MyUs.com - Amex promotion - Free Premium membership

[Mal]

I've also been charged after being a member for two years. The live chat person seemed insistent that the promo was limited to 2 years but after asking to cancel my account it has been referred to the account manager.

Which means you will likely get a free 2 year extension.

 

[StevePER]

Which means you will likely get a free 2 year extension.

Yes indeed. That's what happened when they got back to me today.

 

[djchuckles]

Used account first time in ages. Items weighed 3.1 lbs and quote was c. $50 so expected my 30% off that - but they bumped it to dimensional weight of 10lbs - over triple!!! Made it $70+

 

[mattm199]

Interested to see this thread.
I've had several text alerts from Amex showing they have blocked renewal that they tried to charge to my card. It says an old card tried to be used, but card is still in date.
I also have emailed the MyUS customer service contact, saying the offer was for free membership. I also don't think I've been a member for over 2 years, but might be wrong.
Hope for a positive response from the company.

 

[zzyss]

Used account first time in ages. Items weighed 3.1 lbs and quote was c. $50 so expected my 30% off that - but they bumped it to dimensional weight of 10lbs - over triple!!! Made it $70+

The cynic in me wonders if that's part of the new changes (advertise lower charges, but charge at a higher rate), or if that's how they always would've handled it.

 

[djchuckles]

The cynic in me wonders if that's part of the new changes (advertise lower charges, but charge at a higher rate), or if that's how they always would've handled it.

They openly stated on a live chat that whilst their rates are down by 20% - a lot more orders will be subject to dimensional weight - guess this is how they put their prices up but cover it up with good pr about a 20% drop!

 

[jingles]

Used account first time in ages. Items weighed 3.1 lbs and quote was c. $50 so expected my 30% off that - but they bumped it to dimensional weight of 10lbs - over triple!!! Made it $70+

The cynic in me wonders if that's part of the new changes (advertise lower charges, but charge at a higher rate), or if that's how they always would've handled it.

All couriers charge by dimensional weight if it is greater than the actual weight, it would not be anything new for MyUS to be doing this.

 

[YQY]

Here's my comparison of two shipments from MyUS this year.

Shipment cost from Jan 2013

Order Item	Description	Amount
ORD:S-Consld		$0.00
ORD:S-Discard-ShBx		$2.00
ORD:S-Ins		$6.00
ORD:S-Weight-DHL		$114.46
ORD:C-MRK-S	30% of Shipping Rates for American Express Cardmembers	($34.34)
Total		$88.12

Shipment cost from this month (July 2013)

Order Item	Description	Amount
ORD:S-Consld		$0.00
ORD:S-Discard-ShBx		$2.00
ORD:S-Ins		$10.00
ORD:S-Weight-DHL		$93.40
ORD:C-MRK-S	30% of Shipping Rates for American Express Cardmembers	($28.02)
Total		$77.38

Both packages were 13.6 lbs (7kg) and shipped to the same address in Sydney, however the shipment in June was approx $550 where as the shipment in Jan was approx $380, this would explain the increase in insurance of $4.00.

The reduction in pre-discount shipping is 18.4% ((114.46-93.40)/114.46).

Incidentally, shipping was with DHL & was super quick....the package left Sarasota at Sat 9.09AM (AEST) and was delivered on Mon 08.37AM (AEST) ie within two days.

Monday, July 29, 2013	Location	Time
14	Delivered - Signed for by : xx_x	xx_xx	08:37
13	With delivery courier	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	07:20
12	Arrived at Delivery Facility in SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	04:29
11	Departed Facility in SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	04:20
10	Processed at SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	04:20
Sunday, July 28, 2013	Location	Time
9	Clearance processing complete at SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	22:38
8	Arrived at Sort Facility SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	22:20
7	Customs status updated	SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA	14:21
Saturday, July 27, 2013	Location	Time
6	Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	07:10
5	Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	04:39
4	Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	02:19
Friday, July 26, 2013	Location	Time
3	Departed Facility in TAMPA - EAST - USA	TAMPA - EAST, FL - USA	22:07
2	Processed at TAMPA - EAST - USA	TAMPA - EAST, FL - USA	22:06
1	Shipment picked up	TAMPA - EAST, FL - USA	19:09

 

[Pushka]

Used account first time in ages. Items weighed 3.1 lbs and quote was c. $50 so expected my 30% off that - but they bumped it to dimensional weight of 10lbs - over triple!!! Made it $70+

That's just wrong.

