GamesForCanada.com (GFC) - Friendly Package Forwarding Service for Canada & The World

[goomba478]

This morning it was more like I walked into the office and my boss was sitting in my chair talking to my cousin (who shares the office with me) and he was like "Oh hey, there he is"...

I was like, "uh oh". He said "So I take it you got the Email this morning?" and I was like "Nope. What Email" and then his face turned to disappointment and he let me know. They'd really like to keep me as a matter of fact, but the University (and the state in general since it's a state-school) is putting hiring freezes up in many departments and getting rid of almost all special payroll workers.

I'll definitely rebound, and I have until mid April but that's going to come really fast. So I better get working on my automated forms!

[RoganSarine]

Hey Goomba, I know you have sent stuff to Russia, so I assume australia would be the same.

For the PS3, how much did the shipping and insurance cost roughly?

I'm referring an Australian to you from my computer consultation thingie that apparently I got adopted into thanks to youtube <_<

Edit: Any idea what the duties would be like on a $600 order? o.O

[goomba478]

RoganSarine, yes I have shipped to Russia and ship to Australia weekly as well (they're catching up to you Canadians in numbers little by little). When you say PS3 you're talking about an older model (60GB/80GB/20GB/160GB) or one of the newer slim models? Let me know :) Thanks!

[RoganSarine]

Well, they don't actually want a PS3 shipped to them... Just in total the old model should be roughly the weight to expect...

He actually wants computer parts.

[goomba478]

Australia is notoriously expensive to ship to. I typically ship 1-5 pounds no problem but a shipped PS3 weighs nearly 20-22 pounds shipped. So your friend would be paying between $125 - $135 USD shipped for that amount of weight. Obviously lighter items would cost a lot less =P

[RoganSarine]

Dually noted... How much would something that weighs...

1 Pounds
2 Pounds
5 Pounds

Cost respectively to australia? Everything he has is roughly of one of those 3 denominations, but in total it's probably gonna come out to 15 pounds or so

[goomba478]

** Australian Shipping Rates **

Australia is interesting because for smaller items you can ship certain Flat Rate boxes (I'll give you the dimensions) for less money. Here are some examples:

USPS-supplied Priority Mail Small Flat-Rate Box 5 3/8" x 8 1/2" X 1 3/4". Maximum weight 4 pounds. [Priority Mail ] = $14.50 USD

USPS 1 Pound (Standard Package Sizes/Envelopes) [First Class] = $12.50 USD

USPS 2 Pounds (Standard Package Sizes/Envelopes) [First Class] = $19.50 USD

USPS 3 Pounds (Standard Package Sizes/Envelopes) [First Class] = $26.50 USD

USPS 4 Pounds (Standard Package Sizes/Envelopes) [First Class] = $33.50 USD

USPS 5 Pounds (Standard Package Sizes/Envelopes) [Priority Mail] = $48.50 USD

USPS-supplied Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box: 12" x 12" x 5 1/2". Maximum weight 20 pounds. [Priority Mail] = $56.50 USD

==========
I'll put this in the main page's first post soon enough :)

[RoganSarine]

Wow, wow... With rates like that you'd think it'd include custom duties.

[goomba478]

Well Australia is a bit ahead of Canada in the customs department. They can accept up to $300 USD worth of items duty free in most cases :) So they kind of do actually.

[goomba478]

** GFC UPDATE **

I am going to launch the NEW Beta version of the Multi-Item Direct Request page tonight within the next hour. The first person to request an item and complete it (pay for it after receiving the invoice) through the new DR page will receive $2.00 bonus Canuck Bucks!

Good luck ^_^

[Azumangaman]

Hmm, since I only have one class tomorrow, I'll be refreshing the page a lot! 9 more minutes till "within the hour" no longer applies :)

[goomba478]

** GFC UPDATE **

Okay guys it's live ^_^ The old Direct Request Page has been replaced with the new BETA Multiple Items DR form. It now allows unlimited items. To qualify for the 2 free Canuck Bucks you will have to order more than one item to be fair :) Good luck!

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/direct-request.php

Oh and the reason this took almost an hour...I just redid the signup / register for GFC page from scratch so now it will be a lot prettier now! Enjoy ^_^ I poured my heart and soul into this update. Hope it works as intended!!

[Azumangaman]

I love it! I'm gonna win, already sent one off....
Its really great, I love how you can just keep adding and adding items (or so it seems anyway).

[goomba478]

We have a (potential) winner ^_^ Azumangaman filled out the first DR Multiple Item (DRMI) Form submission. I have sent the invoice. Once you complete your payment you will win $2.00 in additional free Canuck Bucks :)

I'm really curious what you guys think of the new form. Let me know if you experience any problems. I will be improving it and adding all sorts of new additions to it soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a LOT of packing to do still.

[goomba478]

Azumangaman, yes you can add infinite (well up to like 10,000 items or so) on a single form :) I thought that doing it this way would be a lot easier than having multiple pages or a set number of fields. Just think of the possibilities!

You probably don't notice, but the checkout page is much more organized now as well. I took out all the glitchy text issues of the old page, I organized it into sections for each item (with their own item name/website/additional info) and the Email you receive for your confirmation SHOULD have all the same info as well :)

The next updates will build upon this update. Now that I have a solid foundation on this all and a better understanding of what PHP can and can't do I will be doing a few things:

1) Allowing you to pre-pay right after putting in the request
2) Have the order go into a Database to log all the orders
3) Have a real-time GYROS update for all orders (this is coming probably in mid-January as it's a really big update).

and maybe a few other tricks up my sleeve too :)

[Azumangaman]

All of that sounds great!

I'm really sorry about you losing your job by the way :(

If things go right for me, I'll be going to University in the US/UK, so I need to order lots now In case I'm too broke for the next 10 years of my life :)

P.S., When can we expect to see some reward stuff? Any chance for BluRays/DVDs?

[goomba478]

Azumangaman, don't worry. My main job at the casino is still secure (for now) so the University job is more of an emotional blow than a financial one. I was only able to work 38 hours bi-weekly which means after taxes and such I made roughly $1000 a month at that job. Not a small chunk of change, but I can make that I'm sure if I work really hard at my home business(es). Btw, I ordered your items :) Thanks again!

The Reward stuff is looking like it will be late December / Early January. Only because I want to do it right and don't want it be crashing and buggy at launch. I may do some sort of soft BETA launch for you regulars :) We'll see. First I have to focus on getting the Black Friday/Cyber Monday orders all done.

[Setite]

Hey goomba, I've received my books-games-accessories, thank you very much, everything is in perfect condition.
I guess I'm ready for the holidays :-)

[dv8mad]

Well, now that you will have all that free time, I too must get free time to setup hundreds of bogus accounts and put the 10,000 item limit to the test several (hundred) times. ;)

[adrianchan56]

Azumangaman, yes you can add infinite (well up to like 10,000 items or so) on a single form :) I thought that doing it this way would be a lot easier than having multiple pages or a set number of fields. Just think of the possibilities!

You probably don't notice, but the checkout page is much more organized now as well. I took out all the glitchy text issues of the old page, I organized it into sections for each item (with their own item name/website/additional info) and the Email you receive for your confirmation SHOULD have all the same info as well :)

The next updates will build upon this update. Now that I have a solid foundation on this all and a better understanding of what PHP can and can't do I will be doing a few things:

1) Allowing you to pre-pay right after putting in the request
2) Have the order go into a Database to log all the orders
3) Have a real-time GYROS update for all orders (this is coming probably in mid-January as it's a really big update).

and maybe a few other tricks up my sleeve too :)

I'm impressed that you did the coding yourself. The only programming I could do is simple 3D Arrays and maybe some recursive functions.

[PuppetYuber]

goomba how much is my shipping cost look like so far with all the amazon orders

[goomba478]

Setite, that's fantastic news! Looks like you have lots of reading and game-playing to do my friend :) Glad to keep you busy during the (what I take it is a) cold Russian winter season. Stay warm and happy this season!

dv8mad, let's see you try ^_^ I'm going to tag all the accounts created from Japan as potential spam now hehe. Just kidding =) The limit of 10,000 items is one I created lol so I can go higher if you hit the roof =P Like to see you try!

adrianchan56, my programming/coding skills are very limited but they're growing day by day. I'm not very good at complicated coding but I'm good at following tutorials and good at playing around with things until they work :) Eventually I'll get everything the way I want it be and then I can go back and re-code things. Been doing this a lot lately with older pages ^_^ Thanks!

PuppetYuber, I'll get back to you on that. I'm staying home and packing all day today! Keep an eye on your Email Inbox.

[goomba478]

Logitech Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise-Isolating Earphones - Only $116.00 SHIPPED (Regular $400+ USD)!!
http://www.logitech.com/repository/1974/png/15845.1.0.png
VERY Limited Offer: 75% off Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise-Isolating Earphones (Logitech). Regular price $400.00 USD. Sale Price $116.00 SHIPPED TO CANADA (All Shipping + Service Fees Included).

Earphone Details Straight from Logitech: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/earphones/devices/5620&cl=us,en

** Request on our new DRMI page: http://www.gamesforcanada.com/direct-request.php

I am not sure how long they will be on sale or available. These same headphones sold out this morning on Amazon FAST. They're incredible headhones. Enjoy!

[TigerToa]

Hey Goomba ... looks like my order from amazon got split into 2 ... the movies and the one CD. Looks like the both hit your mail yesterday afternoon. Looking forward to the invoice ;)

BTW, best of luck with your endeavour, really appreciate it.

[telepathy]

That's pretty slick. Too bad I don't hae $100+ to spend on headphones (unless they were made out of invincible material).

BTW, love what you did to the DR page. It's so much more versatile; it help a lot when ordering from multiple webpages.

[TigerToa]

Logitech Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise-Isolating Earphones - Only $116.00 SHIPPED (Regular $400+ USD)!!

