i live in hawaii. hawaii is a part of the united states of america. many ebayers will not ship to us, even though we have USPS (and it doesnt cost anything extra). zipzoom charges an extra fee to ship to hawaii and alaska.
on amazon, a few times i added a $20 item into my cart. shipping was $20, and it didnt weigh that much.
i wanted to order 2 items from newegg yesterday. a led keyboard for $35. shipping was $20. i recall that the first item shipping is kind of expensive, i needed a dvd-rw too, i added a $25 one. shipping changed to $35. they do not offer USPS.

Way to respond to a problem. Huzzah!

Thanks for spoiling the next episode of Heroes.

Smaaaaaaall world seeing Ogdensburg mentioned here.

Living in Hawaii, I still can't understand why some online sellers (including Think Geek) do not offer USPS Priority Mail. Postage paid mailing labels can be purchased/printed from their online service and mail is delivered/picked up 6 days a week. I don't mind waiting the extra time for delivery if it means that I'm paying way less for shipping.

I've never had a problem with ThinkGeek's shipping charges to Chicago -- whether my order was twenty bucks or thirty times that, 3-day shipping was always something in the range of seven to ten bucks.

As long as shipping is never more than 10% of the total, it's cheaper than buying locally here in the city of the nation's highest sales tax.

@Carrie Gouldin: You catch more flies with honey than trendy empty snark.

-or-

Get a US postal address and have your packages shipped there. If you know someone else who may want to go in on this idea with you even better. It means that once a week or twice a month you go and every other time in between that person goes. Obviously you will be paying taxes when you enter into Canada but at least it won't be to the tune of 80 through 360 dollars and you will save on shipping costs (shipping + brokerage fees).

@John Harvey: "Try being overseas if you want to see stupid shipping and US sellers are the worst at it."

Maybe you should just move. Or find a friend who will mail the package out to you via USPS (which to save even more money, won't be tracked or insured).

Or you could stop your crybaby shit and just deal with it.

@Carrie Gouldin: I think we should get all the Wi-Fi Detector Shirt for free.

I love that shirt.

@Mike Kosten: That'll do, Mike.... That'll do.

@Penny Plastic: Because it's to Canada. I used to work at a record label, everything was expressed nothing was delivered on the standard time table whenever it was overseas. With what it costs to ship overseas anyway, the additional cost of expressing it, taken into account how much faster it will arrive from overseas, it really isn't that much to express ship something.

@kreatre2009: You have a bullsh*t flag?

Did you get it from ThinkGeek?

Anyway, I had a credit card provided by my last employer for purchasing items for our shop, and I have seen very similar things from both HP and NewEgg. It is stupid and it does happen.

And I loves me some NewEgg, but it does happen.

I ordered two of their very nice Pirate badge holders (replacing a worn-out one I've had for a couple of years) this week. These things are roughly the size of your thumb, and were also packed in much the same way - along with loads of air from Edison, NJ. The air did enjoy the ride down the turnpike to my South Jersey home though.

Seriously though - Can't you guys get some smaller boxes for smaller orders?

I recently bought a book from the author who has his own website - it cost me the same price as amazon wanted and was autographed but the kicker was the $10 delivery fee and the book; shipped USPS arrived in 6 days.

Being a regular Amazon buyer the cheapest shipping they use takes at least 4 weeks to Australia which is insane especially when I regularly mail documents and other items to US addresses from here for well under $10US which get there in about 5-6 days.

From most of Europe its always under 10 days and from most US companies if they ship to us its always more than 14 days for no good reason I can find but of ourse you can use DHL or Fedex at high rates.

And Think Geek is the same ive bought of them in the past but their shipping charges for Australia orders are simply stupid - I think if you are serious about selling to over seas customers stop gouging on price.

My fav however is the Google T Shirt I wanted to buy a few years ago which cost $20AU and had a shipping quote of $120AU. Needless to say I cancelled the order.

I sort of cannot work out how a country like America which has supposedly this incredbile network of connections and transport hubs cannot manage to ship good to me faster than those I buy online from China, the UK and even Russia.

The airbags you use to pack fragile things claim they are filled with monkey breath! Monkey breath kicks ass. You don't get that kind of service every day :)

Keep the cool stuff coming!

