The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => General Discussion => General Pinball Discussion => Topic started by: MartyJ on September 22, 2009, 11:58:46 AM
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Hi guys,
I went down to my local post office this morning to send off an IMO to PBR for some parts. The staff at Aust Post told me that from 01-OCT-2009 Aust Post (all shops) are no longer doing the International Money Orders (Western Union). This is going to make it difficult for payments to PBR...I guess the only alternative is the Auctionchex but I can't say I am a fan of that service..
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Just made a transaction to China via WUMT - did it online as service no longer available - also cheaper and easier than using a bank.
You have to create an account etc - then ring the free number at end to confirm payment - fee is $28
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Just made a transaction to China via WUMT - did it online as service no longer available - also cheaper and easier than using a bank.
You have to create an account etc - then ring the free number at end to confirm payment - fee is $28
The fee isn't too bad - I payed $8.?? something for the IMO + registered post. My biggest concern is PBR as pretty much everything else is PP or Visa. I don't recall seeing WUMT as an option for them (even though the IMO is WU as well).
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This is a bit of a problem. I have an outstanding invoice to pay so I might go on a "fact finding" mission this week. Does not sound good.
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This is a bit of a problem. I have an outstanding invoice to pay so I might go on a "fact finding" mission this week. Does not sound good.
They only had a few left at my local PO. I've emailed PBR just to touch base with them to see what other options may be available to us. I don't know what % of PBR's customers we make up but hopefully something can be sorted as their service and quality is too good to miss.
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This is a bit of a problem. I have an outstanding invoice to pay so I might go on a "fact finding" mission this week. Does not sound good.
That one include the HH plastics? Curious what the repros are like.
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I wish PBR would get with the times and have sensible payment options for their O/S customers.
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This is a bit of a problem. I have an outstanding invoice to pay so I might go on a "fact finding" mission this week. Does not sound good.
That one include the HH plastics? Curious what the repros are like.
Have bought 2 sets of reproduction plastics sets from PBR and they were top shelf ^^^
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This is a bit of a problem. I have an outstanding invoice to pay so I might go on a "fact finding" mission this week. Does not sound good.
That one include the HH plastics? Curious what the repros are like.
Yes mate - They are exceptionally good.
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I've emailed Aust Post also to get firm confirmation and whether there will be a replacement service offered.
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Just been to my Post office and asked .. reply was that EMO will still be available.... staff there have not had any directive stating it will be withdrawn..
Will wait for your email from Aust Post as better confirmation
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I've heard of Newsagents getting rid of WU money transfers (Not MO's) because of the low return compared to the time the staff spend with the customer (holding other transactions up).
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Got an international money order this morning from a post office in Adelaide and was told as well that from 1st October will not be able to get them from there anymore
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Got an international money order this morning from a post office in Adelaide and was told as well that from 1st October will not be able to get them from there anymore
Thanks Tony,
I'm still waiting on firm confirmation from Australia Post (I emailed their head office) just to be sure...
I emailed PBR and Steve YOUNG replied that they do accept Western Union transfers - but must be in his name not business and contain all the correct information. This is actually not a bad option as it can be done online but as Retropin stated you get slugged with a $28 fee.
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If PBR cant get with the times (electronic payments) maybe they should look at sum1 here being a stockist for them.
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If PBR cant get with the times (electronic payments) maybe they should look at sum1 here being a stockist for them.
I'm still very happy with PBR's service and price. I had no problems going to the post office and sending off a IMO to them...My concern would be how to pay them in future if this service was stopped. If it means using Western Union online to send for payment then I'll be doing this in the future.
I've bought quite bit of stuff from them (only a drop in the ocean compared to others) but always I try RTBB first for Gottlieb parts and Greg's service is always top notch and beyond.
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I likes sending money orders as theres no paper trail unlike paying over the internet which has to come from a bank account or credit card !*!
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Australia Post got back to me today with the following response:
"yes its true".
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Yes, spoke to my PO this morning and they confirmed the same.