Don't temp me ... I listen to a lot of music during work and working out, but I am not sure if I am ready to spoil all my other earphones by buying these ;)

[goomba478]

TigerToa, yup I'm working on it ^_^ Staying home all day today and tomorrow packing/invoicing. Here's my schedule for the next week:

Friday (Today): Staying home all day invoicing/packing
Saturday 12/05/2009 - Shipping out packages from today and packing/invoicing the rest of the night
Sunday 12/06/2009 - Going to New York City and staying overnight
Monday 12/07/2009 - Staying in NYC and attending Princess and the Frog event in the city
Tuesday 12/08/2009 - Staying overnight in NYC (last night)
Wednesday 12/09/2009 - Returning to Connecticut (CT) and continuing to pack/invoice any new items coming in

I'll keep you posted ^_^ Working around the clock to catch up :)
=====================

Telepathy, yeah I can't afford them now either but they look awesome! Indestructible headphones would be nice =P

[telepathy]

I hate how cheap the wires on headphones tend to be. I already broke 2 due to that account :(. I'm also not an audiophile so I think something like that would be wasted on me.

[heimdal]

Just sent money for the headphones goomba! Glad you decided to post the deal here! I was like, wake up goomba! WAKE UP ! Lol

[goomba478]

Thanks heimdal! I got your payment and put in your order ^_^ Yeah last night I was up till 3 AM or so working hard. I am glad it worked out. I felt really bad telling you they were out of stock :) A little research goes a long way though! Cya soon my friend.

[Azumangaman]

Goomba, is it possible you could cancel the order I last night (CD + How I Met Your Mother) and order those headphones for me?

If not I'll have to pass on the headphones, but damn my Shure's just died and I need a replacements, and this is a crazy deal...

[TigerToa]

Goomba ... was not trying to pressure you, understand you are swamped. Just letting you know that they split the order :)

[Azumangaman]

You know what, don't worry about it.
I'll keep my CD and Season.

[goomba478]

Wow these headphones are blowing up my inbox :) I just got orders from Poland, Hong Kong and like 10 from Canada. Woo hoo. Azumangaman unfortunately I already ordered your items and Amazon shipped them already =P Glad you're going to keep em ^_^

[Azumangaman]

Haha, awesome to hear they've shipped already!
P.S. If I still was working, I'd have bought a pair!

[goomba478]

Headphones are out of stock again guys. Sorry. If you ordered them and paid in time I will have ordered them. Otherwise they are sold out now :( Bummer.

[telepathy]

Hey goomba, see any good deals on 16gb memory stick pro duos?

[goomba478]

Cheapest I know of:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Memory-Stick-Flash-MSMT16G/dp/B0013AX2HO

[telepathy]

Do you think this one seems legitimate?
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Electronics-Memory-Stick-Sold/dp/B002XJ8SVY/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1259954662&sr=8-14

[PuppetYuber]

on a side note goomba, when you email me my total shipping cost from amazon and gamefly could you also include the list of items? I am still not sure which deals you missed out aside from the dead space extraction.

[goomba478]

telepathy, a big fat NO. If it's not an authorized retailer stay far, far away (unless you like cheap knock-offs). You get what you pay for :)

PuppetYuber, you got it buddy. I'll update you all ASAP. Still working like a hamster on a treadmill =)

[RoganSarine]

I don't know if Transcend or other companies make them anymore... But there used to be a SD Card to Pro Duo adapter for like a fraction of the price of the Pro Duos.

[telepathy]

Yeah, i know about the micro sd adapters, but I want official Pro Duos though. It's just my personal preference.

[goomba478]

Yeah that's true. RoganSarine is right. I know they used to sell them for just a few dollars :) If you want to try that then God knows you can get SD cards for a lot cheaper than standard Pro Duo prices. Something to consider for sure!

[RoganSarine]

Eh, the speeds are exactly the same, so it's up to you... Being a CAG, I'd always go for the considerably cheaper option :P

Unless it's Goomba where the cheap options are unlimited, so I have to watch my spending.

[goomba478]

Sometimes it is nice to have the officially matching cards I understand. I have all sorts of adapters and they do break from time to time or screw up at times. As a CAG I use both solutions, but I understand not wanting to use adapters too if the price isn't too much more.

Thanks for the help though Rogan :) Always appreciate suggestions!

[RoganSarine]

Goomba, you never did end up telling me, did you end up getting the tablet PC you linked to, or some other one?

[goomba478]

Rogan, this is what I got: HP TC4200 Tablet Laptop & Stylus 12.1" 1.86Ghz 1Gb.40Gb


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280425929902&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

For the price it's a STEAL! I was drawing on it last night and having a blast. Thanks so much for the recommendation. I used to be obsessed with owning a tablet pc but paying $2000 for one wasn't really realistic. For $200 though? Heck yes :)

[spike32]

Hi Goomba,

I have sent you the extra $9.

[goomba478]

Thanks Spike32! I am going to go pack your item, put it in my SUV and drive down to get myself some Pizza :) I just got some great Papa Ginos rewards so the pizza is going to help me regain some energy from all this packing. Thanks again guys! The busier the better!

[telepathy]

Rogan, this is what I got: HP TC4200 Tablet Laptop & Stylus 12.1" 1.86Ghz 1Gb.40Gb


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280425929902&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

For the price it's a STEAL! I was drawing on it last night and having a blast. Thanks so much for the recommendation. I used to be obsessed with owning a tablet pc but paying $2000 for one wasn't really realistic. For $200 though? Heck yes :)

Holy shit, you got a tablet for $200. That really is a steal :). They're pretty cool, but the cost makes them really for the hardcore (if you can afford it), but that was a really good deal.

[heimdal]

Hey sorry for the bother goomba, but did you get a confirmation email from logitech? I read that some orders were cancelled due to the overwhelming response to the sale.

Apparently amazon restocked at around 3 pm, too bad I didn't get to check. I want to have my bases covered.

You mentioned that you inbox got decimated by DES for them... Am I the first in the queue for them?

[goomba478]

Got pizza. Ate pizza. Computer router died. Got new router. Spent half hour setting up new router. Back online :)

[goomba478]

heimdal, I did in fact get a confirmation from Logitech saying the order was processed. My credit card was charged as well so we should be good to go. I'll let you know if the status changes, but for now we're golden =)

[Tetsugen]

Goomba just sent you an e-mail. You should also update your thread title !

[goomba478]

Email sent Tetsugen and Thread Title/Intro fixed. Thanks for reminding me. Man this week was a roller coaster. I'm just trying to get out as many packages as possible for tomorrow since I'll be out of town till Wednesday. Thanks for your patience guys!

[goomba478]

Guys, I just want to let you know that soon I will no longer be sending invoices with "Shipping Not Yet Calculated". The reason is that it's better for me to over or under-estimate shipping than to have no shipping money whatsoever. If I charge you for 3 pounds and it's only 2 pounds, I can just refund you the difference. Whereas the no shipping up front thing means I end up invoicing you 2-3 times which slows down the process and gets things into a bottleneck. Just so you know.

The future update where you can pre-pay the item while requesting it will allow you to estimate shipping and will invoice you accordingly :) Thanks guys.

[Setite]

Hey my favourite American, have you got my items? Will you be able to ship them before you go to NY? :-)

BTW, I've several times sent you the money for the items and then, after I've calculated shipping costs, the money for the shipping, I hope it does not bother you?

P.S. Sorry for broken English, I hope you understood me.

[goomba478]

Setite, yes I'm packing them as we speak. In fact, just to make it in time I got up an hour or two earlier today to make sure I'd get there in time. You should receive Email confirmation in the next hour and then I'll drop them off before the post office closes ^_^

I never mind when you calculate shipping/service fees and do all the dirty work for me. You and a few other CAGs have the system down to a science as I say :) so it's not a problem at all. If anything is off I'll let you know. Your English is fine =P I totally understood what you were saying!

Back to packing. Keep an eye on your inbox ^_^

[goomba478]

Setite, can you join me in the GFC chat room? I just had a few questions for you as I pack this for you =) Thanks! Anyone else that wants to come in is free to join of course.

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/chat.html

[goomba478]

Setite, I'll be hanging out in the GFC chat room. Hope to see you there. It's easier to chat there in real time than it is to go back and forth with Emails. Thanks!

[jaszypoo]

How's my digital controller coming along, goombster? :) I still haven't received an invoice with regards to shipping. I'm assuming you haven't got to my package yet? I'll be idling in chat if you need me. Currently studying har har.

Also, it seems as if I have not left you feedback for the items I've ordered a year ago. Now why is that? *scratches head* Oopsie! Doing that now!

[goomba478]

jaszypoo, your controller just came in with the new shipment. I can get it packed up and ready to ship out but I won't be back until Tuesday night so it won't go out until Wednesday morning. Sorry :) I'd bring it to NYC but I'm not going to have much in terms of luggage (the commuter train I take to the city doesn't allow large suitcases). I'll get it out to you soon though. Thanks again and thanks for the feedback as well!

[NoName#1]

Hey Goomba I'm just wondering if my amazon order came in. I know you're swamped with all of our black friday stuff but my Live subscription runs out in 5 days so I was hoping to get an invoice soon so I could get the code (again no rush for the Blu-rays) thanks.

[goomba478]

Hey guys :) I am in a speeding car on the way to Hartford as we speak (wifey's driving...you don't think I'd use my laptop while driving did ya? Even I'm not THAT crazy haha). Going to go and get some last minute games for you guys, eat some Vietnamese food and then get some sleep before my 3-Day getaway to NYC. Just wanted to say and let you know that there's a great deal going on:

New Super Mario Bros (Wii) for $42 USD shipped to Canada (eBay deal). This is a limited deal so let me know if you want one. I'll be happy to pick you up a copy or two :) Keep in mind the copies are going fast. Price is only good today until copies run out on eBay (sold through Buy.com's account). Thanks guys!

NoName #1 I do have your Xbox Live card in fact. I forgot to bring it with me in the car but I'm going home before we leave for New York, so I'll send it tonight :) Thanks! No worries ^_^ Goomba's going to save your Xbox Live!

[PuppetYuber]

another direct request sent goomba :D

[adrianchan56]

reading/using a pc in the car makes me dizzy :|

[goomba478]

** GFC ANNOUNCEMENT **

Okay guys, here it goes. I will be in NYC: 12/06/09 - 12/08/09 [Sunday - Tuesday]. During this time I will be using the Internet VERY sporadically, so it is quite unlikely I will be able to respond quickly to your Emails/DR's/Item updates, etc.