@Mykah Bawn: why does DHL still do business? FedEx ground FTW

At least we get free shipping if we order over $30 worth of stuff. If I had to pay for the box of air, I'd be pissed too.

Sure, extra boxes are handy to have--for eBay sales, Christmas presents, moves, etc.--but still, I'd be annoyed if a company used an entire box to ship me a sticker. It's REDUCE first, then reuse, then recycle.

Paging Mike Kosten....

In all fairness, Mike- You could be right. You also need to read Consumerist articles when they have updates and replies from actual executives and employees of the company. (Many of which are apologetic)

If you are reading Consumerist to get a laugh at us gullible jackasses, fine. Just don't start a riot, comment on the actual story. We enjoy this site very much and don't need the likes of you clouding our decent judgement and morals.

On a side note: While you complain about how Consumerist readers are quick to note fault and judge these companies without facts... you are doing the same thing.

I believe the word i'm looking for is HYPOCRITE.

@BathroomDuck: "You see this thread? In about five minutes it'll be sent out live, where somebody will be reading this, yes, reading this, and little did they know that pictures were fabricated and that there were some raging tempers that ended up in their comments"

@Mykah Bawn: But that Jersey air is if the HIGHEST quality... by Jersey standards..

And you're right, it really is a nice day out, aside from the bit of snow we had this morning.

@Mike Kosten:

They won't.

The standards of Journalism do not apply to yellow rags, blogs and online forums.

Oh, and I agree with ya. a big chunk of these posts are stinky around the edges.

Meh, I just don't like being called a liar. No big deal, really. It's far too nice a day to be ticked off about a box full of jersey air.

@Crabby Cakes:

Yeah. "Fake stories... That's how we roll at The Consumerist."

@PETAKillsKittens_GitEmSteveDave:Glory hog. We all know you just want attention ;-)

@Mike Kosten: Do you have any other insightful comments to leave? Or is your toilet full?

@Crabby Cakes: It would only make sense.

@Mykah Bawn: Also, I'd only want a confirmed order screenshot if it had credit card information in plain sight with the security code; Because I know a Nigerian Prince who'd like to speak with you.

@Mykah Bawn: Mykah,
Why are you still kicking around on here making comments on things that was being spoken about in a more ironic light.

At least on my part.

This isn't meant to be taken the wrong way, but you're taking this far far too seriously for people poking jest at what it -could- have been.

-Sabb

I get disgusted when people waste my money. The kind lady from ThinkGeek informed me that it didn't jack up my shipping rates, so I'm less disgusted and more mildly annoyed now.

Thank you for the concern though, life hasn't been too hard aside from this cold I've been having.

@feckingmorons: The bank lied to me! I'd better burn all my two dollar bills before the police find out I have fake monies! OHNOESS!!!!

Just checked the boxes... they were both shipped from the same warehouse.

@Sabbadeus: Don't be an idiot there is no such thing as a two dollar bill.

Ask Taco Bell.

Yea, the smaller box was an official yellow "DHL" box, and the larger one was just a standard non-labelled cardboard box. Not sure why, maybe they forgot?

Would you like me to take a pic of everything laid out, both catalogs and all the air bags? I have no problem doing that if you would like me to. I can also take pictures of the two shipping labels, and then the total shipping order. Then I can take a screenshot of my confirmed order page and send you a copy of the email confirmation. Would that be enough?

I wrongfully assumed that a story such as this, which would provide no benefit to me aside from maybe making thinkgeek rethink their shipping options, which would allow me to give them MORE money, would not make people call me a liar. On the principal of the thing though, I can provide more evidence from my side, if the comments from the thinkgeek lady aren't enough.

Fair enough! I didn't take that from what she said, but a friend of mine noticed it and I got unduly offended. My mistake.

@Mykah Bawn: Yeah Mykah, no offense, but you're a little too literal minded. That's clearly a tongue in cheek joke. I'm pretty sure that Carrie isn't actually implying that you're a liar. ;)

Not only that, but he apparently KEEPS READING EVEN THOUGH IT'S FULL OF TEH EEEEEEBIL!

When I hate a blog I just cut it out of my RSS feed. Srsly, man, life's too short.

"We'll have to assume they were packed as described"

Really? I like your site, you have some awesome stuff. I've purchased things from there multiple times. Why imply that I made this up? What do I have to gain from it? Maybe some other shipping options so that I'm able to purchase more things from you?

