Best option for getting a book to New Zealand
November 16, 2018 7:35 PM Subscribe
I planned on shipping an inexpensive, out-of-print book to New Zealand, but a $4 book would cost $40 USD to send from the US to NZ. Is there a better way?
The book in question is The Happy Mutant Handbook, a soft-cover book of oddities and amusements from 1995. I checked with UPS on the shipping, which I was told would likely be cheaper if sent straight through USPS, but I imagine it's not too much cheaper. Are there any good NZ bookshop aggregators or search sites to see if I could buy it from a shop in New Zealand? Thanks!
The book in question is The Happy Mutant Handbook, a soft-cover book of oddities and amusements from 1995. I checked with UPS on the shipping, which I was told would likely be cheaper if sent straight through USPS, but I imagine it's not too much cheaper. Are there any good NZ bookshop aggregators or search sites to see if I could buy it from a shop in New Zealand? Thanks!
It's worth checking USPS book rate.
posted by theora55 at 7:53 PM on November 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 7:53 PM on November 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
Unfortunately, book rate (aka media mail) isn't offered internationally; flat rate international starts at $24.99. If the book fits into a large envelope and weighs less than 4 pounds, you could try shipping first class int'l; calculator here. (Without a box or a big padded envelope I'd worry about damage to a soft-cover book, though.)
(Also, screwed up my initial answer - tried title/ISBNs for NZ and Australia at Biblio, only returns for here and other countries. Of those, only two offered even higher prices for book+shipping.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:01 PM on November 16, 2018
(Also, screwed up my initial answer - tried title/ISBNs for NZ and Australia at Biblio, only returns for here and other countries. Of those, only two offered even higher prices for book+shipping.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:01 PM on November 16, 2018
Shipping a book in a padded envelope international via USPS is well under $20 almost anywhere in the world. I do it all the time.
posted by fshgrl at 8:18 PM on November 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by fshgrl at 8:18 PM on November 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
USPS First Class rate to NZ for a two pound package is $23.25
posted by soelo at 8:47 PM on November 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by soelo at 8:47 PM on November 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Booko NZ is a bookshop aggregator that shows prices with shipping. Don't know which NZ bookshops (if any) it covers; the Australian version of the same site, which I am familiar with, does a range of Australian bookshops as well as international sites.
It says the best deal is through Better World Books with used copies for about US$8.50/NZ$10.50 and free international shipping.
posted by AnnaRat at 9:07 PM on November 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
It says the best deal is through Better World Books with used copies for about US$8.50/NZ$10.50 and free international shipping.
posted by AnnaRat at 9:07 PM on November 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
If there is no affordable commercial option I would find someone who is well plugged into the NZ Twitter community *cough* which is a fairly nice and co-operative little backwater in Twitter and ask for a volunteer who's travelling soon to mule it for you. If you're lucky someone will deliver to the door.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:15 PM on November 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:15 PM on November 16, 2018 [3 favorites]
If Booko NZ is half as good as Booko AU, you should head there.
posted by deadwax at 9:21 PM on November 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by deadwax at 9:21 PM on November 16, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Sort of the other way round the world.. but I can see a copy here on the UK Amazon page for £0.70 and I'm heading to New Zealand in three weeks if you'd like a hand with this! PM me.
posted by teststrip at 10:27 PM on November 16, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by teststrip at 10:27 PM on November 16, 2018 [6 favorites]
You could try emailing Hard to Find Books books@hardtofind.co.nz (https://www.hardtofind.co.nz). Whenever I go there (the Dunedin branch) they seem to have a vast backlog in a warehouse out back that they'e always in the process of cataloging for their website.
I did a search on Te Puna (NZ's national library database) and there are no holdings in nz, so it's quite a rare book here.
posted by unearthed at 10:52 PM on November 16, 2018
I did a search on Te Puna (NZ's national library database) and there are no holdings in nz, so it's quite a rare book here.
posted by unearthed at 10:52 PM on November 16, 2018
Which service/rate are the big discount houses (Thriftbooks, Better World, etc) using to offer such low shipping fees? Do they get a volume discount?
posted by fairmettle at 1:19 AM on November 17, 2018
posted by fairmettle at 1:19 AM on November 17, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks to all for the ideas and suggestions, and HUGE THANKS to teststrip for offering to tote the book! It arrived, and just in time for the holidays! :)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:25 PM on December 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 9:25 PM on December 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Is there a time frame? Thriftbooks in the US has a 'very good' used copy for $4, and ships older books worldwide for $4 - but service takes 15-20 business days.
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:48 PM on November 16, 2018 [2 favorites]