I will be doing whatever I can (I'm trying to install my Quickbooks software onto my new tablet pc, but I'm not sure I can copy all the files in my allotted time and even if I can, I'm not sure it will be compatible with my system. Keeping this in mind, I will try my best to send out DR's even if I have to do them via Email only. I'll figure out something.

I'm also going to use some of my down time in the hotel to work on some new coding for the new GFC pages. Granted, I don't want to spend my whole three day vacation to the Big Apple working on work, but I'm sure I can squeeze in some and get away with it (especially on the train into the city and such).

Wish me luck. Thanks again for all your support all year and especially during this crazy Black Friday/Cyber Monday week. I know a lot of you have items that haven't been shipped yet and for that I really do apologize. I've been working around the clock but without a helper it's tough to really make these things go any faster. This will not always be the case. Once my new system is finished then I will automate all the time-consuming things (invoicing mainly) and will have access to a LOT more resources. In addition, as many of you know, I will not be working at my University job come April, which means a lot more time to devote to this as well.

I will make it work :) Thanks again and keep in touch. Just don't be offended if it takes me a little while to get back to you. Thanks guys! NYC here I come!

[RoganSarine]

You should probably make the GFC title (On vacation) or something for the 3 days to avoid confusion :P Just a suggestion.

[goomba478]

Thanks for the suggestion Rogan. I have gone ahead and done just that :) I will put a notice on the DR page too once I settle into my hotel and get internet working there. THANKS GUYS! Cya soon ^_^

[Domerchuchu]

Have Fun in NYC Goomba :)

[goomba478]

Thanks Domerchuchu. It's been a while since I had a legitimate get-away :) Looking forward to it. Just putting the final packing touches in now. Thanks again and cya guys soon enough!

[dancrane212]

Hope you have a great time in NYC, we stopped for a moment to take a look at the city on our way to Florida during the summer. Looks like a great way to spend a vacation.

Also just wondering how the Blurays are coming? (Children of men & Wallace and gromit)

[goomba478]

Hey guys. Shopping on Soho right now at Japan's awesome Uni-Qlo clothing store. In a line of about 50 people to get sale fleece shirts lol. Having a great time and staying warm so far.

Dancrane212 got your blu's. Will ship later this week. Thanks!

[goomba478]

Just saying hi again guys. I'm installing Microsoft Office right now as well as some of my business software. It's going to take a while on this older tablet but I'm doing my best :) Cya on the flipside!

[lowlowgoodprice]

you the man goomba! have fun!

[Tetsugen]

Hey guys. Shopping on Soho right now at Japan's awesome Uni-Qlo clothing store. In a line of about 50 people to get sale fleece shirts lol. Having a great time and staying warm so far.

Dancrane212 got your blu's. Will ship later this week. Thanks!

God damn it ! Goomba please ask them how their sizing chart works, I can't find it on their stupid website !

[flames23]

Hey Goomba, I saw that my package was delivered to the UPS store on 12/2. Let me know when you get it sorted out (upon your return from NYC) so we can figure out how many packages to break it into, and also to send me an invoice for charges.

Thanks!

** As a reminder, it's the 10 lb package with $300 worth of mma apparel for my brother. hehe **

[gecko]

Hey goomba.. can you give me a status on the chipper and chisel bit? PS: I sent you an email as well

[goomba478]

Guys I wil return to CT tomorrow morning. I am having problems with my tablet (won't boot right...darn Windows Vista)! I will be able to check email tomorrow. Sorry guys.

[goomba478]

Tetsugen I got some size charts for you. Will upload tomorrow. Will go to UPS store on Wednesday. Cya guys soon!

[goomba478]

Gecko, got chipper and chisel. Will ship asap.

[telepathy]

Hey goomba, how's ur vacation been?

[Tetsugen]

Probably not a very good one considering he was still trying to fill in our orders ! lol

[goomba478]

Hey everyone! I'm happy to say that I'm back after having a really fantastic 3-day getaway. It turned out to be everything I hoped (saw the "Princess and the Frog Movie", met one of the animating supervisors who worked on the film (Anthony DeRosa), got to take a tour of the city via bus, went to the Observatory of the Empire State Building, took a mini-cruise tour on the Hudson River and saw the Statue of Liberty and many other things, did a good fair of shopping at my favorite Japanese clothing store (Uniqlo), ate lots of delicious food (Sichuan Chinese Food, Vietnamese, Japanese and others), got to see the giant Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center and had two really cool hotel rooms. Like I said, a great (whirwind) little trip!

That's not to say EVERYTHING went perfectly. My tablet notebook was acting up, our hotels charged for Internet so I didn't use it much and it was bittery cold at times (that's what scarves/hats and jackets are for right? Telling Canadians it's cold in New York is kind of silly really considering how cold it gets in some Canadian cities), but overall we had a great time. We appreciate your patience with us while we were out of town.

I'm back on duty tonight working for an hour doing some invoicing and such. I am going to the UPS store to get more of your shipments tomorrow (still have to make a seperate form that lets you notify me that you are ordering via UPS yourself and not necessarily a DR) and then working my University job in the morning. I'll be home around 5PM EST and will resume shipping and so forth. It'll be crazy as I still have several packages to go through (nearly 50 orders now, I'm catching up but there are many more coming in as we speak). I just got home and I have 300 Emails to sort through *Head Spins*

So again, I'm working on it guys :) bear with me a little longer and we'll get through this crazy holiday season together! Thanks ^_^ It's good to be back!

[DarthSilverice]

Glad to hear most things went well for you on that getaway! Take it easy on the direct requests. =)

[goomba478]

Yeah, wish I could :) Unfortunately there are still a TON of orders to process. I am actually considering to shut down the DR service for a week or so to catch up. I'd hate to do that (I could of course still manually do orders if really necessary or requested) but it may be the only way to catch up completely. We'll see though, I'm leaving it on the table as a last option. Wish me luck!

[PuppetYuber]

lol goomba, i just realize Amazon ships DVD directly to Canada 2 days ago.

Unfortunately I couldnt update 2 of my Golden Box orders since Amazon ships too fast lol.

Once you have received all my items from Amazon and Gamefly send me an invoice for shipping charge. Also I can pay via paypal now.

[goomba478]

Yes, they do ship to Canada but sometimes for certain items it still doesn't make sense how much they charge for shipping. Just keep that in mind, especially if they try to charge per item rather than per order. I'm just waiting on one more of your Gamefly items then I'll update you on the shipping. Thanks!

[PuppetYuber]

It seems pretty standard actually, 7-10 dollars per dvd set (I ordered Lost 1-5 and Arrested Development 1-3, death note box set 1+2) + 3-4 dollars import tax deposit.

also, there should be 2 sets of dvd coming your way, Rome Bluray + How I met your mother 1-4, unless you already got them. (I realized they ship to Canada after i ordered Rome BluRay lol!)

[Setite]

Goomb, have you received my payment?

[goomba478]

Yes thank you Setite :) We got a bunch of snow today so I'm going to stay home and try to catch up on remaining orders. As mentioned before, if I feel I can't finish the current orders by this week I will temporarily shut down the main DR page with an alternative one explaining the situation (and pointing buyers towards the UPS option). For those who have already sent items to me via UPS keep in mind I received about half of them already and will be going back to pick up the rest Monday. I am working as fast as possible :) Thanks!

[jaszypoo]

Welcome back goomba! Glad to see you've enjoyed your NY trip. Went backpacking last summer (hostel-type of thing) and it was fun! Visited most of the tourist spots and landmarks in a weekend! I miss NY. Might go back this summer, providing I have funds :D Such a great city.


On a side note...Don't work too hard now with regards to the remainder of our orders. 8-)

[heimdal]

Hey Goomba, hope you had a good trip.

Any updates about the headphone order? (Yes, I'm really excited - so much so that I've been ripping HQ mp3s from my CDs)

[tkszeto]

Hi goomba, glad you are back :-)

My order was delivered to the UPS store just before you left on your trip so I'm hoping you were able to pick it up before you left, or get it tomorrow/Monday.

Wecome back!

[jeffx]

should I provide you with feedback for every transaction we complete? actually I haven't done that since the first time.

[goomba478]

jaszypoo, thanks a bunch :) I miss New York already as well. Hoping to go back sometime when it's slightly warmer (and not snowing). Definitely good times though!

heimdal, haven't got them yet but I'll let you know if I hear anything :) I'm going to go to the UPS store on Monday and will let you know once they come in. Thanks!

tkszeto, unfortunately due to the snowstorm we got today I didn't go to my University job so I won't be able to get it until Monday. The good news is that by then I should be quite caught up to all the current orders and we can get this GFC train rolling again :) Black Friday/Cyber Monday sort of knocked us out cold, but we're recovering ^_^

jeffx, it's not really necessary as it doesn't increase my actual score, but it's nice in the fact that it increases the number of positive transactions. Much appreciated :) Thanks!

[game_fanatic]

DR sent goomba!

[goomba478]

** VERY IMPORTANT GFC UPDATE **

Due to the overwhelming amount of orders this week and last, and the craziness in getting them all out to you guys, I'm going to temporarily suspend the Direct Request page. You may still order via UPS method if you like (just be sure to let me know what you order) and I will resume in approximately one week the normal DR service. I just don't want to keep tagging on new orders in my list and not get out the older ones. I'll get caught up and then resume as normal. Sorry guys, I didn't want to do this but it's the only way I'm going to get everything up to date. Hang in there :) Thanks for understanding!

[goomba478]

Man these packages just come in by the bucket load. I got another 20 packages or so today and as always, I'm processing them in the order that I received the orders. I'll keep shipping until they're all out of here :) By then my house will look a lot emptier, I'll be motivated to revamp the DR page once again and then new orders will flood in once again hehe.

I'm working on it guys :) catching up on most of the bigger orders. Still quite a few left though =P

[Fuzzy]

It's great to hear how busy you are and I wonder what the mailman thinks of all of this. :lol:

[adrianchan56]

when you have time you should take a pic of your mountain of items lol.

[Corizzle]

Got the first package of 24 + Family Guy, well packaged :). The Simpsons should be here by the end of the week.

