Now I want to update the guts of it, and in the past few years it seems they have cracked down on freight forwarding and now I can't order anything because I have an NZ credit card 🙁

[–] [email protected] 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Can you use a Wise or Revolut virtual card and pay in US currency?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Not sure, I didn't know that was a thing! I know that Framework have been known to audit orders and cancel ones that are going to known freight forwarders but I can give it a go.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Wise has been very handy for me, being able to add different currencies and pay for things overseas. You're right though, they may already know the freight forwarder addresses. Do they not have an international store? It'd be really annoying buying an upgradable laptop and not being able to get any of the upgrades!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

They only ship to specific countries. When they started it was US and some EU countries. Eventually they expanded, they ship to Aus now but not NZ yet. And it doesn't seem likely it will happen any time soon. They are also oddly protective, actively preventing people outside supported countries from buying their stuff.

I know it's a risk I took when ordering from them, even at the time they were not shipping to NZ and were saying you weren't allowed to freight forward. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

I have actually done an order with some upgrades, I replaced the screen panel and hinges at one point, but that was probably a couple of years ago now. At that time I still managed to order with my NZ credit card, but it doesn't seem to work anymore.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Ah yeah that's always the risk importing something that doesn't officially ship or sell here. I'm guessing it's to do with providing support and warranties with areas that it's not officially sold?

Hope you find a solution, otherwise take a holiday to the US 😂

[–] [email protected] 2 points 13 hours ago

I wish that would work, but I need a credit card with a billing address in a supported country!

Or I can spend $4k+ 😯 on the only one that's on Trademe right now, but that defeats the purpose of having an upgradable laptop!