The cost of buying from Scotland: new Argyle outfit arrives

[Phil]

I have to agree. It just doesn't make any sense for you guys in the states to buy abroad the way the dollar has gone down in value, but if you want a genuine Scottish made article you have to pay the price. I suppose some of the locally made stuff will still be imported though and that will have gone up in price too as a result. I'm sorry about your experience and hope it will be a lesson to others here in future.

[merlintree]

My kilt arrived from the Kilt Store yesterday and it is absolutely gorgeous; just beautiful.

It seemed large when I tried it on last evening so I called the Kilt Store for wearing suggestions today.

Turns out that when I ordered the M-R casual luxury 5-yard kilt I provided the measurements specified in the 'how to measre section'. These are NOT the measurements needed for the casual kilt although I was specific about were I took the measurements.


Navel waist was 40" but should have been 36" for trouser waist. Length then would have been 2" shorter to accom. Current kilt needs to worn high and then is too large to stay up even with straps at full cinch.

Now a little research into how to make it fit.

[northernsky]

I want to thank Nick for replying on this thread. We will work out our differences through the proper channels rather than through a public forum. Working with kids and adults as I do, I know that there are always at least three versions of events: my version, your version, and what actually happened. I wrote my entry as a narrative, trying to show what happened from my side, but of course my story was coloured by my disappointment in getting a damaged package and then having some items not fit, and of course, after I had paid all the additional charges.

I want to state here categorically that the quality of the kilt is superb. I actually wore it last night as an outfit (without the jacket, and substituted a shirt of my own). The reviews were rave. I was certainly the talk of the event. I did not hesitate to say where I had got my kilt and vest, etc.

My disappointment comes in three ways:

First the packaging: Nick says that this isn't usually a problem and as someone whose business it is to mail order, he should know. I do suggest though for overseas orders, thicker gauge cardboard is used.

Sizing: I followed the directions, written and pictograph, to my best ability. As Nick says, different manufacturers use different methods, but the customer can't know that. I even sought out a professional to help me measure, and it seems we ended up measuring incorrectly.

Extra charges: Customs, duties, taxes and shipping are wholly my responsibility. I should have checked out with Canada Customs how much they would charge before hand--I did not. However, never in my wildest dreams did I think that the surcharges would amount to an additional 33%+. Had I taken that into consideration before I ordered, the story might have been very different. Mail-order businesses might want to include a rough guide as an extra bit of information to the customer.

And my comment about the belt buckle: I stand corrected. If this is the standard way of making them, then I can't really complain. It just wasn't what I had imagined.

Again I want to make very clear that the quality of the merchandise is first rate. The kilt is luxurious, fits perfectly (those measurements worked). The vest is very fine quality. Nick stands behind his product and did not hesitate to say return anything not to my satisfaction.

If someone wants fine Scottish made goods and knows/understands the extra charges, then Kiltstore would be a very good choice. I am sure I will have many years of proud wear of my outfit. I am looking forward to having the jacket and shirt in the correct sizes to complete it.

What have I learned? Make sure of all the charges beforehand. Use the telephone, as e-mail is not the best way of communicating. Be sure you know your sizes, and be prepared to wait a little longer than you had thought. Ask lots of questions. Mail-order is not the same as being in the shop and so you have to know exactly what you want and what you will get before you order.

[ccga3359]

I glad that you will be able to work things out. I've learned the hard way about shipping overseas. Always go with the national postal service and request the same from the shipper. Fed-Ex, UPS are their own brokers and charge exorbitant fees for that service. I purchase a lot on ebay and if they're not willing to ship USPS or Royal mail I'll look elsewhere. Can't do anything about duty, just hope that they're close to what you'd pay in GST & PST had you bought it in Canada. Also when returning merchandise amke sure that the postal service knows that as duty has already been paid for that and you don't need to be dinged twice or three times. So when are you going to post pics? Being proud to wear it and to show it off to others who'd appreciate it might help to take the sting out a little. Might I also suggest that your next kilt you look closer to home there are a couple of kilt makers in BC and we've got a couple in Ontario.

[MacTavishOfJapan]

Glad you are delighted with your kilt and you are going to be able to talk with Nick about your concerns. I did the mail order thing for my first kilt (I lived in Japan at the time) and I don't think I'd want to do it again, purely because I don't trust myself with measurements etc. I'm much more relaxed this time having the kiltmaker measure me up!

[Nick Fiddes]

Many thanks for your very courteous response northernsky. I'm grateful for your understanding. And I'll look forward to trying our best to sort things out to your satisfaction. I have to say I am very surprised to hear about the level of duties you were asked for, which is double or more what I'd expect to the US. I'm hoping we can maybe look into why.

[Nighthawk]

Thanks for this post, NorthernSky. I myself am planning on ordering a special weave kilt from them in the very near future. I had planned on possibly ordering a few other odds and ends. I had no intention of making a large order, as FedEx... abuses you... on taxes and duties, and I just refuse to pay hundreds of dollars for shipping. That's just plain silly in my view. I'll get my Argyll from USA Kilts. However, KiltStore has some beautiful kilt pins that I want. So it sounds like the wisest direction with KiltStore for those of us in the US is kilt and one or two small accessories, and get everything else here. I have been lucky enough to learn that lesson the easy way. FedEx rips you off, but they're also a little more reliable than public mail, so pick your poison.

[Nighthawk]

Many thanks for your very courteous response northernsky. I'm grateful for your understanding. And I'll look forward to trying our best to sort things out to your satisfaction. I have to say I am very surprised to hear about the level of duties you were asked for, which is double or more what I'd expect to the US. I'm hoping we can maybe look into why.

I've heard similar stories about these kinds of duties and tarriffs from other sources. That's the only reason that I haven't yet ordered my kilt from you.

It breaks my heart a little, too, because everyone who gets a kilt from you loves it. I really want one... which brings me to another question. The $48 for shipping on a $307 kilt. Is that including duties or do I have to buy my kilt from FedEx once they get it here?

[Nick Fiddes]

Hi Nighthawk, I'm afraid that the shipping is just for shipping. As I've explained elsewhere on these boards before, import duties aren't something we can cover, not least because they are so unpredictable. It's exactly the same for us in Europe when we import from the US - we have to pay duties this end. But do remember you're saving the 17.5% VAT we pay, so you're usually ahead! If you prefer (and specifically request it) we CAN ship an item like this airmail, but if so it's untracked and we have to ask for a disclaimer against it going missing in transit. Sorry!

[Nighthawk]

Hi Nighthawk, I'm afraid that the shipping is just for shipping. As I've explained elsewhere on these boards before, import duties aren't something we can cover, not least because they are so unpredictable. It's exactly the same for us in Europe when we import from the US - we have to pay duties this end. But do remember you're saving the 17.5% VAT we pay, so you're usually ahead! If you prefer (and specifically request it) we CAN ship an item like this airmail, but if so it's untracked and we have to ask for a disclaimer against it going missing in transit. Sorry!

I figured as much. Having an obscure name is a pain some times. I say "Wolfe" and people say "Oh! Titanic!" I have to correct them and say "No- that was Wolff. Mine is 'fe'" And no one other than you carries the Wolfe tartan, which in itself is impressive. I guess I need to save me pennies a wee bit longer.

Thanks a lot for the response, Nick.