TeaChat

The shipping costs with Yunnan Sourcing seem to ratchet up based on weights such that buying only one item is not cost efficient when considering the shipping. What is the best strategy for maximizing weight to shipping ratio there?

The US site doesn't have what I want.

Shipping usually has a base charge, then an incremental charge based on additional weight.

With that in mind, the more you buy (weight-wise), the cheaper shipping becomes per unit weight. So the sky's the limit. Or, more likely, your wallet.

Seriously, though, I usually build up a wishlist of stuff and then place an order every few months or so after I've built up a sizable amount. Unfortunately, buying a lot of samples doesn't help much because they don't weigh as much (as a tuo/brick/beeng).

Another option would be to combine orders w/ other people. However, unless if they're nearby, you'd still have to re-ship once it arrived (which would probably erase any potential savings).

I think this is harder to do with Puerh, but while Drax is right sky is the limit in terms of price per unit weight. One of the best tactics is if you can affor it after you put what you want in your order, try and add items till you are just under the weight for the next price increase. This can get tricky, as you need to give yourself enough room to allow for packaging materials, which could push you over if you get really close to that limit.

It takes nine weeks for surface shipment to the USA which is the cheapest method of delivery and kind of like waiting for your birthday.

If you put $5 in a jar every day for that nine weeks you have $315 dollars to indulge yourself if you only order when the tea you were awaiting arrives.

Keeps you from going overboard, although $315 can be one cake or a one year supply.

Could not help chiming in, since nobody mentioned it.

You could order from our US site, ships from Portland, OR.

- Scott

Indeed! The US site is an option, however, in this case, the original poster mentioned that the US site does not have what he wanted to order. Such is luck...

ooops... I ought to have read more carefully, I think the pu got to my brain.

China Post SAL Small Parcel you can fit about 1.5kg of tea (2kg in total with box and packing). At $24.00, it's a pretty good option and takes about a month to arrive.

- Scott

Thanks, Scott. That's the formula I was trying to get. Meanwhile I'm building my wish list and waiting until payday.