Buying directly from AP San Francisco

[lokisday.livejournal.com]

I was wondering something - I'd like to buy some wristcuffs from the US Angelic Pretty online store. But when I go through the motions and do the "Estimate Shipping" option, it says the cheapest shipping to Europe would come to $40.50 - and that's a little more than the wristcuffs cost in themselves.

When my friend from San Fran SS'd me some socks from the store, it cost her half that amount to ship them, so I'm wondering if perhaps the "Estimate Shipping" thing is just that - an estimate - and later on in the ordering process I get notified of the actual shipping, which wouldn't come to that much...?

And if I wrote directly to AP to ask about this, would they block me from buying from them? I've heard some pretty spooky things about Brands blocking people and I don't really know what's up with that. Is it just something they do when you pre-order a recent release and then don't pay, or does it happen for something like my case as well?

By the way - yes, of course I could ask my friend to SS for me again, but I'd prefer not to ask her ALL the time. She has a life, and the AP staff are paid to send stuff out, but my friend's not. :)