@theblackdog: No I didn't, that comes later when I pass her onto the Nigerian Prince who has lots of money for her if she provides more information.

You can't mess with due process!

Do they sometimes post ridiculous stories and blow things completely out of proportion due to ignorance or the desire to get a rise out of people? Absolutely. However, traditional media does the same thing, and they supposedly hold themselves to a much higher standard!

If someone wants to post a fake story, there is nothing stopping them. I think what you are forgetting is the sense of morality that most other people are born with. Also, most people realize that there's not much point in posting fake stories except to make thousands of people hate you when the truth is inevitably discovered. Not many people attain fame and fortune by having their story about poor customer service posted on the internet, so there's no reason for you to be so jealous.

By the way, this is possibly the lamest "issue to have a conspiracy theory about" that I've even seen. Some people worry about the government's secret dealings, vaccines, aliens, religion... you're all whacked out over whether the Consumerist is objective enough?

@Carrie Gouldin:
So intstead, here's a compromise;

Please provide the following:

- Scan of your social security card with todays date clearly visible
- Business card
- Photo ID
- Bank account information including account number and all routing information
- Any major credit card that has available balance, including the security code from the back
- $100 dollars in nonsequential two-dollar bills as payment for me to verify that you actually are who you say you are

@Carrie Gouldin: But you might have stolen someones eye for that there retina scan!

@wardawg: Preview wasn't working for me... whenever I went to preview, it would submit it on me. I blame it on the network here at work.

Your point is valid to some degree but your presentation is seriously lacking. While it could be a fake article (though, has been verified by ThinkGeek as being legitimate) a minimal amount of fact checking is done and the commenters are a pretty smart group (excluding some choice facebook users). There have been a few stories debunked by commenters already. It happens.

Next time, retina scans.

First, it was 99% of readers.. who then trust the 95%-fake stories... 90% of which are about Best Buy.

I think if we keep going, we can get him down into the low 70%'s.

@Penny Plastic: Father Nature is going to be pissed when he sees this.

But, if I DID, I would be HAPPY about it.

I use all my boxes over again to ship things or store things, one or the other, and the plastic air bags I reuse to pack things in as well.

Since it wouldn't cost any more than one box, and I reuse everything, why should I be upset.

This just sounds like a bunch of people in Canada upset that international shipping costs extra money. Want a solution? Start Think Geek Canada, and make money yourself, running it the way you want.

Otherwise, good lord, for a potentially fake, non-earth-shattering story, this generates a lot of buzz. If it IS Think Geek marketing at work, you people are all failing at not encouraging it.

@Mike Kosten: How can we be sure anything is real?

"I refute it thus!" [kicks stone]

@Carrie Gouldin: I've got to hand it to you Carrie, and subsequently the folks at ThinkGeek, for the surprisingly quick response on the topic at hand.

Now as for Mike Kosten not being able to verify if Carrie works for TG or not, here's some proof.

[www.linkedin.com]

BUT WAIT THEY SAY! It could be argued that someone found this name and decided to impersonate them just for their own satisfaction. Isn't that the Kosten way?

I doubt that, so I'll go with my trust in the internet that this Carrie is for real. Kudos.

The preview comment box wins again?

@Gabe Edwards: This is moot if you don't live within driving range of the border, but FWIW: My bro in Canadia often just goes across the border to mail stuff. I think he set up an account with UPS in a little town an hour's drive from Ottowa, and maybe has a US postal mailbox there as well. It's the cheapest/quickest way for us to send him/him to send us stuff in the States.

Thanks for the info.

Also, that Best Buy article was the first time you posted any comments on Gawker (/former Gawker) network. Your first experience with the Gawker blogs was defending your God of an employer.

So it's understandable that you have an anti-consumer stance, it really is. And the next time there's a story about Best Buy, I encourage you to bring it up with your superiors and ask them to bring a lawsuit against Consumers Union. In fact, since you know so much about fighting consumers, you could represent Best Buy in the libel trial!

So ... why hasn't The Consumerist been in court yet for libel?

We confirmed that a certain Micah in Ontario did in fact receive two boxes from us and we'll have to assume they were packed as described. In which case we apologize to Micah, DHL, Mother Earth, and the sticker, who was surely very lonely on his journey to Ontario. (He prefers to travel with Tux; R2D2 is a little too chatty.)

