Shipping DNA kits

If you've seen the $99 autosomal DNA test offer from 23andMe, reduced from $299, you've likely given it more than passing consideration. However, delve a bit further and you're probably in for a none too pleasant surprise. While their standard shipping fee is $9.95 in the US the company charges exorbitant shipping fees internationally. For Canada shipping is $59.95. If you think that's bad be thankful you're not in Albania, Azerbajan, Belarus or Croatia where shipping now costs more than the test.

There's an interesting alternative, other shipping service providers, and they may also be useful for more than DNA. Options are suggested by The International Society of Genetic Genealogy on a new web page "Shipping DNA Kits".

The situation is particularly bizarre in Ottawa as the spit collection system used by 23andMe is the product of an Ottawa company, DNA Genotech.