So how big is your Freestyle order?

[Roger Cole]

When You buy online, a physical product from state X while You are in state Y, there are some extra bananas to be collected by the state monkeys.
While, if You buy electronic product - a file, service etc then no bananas

In the US the price paid to the seller is actually less. Sales across state lines delivered to an address where the seller does not have a physical presence are exempt from the seller having to collect sales tax. The buyer is responsible for reporting and paying it as a use tax to their state of residence, but not very many people actually do as there's no way to track it.

I'm curious too. Never had the amount billed other than the amount they said on the order.

 

[georg16nik]

Ken & Roger, You are both right,
so there might be something more to it, probably photographic stuff specific in the case California -> Maryland.
I know from friends who run online businesses in US that California and some other states are tricky.

 

[jp498]

Generally >$100. Much less and shipping starts to get disproportionate. It's easy to do a couple hundred $ in an order - too easy.

I get most paper and some film and chemistry there. I get kodak film and some chemistry from B&H as I'm east coast and shipping is faster/cheaper.

 

[c6h6o3]

Zero.

I only placed two orders with them. The added an unexplained fee of about 20% to each one, so I no longer do business with them.

- Leigh

"Added a fee"? Without asking you first? And with no explanation? I'd drop them faster than 3rd period French. Maybe I'll just stick with Ilford Multigrade Warmtone.

 

[MattKing]

Any chance that the items involved were so-called "hazardous" shipments, which generally attract special, additional shipping charges (when they can be shipped)?

 

[Leigh B]

Any chance that the items involved were so-called "hazardous" shipments...

They were Toyo 4x5 film holders.

No, I did not request an explanation. Reputable dealers don't put unexplained fees on an order in the first place.

- Leigh

 

[Roger Cole]

How long ago was this fee? They used to charge a pretty hefty hazmat fee, but they haven't done that in a long time.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

No, I did not request an explanation.

Then is it possible that you don't know the entire story either?

Ken

 

[Leigh B]

The "entire story" is that they took my money without giving a reason.

As I mentioned previously, the orders were for Toyo film holders, certainly nothing unusual or hazardous involved. The two orders were ~12-18 months ago.

- Leigh

 

[Roger Cole]

Well that's your prerogative but I'd be asking some questions and getting a refund or know the reason why not. If they didn't have a [damned good] reason I'd be disputing the charge with my credit card company.

 

[Pioneer]

Zero.

I only placed two orders with them. The added an unexplained fee of about 20% to each one, so I no longer do business with them.

- Leigh

That is certainly too bad. Our options for good deals on film related products are not increasing with time so having to eliminate an excellent source like Freestyle because of a bad experience is really unfortunate. I have worked with them for quite some time and have not had any similar experiences with unexplained fees. Freestyle is not always the best price, for example I can usually get Ilford products from BHPhoto for a better price, but Freestyle has always been very reliable, and when I ask a question they respond very quickly. I buy things from them frequently.

And more to the posted question, my last order from Freestyle was for 25 rolls of Kodak Tri-X 120 film just before the price went up. Of course that is not enough, it is never enough, but it was all I could afford this month. I wish Kodak would give me several months of pre-warning before they raised their prices so I could fit this stuff into my budget

 

[brucemuir]

They were Toyo 4x5 film holders.

No, I did not request an explanation. Reputable dealers don't put unexplained fees on an order in the first place.

- Leigh

Does sound uncharacteristic of the way I've been treated (not doubting you Leigh)

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

The "entire story" is that they took my money without giving a reason.

What if the entire story included an honest error? Perhaps something like the order processing software incorrectly added a hazmat fee for your Toyo film holders? And if the customer never brought it to their attention they would have no way of knowing? And fixing it for both you and the rest of us?

Ken

 

[Leigh B]

Ken,

I gave them the benefit of the doubt by placing the second order (for additional Toyo holders and a box of Acros).

As the old saying goes... "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

- Leigh

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I gave them the benefit of the doubt by placing the second order (for additional Toyo holders and a box of Acros).

As the old saying goes... "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Leigh,

If the unexplained fee was, in fact, due to a software (or human) error, and the error was never made known to them, and thus it was never fixed, then why would you expect the result to be different the second time around?

Ken

 

[Roger Cole]

Was this fee listed on the invoice? It should have a name. Since you ordered the same items (some of them, anyway) maybe the price changed from what you saw either on the catalog or online? If you ordered online it should have shown you that, at least. In any case, I always get a printed invoice with my order, and the bottom line is always what they billed and each line item added together always totals the bottom line. Did you check the invoice?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Usually large enough to fit on my credit card. I usually drop in to the store when I am in town rather than mail order.

 

[tdubs]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here off and on and enjoy a lot of the discussions and knowledge to found throughout the forum. On the topic of this thread, my original order was well over $500, but I have pared it down to a little less than $300. I tend to do bulk orders maybe twice a year to save on shipping (I'm up in Canadada-land). Shipping on this order is still about $40, but at least the C$ is doing well.... Cheers!

 

[Renato Tonelli]

I don't wanna talk about it....

Me neither!

 

[wblynch]

I probably got the new catalog but haven't seen it.

I seldom beat my wife to the mailbox.

...I guess I could check the recycle bin...

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here off and on and enjoy a lot of the discussions and knowledge to found throughout the forum. On the topic of this thread, my original order was well over $500, but I have pared it down to a little less than $300. I tend to do bulk orders maybe twice a year to save on shipping (I'm up in Canadada-land). Shipping on this order is still about $40, but at least the C$ is doing well.... Cheers!

Welcome to APUG from below the 49th Parallel.

 

[MattKing]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here off and on and enjoy a lot of the discussions and knowledge to found throughout the forum. On the topic of this thread, my original order was well over $500, but I have pared it down to a little less than $300. I tend to do bulk orders maybe twice a year to save on shipping (I'm up in Canadada-land). Shipping on this order is still about $40, but at least the C$ is doing well.... Cheers!

Welcome to posting, near neighbour

 

[mhcfires]

I just orders some 120 TriX and some Acros 100, ten rolls of each. I am not that far away, so if I order before noon I will get it the next day via FedEx. WOnderful survice, and I don't have to drive to LA.

 

[wblynch]

Yep. there it was in the recycle bin. Tucked away now, nice and safe.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I'm not a wealthy person, but I like quality products, so I save up and place big orders, usually some Ilford MGIV and MGWT in 11x14 and 16x20, 50 sheet boxes, Tri-X film in 35mm (Aristalith Premium) and 120, 50 rolls at a time, some Xtol and Ethold LPD, and finally some toners. Spread out over six months it's not terrible, and I save on shipping.