[goomba478]

Back from work again today, packing until I go to sleep again. DR page is still shut down for another 4 days or so while we catch up on the last of this madness run ^_^

Keep in mind if you really, really, really want to put in a DR, I can still do it for you. I just have to shut the page down so I don't scare away new customers who might think that our service is un-organized (it's not, but these few weeks were insanely busy).

adrianchan56, I actually did take a ton of pictures of the crazy mountains of stuff. I'm too embarassed to post them online though as it looks like I'm a crazy hoarder with all these cardboard boxes, shipping supplies and random orders from people. Maybe I'll post them sometime :) maybe.

[goomba478]

Fuzzy, as for the mailmen. I'm sure they're not too happy with me. The UPS guy on the other hand is my new best friend as I make sure to tip him $10 every now and again since he does special favors for me in terms of package delivery ^_^ Gotta keep the right people happy and on my side =P

[TripleQ]

Post the pics here at least! We'd understand.

[goomba478]

Alright :) if I can make it through the week without collapsing then I will show you the fruits of my labor (before and after pics). Fair enough :) In the meantime though, pack, pack, pack!

[AznChaos]

Hey Goomba, Have you received my payment for the klipsch headphones?

[goomba478]

Yes thanks AznChaos, I went ahead and ordered them yesterday. Should be here on Monday or Tuesday. *Pulling Hair Out* ^_^ Back to packing =p

[flames23]

LOL, I feel for ya Goomba. It's a lot of work what you're doing, but it's kind of your hobby too ;) So you LOVE it. Hehe.

How do the MMA shirts look? You wearing one right now? JK. My bro's just wondering the chances of getting some of them (not all, really just the one for his friend's xmas gift) before the 25th.

Thanks man.

[goomba478]

Actually flames23, it's not so much the GFC things that have me stressed out. It definitely is a hobby and somewhat of a business even :) It's more the getting-sent-home-from work every day after 4 hours, getting laid off my other job and having my bank screw up my car payment this month that has me pulling my hair out. Shipping packages around the world? I can deal with that :) I rather enjoy it.

Oh and the MMA shirts look AWESOME! How did you know I was wearing them? Shoot, you caught me! But in all seriousness I hope to have them shipped out tomorrow and since they are Priority Mail there is a good chance you'll get them before Christmas. I will invoice you the shipping later and if you pay before 10AM tomorrow I will get them out right away to you. Thanks again everyone.

For the record: You guys ROCK ^_^ I know I'll make it through this stressful month and maybe, just maybe, be able to fully enjoy a peaceful Christmas as well :) I'm catching up quickly on the big orders and focusing now on the smaller ones. Almost there!

[DarthSilverice]

my snowboarding stuff is here!!! weeeeeeee, I'll pick it up at post office tonight.

Thanks a lot goomba and I am really starting to like USPS first class Priority...if only it didn't cost so much....

[goomba478]

That's great DarthSilverice! For the record it's just "Priority Mail" that's the faster option. First Class is what we call our regular standard mail (I know it's confusing...First Class sounds fancy, but it's indeed the normal mail I use for most items). Priority is faster and Express is even faster. Then at the top is GXG (Global Express which is overnight). As you can imagine that costs a lot :) Only shipped that way once so far with GFC lol.

[DarthSilverice]

Oh right yeah first time I heard "first class" I was like wow that's going to be expensive. Turns out to be the least expensive option :P

Hmm maybe someday I will use priority service again, when I order an actual snowboard from you:P. On second thought, thats not possible due to its size is it?

[goomba478]

Yeah we Americans like to make things sound more special than they really are. Some restaurant now don't serve small or medium drinks. They call the small Large so you feel like you're getting a better deal, then the next size up is Extra Large, etc. Kind of nutty if you ask me, but then again I guess it's a new tradition of ours =p (new tradition must be an oxymoron of some sort, though I've never heard it mentioned before).

[goomba478]

DarthSilverice, I don't see why you couldn't. I've mailed a snowboard to Argentina recently through the GFC service and it got there without any problems =) The boxes tend to be very long but narrow and don't exceed the maximum dimensions. I'd be happy to ship you one. As for Priority Mail, it's not that much more expensive if you order enough items to justify it. Shipping say 10 items in one box actually comes out to be cheaper with Priority in many cases, not to mention faster :)

[flames23]

Actually flames23, it's not so much the GFC things that have me stressed out. It definitely is a hobby and somewhat of a business even :) It's more the getting-sent-home-from work every day after 4 hours, getting laid off my other job and having my bank screw up my car payment this month that has me pulling my hair out. Shipping packages around the world? I can deal with that :) I rather enjoy it.

Oh and the MMA shirts look AWESOME! How did you know I was wearing them? Shoot, you caught me! But in all seriousness I hope to have them shipped out tomorrow and since they are Priority Mail there is a good chance you'll get them before Christmas. I will invoice you the shipping later and if you pay before 10AM tomorrow I will get them out right away to you.


Yeah, I was being a bit facetious. I understand the pressure of being laid off (from my only job) I've been in that boat since July.

As far as the shipping goes, no worries. Actually, we discussed having you ship them in separate packages so as to avoid excessive duty which would thereby negate any and all savings accrued.

Let me know if this is still possible. I have no problem sending you extra fees on top of the $2 first + $1 each additional for all the extra packaging.

Thanks.

[goomba478]

Well I have no problem shipping them in separate packages, not a problem. Doing this though I'd be shipping with First Class mail as it'd cost you way too much to do separate packages with Priority. I'm doing two smaller packages and I'll do yours next. Will you be online a little longer? I may have you go to my GFC chat room :)

[goomba478]

flames23, can you meet me in the GFC Chat room? Any other CAGs / Canadians are welcome to join :)

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/chat.html

[goomba478]

I'm in the chat room now while packing. Just want to talk in real time about your items so we can get them mailed out. Yours are one of the only heavy items left :) Gotta make room so I can resume my business-as-usual ^_^

[goomba478]

Okay nobody joined in the chat room =P I'll have to go another time then. Thanks anyhow. I'm going back to packing ^_^ I realize it's late.

[ragnar14]

DarthSilverice, I don't see why you couldn't. I've mailed a snowboard to Argentina recently through the GFC service and it got there without any problems =) The boxes tend to be very long but narrow and don't exceed the maximum dimensions. I'd be happy to ship you one. As for Priority Mail, it's not that much more expensive if you order enough items to justify it. Shipping say 10 items in one box actually comes out to be cheaper with Priority in many cases, not to mention faster :)

A snowboard would actually be over the max size for Canada Post (it's like 1 meter max for any side). But while they won't take stuff like that at post offices here, you can ship it USPS up to here :lol: My brother had to ship a 5 foot tube once, and just drove down to the US to ship it back up here :roll:

[goomba478]

Oh really? I didn't know that ragnar14...good to know! It's funny how shipping to Canada from the US is sometimes a cheaper option than shipping Canada to Canada and how you can get away with shipping larger/bigger/heavier items. Totally weird planet we live in folks :)

I'm off to work tonight. Nearly packed all the big multiple items orders (only like 3 or 4 left to go) and then I can ship out all the little individual games. They're the easy ones though thank God. My office is starting to have breathing/walking room again!

[jaszypoo]

Just a heads up goomba, change the thread title :)

Also, when you have time...before and after pics!

[goomba478]

I will change thread title tonight when I get home. After pics will come next week after all have finished shipping ;)

[goomba478]

Okay I fixed the thread title. I'm packing some more items now, listing some new games/items on the GFC store and will continue to do so until they're all gone. Thanks guys!

[heimdal]

Hey Goomba,

What's the cheapest price you've seen Demon's Souls and Cross Edge go for? I'm in the market for these two as long as I get them for a bargain.

[goomba478]

I just got a relatively cheap copy of Demon's Souls today ($33.50 after tax) which is the cheapest I have yet to buy a copy of the game. It's the standard edition with just the game/case/manual all near mint. As for Cross Edge, cheapest I've seen new is $30. May be cheaper used elsewhere though.

[goomba478]

I am also "trimming the fat" on the GFC store. I have removed 90% of the games as the prices are no longer relevant and many are no longer in stock. In the coming days I will add actual in-stock games and update the prices.

If you are interested, I have two New (not sealed) copies of Valkyria Chronicles for $23 plus shipping on the GFC site. Go get 'em. I won't be getting any more for a while!

http://gamesforcanada.com/testing-hybrid-database.php?id=86

[heimdal]

Are you selling any more copies of Demon's Souls? $33.50 is a good price actually.

[goomba478]

It's a used copy but it is complete and in excellent shape. If you like I will put it in the GFC store :) First Come First Serve. I'll go list it now.

[goomba478]

http://www.goozex.com/pics/images/68/3209668.jpg (http://gamesforcanada.com/testing-hybrid-database.php?id=147)

Demon's Souls (PS3) - Used/Complete/Excellent Condition:

$36.99 + Shipping/Handling. Please note that the price here includes 6% Sales Tax and Paypal fees. Only one copy available, so whoever gets it first can have it :)

Link is here: http://gamesforcanada.com/testing-hybrid-database.php?id=147 (http://www.gamesforcanada.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=147)

Edit: Demon's Souls has officially sold out. I won't be getting more at this price but you can check the link above for alternative purchase places that offer good deals nonetheless. Thanks!

[goomba478]

You guys don't know it yet, but now you do: The GFC site is one major step closer to having the active rewards system go live :) Hoping to have it ready by Christmas ;)

[goomba478]

** GFC UPDATE **

I have removed 99% of the listings of games that were previously on the GFC website. Many of them were outdated, prices inflated and there was a glitch that continued to show out-of-stock items as in stock. I have taken care of that glitch, removed almost all items and am starting anew. This will be partly due to the new rewards system which will be coming late December in Beta format and live in January. GFC is cleaning up and getting on track again!

[No One]

I just have to thank you for changing the thread title because reading "You have a friend in Goomba" always made me read it like a modified version of You've Got a Friend in Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB2gPZRsz0Q) and it was seriously driving me on the brink of insanity hearing that in my head every time I checked the forum.

