How long will it take for my boxed version to arrive?

from Stardock Forums

I'm pretty sure we'll get both the boxed and the digital but since I ordered the Collectors Edition I was just wondering how long it will take to arrive? What day will it be shipped? By what method? I think you charged me $10 for shipping so it should come by overnite air right and be here Monday Morning before 10am? heeh

elemental
21,089 views 32 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

They're shipped with USPS Priority Mail, so it should be a few days within the US. As for when they're shipping, they said they *might* ship boxes early, but there wouldn't be a guarantee that you'd get it on the 24th. Don't think they said anything that's set in stone about when they're shipping the boxes.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Out curiosity, why is shipping so outrageously expensive?  I was going to buy the digital download plus the box copy since they're advertised as the same price, and then I got slapped in the face with a $20 shipping charge!  I went with just the digital download instead and figured I'll pick up an archival DVD later (assuming it's not also saddled with ridiculously high shipping costs).

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I'd be perfectly happy with cheap and reliable first-class mail because $20 for shipping is absurd.  At that price they should guarantee next-day delivery.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

$20 is for international shipping, domestic is $10 which is fairly comparable to UPS/FedEx.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Then I wonder why it's telling me $20?  But even $10 is more expensive than necessary.  First-class mail could get a boxed game to you for under $3.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Our last LE box ran around 3 lbs (not sure what this one weighs--probably more) which runs right about $10 at the mid-long distance range for Priority Mail's standard shipping.

The Elemental LE box is bigger than a standard PC game box (it's double or triple-thick) so it wouldn't fit in the $5 flatrate box (the next step up on flatrate is $10 anyway). International shipping will be higher.

If you're seeing $20 for domestic and it's not just the upgrade estimate (which should correct itself at final checkout), contact sales@stardock.com.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

First-class mail could get a boxed game to you for under $3.
End of quote

First class only goes up to 13 ounces, anything over has to be shipped Priority.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

It will take a billion million years!!!

J/K ;)

I wouldn't mind being able to track mine so I know where it is once it leaves where-ever it's being mailed from though :)

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Raven, reply 10
It will take a billion million years!!!
End of Raven's quote
As long as it arrives safely to my hands, I don't mind. XD Would hate to lose my copy due to Epic Fail Package Delivery. :/

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wintersong, reply 12



Quoting Raven X,
reply 10
It will take a billion million years!!!As long as it arrives safely to my hands, I don't mind. Would hate to lose my copy due to Epic Fail Package Delivery. :/

End of Wintersong's quote

Don't even speak that horrid curse...it could happen.

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 9
First class only goes up to 13 ounces, anything over has to be shipped Priority.
End of Annatar11's quote

Even then you should be able to ship it for no more than $5.  Only reason I wanted a boxed copy was for a physical manual, but that's honestly not worth an extra $10-$20 to me.  Of course I could have always bought it retail, but then I wouldn't have it on release day (and probably not the day after, either), which was the whole reason I was even interested in the digital distribution in the first place.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Mtn_Man, reply 14
Only reason I wanted a boxed copy was for a physical manual
End of Mtn_Man's quote
Waste of money in any case? I think that Frogboy mentioned in another thread that it was already outdated.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

I believe this is what's known as serendipity. :)

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Mtn_Man, reply 14



Quoting Annatar11,
reply 9
First class only goes up to 13 ounces, anything over has to be shipped Priority.


Even then you should be able to ship it for no more than $5.  Only reason I wanted a boxed copy was for a physical manual, but that's honestly not worth an extra $10-$20 to me.  Of course I could have always bought it retail, but then I wouldn't have it on release day (and probably not the day after, either), which was the whole reason I was even interested in the digital distribution in the first place.
End of Mtn_Man's quote

Just for fun, I estimated the shipping costs for a 5 LB package on UPS with the slowest (cheapest) shipping, it came out to about $10. Fedex was similar. I'm not sure who you'd be able to get to ship it for anything considerably less than $10.

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

United States Post can ship a 5-pound box cross country for $3.94 if shipped as media (and computer software on a DVD counts as "media") or $4.95 using a Priority Flat Rate mailer.

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Mtn_Man, reply 18
United States Post can ship a 5-pound box cross country for $3.94 if shipped as media (and computer software on a DVD counts as "media") or $4.95 using a Priority Flat Rate mailer.
End of Mtn_Man's quote

Yeah, but that's *just* the CD in an envelope (the $3.94). You wouldn't be getting an actual box. And Kryo said the limited edition doesn't fit in the $5 flatrate box, and I imagine there would be a huge outcry if it cost different ammounts to charge different amounts for them.

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

Double post

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm not talking about the limited edition.  I'm talking about basically just the CD and a manual, and there's no way that should cost $10 to ship.  I almost wonder if this a case of a company over-charging for shipping and then pocketing the difference.

But it's a moot point since the manual is pretty much worthless, so I'm perfectly satisfied with digital only.

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

None of this answers the question of "When does it ship?" or what is the eta?

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

It ships precisely when it ships.

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

and we will receive our order(s) when we receive our order(s).

I know this is not helpful, but it is true and frustrating.

harpo

 

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

Why not ship it media mail? The place I work uses it all the time, and it takes 4-6 days. 3 pounds will set you back $3.20 or so.

 

I can wait; I won't even get home until the 30th (in Montana on vacation right now).

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

Why not ship it media mail? The place I work uses it all the time, and it takes 4-6 days. 3 pounds will set you back $3.20 or so.
End of quote

Postal code prohibits the shipping of games via media mail:

Media mail is used for certain types of books, films, manuscripts, printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information, video recordings, educational reference charts, and computer-readable media. Video games, whether on CD-ROM, diskettes, or similar software, or playable systems including computers, do not meet the standards for Media Mail.
End of quote

And parcel post is both slower and potentially more expensive than priority.

 

The USPS site quotes priority around 2-3 days. The boxes should ship on or slightly before release, so you should have them no later than the end of next week if you're in the US. International shipping times will vary.