As for the nice folks at our warehouse who decided to traumatize both Micah and the sticker ... well, they'd apologize too but they're on the phone with us right now. Grr.

The good news: Micah wasn't charged for this extra box filled mostly with the sweet, sweet air from inside our New Jersey warehouse. That stuff is priceless.

1. The originator: "I'll bet it's fake" - these are good to have once in a while as a reminder, for articles that would indeed be easy to fake. Maybe a little more polite than OP.

2. The accuser: "Obviously you work for X" - Not necessary, but who am I to judge against snark?

3. The reasoner: "This could be real\fake because..." The ones that make a true difference. You are the heroes of these threads (assuming good reasoning comes after).

4. The "You can't prove it's fake\real!" Not blaming anyone, but this is like watching an atheist going at it with someone from any other religion. A circular argument that escalates without going anywhere. In the end, these kinds of posts won't tug anyone reading them one way of the other.

5. The "An analysis of threads accusing the story as fake." This one's pretty useless, I mean, c'mon, what's the point?

i don't think you are real, either. So we're even, right?

This ins't technically a problem... it's more of an absurdity.

@bilups: You have -no- idea.

Spot on.

Consumerist frequently provides a useful service, but just as frequently its hysterical, biased snarkishness degrades its usefullness.

I've found Think Geek to be better-than-good in fulfillment, customer service and shipping. My last shipment was packed as tight as a duck's bum.

This would have probably cost Think Geek about $10 to ship on their account, but they over charge you and make your shipments "Dim Out" so they make a profit. This is what pisses customers off and make them never buy from you again.

At my company, we try very hard to not make the shipments not "Dim Out", but sometimes we have to put it in a bigger box so it doesn't get damaged in shipping. UPS Ground is the worst shipping method on the face of the planet.

It's not like they wasted her money, more like they wasted their OWN money - if everything had fit into one box, the shipping rate wouldn't have been any less, but ThinkGeek's costs would have been.

Agreed, looks kind of dumb, but I don't see (except for environmental issues) the OP has been harmed.

My question is, how is anyone held accountable? I don't see it. Obviously if I can come on this website, make a few "educated" yet hateful comments toward a company, I will be taken seriously as a commenter. Then I can send in a story that is completely false or skewed in my favor.

Where is the accountability in that? And how do we know that this stuff is not happening already?

@Sabbadeus: Now that's what I call a cascading thread of fail.

Or, more likely, someone forgot the sticker until after the box was sealed and on it's way. It's silly, but it doesn't strike me as warranting a boycott of the company.

As far as the high international shipping costs, that sounds like the shippers (and Canadian customs) are at least partly to blame.

Lemmings, lemmings. Calm down. I understand that the Consumerist can do no wrong in your eyes. But if you want to be taken seriously, at least take some objectivity to the story's presented.

If I posted a fake story, how would you not know it wasn't fake in the first place? Heck, I could have posted this story as a fake and you would never know.

Just goes to show you that this site won't be around very long because of legal reasons. They control the content, so they are liable.

@pecan 3.14159265: That could be a simple answer, but I don't know. If they were shipping it in an envelope, it still has to cross the borders to canada. So the question arises is how would that affect the shipping time compared to using an express shipping like DHL. Something to look into.

@ludwigk: I'm just that good... or I lack any sense of self control in keeping my fingers still and punching at the reply button as fast as I can because I work for comcrap through a third party company and there's no work to do, not to mention they're shutting down our site in less then a months time.

Oh, well in that case that explains everything! You have a grudge against the Consumerist.

I'm guessing your buddy works in Domino's, no?

No matter.

Lets prove a point, sometime in the next month I will post a fake story, and wait for all you guys to comment about how horrible the company or the service is.

Then I will come into the article and call you guys suckers.

Any way to verify that Consumerist?

@ajlei: I don't know, if you look at the two pictures, the real question arises that the two boxes aren't pictured together, they're both taken on a bed, so there's no solid proof that all the air-packs aren't the same ones just moved around and distended. So it could very well be played up, since the catalog in the second picture is just the same as the first but showing the back of it. Even if it is, all that this article is really showing is that two shipping boxes(assumedly) were used for items that could have been in one.

Also, how did you revoke your revoked commenting rights? neat trick!