[goomba478]

haha believe it or not, you're not the first person to tell me that :) I thought it was time to update the thread title finally. After nearly two years, change is good!

That being said, GFC is going to be a whole new monster in 2010. I learned from a lot of my mistakes and shortcomings this year and I'm really going to give it my all next year. With me losing my University job, I'm going to try and convert this from hobby to actual business venture so I'm going to go gung-ho from the get-go. Wish me luck, I'm going to need a lot of it :) Thanks for your support guys. I'm off to bed now ^_^

[goomba478]

** GFC EBAY ITEMS ENDING TODAY **

Hey guys, here's a great chance to get some great games at ridiculously low prices. A lot of these games are my own personal copies (most of which are sealed) and I honestly don't want to sell them but I have little choice as I really need money and haven't had a ton of hours at my casino job the last 2 weeks or so. So please if you see something you like, check them out :)

Goomba's Game Gallery (eBay Store) (http://stores.ebay.com/Goombas-Game-Gallery?refid=store)

List of Games Being Sold:

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Limited Edition [PS3] = Brand NEW! [Last Copy in Stock]
(Current Price as of this listing: $20.01)

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Limited Edition [Xbox 360] = Brand NEW! [Last Copy in Stock]
(Current Price as of this listing: $15.50)

Okami [Wii] = Brand NEW! [Last Copy in Stock]
(Current Price as of this listing: $9.99)

Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Single Disc Edition [Blu-Ray] = Brand NEW!
(Current Price as of this listing: $23.05)

Goomba's Game Gallery (eBay Store) (http://stores.ebay.com/Goombas-Game-Gallery?refid=store)

[goomba478]

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/store/images/medium/borderlands-xbox-360_MED.jpg (http://gamesforcanada.com/testing-hybrid-database.php?id=148)

Borderlands (Xbox 360) - Complete/Near Mint Condition : $36.99 + Shipping (GFC)

http://gamesforcanada.com/testing-hybrid-database.php?id=148

Edit: Borderlands is officially sold. You can still check the link above for alternative places to buy it at good prices though. Thanks!

[goomba478]

eBay items are ending in 1 1/2 hours. Get a really cheap brand NEW copy of either system's Blaz Blue Limited Edition. They aren't going to make these again and it kills me to sell my personal copies, but like I said I need the money =P

[TripleQ]

Your ebay links seem to be broken (probably due to CAG's messing around with affiliate links?)

[goomba478]

Could be. Here's my link:

http:// stores.ebay.com / Goombas-Game-Gallery?refid=store

That should work if you take out the spaces =P

[goomba478]

eBay items end in only 4 minutes. Prices are WAY lower than I would have liked or expected =\ Go bid if you want to. Last chance! I will likely never have these Blaz Blue Items again (sadly).

[neksus]

I'm not gonna lie, the Blazblue items weren't even HALF of all the other auctions for those...if only I had money!

[SatyricalObject]

cool just picked up Demon's soul thanks goomba also I wanted to check if you got my payment for Valkyria Chronicles thanks

[PuppetYuber]

did all my items arrive yet? :o

[RoganSarine]

Hey Goomba... Do you have any idea where I could get X-Men Origins Wolverine (PS3)... I would have sworn a movie based game would be less than $45 now, and the only deals I've found are the $10 one for the 360 only...

[game_fanatic]

hey Goomba when are you resuming the DR service??

[goomba478]

Hey guys, I'm at work now and will be home around 6:00 PM today. I'll check all of your status/request questions then :) As for the DR service. You can still request items just note that it may take a little longer than normal to process them. I have a temporary page available if you want to request items, otherwise please use my UPS option :)

RoganSarine, cheapest I have seen for PS3 is like $35 used / $50 New.

[goomba478]

The Temporary DR Link is here. Please DO NOT LIST THIS ON ANY OTHER WEBSITE as I'm limiting the use of it to only regulars and CAGs in general for the most part:

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/dr-temporary.php

This is not listed on the website, so if you want to request an item please note it may take a day or two to respond to your request. For all time-limited offers/sales I recommend using the UPS method. If you need the address/information for my UPS Store account please contact me via PM. Thanks!

[game_fanatic]

Great thanks goomba, sent another DR, its another geltabz order, but from Amazon.com this time, so it should be cheaper, about $11 if my math is right :D

[TigerToa]

Hey Goomba, just checking if you got my DVD package and 1 CD from Amazon (should of hit your UPS box Decemeber 3rd).

[goomba478]

I believe I did TigerToa :) I just went to the UPS store again today and picked up another 50-60 Packages. Like I mentioned, the UPS Store people were really shocked how I went from one package a week previously to over 50 a week in the last two lol. I think I'm going to be giving them a lot of business =P

That being said, until Christmas is come and gone it's very unlikely I will catch up on all new orders. My priority is previous orders placed in the last two weeks or so. I have one MAJOR package shipping this week (with almost 45 pounds worth of items) and a few multiple-packages orders, but after that it'll be all individual games and smaller orders and I will catch up a lot faster.

Finally, the new Temporary DR page is available to you guys, but please note I may be slower than usual to get back to you only because of the onslaught of holiday orders. I want to work on the automated processing page but it's hard with packages literally spilling out of your living room :) I shall catch up in due time. Hang in there ^_^ thanks for all the holiday insanity. It's much appreciated!

[goomba478]

I am starting to program the first ever pre-pay options associated with the Direct Request. It will not be required at this time, but will be an optional (very BETA) version of the DR page that will ask you when you check out "Would you like to pay for this DR now to speed up your order". Saying yes will allow you to estimate the shipping weight and along with the product price and calculated service charges will generate a page that lets you prepay. It will give you standard payment options (if you want to use Direct Funds and such) but for Credit Card/Debit Card payments you will be able to pay through the website. It'll include all service fees and all that, and will treat your DR like a normal purchase on the website.

Doing this will not only speed things up in letting me have the money to order your items and ship them out faster, it'll also give you step-by-step updates on when I receive your payment, order your items and ship them out to you. Totally automated and a lot smoother on my end. This is going to be part of the major updates in January 2010, but I'm hoping to have a BETA version up in the next week or so.

Wish me luck!

[neksus]

Hey goomba, are you using an apache webserver?

[goomba478]

Yes I am neksus, why do you ask? =)

[neksus]

I'll send you a PM

[RoganSarine]

Goomba, what computer are you running the webserver on? Isn't it technically cheaper to rent a host package for $5/month? I dunno what electrical rates are in the states... But I know my low powered HTPC would cost me $270 yearly to keep it on 24/7 :(

[goomba478]

I just use hostgator.com I pay $10 a month which is pretty good considering they support unlimited file use more or less and unlimited websites. It's really not an issue at all :)

Web hosting is really the least of my worries ^_^

[adrianchan56]

Things have picked up quite a bit since I've watched this topic. Being your own Boss must be great. I think it's fun to create your own ideas and follow it.

Any plans on what you're doing next?

[goomba478]

adrianchan56, I'm not quite my own boss yet. I still have to wait until April until that's officially solidified. GFC is a side-project/experimental business at the moment :) After April I'll have to develop it to be a true source of income. I'm working on setting the pieces in place to make that happen though :)

I'm going to continue developing the site with AUTOMATION as the key change from what it is now. DR's will auto-tabulate your invoices and allow you to pre-pay online. In essence taking a lot of the busy-work out of my processing and will allow me more time to work on the actual site and other things (like packing =P). In addition I want to beef up the rewards program so that it's fully useable and worth using :) You'll see. Lots of changes are coming very, very soon!

[spike32]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320460667247&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:1123

Goomba, check that out, it's creepy looking.

[goomba478]

Good Lord that is creepy. I'm surprised it's as expensive as it is right now bid-wise. If it wasn't so much I'd totally buy it lol. One of a kind indeed.

[goomba478]

** GFC ORDER PREFERENCES **

Just so you guys know, I am still working around the clock on shipping out items. I just got another 20 packages or so overnight and today and once again they're piling up. In case you always wondered, I do give certain priority to certain types of orders. Not to be unfair though I will lay them out to you. This is subject to change but...

1) Items ordered on eBay are given first priority always because as you know eBay is very strict about shipping times and I have to keep my reputation 100% there. Good news is I sell very little on eBay and usually shipping of these items takes an hour or less in total.

2) Items ordered directly from GFC website. Again, since these items are items I actually have on hand and in stock, they are the first to ship out. As many new customers come through GFC and use this service as their first, I want them to see we are a legitimate company/service and this helps to build a foundation for that.

3) Items ordered through the Direct Request Service. There are actually three categories for this type of ordering:

A) The first I ship are items that are pre-paid in full (item, service charge AND shipping). Since these are all set to go as soon as I get them from the post office/UPS Store, they are easily repackaged and sent on their merry way.

B) Items that are BIG (5 pounds or more). Since these tend to take up a lot of space in my already cluttered and small office area, they are typically given some priority to be mailed out first when there are a lot of packages. Same goes for multiple item orders with say 20 items. It's easier for me to send them out first and make room for the smaller and "easier" item orders.

C) Items ordered with the Direct Request service where users tack on additional items after the fact or where shipping is not included in the invoice for reasons unknown (usually the weight of the item is up in the air so we wait till we receive it to re-invoice). These orders are probably the most problematic in terms of processing, and therefore get delayed most often. Unfortunately there's no way really around this in the current system, but our new system will help streamline these orders a lot more.

D) Finally, UPS Items that are ordered by you guys and shipped to my UPS store are the last to be processed. It's not intentional or anything but I only go to the UPS store about 2 times a week and also these ones require more manual sorting and invoicing as more often than not you guys order a lot of the same items and the packages come from many different sources. Again, the new system will better streamline this so no worries ^_^

===
So in closing, I always try to fill and ship requests in the order I receive them, but in certain cases some items may receive some preference over others. This is just to keep the system moving and flowing and once the bottleneck of large, oversized orders and complex orders are finished the standard ones can fly in and out of the office :) Hope that makes sense. I am really working hard for the January updates. They will make EVERYONE'S Life a lot easier I promise you ;)

[adrianchan56]

You might want to copy and paste that in your website's F.A.Q or make a huge box in bold letters saying: "READ ME". It should lower the flow of emails and questions.

