[Arm-netbook] Shipping costs was Re: Question about money raised by crowdfunding campaign / achieving the goal

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

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crowd-funded eco-conscious hardware: https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68


On Thu, Aug 11, 2016 at 12:08 PM, Robert Wilkinson <bob at fourtheye.org> wrote:


> I looked at https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68 and thought about
> pledging some money for the Practically Perfect Computer Card.
>
> However, I am curious about the shipping costs - Free US Shipping /
> $10 Worldwide.
>
> Is there a reason why the shipping to the US is free and I must pay
> for shipping to the UK.

 because of totally different taxation and government setup.  chris
explained this to me in great detail as he has a UK-based distribution
centre and, shockingly, the cost per item in bureaucracy and taxation
is greater than the cost of a good proportion of the items that he
sells.

 whilst i really don't like the word because i had no idea, growing up
in the UK, quite how "Socialist" the UK really is, the UK and other EU
countries really ARE extremely "Socialist".  "Free" health-care.
"Free" dole money.  "Free" state pensions... they're not... but they
all have to be paid for.... and they're paid for by increasing
taxation, and that means adding on import taxes and VAT.

 by total contrast chris has to pay for and take direct responsibility
for EVERYTHING himself.... but the advantage is: the cost of importing
into the USA is a one-off $200 fee spread out across the entire
consignment.  as these are "components" and "kits" there isn't even
any import duty (or, it's zero-rated).

 it's radically different in other words.


> I think that Rhombus Tech is a UK company,

 it's not - and never will be.  it was registered as a CIC a few years
ago but my associates (who it turns out are pathologically only
interested in profit - good thing i found that out eh?) shut it down
without informing or consulting me.

 i'll re-establish the CIC later.  if you're not familiar with why
Corporations are pathologically dangerous, look up the online
documentary, "The Corporation".  you need only listen to the premise
which is covered in the first few minutes.


> and I *guess* that the cards are made in Asia...

 i'm an international traveller, i'm currently in Keene, NH.  i'll go
where i'm needed most.  that means going to china and keeping an eye
on things as they're manufactured.  it'll be fun.  i'll also be able
to take pictures and videos and keep people posted.

l.