OT-Kinda: Ordering Parts and Shipping Cost

[RonB]

I cannot figure out how some companies determine how deliveries are managed. I just received a switch for our Nordictrac treadmill about

20 minutes ago. Low-end switch with a $3 price tag plus $7 shipping. It came UPS! I checked the tracking about the time he pulled in the driveway and when he handed it to me it was its 11th transaction. The package was a small padded envelope about the 2/3 size of a deck of cards. Even the UPS guy said he didn't understand why they didn't put a stamp on it.

RonB

[Lee Michaels]

I hear ya.

I had to track down and buy some small electronic components recently. These things will fit into the palm of your hand or in an envelope. They are hard to find, can not be purchased locally and are only carried by a couple companies. Some of these guys want $8 - $15 for shipping and handling. At least some one else is paying for it. Three of the items cost less than the shipping.

[Robatoy]

deliveries are

I switched from several suppliers to those who will send me stuff via post. Example: A box of insert blades for one of my routerbits, a box smaller than a match-box, can vary in shipping (and in my case duty and custom clearing fees) UPS $ 44.00 USPS $ 9.00 Both include shipping and border fees. Here's the catch, some will not ship USPS because you can't track the shipment. I will take a chance on an $ 80.00 item and keep $ 35 in my pocket.

[FrozenNorth]

I ordered something last week, it was only coming from Scarborough, they charged $12 shipping via Canada Post, if I drove there myself it might have been $6 in gas, plus an hour of my time.....package arrived with $3.50 in postage on it. Ummm, hello.

[willshak]

RonB wrote the following:

On-line sellers advertise very low prices, then make up the difference in shipping and handling. I do much of my ordering from Amazon. I have a Prime account, so many of the stuff is shipped 2 day free. If you want overnight, then add a few dollars extra for the shipping.

[Luigi Zanasi]

ow deliveries are

In my experience, shipping via the much maligned USPS and Canada Post (and even Correos de M=E9xico) is faster, cheaper and more reliable than private sector couriers. This experience has proven true when I lived in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and now the Yukon. Maybe it's because I live in small relatively remote places. I don't know what it's like in the big centres, but Canada Post has yet to screw up on me, while Fed Ex and UPS have on a number of occasions. Actually DHL hasn't yet, but I have hardly used them at all. Greyhound is good as was Canadian Airlines/CP Air air cargo, but Air Canada does not do cargo to the Yukon.

Luigi

Luigi

[dpb]

On 4/5/2011 12:07 PM, Robatoy wrote: ...

That's not so at least in the US...just got a small gizmo from Tool Barn via USPS and it had tracking number that showed when it arrived at local PO.

And, I'm in agreement that for stuff that they can handle, they're at least as trustworthy as far as handling and as reliable as UPS.

I think it's all that the big-volume guys only want to deal w/ one shipper, period, simply to minimize their logistics. Everything fitting one size is good for their efficiency whether it's best possible is secondary.

--

[Robatoy]

Maybe they lose tracking at the border with Canada? I'm not sure.

The couriers make volume deals with the big shippers like Amazon.

That whole S & H scam is just that, in many cases a scam. "Free toothbrush, S&H $ 16.00.

[SteveA]

I also used Amazon quite a bit with the prime membership, until they starting adding in sales tax, now, a couple of minutes with google, and I can get a better price, no tax and flat rate shipping (usually 1.00-5.99 for entire order) for whatever I might be looking for

SteveA

[dpb]

Quite likely, after all don't maps still show it as the great uncharted? :)

...

For that sort of thing, sure. But, it is a real cost to legitimate business that either has to be added into the price of the item or collected somehow. Since particularly online folks look at the lowest possible price first, it's a loss of competitive edge in the search engine/comparative shopper 'bot to have it included.

We shall reap what we sow is so often true in all areas.

--

[Lee Michaels]

"Robatoy" wrote

I saw an item on ebay that was $1 with shipping of $60!! It was from out of the country, but still...

[Leon]

Logistics. Less trouble and less expensive to use a single company that will pick up on a daily basis than to hand deliver to the shippers location, if the size of the package you got is the exception.

[krw]

Are you in Illinois? Amazon still doesn't charge tax to Alabama residents. Since Woodcraft had the Delta 18- drill press on sale a few weeks back, I got financial review board approval (still don't know what that's going to cost me ;-). Turned out that it was cheaper to order from Amazon at the "regular" price. Woodcraft wanted blood to ship it (100mi round trip isn't free either).

[Ed Pawlowski]

But what was the item worth? The $1 deal is to get around paying a commission to eBay and make it up on shipping costs.

[Ed Pawlowski]

A couple of reasons. They probably have a deal with UPS and get better rates than you would since they ship in bulk. The shipper may be getting paid minimum wage and does not have the ability and/or authority to make such a decision so everything goes UPS.

[Lobby Dosser]

Spring from Delta $0.90. Shipping $4.95. Several years back.

[Lobby Dosser]

Exactly! And there are thousands doing that. Report it to eBay and they do nothing.

[Lobby Dosser]

Maybe they lose tracking at the border with Canada? I'm not sure.

The couriers make volume deals with the big shippers like Amazon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In my part of the US, UPS in turn makes a Volume Deal with the USPS, so all my Amazon stuff gets delivered by the USPS.

[Lobby Dosser]

USPS will pick up - even at residences.

[Martin Eastburn]

Shipping is more than product is often the case. UPS and FedEx makes out.

At least you bought the item low - many companies have a minimum price and often stuff under $10USD a value is added. When in Marketing I created kits of parts - so a customer would not pay this large markup on each nut, bolt, screw, resistor..... They soon learned to buy a kit once in a while and save money.

Mart> I cannot figure out how some companies determine how deliveries are