Steve's reply:
Hi Nick:
Thanks for letting us know!
Please see our payment options listed below:
Please see our terms below.
The following payment options are proposed for international orders. We have no preference about which you use, you make that decision based on convenience and cost to you
options
1. bank draft
2. international money order (Canada...postal money orders are fine)
3. western union (if using, you must send to me as a PERSON rather than to us as a company, you should include your phone number and be careful to list our address correctly as the agent makes sure everything matches)
4. a US check, do you have a friend/associate here that can write a check on your behalf?
5. US currency, we have had good luck and this many times is the lowest transaction cost
6. Auctionchex.com -Accepts Credit Card and other forms of Payments!
not recommended but can be used
1. bank transfer...add $30.00 in fees to the invoice amount (and your bank charges you too, this is not for small transfers)...if you choose this method, write us for account and routing numbers
not acceptable
1. credit cards
2. paypal
3. foreign checks (Canada note: Canadian checks, even in US funds, are NOT acceptable...we incur a $13.00 fee to send check for collection because it does not have US bank routing codes)
We will not mis-state, mis-lead, or be less than 100% honest on package
declarations to any foreign country. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS and this policy
is not open to debate. For customs declarations, merchandise will be shown
separately from shipping expense, we suggest you discuss this with your
postal people in regards to customs duties.
thanks
The Pinball Resource
Attn: Steve Young
8 Commerce St
Poughkeepsie NY 12603 USA
845-473-7114 phone 9a-6p M-F EST
845-473-7116 fax (24/7)
www.pbresource.com
email pbr@pbresource.com
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Yeh figured my PO would be the last to know anything!~! LOL!!!
Oddly enough the newsagent will still be offering WUMT... this cost me $28 to do online which is only $2 cheaper than going into the bank. At newsagency, its a fee of some 15%... so if order is over $200 then online is best - under this and newsagency is the go... hey - welcome to the global economy!
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So you guys are telling me it's going to cost AUS$30 to send payment to PBR?
F**K THAT
I'm happy to gather emails from Australian pinball collectors to send to Mr Steve Young to tell him to get his business to 2009 and start taking better and more convenient payment options from people outside the US
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So you guys are telling me it's going to cost AUS$30 to send payment to PBR?
F**K THAT
I'm happy to gather emails from Australian pinball collectors to send to Mr Steve Young to tell him to get his business to 2009 and start taking better and more convenient payment options from people outside the US
Add $30 to every order SUCKS
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There has to be a better way.
He needs to move into the year 2009 and give us better payment options - wouldn't mind if we could get the parts he has in Australia - but we can't.
Maybe if we all send emails and hit them with the same problem....actually I will call him in the next few days and put this problem to him directly as the emails go to other people (well that is my understanding)
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Good idea tony let us know when you want us to bombard them with emails ^^^
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There has to be a better way.
He needs to move into the year 2009 and give us better payment options - wouldn't mind if we could get the parts he has in Australia - but we can't.
Maybe if we all send emails and hit them with the same problem....actually I will call him in the next few days and put this problem to him directly as the emails go to other people (well that is my understanding)
What I fail to understand is why WE have to pay $28 everytime we order ? So if I need a spring kit that costs $5.00 in an envelope that cost $6.00 to post - I have to PAY $28 ??
First Marco rip us off, now we are forced to pay a fortune to PAY for the parts from PBR..
Time for an email to PBR - This is just Bulls**it.
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have any of you guys used auctionchex?
Worked fine for me, and was pretty cheap.
Fine it took 5 days longer, but it worked. Once you have ordered from them, you get an account code for PBR from then on. They will ship when you order with that code, rather than wait for the check (cheque). It is an honesty system, they depend on you making the payment - so don't abuse it (e.g. forget to pay) or it will go away fore everyone and then any payment will become a damn inconvenience...
At least they are trying. Saying "get with the program" and "use paypal" is a bit of an oxymoron - we all know it's limitations and issues. At least there is an alternative...
