For the past 3 years, we have been offering free international shipping for morale patches. The typical rate of lost untrackable shipments is about 3% -- that means that 3 out of 100 orders get lost and are being replaced and sent again by us, no questions asked, free of charge.
(To compare; registered mail and tracked packages have loss rates of less than 0.5%.)
In recent months, the amount of lost free int’l shipments has increased more than twofold; we're at an unsustainable 6% now –– meaning dissatisfied customers and money lost that could go into research and development. Unfortunately, and ironically with growing popularity of our brand, we have to make the unpopular decision to stop offering free international shipping and what amounts to guaranteed and implicit insurance (by sending free replacements).
Consequently, we are changing our policy to the following:
Germany
- Registered mail, tracked: 3.95 €
EU
- Registered mail, partial tracking: 6.20 €
- Free insured & tracked for orders above 75.00 €
International
- Registered mail, partial tracking: 6.20 €
- DHL insured & tracked for orders above 50.00 €: 19.20 €
- Free insured & tracked for orders above 150.00 €
- Express; fully tracked and insured (run time about 2 working days; plus possible delays and fees due to local customs)
[In effect as of: 2017-OCT-17; updated 2018-MAY-28.]
The reasons for the increase in losses seem to be less reliable carriers (resp. the handover between services), a complex unfortunately outside of our control as well as shady activity as a result of our growing brand recognition, making it into a target of fraud. We have some fraud detection mechanisms in place and are catching the majority of fraudulent orders before they incur losses.
This step will certainly lead to fewer sales in the short run, but we hope it will increase our customers' satisfaction, and by sending registered or tracked only, introduce an additional accountability factor. Also, tracking is fun!
Thank you for your understanding.