 

[djchuckles]

Got an email back - what they failed to announce when they 'reduced' their prices by 20% is that the changed the dimensional weight factor from 300 to 139 - thus meaning nearly all parcels now will cost more due to dimensional weight

Very shady

 

[markis10]

Used account first time in ages. Items weighed 3.1 lbs and quote was c. $50 so expected my 30% off that - but they bumped it to dimensional weight of 10lbs - over triple!!! Made it $70+

Dimensional weight is always charged for air freight, otherwise more people would be buying feathers!

 

[djchuckles]

Yeah I get that - but they changed their factor from 300 to 139 which meant that the dimensional weight over doubled

DW calculation is now L x W x D / 139

 

[jingles]

Yeah I get that - but they changed their factor from 300 to 139 which meant that the dimensional weight over doubled

DW calculation is now L x W x D / 139

On this page MyUS.com - SHIPPING RATES it says they are using a divisor of 5,000
Which is the same as DHL say here DHL | Volumetric Weight: Express | English
(5000 is for cm/kg)

So it would seem they are matching DHL

I do remember reading somewhere that they had negotiated a special dimensional weight divisor on packages, maybe this has ended and they are now using the same figure as everyone else.

 

[djchuckles]

They also round up! 4.05 became 5kg!

 

[jingles]

They also round up! 4.05 became 5kg!

Are you sure you were not charged for dimensional weight? (Your invoice will tell you how you were charged)

If you were charged for 5kg of actual weight you could send them an email querying it as using the cost calculator the following comes up.
(4.05kg is 8.9lb)

8.9lb, 9lb or 4.05kg

DHL Express	1 - 4 days	$70.26
FedEx Priority	1 - 4 days	$70.44
FedEx Economy	5 - 10 days	$71.39

 

[djchuckles]

Yes I was

Actual weight was 3.2kg - dimensional weight was 10kg!

 

[marki]

I had to cancelled my subscription service to this My US mob. Its value was decreasing and its services were, Contracting( in my view). The personal shopper service for instance worked at the beginning but later disappointed unable to provide a service.(especially from Best Buy) any way that's my two bob.

 

[djchuckles]

My AMEX card expired so they asked me to update my payment details - I updated to PayPal (funded by my AMEX) just to avoid having to keep updating things when cards expire - what they didn't tell me is this removed my discount! Which I only just found out on a shipment of $120 - so removing the discount cost me $36!

 

[marki]

Oh forgot to mention I am using BorderLinx service instead. Addresses in US & UK

Used them without any issues yet.

Costs are smaller and very similar to MYUS

✈

 

[one9]

A couple of months ago myus advertised a 20% reduction in their shipping rates. What they failed to mention was they also changed the dimensional weight from a factor from 300 to 139. So before I rarely had things get extra dimensional weight charges, but now most of my shipments do. However when comparing a few of their competitors, they all also use a 139 factor.

On the positive side, myus also reduced their Fedex economy shipping prices for heavy items, so for heavy items that are not large, prices are significantly cheaper if you are willing to wait the few extra business days.

I emailed them around a month asking them to extend my Amex 30% discount, and they added on an extra year to it.

Oh forgot to mention I am using BorderLinx service instead. Addresses in US & UK
Used them without any issues yet. Costs are smaller and very similar to MYUS

I use borderlinx for forwarding from the UK. I don't know how their US operation is, but their UK operation is far less superior to myus. They are Ok though.