Cheers
Jacob
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Thanks for the info Jacob. I signed up for auctionchex but did find the site fairly confusing, and it seemed to be that I had to pay with GBP which would then be converted to USD - so hit with two exchange rates - is that how it worked for you?
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no soup for you!
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On my way to Aussie Post to see what they say !
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I just returned from Aussie Post. Rumor is fact - No more MO (manually) from the end of Sept. You can electronically pay via Western Union at the PO - but that is a joke anyway.
While there I asked the teller how much it would cost if I submitted electronically - at the PO.
For US$500 to PBR, it will cost a WHOPPING AUS$50 "admin fee"..
It all depends on how much you want to send, to where, and the value of the US dollar.
Not a viable way of doing business for me, so I'm hoping PBR will change their payment options, or else I have to make huge orders and pay the $28.00 for the online WUMT, or not buy from them at all. !!!
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have any of you guys used auctionchex?
Jacob,
Looking at that right now...what is with the Payment to Auctionchex....how do you fill in the parts in the screen shot below?
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I had a couple of responses from PBR - Here's one from last week ;
"We have other customers in your country currently paying us with bank drafts and international money orders. Can you check with your bank to see what type of fees they charge for these services?"
Second email ;
"You can also see if Money Gram is a better solution for you, www.moneygram.com"
I tried moneygram and they were too expensive.
So it looks like the bank draft / MO ro mthe bak might be the option ? Wire Transfers cost $35.
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Im waiting on a big order from PBR so i cant wait for the payment headache what a load of crap
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I sent a WU money order to PBR resistered mail (just to be sure) about 2 months ago, didn`t hear anything, assumed all was ok, then last week PBR asked me where my payment was, great, registered mail envelope lost. Money order not cashed.There was a $30.00 fee to get a refund on that. Lucky I kept the paperwork.
Ended up doing a WU money transfer made out to Steve young (not PBR) for $120.80US, cost $28AU in fees, I did not care about the cost, I just wanted to sort it, their prices and shipping charges are reasonable, so it balances out in the end. Steve would have had to collect it personally from a WU agency, they were happy to do it this way.
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How annoying !
Best place in the world for pinball parts and it has the most antiquated method of payments i have ever seen ! !@#
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Steve is aware of the change and how it affect us. I guess the more of us that let him know, the better. Right now, it is hard to justify A paying $28.00 "fee" for ordering parts because of their prehistoric payment methods.
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I went to call them this morning at 7am....just got the answering machine :D :D
Will try again tomorrow
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I had a couple of responses from PBR - Here's one from last week ;
"We have other customers in your country currently paying us with bank drafts and international money orders. Can you check with your bank to see what type of fees they charge for these services?"
I got this exact email a few weeks ago after notifying them, must be a standard email they send to whoever writes re their outdated payment methods.
I directed them to this site and to the amount of business they get, but don't think that made a difference
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Id be suprised if PBR change anything to how we pay them.. why should they? Steve is obviously suspicious of internet payments and i cant say that i blame him... yeh its a pain to pay PBR - was a pain when we could do Money Order.. is a pain now also. When i did my very first attempted transaction with PBR some years back it was all too much hassle paying by snail mail and then getting an account etc.. took me a few years to finally bite the bullet.
I emailed them at the time saying that they must lose a ton of business due to the antiquated payment structure.. i had a reply from Steve that thats the way it is and if it dont suit then they are happy to wish me well and not do business.
Cmon - where else you gonna go for these parts?? PBR are the ONLY outlet for a lot of this stuff.
Marco has parts and schematics and we complain about his $30 over the top postal rip off.. the banks charge you $30 to pay via them - so go complain to your banks... they been ripping you off for years.
WUM will cost some $28 to do
PAYPAL will cost the SELLER.
I recently had to wire US$520 to china for some samples - bank want $30 for that amount or $50,000... yeh well... welcome to the world economy! To do with Paypal - would cost seller US$50!
The whole set up sucks - basically - you will be ripped off no matter what you do.
So what am i ranting about?