[goomba478]

Nah, it won't be relevant come January so it's quite alright. Just wanted you insiders to have a peek into my chaotic placement system :) it's kind of complicated but it's really in your best interests ^_^ I swear!

The new system will not be like that because it will give you the choice in very clear English on the website on which category your package will go to. It'll be entirely your choice :) You guys will love it (hopefully).

[shadow_nine]

Didn't have time to post this until now but just letting you know I got my two copies of Transformers 2: ROTF Big Screen Edition Bluray (WM exclusive). THANKS again! Feedback sent!

I know your a busy goomba but any update on my G.I. Joe: ROC Bluray order?

[goomba478]

shadow_nine, so glad you got the Transformers Blu's ^_^ I did get your GI Joe. Probably shipping out Friday. I'd get it out sooner if I could but as mentioned earlier, I process in order I got the orders. This month is just insane :)

[shadow_nine]

shadow_nine, so glad you got the Transformers Blu's ^_^ I did get your GI Joe. Probably shipping out Friday. I'd get it out sooner if I could but as mentioned earlier, I process in order I got the orders. This month is just insane :)

Speedy response!!! :bouncy: Thanks again!

No rush just keep up your awesome work!

[AJD23]

Hey goomba, just curious on when/if my order shipped (Braveheart, Gladiator & Terminator Salvations Blu-rays). Hoping to receive them by Xmas or even by the New Year! *crosses fingers* :)
I'm in no hurry though...I just received The Bourne Trilogy from amazon.uk, and I have Modern Warfare 2 to tide me over until then.
Thanks in advance.

[PuppetYuber]

Hey goomba has all my items arrived yet? ;D

I know I am on the bottom of the list because I used the UPS method, but I am not in a hurry, just want to make sure everything is ok

[Moses88]

Hey everyone, first post here!

I got to admit, I thought I was scammed by GFC since I sent my payment on Friday but haven't been contacted by Goomba since. Reading this thread, I now feel bad since hes so swarmed by requests.

Anyway, I was hoping you bought the headphones I linked you to in the email, I have no problem waiting for you to ship them, but I would hope you at least bought the item, since I did pay in full. I will PM you for the details.

Anyway, its nice to be here, I've known about CAG forever but I finally made an account!

[DarthSilverice]

Hey everyone, first post here!

I got to admit, I thought I was scammed by GFC since I sent my payment on Friday but haven't been contacted by Goomba since. Reading this thread, I now feel bad since hes so swarmed by requests.

Anyway, I was hoping you bought the headphones I linked you to in the email, I have no problem waiting for you to ship them, but I would hope you at least bought the item, since I did pay in full. I will PM you for the details.

Anyway, its nice to be here, I've known about CAG forever but I finally made an account!

Goomba? Scam?

Madness!;)

[goomba478]

I'm not a scammer. That much is a fact. Too much evidence to fight that one.

What I am, unfortunately, is a broke entrepreneur with two nearly full-time jobs, a crazy holiday season, a lot of bills and a slight cold which makes Black Friday - Christmas a nightmare and a half ^_^ The good news is that I'm also a workaholic and an optimist so I'm not giving up. I'm also working around the clock on optimizing the website to streamline these things so that we learn from our lessons and don't repeat our mistakes in 2010.

I do apologize for any delays with your orders guys. I honestly thought I wouldn't receive many orders after the very underwhelming Black Friday this year, but it turns out that a lot of you just did self-orders (far more than I had expected) and I got hit in the side of the head with a brick :)

I'm on the last of the large orders today and tomorrow and then the smaller orders (Games/DVDs/Blu-Rays/CDs) will be flying out of our offices at a breakneck pace. Just hang on there. We're almost through the storm!

[refraxion]

Hey Goomba I am thinking of ordering some stuff off the Valve Store but I wanna see if its cheaper to send it to you first, then you send it over to me. Your direct request form however is down :(.

[goomba478]

Oh one more thing. No News is Good News with GFC. We always order your items right away when you pay and shipping sometimes may take a week or more (with the current status of the orders) but we'll only notify you generally if something is wrong. This is going to change in January/February when the new automated system will give you updates every step of the way, but for now we only contact you when we invoice you and when items ship out. If there's a problem we'll let you know (say if your item is out of stock, backordered, or whatever) but we won't write to say "We got your payment, we ordered your items, etc." It is just way too time consuming when dealing with hundreds of orders and I'd rather focus on actually getting your items ordered and shipped out :) If you have questions, you can always Email/PM me and I respond to ALL messages I get :) but it does take some time as you can imagine.

Just remember, come April I will be out of a job so you can guess I'll be working harder than ever at true efficiency. Ultimately, I'd love to return to my order one day and ship the next day as I did at the beginning of the service when we only had 10 or so customers :) We're getting there. You're going to love the next update ;)

[goomba478]

refraxion, guess you missed the memo. You can go here:

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/dr-temporary.php

It's a temporary page for DR's just for you guys ^_^

[Moses88]

Even though you are swarmed, you must love the fact that business is a boomin :P Im happy that there's a market out there because this service is awesome, so congrats!

Anyway, the only reason I kept pestering whether you paid is because I made the whole process a lot more convoluted than it should have been, with me asking you to change the invoice, then buying a different product all together, the product going out of stock, etc, so apologies regarding that.

So ya, take your time regarding shipping, no worries. I look forward to seeing the website's added features in the coming months. Should be fun!

[goomba478]

Moses88, yes it's definitely sweet, sweet sorrow. It's sort of odd because the more business I get, the busier I am and in theory the more money I'm making, but sometimes at the cost of taking off days from my "real" jobs which in turn means I'm making less money. It's very complicated :) But it's all leading towards turning GFC into a genuine business. This will never happen until I'm totally automated on the back end.

The good news is DR 2.0 is one step closer to completion. I just created a new system that will auto-tabulate the sum of multiple items, calculate service charges (For Canadians only at the moment) and the next step will be to let users check out on the page. I'm getting closer and closer to my ultimate end goal :)

[maigoyume]

Hey goomba, can you score me a copy of FFIV and TWEWY from the amazon DotD?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00136MBHA/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00184219U/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20

Just toss it in w/ the other 2 games you have for me, still have a few more things to find then I'll get you to send it all at once if thats okay.

[goomba478]

Maigoyume, I just got home from work and ordered TWEWY for $10, but FFIV is showing up as $20 now. Did you still want it? Let me know cuz I know you still have credit to cover it either way with GFC. Let me know :) Thanks!

[goomba478]

** GFC DR 2.0 Preview **

Okay so it's not actually functional yet (I have it disabled so that it won't go live until it's finished) but I wanted to give you guys the first preview of the new and improved DR 2.0 system coming in the next few weeks. Right now the following form will let you request multiple items and it will calculate the totals, the service charge and soon will also calculate shipping costs/insurance as well.

Keep in mind the bottom part where it asks you to pre-pay is NOT yet implemented (though sample links are included). This will of course be working in the final page.

Feel free to submit a sample request for fun. It doesn't actually send me anything at the moment since the page is still being worked on. But it'll give you a quick idea of the direction I'm moving in :) Slowly but surely the pieces are going to fit together and GFC will be truly automated. You're going to love it.

Go take a peek:

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/dr-prepay.php

[maigoyume]

Maigoyume, I just got home from work and ordered TWEWY for $10, but FFIV is showing up as $20 now. Did you still want it? Let me know cuz I know you still have credit to cover it either way with GFC. Let me know :) Thanks!Awww man, I really wanted FFIV :cry: hold off on it then, I'll just stick wtih TWEWY for now

[goomba478]

Maigoyume, yeah I'm sorry. I was driving home from work then had to go to the bank and supermarket and gas station. When I got home and saw your message, the sale was over. Do you not have any way to order from Amazon.com to my UPS account? Let me know if you need the info. Thanks!

Also, did anyone check out the new DR 2.0 page that's in progress? Just curious :) Thanks!

[Ren01]

I placed an order this morning for MGS essential and I was just wondering if you got it since it was a beta page. Site's looking good though!

[goomba478]

Yup I got it Ren01, I'll go send your invoice now :) Thanks for testing the beta pages ^_^ Looks like we're on our way to success!

[PuppetYuber]

gooooooooooomba gooooooooooooomba update me lol!

[goomba478]

All your items are in Puppet Yuber. Should get them shipped out Friday or Saturday to you :) Hang in there. Almost to your order now!

[goomba478]

In case you guys are wondering where I am, I'm going to do a pseudo-type GYROS update for some of the orders I'm working on tonight:

[ #'s indicate invoice number sent by GFC ]

#548 - The biggest and most expensive single order ever. Packing tonight and shipping Express Mail tomorrow. Man this thing is heavy =P

#634 - Steve Madden Shoes are supposed to ship on 12/24/2009

#713 - Got Valkyria Chronicles but it wasn't sealed (as I mentioned may be the case). If you want a refund I can give you one in full, or I can send you the new but unsealed copy. Your call.

#721 - Valkyria Chronicles (New/Not Sealed) - Shipping Tomorrow

#722 - GI JOE Blu-Ray Shipping Tomorrow.

#730 - GoHastings items are in. Going to repack and should ship out Tomorrow or Friday.

#731 - Ghostbusters Slimer Edition (Xbox 360). Just came in. Going to repack and send shipping invoice Thursday. Will ship as soon as I receive payment for shipping.

#722 - GI JOE Blu-Ray Shipping Tomorrow.

-----------------
A lot more are shipping out Friday/Saturday. Nearly all big ones will be done then. By Sunday I hope to have almost all standard DR's done. Sunday night I'll invoice for all UPS self-orders and then Monday-Wednesday I'll finish shipping them out. Any orders placed in the last week will ship out the week after more than likely. Making progress!

[tkszeto]

So how does your invoicing work? Do we get invoices after you are ready to ship out or after you pick up/receive the order?

[goomba478]

tkszeto, currently there are two types of invoices:

1) A "Direct Request" where you request items through my website, I look at the prices and create an invoice (which includes items, shipping & service charge).

OR

2) A "Self Order" where you order items yourself, ship them to my UPS Mailbox and I repackage them and invoice you for shipping + service charges.

