I myself buy a number of books and other items through the internet and often get rather annoyed, when I have chosen to buy something, to be presented with a form which adds on a hefty charge for postage. I thought I was buying something for $25 but once I have to add on the postage it turns out that I have to pay $40 or whatever.

So all the prices shown on my bookshop include postage by air mail to anywhere in the world. In the case of books, which are heavy items to post, I have two separate buy buttons - one for UK and European customers and the other for customers in the rest of the world. In the case of CD-Roms the difference in postage costs is so marginal that I have set a single price for worldwide.

This makes it easier for my customers as the price they see on the page describing the item is the price they will pay. There are no hidden charges added at the end of the transaction!

With CD-Roms and prints I usually make up the order and post it out by the following working day. With books, I usually have to bind up a copy and this usually takes an extra day. So items are sent out within two working days (that is not counting the weekends). From then on delivery is in the hands of the postal service.

• For items sent to the UK - customers should expect delivery by first class mail within a day from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually within three days of placing an order.
• For items sent to Europe - customers should expect delivery by air mail within five working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually well within a week from their placing an order.
• For items sent to USA - customers should expect delivery by air mail in five to seven working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually a week at the quickest and say two weeks at the worst from the date of placing the order. In some cases items seem to be delayed by the US Customs or security authorities and then it can take a further week, but this is rare.
• For items sent to the Rest of the World - customers should expect delivery by air mail in five to seven working days from my posting it out. Thus delivery is usually a week at the quickest and say two weeks at the worst from the date of placing the order. With some countries there are inexplicable delays but I expect customers in such countries are used to this.