Collecting money on brand new S1 lenses

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Hello fellow lens group buyers. How is everyone doing today? By my calculations today at midnight is the close of this group buy and NOBODY is happier about that than I am. If there are any questions I don't know the answers to please send them to me. Anybody dissatisfied for any reason, I am here. It is a beautiful morning here in Tacoma, Washington. My sleeves are rolled up and I'm ready for another day at my computer.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Thejoker301 said:

From a recent transaction of $11 I received $10.3. Which is about ℅7. On larger transactions they take %5.

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Hi Eitan,

The problem is the fee isn't simply a percentage. It is a percentage PLUS a fixed per-transaction amount. That means the effective percentage is higher on small value transactions, and lower on high value transactions.

Any method that uses ONLY a percentage will be inaccurate for individual transactions. If you use the "average effective percentage", then those buying a few lenses will underpay the fees while those buying many lenses will overpay the fee.

Personally, it doesn't matter to me. Using "5%" vs. "3.9%+$0.30" (or whatever it actually is for USA-to-Israel) makes very little difference to me since I am only buying 5 lenses -- and the final price is a GREAT DEAL either way. But the difference may be significant to those ordering larger quantities.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Great point, Scott. Eitan is in Israel and it is very late at night there. This question is better posed at 1:30 A.M. pacific time where I am. Or you could PM him and he would see it there for sure.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

ScottW said:

Hi Eitan,

The problem is the fee isn't simply a percentage. It is a percentage PLUS a fixed per-transaction amount. That means the effective percentage is higher on small value transactions, and lower on high value transactions.

Any method that uses ONLY a percentage will be inaccurate for individual transactions. If you use the "average effective percentage", then those buying a few lenses will underpay the fees while those buying many lenses will overpay the fee.

Personally, it doesn't matter to me. Using "5%" vs. "3.9%+$0.30" (or whatever it actually is for USA-to-Israel) makes very little difference to me since I am only buying 5 lenses -- and the final price is a GREAT DEAL either way. But the difference may be significant to those ordering larger quantities.

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Totally understand what you meant.

Now , we can either calculate the exact pp fees for everyone with this formula. Or , to just apply %5 fees which is the average fees.

Also , very important thing that I just came to my mind yesterday :

As you all know , customs sometimes check your packages. Here , if that happens ... DHL take a releasing fee. I work with DHL for a long time and from my experience it is around 200-225 ILS. It can be lower depends on the package.

Now , we can either had that to the calculations ... And I will refund everyone if it will not happen. Or , you can all pay me if it will happen when the package arrives.

200 ILS = $58

If that is too much for you guys. I can pay half of that as I understand that all these extra payments are a bit annoying for you.

:beer:

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Thejoker is absolutely right, here. I have lost my shirt on GBs in the past because of these surprise fees
shipping companies like to throw at us. :beer:

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

By my calculations, the per lens cost for me buying 10 lenses is $3.91 each. Laser Project bought 100 lenses and his cost per lens is $3.82 each. The price for one lens was about $7.34 only because it was one lens and the $4.00 shipping fee was the clincher.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

please pass the tylenol...

JL & LK & I ONLY go with DHL Express China- most expensive but a good deal as once DHL puts that yellow tape on my more than 150 packages not one has been opened-
BUT we are talking DHL China to USA- Canada and New Zealand - so perhaps all tha good stuff may not apply to this GB--

I DO know that Greedbay and Poopal charge more to the China folks than those in the USA . AND sending $$ as a gift wil not fly in many places.

when we sent $$ to
'Leodashon' they would not allow a gift which is exactly what these monies were- his house got flooded- ruined eveeything...

one big bank transfer
send all lens to a trusted member in USA for cheap reship-
send the rest direct- mucho cheaper all the way around -


I do not sleep well until i see that DHL tracking say its cleared USA customs
BUT none of my packages was less than $1000-
and all the projectors were shipped to the buyers-

for a $150 order of lenses i will lose NO SLEEP and I would be willing to pay extra up front or after if we have a problem-- its the least we can do considering you guys are doing all this as a favor. right?

PM the pp addy when you are ready ( i do NOT recommend posting it btw)

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses





N = number you want to purchase
p = Price from supplier
r = Paypal non-domestic standard rate
f = Paypal transaction fee
t = Total number of units purchased
S = Shipping price to end customer
z = Shipping from supplier
X = Final order price


Was there still a question how to calculate the paypal fees? My formula accounts for both fees to the supplier and from the customers. It also accounts for Paypals standard rate and fixed fee. It should be extremely easy to calculate. This formula accounts for all the currently known costs. I renamed the variables so it's easier to see. It doesn't make sense to estimate on averages when the formula is easily calculated precisely.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Here I Am Wondering why the ball isnt rolling with this GB shipping and payments etc today.......
Its because im in New Zealand and im a day ahead:banghead:
took me a while to click

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

RYDorDIE278 said:

Here I Am Wondering why the ball isnt rolling with this GB shipping and payments etc today.......
Its because im in New Zealand and im a day ahead:banghead:
took me a while to click

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It will take another day or so. I am really busy today. And also I am waiting for an exact amount from my supplier.

I will ask paul to do the final calculations ( if needed ) today. And tomorrow we will start taking payments.

:beer:

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Thejoker301 said:

It will take another day or so. I am really busy today. And also I am waiting for an exact amount from my supplier.

I will ask paul to do the final calculations ( if needed ) today. And tomorrow we will start taking payments.

:beer:

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Sounds good to me

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Thejoker301 said:

It will take another day or so. I am really busy today. And also I am waiting for an exact amount from my supplier.

I will ask paul to do the final calculations ( if needed ) today. And tomorrow we will start taking payments.

:beer:

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Sounds perfect, i get paid on thursday and will be able to send payment then

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

What are shipping options?

I saw Paul's was already labeled at $4.00 for shipping via Airmail.

I am always very skiddish about the shipping. Too many have come damaged or missing the item supposed to be shipped.

Let us all know please.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Hello everyone! I am here to serve in any capacity that is required. On a lighter note, I received my two Spectra-Physics 4mW He-Ne laser heads and my Spectra-Physics power supply today and all are working fine. I will wait to hear from Eitan for what is required of me and I will do it as quickly as possible.

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

IMHO the best thing to do would be for you to calculate the exact PP fee from you to the seller (he should be able to inform you of that), apply that to (cost of lenses + shipping from him to you) and then each member would be responsible to calculate PP fees from them to you and add that before paying. Fees vary a lot per country and I don't think that 5% estimate is very accurate.

As for possible customs/DHL fees when entering Israel - are you sure it's $58 tops for all the lenses? Unless you know for sure I don't think we should pay upfront (we have a credit card tax here that wouldn't be refunded with the PP refund).

I know it's not your fault but I think we should sort all this stuff out before closing the GB. I really hate uncertainty

Re: Group buy on brand new S1 lenses

Atomicrox said:

IMHO the best thing to do would be for you to calculate the exact PP fee from you to the seller (he should be able to inform you of that), apply that to (cost of lenses + shipping from him to you) and then each member would be responsible to calculate PP fees from them to you and add that before paying. Fees vary a lot per country and I don't think that 5% estimate is very accurate.

As for possible customs/DHL fees when entering Israel - are you sure it's $58 tops for all the lenses? Unless you know for sure I don't think we should pay upfront (we have a credit card tax here that wouldn't be refunded with the PP refund).

I know it's not your fault but I think we should sort all this stuff out before closing the GB. I really hate uncertainty

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I definitely agree with delaying the close of the GB until we have all the costs figured out. I was thinking of maybe getting more lenses, but I would like to know ALL the costs first.