Either way is fine, and soon the two methods will be automated through the website (coming in January 2010), but for now you have to choose one or the other :)

I no longer buy items for people before they pay because I lost way too much money in the past doing that. So I invoice to let people know what the order will cost and if they pay, I go ahead and order the items. When the items come in, I promptly repackage them and ship them out ASAP. When items ship you always will receive an Email letting you know the date, type of mail used and Customs # / Tracking ID.

[goomba478]

oh... and tkszeto,

If you requested items through the UPS method and have not received and invoice, that just means that I haven't gotten to your order yet (I process them all in the order I receive the requests). I will be doing all the UPS invoicing on Sunday this week and will ship out Monday/Tuesday for most as long as payment is made for shipping ^_^ Thanks! Hope that all makes sense.

[tkszeto]

Wow, thanks for replying so fast! It's going to be awesome once you get everything automated.
I was getting worried because I hadn't gotten an invoice yet for my "Self Order", but I'm in the lowest of the priorities (DR, prepaid except for shipping and small item) so hopefully you'll get to it this weekend :-)
Thanks for the constant updates.

[goomba478]

Yeah, seriously you have no idea how much easier automation will make this. Right now the service is about 60% invoicing, 20% ordering/sorting, 20% packing for me. Once I automate it then I'll only have to do the occasional manual invoice and the rest of the time can go towards packing and actually working on the site and making it better.

I really have great ambitions for this site, and having only one job will definitely mean a LOT more time spent on my services. Again, the "Self Order" thing is REALLY new. In fact, before the week of Black Friday I didn't even have the UPS info out there, so it's something I didn't think as many people would use and didn't have a real system in place for the invoicing. The good news is I received all the orders items for self orders and just have to sort them all out now. Invoicing will come soon.

I promise I won't leave you guys in the dark. Once I sort out this mess and get December 2009 behind me, I'm going to breathe a heavy sigh of relief :) Thanks again for your support!

[kgroat]

Yay your getting closer to my orders! That just made this week of exams a little bit better. ^.^

[adrianchan56]

** GFC DR 2.0 Preview **

Okay so it's not actually functional yet (I have it disabled so that it won't go live until it's finished) but I...

http://www.gamesforcanada.com/dr-prepay.php

Nice, the additional items work pretty well. I have one suggestion and that is you should state clearly what sizes of items you don't ship since you have limited space. Another good addition to your automation is a delivery estimation based on how full your storage is. Not sure how exactly you can calculate that but you could start off with a nice number that is manageable and change it if it's too low.

[goomba478]

Do you guys like the mini GYROS type update? If so I'll continue to do them until we catch up totally. GYROS will eventually be listed in real time on the site :) though you'll only be able to see details of the orders that belong to you ^_^

[goomba478]

adrianchan56, I'll be laying out all the shipping info on a seperate page when you check out so no worries :) I'm definitely going to include that. There will also be a " There are X orders ahead of yours" once the automated system goes live. So all your concerns are already in planning :) Glad great minds think alike!

[goomba478]

As for how I'll do it...the GYROS system will be Red/Yellow/Green order status. The system will count the number of Red and Yellow orders ahead of yours and will let you know where you stand in the Queue. In addition, you can check your individual orders to see the steps:

Ordered / Invoiced / Payment Received / Items Ordered / Items Received / Items Shipped, etc.

It'll be quite nice :)

[heimdal]

Did you receive my headphones already by any chance? Didn't find them in the 'mini-GYROS update' last page.

[goomba478]

** MINI GYROS UPDATE (Rolling, not a complete list) **
=======================================

[ #'s indicate invoice number sent by GFC, #W indicates Website Order from GFC Store ]

#548 - The biggest and most expensive single order ever. Packing tonight and shipping Express Mail tomorrow. Man this thing is heavy =P

#634 - Steve Madden Shoes are supposed to ship on 12/24/2009

#713 - Valkyria Chronicles (New Not Sealed) - SHIPPED 12/18/2009

#722 - GI JOE Blu-Ray - SHIPPED 12/18/2009

#730 - GoHastings items are in. Going to repack and should ship out Tomorrow or Friday.

#731 - Ghostbusters Slimer Edition (Xbox 360). Just came in. Going to repack and send shipping invoice Thursday. Will ship as soon as I receive payment for shipping.

#722 - GI JOE Blu-Ray Shipping Tomorrow.

#W318 - Demon's Souls - SHIPPED 12/17/2009

#721 - Valkyria Chronicles (New/Not Sealed) - SHIPPED 12/17/2009

[goomba478]

Heimdal, no I haven't yet. Logitech said the order went through but I haven't received them yet. I do have some on order that are supposedly coming in on 12/24/2009, so if the originally ordered ones don't show up I'll try to keep one of those on the side for you. I believe there is one extra pair that hasn't been paid for. If I don't have them by 12/31/2009 I can refund you in full. Sorry they're taking their sweet time to get here =P

[heimdal]

That's alright, thanks for the update. All it means is that I won't be getting them for Christmas :)

[goomba478]

Yeah, I'm afraid that's the case. Sorry man. I'll let you know if and when they show up :0

[ragnar14]

Do you guys like the mini GYROS type update? If so I'll continue to do them until we catch up totally.
I'm sure everyone likes updates, I liked seeing a little update on my order ;) Soo, now that GoHastings stuff is showing up, how are they? Is stuff in general complete, or do they send out disc only games or something terrible?

GYROS will eventually be listed in real time on the site :) though you'll only be able to see details of the orders that belong to you ^_^
Booooooooo!!! Voyeurism is half the fun :D

[goomba478]

You will still see certain things about the other orders. Just not the person's name and info. You'll still be able to see a list of all the items ahead of yours, just not the fine details ^_^ so voyeurs can still have some fun. In addition there will be a "What People are Ordering" page for further speculation that will randomly show pictures and names of some random items people have ordered. It'll be fun :)

[TripleQ]

#548 - The biggest and most expensive single order ever. Packing tonight and shipping Express Mail tomorrow. Man this thing is heavy =P



The voyeur in me is curious?

[goomba478]

Just a LOT of computer parts and video games ;) about 45 pounds or so. Only like half the total order too :P

[shadow_nine]

Just a LOT of computer parts and video games ;) about 45 pounds or so. Only like half the total order too :P

:shock: 45LBS?!?!!? :shock:

[goomba478]

LOL yeah and the whole order is almost 100 pounds total. Like I said, the biggest order yet =p

[RchrdJ]

Not to be rude, but do you have a price range for that item? I'm still in shock about the 100 pounds. I hope most of those games were under $5, unless this person is rich. I haven't even thought about the price of all those computer parts :-s

[RoganSarine]

...It makes me wonder if that was that Australian guy ordering his computer parts... That is very familiar to the size of the order he was planning on getting :P

[goomba478]

Not Australia...Argentina :) and yes it's the same guy. He has a lot of great little things going on with that order. He'll be very happy once he receives it, and I'll be happy because I'll have half of my living room back again ^_^ Yeah!

I'm out of work now guys and am currently at my Grandma's house. I'm cooking a Pumpkin Pie and saying goodbye to my mom who flies back to Florida tomorrow morning. I'll be resuming packing tonight :) Thanks!

[RoganSarine]

Apparently I fail at reading country names then, or he typed it wrong...

Hopefully you get quite a bit of good dough from the order though :P I always knew my youtube channel may help someday haha.

[goomba478]

You're advertising for us on YouTube? Let me know the link =) I'll gladly link to it on the website! I'm going to be making some Video FAQs and commercials in the near future :)

I do have Australian customers too, though they typically buy clothing and not computers often.

[RoganSarine]

Generally, I do a lot of computer and electronics consulting and reviews through youtube... I've mentioned gamesforcanada a handful of times for exporting stuff from the states and recommend it do any international person since american prices are so cheap...

Unfortunately, I have to spend a good deal of time explaining that it's not only video games, that the direct request feature gets you whatever you want, and they ship internationally.

You may want to put in big bold letters somewhere WE SHIP WORLDWIDE or something.

[goomba478]

RoganSarine, that's so cool of you. Definitely let me know your links :)

As for the Canadian thing, don't worry. Starting in February it'll no longer be a problem. GFC will be Canada only, and I'm going to launch another one for all countries. The site will be virtually mirrored but GFC will stay Canadian focused. There will be three:

1) GFC - Same service, same name with lots of automated updates
2) Fashion Forwarder - Similiar services with heavier emphasis on clothing (worldwide emphasis as well)
3) Un-named GFC-like service for Rest of the world.

The sites will all be similar in their structure and everything but will focus on different things. For example FashionForwarder will have coupons and sales for clothing items as well as online deals for clothes. GFC will still focus mostly on video games and all other things will be on the yet-to-be-unnamed service :)

Don't worry. It'll all make sense soon enough! Then people don't have to be confused anymore ^_^

[RchrdJ]

Hey Goomba, this is great thing you are doing man. I'm new to your GFC and trying to figure everything out. I'm thinking I may order something next time Amazon.com has a great sale.
I was wondering how you go about ordering stuff when it is a first-come-first serve, constantly refreshing the page amazing deal thing. If you know what I mean.
Do you think you could give me a small explanation, or better yet a link I can follow to where it will answer my question?

Thanks again Goomba and best of luck on turning this into a new business, I'm also opening a local repair shop at the beginning of the new year and I know some of the stress/excitement you are going through.

[goomba478]

Hi RchrdJ, and welcome to the GFC party!

Well, we've come a long way over the 20 months we've been in business now, but we aren't even scratching the surface of things yet to come :)

I'm not exactly sure what you mean to be honest. I take care of orders in the order I receive them, so if an item is limited to say 5 copies, then the first 5 people to order it will be the ones who get it. Most items aren't limited in this way, or if they are you can always order yourself (if you have a credit card or debit card that works with sites like Amazon.com). We have a UPS Mail box that you can order items and ship to here in the US. I will pick them up and forward them to Canada :) So either way works.

There will be tutorials and videos on this sort of thing soon, but the new Direct Request (DR) 2.0 system doesn't officially launch until January 2010. I will be doing some Beta previews for you guys though.