My question of all this is why should it cost Steve Young to get payment via Paypal just cos its easier for us?
Its the Aussie banking system that is ripping you - no one else, so go hassle them.. id love to once again have a bank account where i dont have charges so long as im in the black.
In a years time we will be griping about the fees to send money or fees to post ( Marcos), but we will all still be buying and the banks will be loving you even more - LOL!!! <.> <.>
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Id be suprised if PBR change anything to how we pay them.. why should they? Steve is obviously suspicious of internet payments and i cant say that i blame him... yeh its a pain to pay PBR - was a pain when we could do Money Order.. is a pain now also. When i did my very first attempted transaction with PBR some years back it was all too much hassle paying by snail mail and then getting an account etc.. took me a few years to finally bite the bullet.
I emailed them at the time saying that they must lose a ton of business due to the antiquated payment structure.. i had a reply from Steve that thats the way it is and if it dont suit then they are happy to wish me well and not do business.
Cmon - where else you gonna go for these parts?? PBR are the ONLY outlet for a lot of this stuff.
Marco has parts and schematics and we complain about his $30 over the top postal rip off.. the banks charge you $30 to pay via them - so go complain to your banks... they been ripping you off for years.
WUM will cost some $28 to do
PAYPAL will cost the SELLER.
I recently had to wire US$520 to china for some samples - bank want $30 for that amount or $50,000... yeh well... welcome to the world economy! To do with Paypal - would cost seller US$50!
The whole set up sucks - basically - you will be ripped off no matter what you do.
So what am i ranting about?
My question of all this is why should it cost Steve Young to get payment via Paypal just cos its easier for us?
Its the Aussie banking system that is ripping you - no one else, so go hassle them.. id love to once again have a bank account where i dont have charges so long as im in the black.
In a years time we will be griping about the fees to send money or fees to post ( Marcos), but we will all still be buying and the banks will be loving you even more - LOL!!! <.> <.>
True,but i do no of some that except payment by paypal as long as you pay the fee.For me this way would be a lot easyer and a LOT quicker. ^&^
Thank god mark got most of my parts and takes paypal and then has the balls to refund any overcharge back onto my paypal account,TO EASY. ^^^
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That's OK for the guys that collect the 'newer' pins but for us that collect old school we are screwed.
I'm going to talk with my bank tomorrow - looks like I can send payment from them at an additional cost of $20 - I can cop that, especially with the dollar the way it is
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That's OK for the guys that collect the 'newer' pins but for us that collect old school we are screwed.
I'm going to talk with my bank tomorrow - looks like I can send payment from them at an additional cost of $20 - I can cop that, especially with the dollar the way it is
Can do the same - costs $20 to set up and then $20 for each overseas deposit... problem with this is that i have to use a security token which goes into USB port - overrides all previous passwords - lose this and im screwed!
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If I knew what the paypal fee was - I'd gladly pay that fee. Surely it would be less than $28.00 per transaction.
I'll still buy from PBR, just sucks that things change at our end, and we have to use a different method again - But Tony is right - Steve did ask me to speak to the bank as they might help out.
The other thing I was thinking of was to set up an account with PBR - by sending them US$1000 or something similar. I'd use that over the course of 12 months.
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I went to call them this morning at 7am....just got the answering machine :D :D
Will try again tomorrow
7am here on a Monday is Sunday arvo over there I'm pretty sure....
Cheers Angelo
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I went to call them this morning at 7am....just got the answering machine :D :D
Will try again tomorrow
7am here on a Monday is Sunday arvo over there I'm pretty sure....
Cheers Angelo
Yeah I know I'm an idiot :lol :lol :lol :lol
He has been there before at that time 'cause I've spoken to him before at that time
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Spoke with my bank today about what they had to offer.
They can supply a bank draft in US dollars payable to PBR for $21 - that's pretty cool and I will be going that path.
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Spoke with my bank today about what they had to offer.
They can supply a bank draft in US dollars payable to PBR for $21 - that's pretty cool and I will be going that path.
