options like this once we move to the consumer market. At this point, however, we are only providing a development kit and international logistics can be somewhat complex. That said, I will be sure to voice your concern, but I can't promise we will be able to make any changes for DK2 shipments.
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gstercken
Honored Guest
"cybereality" wrote:
That said, I will be sure to voice your concern, but I can't promise we will be able to make any changes for DK2 shipments.

Thank you. It would be great if you could really take care of this - not only for me, but for many others in a comparable situation (not only in the Philippines, but also for other countries with similarly corrupt import/customs agencies). Couriers like UPS or DHL are known for being efficient at dealing with this - what's so hard about choosing them for delivery?

June
Honored Guest
Many sites offer a choice of delivery methods, hopefully here too at least by CV1.

I am in Scandinavia, so no corruption, but very very bureucratic. Since I buy most "everything" online, I have had the opportunity to try various shipping options. And must agree with OP that DHL is the best over here as well.

gstercken
Honored Guest
"cybereality" wrote:
That said, I will be sure to voice your concern, but I can't promise we will be able to make any changes for DK2 shipments.


Ha! Just received my shipment confirmation, shipment via FedEx, delivery planned for Wed 7/30/2014.

Thanks a lot, Oculus, and cybereality, for taking care, for choosing a proper courier this time, and for saving me an entire wasted day at the customs office. You guys are awesome! 🙂 🙂

kriskra
Honored Guest
"cybereality" wrote:
We choose the best carrier for each region based on a number of factors, not only price. I don't believe we will be giving customers the choice of different shipping carriers.


This I understand completely, as it is also very important for a Company to have a reliable partner, in case something get's lost or needs to be handled via customer support. Therefore I think it's the right decission to choose and stick with the carrier of trust for certain regions.

What would be very beneficial, if at least you could choose from certain delivery options for a region. So for example to Germany delivery is done using UPS. For CV1 it would be great if you could choose to get your delivery by UPS Express instead of UPS Standard. In my case the shippment went out on Thursday last week, now it's Tuesday and I'm still waiting for it. With UPS Express I would have gotten it most likely on Friday already, latest Saturday.

If the buyer of CV1 is willing to pay some extra money, delivery via another carrier option should not make things super difficult for Oculus I imagine?

Regards,
Kristian