Just keep an eye on the site. It's going to get a heck of a lot better very soon. Best of luck with your repair shop as well :) Maybe we can help you get some of your equipment you'll need!

[goomba478]

Heimdal, great news! I just got an Email from Logitech and the order just shipped via UPS today. It should be here by Tuesday :) I know you thought it'd be cancelled (and I was starting to think so too) but looks like we're back in business. I guess they, too, were overwhelmed with floods of orders ^_^

So you can rest easy my friend. Still not in time for Christmas I know, but lots of aural goodness coming your way nonetheless!

[heimdal]

Heimdal, great news! I just got an Email from Logitech and the order just shipped via UPS today. It should be here by Tuesday :) I know you thought it'd be cancelled (and I was starting to think so too) but looks like we're back in business. I guess they, too, were overwhelmed with floods of orders ^_^

So you can rest easy my friend. Still not in time for Christmas I know, but lots of aural goodness coming your way nonetheless!

That's great news, indeed! Thanks, can't wait!

[goomba478]

Going to go pack the mega package and them I'm off to sleep. Will be catching up a lot this weekend hopefully ^_^ Wish me luck. I can't wait for my life to return to normal again lol. Cya guys soon!

[game_fanatic]

hey goomba, sent my payment for those analog stick nubby doohickies. Hopefully they'll make the DS3 controller a bit more bearable to use!

[goomba478]

Will order my friend :) Thanks!

[RoganSarine]

Yo Goomb, how much would a 15 lbs order (according to amazon) cost to ship up?

Also, on the FAQ page, since I know you get asked shipping costs alot... You care to put up the suggested prices for each weight? I know you roughly know the prices for various weights. It'd help me figure out what it'd be without asking you everytime :P

[goomba478]

For future reference, the shipping estimates are in the first post in this thread ^_^ I'll be posting them more prominently on the GFC page very soon. Rates are going up in January though slightly.

Shipping to Canada (GFC):

=Please note these weights are subject to change. Some items may require slightly more for packing materials/handling charges. This will give you a fairly accurate price though for shipping charges! =

** All the following weights up to 4 pounds are shipped with USPS First Class Mail:

$03.00 USD = 5 ounces – 6 ounces (typical video game DVD rate)
$03.50 USD = 7 ounces
$04.50 USD = 8 ounces – 12 ounces
$05.50 USD = 12 ounces – 15 ounces
$06.50 USD = 1 Pound
$11.00 USD = 2 Pounds
$14.00 USD = 3 Pounds
$18.00 USD = 4 Pounds

** All the following weights are more than 4 pounds and therefore are shipped with USPS Priority Mail instead **

$27.00 USD = 5 Pounds
$29.00 USD = 6 Pounds
$31.00 USD = 7 Pounds
$33.00 USD = 8 Pounds
$35.00 USD = 9 Pounds
$37.00 USD = 10 Pounds

For all weights over 10 pounds, add $2.00 USD per pound (rough estimate that follows USPS guidelines)

[goomba478]

Those shipping rates are just estimates by the way guys. Some packages may require special handling, special boxes or extra care but it should give you a rough estimate anyhow :) Off to the University job now. Tonight will be another busy packing day ^_^

[jaszypoo]

Just got my controller this morning. Thanks goombs :) Yippie!

[goomba478]

You're quite welcome jaszypoo. I hope to get a lot more of these happy messages in the next week or two. The super-mega order is going out tomorrow and then the backlog will officially be nearing an end. I know you guys are sitting on the edge of your seat for us to catch up, and we're getting there quicker and quicker. I will do another mini GYROS daily to keep you in touch. Also continuing to work on the automated pre-pay options with DR 2.0!

[RchrdJ]

Thanks for the reply Goomba, you did answer my question even though I had trouble wording it :lol: In the situation I asked about, the best solution would be to use the UPS mailbox.

[goomba478]

Yes, the UPS mailbox is the best solution for time-sensitive items. It will be better implemented into the actual GFC website in January. Speaking of which, I'm happy to say I FINALLY got the PHP Session system working in alpha form :) This is the key to my ultimate new system I'm working on and today is the first time I got it to work exactly the way I wanted it to. Meaning we are only around 3 weeks away from the public beta...woo hoo!

[goomba478]

Back home and packing. Unfortunately, I no longer have free heat in my home and the electric heaters we have now SUCK =P nothing like working in the cold and having to pay a couple hundred dollars a month to heat your house.

Any of you guys know of a type of external thermostat or timer for electric heaters? I'd like to keep my house warm during the time we're home and/or have it turn off at a certain temperature or after a certain time, but don't know much about this. Let me know if you have any ideas.

[killmak]

Hey Goomba, are there any deals for 12 month Xbox Live cards right now? I see the one on Amazon for 39.96 but was wondering if you have seen them cheaper anywhere else.

[goomba478]

killmak, short answer: no. Amazon is cheapest. If you buy the pack with chat pad/headset/game it's cheaper for the actual card. If you need the extra things it's a great deal, otherwise you could always sell them I suppose and make the money back for a cheaper card. Otherwise, no =P

[adrianchan56]

Any of you guys know of a type of external thermostat or timer for electric heaters?

Dunno what the official name is for them. In Canadian Tire they call them "Electrical Timers". You stick them in a normal power outlet and set a time to turn on or cut the power from the power outlet. Get the digital ones so you don't have to rotate that silly winder every time you use it. I'm assuming your heater's power is supplied by a wall outlet.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/416QaKRhIxL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

[goomba478]

Yes that sounds exactly what I'm looking for. I'm going to go and check it out. Oh and for the record: electric heat sucks. I want my oil heat back :(

[Pat_McCrotch]

Hey Goomba, two questions.

How's my order coming along? I'm invoice #752. Also, are you still doing those xbox live 12 month cards for $33USD?

[goomba478]

Pat_McCrotch, I have all your items except the Never Winter Nights. I'm not sure what became of that one. I ordered it and I haven't seen it come in yet. I may have to contact Amazon about that one. The Blu-Rays are all here though.

And no, no more cheap Xbox cards unfortunately. Only have the ones for $42 USD.

[Pat_McCrotch]

Pat_McCrotch, I have all your items except the Never Winter Nights. I'm not sure what became of that one. I ordered it and I haven't seen it come in yet. I may have to contact Amazon about that one. The Blu-Rays are all here though.

And no, no more cheap Xbox cards unfortunately. Only have the ones for $42 USD.No worries on the order. I have a huge backlog of movies to watch and video games to play anyways.:)

[goomba478]

Alright, well I may just end up sending the Blu's seperately and sending NWN when it shows up. For now I'll wait another week or so. God knows I still have plenty to ship, but I'm catching up ^_^ Day by day!

[Moses88]

Man those are steep shipping prices. I remember when I bought an Audio Receiver, I had it shipped to a friends house in the states than shipped here to Canada. He went to UPS and the estimate was over 150 bucks for the 29 pound shipement, he then went to Fedex (i believe) and it was 43 dollars.

[goomba478]

You know, sometimes FedEX is cheaper for shipping but then you pay a TON of customs/duties fees. Trust me on this :) USPS is better off in the long run for most purchases.

[Moses88]

You know, sometimes FedEX is cheaper for shipping but then you pay a TON of customs/duties fees. Trust me on this :) USPS is better off in the long run for most purchases.

Ya I paid nearly 100 in customs but he also overstated the value. If you were to put the value at say 20 bucks, you should be fine.

[killmak]

Thanks for the info on the live cards goomba. I think I found a friend who can get a hold of a $35 one for me. If that falls through I will make a direct request through your site.

As for shipping USPS dominates over UPS and Fedex. Both companies like to charge a rediculous broker fee for getting items through customs. I got a turtle tank topper off of ebay for $50 and paid a $30 broker fee to UPS on top of the customs fees. If they had just shipped with USPS I would have only had to pay a $5 broker fee. UPS and Fedex are greedy bastards.

[AznChaos]

Hi Goomba, just curious if you received/shipped my klipsch headphones yet?

Thanks

[RoganSarine]

Ya I paid nearly 100 in customs but he also overstated the value. If you were to put the value at say 20 bucks, you should be fine.
At the same time, if your item is received broken or damaged... You only are covered for $20 in damages.

[goomba478]

AznChaos, yup sure did. Should be going out sometime between tomorrow and Monday. Keep an eye on your inbox this weekend and I'll do my best to get them out. Today I laid out all the games that came in and put them into 5 rows (yes there's that many). So I've pretty much got everyone's organized now. Just have to re-assemble the orders, and start shipping them out one by one. It doesn't help that the wifey wanted to plastic seal all our windows today (it was necessary though cuz it was SO cold and it does seem to be helping, though it took a few hours to do).

RoganSarine is right as well, if you undervalue the items too much you're screwed if they get damaged in shipping. I think it's better to mark items as close to full price as possible.

[Moses88]

I might as well ask, did you get the Audio Technica Headphones in yet? Hopefully they are brand new not used!

[goomba478]

Yup, sure did. They also will be going out Monday or Tuesday. Since they are one of the newer items :) Thanks Moses88. They look perfect by the way, definitely not used.

[goomba478]

** MINI GYROS UPDATE (Rolling, not a complete list) **
=======================================

[ #'s indicate invoice number sent by GFC, #W indicates Website Order from GFC Store ]

#634 - Steve Madden Shoes are supposed to ship on 12/24/2009

#713 - Valkyria Chronicles (New Not Sealed) - SHIPPED 12/18/2009!

#721 - Valkyria Chronicles (New/Not Sealed) - SHIPPED 12/17/2009!

#722 - GI JOE Blu-Ray - SHIPPED 12/18/2009!

#730 - GoHastings items are in. Going to try and get "Indigo Prophecy" (PS2) from Gamestop for you ^_^

#731 - Ghostbusters Slimer Edition (Xbox 360) & Monsters Vs. Aliens (Blu-Ray) - SHIPPED 12/19/2009!

#758 - [Large Order of Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements] - SHIPPED 12/19/2009!

#W318 - Demon's Souls - SHIPPED 12/17/2009!

[More updates will come later in the day when I get home from work 12/19/2009 - 8:00 PM]

[kgroat]

Payment Sent Goomba! ^.^