That's the most viable method. An WUMO costs $8.65 + Registered envelope = $12 - So $21 is more than fair - and no risks of a lost envelope.
What Bank are you with Tony ?
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Spoke with my bank today about what they had to offer.
They can supply a bank draft in US dollars payable to PBR for $21 - that's pretty cool and I will be going that path.
That's the most viable method. An WUMO costs $8.65 + Registered envelope = $12 - So $21 is more than fair - and no risks of a lost envelope.
What Bank are you with Tony ?
With the IMB - but I'm sure they would all offer the same....I figure you fork out hundreds of dollars for parts, so what is an extra AUS$10?
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Spoke with my bank today about what they had to offer.
They can supply a bank draft in US dollars payable to PBR for $21 - that's pretty cool and I will be going that path.
That's the most viable method. An WUMO costs $8.65 + Registered envelope = $12 - So $21 is more than fair - and no risks of a lost envelope.
What Bank are you with Tony ?
You still got to mail the bank draft so total = $33
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Spoke with my bank today about what they had to offer.
They can supply a bank draft in US dollars payable to PBR for $21 - that's pretty cool and I will be going that path.
That's the most viable method. An WUMO costs $8.65 + Registered envelope = $12 - So $21 is more than fair - and no risks of a lost envelope.
What Bank are you with Tony ?
You still got to mail the bank draft so total = $33
I must be confused with a "Wire Transfer". That costs $35. No envelope and payment would be in his account within 48 hours.
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Easy....sent off a bank cheque drawn in US$ to PBR today.
Took a few minutes and cost $21 which was just added to the total.
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Easy....sent off a bank cheque drawn in US$ to PBR today.
Took a few minutes and cost $21 which was just added to the total.
+ registered International envelope $12 ?
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Easy....sent off a bank cheque drawn in US$ to PBR today.
Took a few minutes and cost $21 which was just added to the total.
+ registered International envelope $12 ?
No mate, standard 'Air Mail' stamp of $2.10....and kissed her goodbye.
In 32 years and HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of parcels each way from the USA and Canada and nothing has ever gone missing
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Easy....sent off a bank cheque drawn in US$ to PBR today.
Took a few minutes and cost $21 which was just added to the total.
+ registered International envelope $12 ?
No mate, standard 'Air Mail' stamp of $2.10....and kissed her goodbye.
In 32 years and HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of parcels each way from the USA and Canada and nothing has ever gone missing
Great - So it is not that bad at all.
I'm "missing" my second package from the USA in 10 years. Small package with parts to finish off three machines. Just waiting on the "three month" time to elapse before making the insurance claim. But I re ordered the bits again anyway !
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Well i finally made it to the bank and it took maybe 10 minutes for them to draw up a bank draft with a charge of $20 which was pretty painless.. Plus the chick was hot which might have helped &&
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Just thought I'd update this thread. I recently purchased from PBR. I used the Western Union online system. IT was about 15 min to setup account (ie you need to call them with ID etc.) but once done very quick. Basically I just got a MTCN code which I emailed to PBR and thats it! You get tracking on it, so you know when it gets picked up.
Western Union take a % of the amount. Mine was fairly low, so it only cost $20. There is a calculator on the front page so it will tell you how much their fees are. No postage fees to add on the top.
Disclaimer!: I would not recommend using Western Union for ANY other payments to people. I only use it for PBR and thats IT.
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Thanks for the info Marty - good one! ^^^
So - you are not purchasing anything from Nigeria then? #@# :lol
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Thanks for the info Marty - good one! ^^^
So - you are not purchasing anything from Nigeria then? #@# :lol
Nooooo. No magic beans from Nigeria for me.
I guess once the order cost add's up its probably not the most viable option. With the bank drafts - is it just a flat fee of $20.00 or does it work out on the total amount?
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I might give it go on my next MEGA order !
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I might give it go on my next MEGA order !
With the online quoting it at least gives you a comparison. If the bank draft is a flat fee - then this may be the best option.