> What are the reasons for this?=20
>  =20
Firstly if you want something quickly you are likely to get it quicker=20
the more local the supplier is, that is just basic logistics. You can't=20
get anything better than 2-3 days.

But the real issues with ordering from the US to the UK are
1: export regs paranoia. I dunno what the real rules are but DKs=20
insistence on asking export questions for the most mundane of orders and=20
yet not seeming to have a system for doing it other than by hand gets=20
bloody annoying. Next time (which may be a long time in the future) i'm=20
going to try asking procuremtn to fax off the answers with the purchase=20
order and see how that works out.
2: var/duty/brokerage fees. VAT is predictable enough and duty is waived=20
for orders of the sizes prototypers are likely to buy most of the time.=20
but the couriors don't like to tell you what the brokerage fees are=20
until after you have ordered. The exact fees vary by courior but it will=20
likely add another =A310 or so to your order. Worse UPS insist on payment=20
of fees/duty/VAT before they will release the package which is I guess=20
acceptable for some buisnesses but can really snarl up with beuracracy=20
in others (basically the problem is does the buisness trust the goods=20
inwards guys to handle money).
3: Shipping costs are often high (as  I say there are exceptions) and/or=20
difficult to determine from the website.
4: many companies won't even give you a price upfront for shipping out=20
of their home areas)
5: Most cards will charge fees for foriegn currency transactions=20
(usually built into the exchange rate) afaict there is no way to=20
determine exactly what a foreign currency transaction on a card will=20
cost other than actually doing it and waiting for the bill (or for it to=20
show up online if you have online banking).
> I do some shipping from US to Europe, does not seem to be problem.=20
> Also, just checked BC547 on mouser - $0.04 in 100 ea quantity.=20
> Shipping to UK is $30 (1 - 3 day delivery), shipping in US (New Mexico)Fe=
dEx
> overnight - $30.=20
>
> Maybe I am missing something, but I do not see much difference.=20
Mouser are the one US company I've dealt with that make dealing with=20
them from the UK a pleasure. They give you upfront prices in pounds=20
including everything except VAT (same as most trade orientated suppliers=20
in the UK), they handle collecting and payment of the VAT. They don't=20
seem to ask unnessacery export questions. In general other than the=20
higher threshold for avoiding small order charges (they call them=20
shipping charges but they are essentially a small order charge because=20
they dissapear on larger orders), the size of the small order charge and=20
the slightly longer delivery times they are as painless to deal with as=20
UK based firms.
>  Maybe the
> different experiences people have are due to the size/bureaucracy in the
> organization they work in, rather than distance from
> Mouser/Newark/DigiKey/Farnell/whatever?=20
Beauracracy at our end certainly doesn't help but the fact is trading acros=
s international borders (note: for these perposes the EU can be essentially=
 regarded as one country) adds complications.

--=20
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