I'm sure that it wasn't, but the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this is a marketing tactic. They send stuff in ridiculously large boxes, the customer pays for it, so it costs them nothing and they hope that it would get them press.

Think Geek obviously knows what's going on here on the webs. They know that people are noticing this stuff and putting it online, and it's getting attention.

If they had forgotten to send it with the original package (as Sabbadeus suggests), they should have just stuffed it into an envelope...not a whole box!

Not that I don't think international shipments shouldn't be handled a lot better ...

I do like a lot of the stuff ThinkGeek carries, and in a former life I didn't mind paying the extra that their products seem to cost, but now that I'm poorer, a cool $18 shirt just doesn't seem as cool with that price.

I can also tell you that on one of the stories on this site "not going to say which one" where somebody's name was given in the article, I know the accused person involved. The incident was blown out of proportion by about a factor of 200. It did not happen the way it happened as described by the author.

I don't see how this site is not in any legal trouble yet. They control what is posted and it is not maintained by the public, so they are liable for what they post as opposed to ripoffreport.com.

I'm just saying, we have no way of verifying that any of these stories are real.

@Mike Kosten: You know what, you've just made my weekend with the snarkiness. Kudos and a heart for you. Well done good sir.

And I'm not being sarcastic.

@junkmail: I had the same reaction..."obviously Think Geek has not blocked Facebook at their offices..."

Ignorant now, are we? I'm going to assume that you believe every thing you see on TV and buy into propaganda as the truth. I don't work for ThinkGeek, but you are ignorant to think that Consumerist has any objectivity to the stories they post.

Just because Best Buy is on 90% of these posts, I can make up a fake story, get it posted on here, and every one will be in a tizzy-fit and start calling it "Worst-Buy."

They have no way of verifying it.

Flight attendants! Defense formation alpha around the peanuts! GO! GO!

1. From the TG TOS: "We have chosen DHL and UPS as the carriers for our International orders. They both offer reasonable shipping rates (compared to other express carriers) and fast delivery times. We do not use the Post Office for International orders because they do not offer a suitable package tracking system.

Your shipment should arrive in about 3 to 5 business days and when your order ships we send a tracking number via e-mail, so you can monitor the status of your shipment."

So, the shipping piece is accurate.

2. This kind of packing absolutely can happen because sometimes different items are at different DCs.

If you do get banned, it is more than likely for insulting the readership saying they will "fall" for almost any story.

BTW, I speak as someone who HAD a story printed here. I did send pictures as well. But I prolly did it for the glory, right?

Damn it, last revocation.

Is it just me, or is the second box a DHL while the other looks plain. Makes me think they really might have forgotten the sticker and sent it seperately.

The real question is, how do we know that it wasn't?

Lesson learned: Don't buy from ThinkGeek. Most of the non-clothing products are cheap junk anyway.

@Mike Kosten: Momentary revoke of my revoked commenting rights.

Mike, as much as I'd like to believe you and that it is made up, it stands that I've ordered from Think Geek before, and happen to have their catalog sitting next to me, they've done similar things before, but not over a sticker all alone in its own box. And you might even be right that it's just some moving around of the objects, but still raises the question of why not ship it all in one to begin with?

@Sabbadeus: I give up and revoke my commenting status for a 24-hour period because once again, I prove myself to be incompetant at these there internets. -1 Internets

I wonder if they served the sticker any in-flight champagne?

@Sabbadeus: And of course I inherently fail by not doing and then so it wouldn't attempt to be used as real html... *facepalm*

I've always felt kind of annoyed with paying for Think Geek's shipping because it just seems extremely ridiculous. Their prices aren't that awesome either. But 30 for shipping is absolutely the worst I've seen. Too bad the OP doesn't seem to know anyone in Buffalo, otherwise he could have had his package sent there and picked it up. Maybe something to think about for the future.

C'mon people. Get some common sense and don't believe everything you read on this site. 95% of it is fabricated because Consumerist has no way of verifying that any of it is true.

PS. I'll probably be banned for speaking the absolute truth.

Have to say, that first box looks absolutely PACKED. I'm amazed that they manged to fit four things in it, why not just ship them all in different boxes, and conveniently 'forget' the sticker entirely, only to have it arrive weeks later in a torn letter and that postal bag apologizing that your purchases got ruined but they offer no recourse