When's it cheaper to order from the US?

[Geminii]

If you have a favorite US-based toy ordering site, and taking into account the cost of shipping, how many US cents does the Australian dollar have to be worth before you start buying from overseas instead of locally?

(At the moment, we're on about US87c... I tend to start looking seriously when it's over 85c and have been known to go on binges when it's over 90c...)

[Vector Prime]

For me, it depends on how much I want an item and how difficult it is to obtain locally.

If I must have it and I can't get it locally, I don't care what the exchange is.

[liegeprime]

What detracts me from buying overseas at times and wait for something local is the shipping cost that the seller particularly slaps on. There are sellers who will always use the registered ( which is safe fro both parties) option which makes for a hefty $20-25 charge which limits my want to buy stuff, but at times when its just weapons ( small items) Im after I did have a particular seller ( not therawyde) offer me a discount on the postage (registered) since i got more than 10 items from him. Now if I know that the item is really really hard to find here and have no option then I wait for a high exchange rate since I use Paypal... they're exchange rate is always $2.++ less ( which is their charge I guess) than what it is officially.

[snaketales]

...I tend to start looking seriously when it's over 85c and have been known to go on binges when it's over 90c...)

This is exactly what I did during the glory days of last year... and I'm edging that way again. Go Aussie dollar, go!

[foor]

I usually just binge regardless of the exchange rate, because even when it was at 70cents, it was still cheaper than buying locally for certain things. Provided of course you can get cheap postage.

But yes, I found myself buying heaps when it hit 80... and now it's almost 90 again. I need more money...

[Geminii]

It is kinda sad when you can buy a pile of things from a US seller traditionally seen as overpriced (*cough BBTS cough*), pay a 100% markup to cover shipping, and STILL come out noticeably ahead compared to the Australian toy store down the road.