Bill;

Thanks anyway, maybe somebody else will have first hand experience with these.

Also hope that their new supplier from the U.K. makes some nice early period and sturdy Pole arms among whatever else they make.

( SEE EDITED CORRECTION AT BOTTOM OF POST )

I was in the process of ordering when I got to the shipping charges and at $150 I exited the site without BUYING !

The shipping charges for plain ordinary USPS was $150 :mad:

Now a purchase that would have been a bargain $265 became with shipping a whopping $415. :eek:

I E-Mailed them and told them why I didn't finish the ordering proscess and that they were loosing this sale AND many future sales from me if their shipping charges remained so high.

I also said that I would have a look at their site in the future to see if the shipping charges became affordable for me.

I know that starting " Disagreable " fights on this site is discouraged and that is not my intent, but anyone ordering will see what the shipping charges are: They are not a secret ! In any case people can judge for themselves if the shipping charges seem reasonable and affordable.

In writing them, I hope I am doing them a favor, as I'm sure that I am not the only person who aborted the purchasing proscess at the shipping charge screen. It's too bad, because the first post on this topic made me want to buy from them.

( EDITED DUE TO NEW INFORMATION FROM MRL: Their E-Mail to me, below, explains that their shipping charges are NOT what appears in their shipping charge field. )

" Our web-site has not been set up for orders outside the US yet, that is just to allow you to proceed with your order, the shipping is adjusted to actual shipping by the Shipping Manager. Please feel free to call the 800 number or send the order by fax (1-770-388-0246) and we can advise you what the charge would be.
Sorry for the inconvenience. "

Well on their web site the price for USPS was $150 and $200 for UPS if memory serves, more costly if you want 2 day delivery etc ....

Now, if their web site is wrong I would be relieved, but the shopping cart did add the $150 and I guess that is what would be charged.

Didn't check if this was for international orders only, but UPS charges its own brokerage charges independantly of what the shipper charges. I don't think these are included in the shipping charges, and Canada Customs will tack on sales tax.

So a bargain? NOT SO MUCH ! ( And it's maybe a decent product but not in the same class as A & A or Albion: For the same money I can get that A & A Italian Bill I've been lusting about ! )

In contrast A & A and Albion never charged me over $60 if I remember correctly ( Well maybe my Viking Spear shipping charge were higher, but that was for a 7 foot + package. My 15th century Twohander at 5' long didn't cost me an arm and a leg for shipping. )

Well, I just checked my copy of catalog #86 (the most recent one), and it lists the domestic shipping on orders from $200-$400 USD as $17.95. I got the $15.95 from a slightly older catalog. It says at the bottom of the order form Alaska, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada $ International - Call for S/H Charges. So, indeed, in Canada you are paying some kind of additional shipping fee, though it still seems incredibly excessive. :eek: I don't know what to tell you. :cry: The last thing I bought directly from MRL was their Scottish Dagger. The dagger was $80 and the shipping (via UPS) was like $10. :?: :)

Well the only thing is that the SCALE of the mark-up for shipping to Canada is NOT due to higher cost for them.

If Albion and A & A can afford to ship to Canada at much lower cost it's not because they take a loss on the shipping !

Well I guess MRL doesn't want Canadian customers :p :lol:

Or somebody made a mistake with a decimal point when creating their web site shopping cart screen ???

Actually if a friend in the U.S. bought the product for me and then shipped it up here it would probably save me $100.
But, I would just rather buy elsewere, the above is just sarcasm even if true. :p :D

Jean,

Why don't you try giving MRL a phone call?

They seem to have quite a few glitches in their ordering process so I wonder if the software is making some kind of mistake. That does seem like a ridiculous amount.

I'd call them to confirm before I waisted anymore energy twisting off here. ;)

Patrick;

Thanks, I'm not obsessing about it, although I see how it could seem that way: My last couple of replies were just in answer to
the input so far and unless someone has any new information to offer, I've pretty much said ALL I wanted to say, while trying to be fair about it.

I will see IF they reply to my E-Mail to them, and if it turns out that the high shipping charges are " A GLICH " in their web page and turn out to be much lower, I will be glad to update this fact whether I decide to still go through with the purchase or not.

Like I said my thoughts have moved on to that A & A Italian Bill or maybe a custom Langue de Boeuf Polearm: Fickle me ;) ;) :lol:

Here's a question, Jean - what was it that you were trying to order? Your current interest in polearms leads me to believe that there possibly was one in your sights from MRL. I don't know if shipping to Canada is like shipping overseas with oversized items, but getting oversized things shipped can be outrageously expensive even within the CONUS. It might actually be correct, but not in their control.

Not saying for sure either way, just offering a possible and legit explanation... still sucks, though. There are a number of items I really want, but the hit I'll take on shipping has kept me from it. (and not just from MRL - a lot of sources - wanted to be clear on that point...)

Got a reply from MRL that should clear up the issue: It seems that this is " A GLICH " and that the shipping costs get corrected to a more normal level by the shipping manager.

Now, I think bringing the whole subject up is useful FOR MRL as other potential clients may have just given up assuming that these charges were the real deal: So maybe they should fix this as it is not very good for their business.

HERE IS A COPY OF THEIR E-MAIL: I normaly wouldn't post their correspondance without their permission, but since it does correct a mistaken perception I hope that it's O.K.

Our web-site has not been set up for orders outside the US yet, that is just to allow you to proceed with your order, the shipping is adjusted to actual shipping by the Shipping Manager. Please feel free to call the 800 number or send the order by fax (1-770-388-0246) and we can advise you what the charge would be.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

I will go back to my first post on this subject and edit to reflect this new information.

GOOD NEWS:

Went back to the MRL site and re-ordered, the SCARY high shipping charges still appeared at the end of the purchasing process: But I trusted them that this would be corrected.

Just got an E-Mail from them confirming a shipping charge of $25 instead of the erronious $150.

Oh, all my E-Mails and questions were answered the same day or the next, so I can give them an EXCELLENT rating getting back to me promptly.