Re:Re: Shipping Costs

[<wild_hare]

I agree, cost is cost, shipping is shipping. Never 'shipping and handling'. If a company doesn't want to 'handle' my order, there are others that do. I've been using the Internet and making sawdust for a long time, but never put the two together until recently. Found a link to a site on this newsgroup that has knurled knobs with bolts just like I'd been looking for. Wow! 45 to 80 cents each depending on size (1/4 -3/8 inch dia., 1" long). You know how it goes - get what I want, plus a couple extra in case I want to have matching ones in the future, and may as well get the similar female ones too, and, of course some of each size - just in case.

25 bucks later - there's 7.50 shipping added for what can go in a bubble wrapped envelope - CANCEL ORDER! It was fun while it lasted; you should have seen the stuff on my Wish List to get after the formality of discussing it with SWMBO the next day. The $2K order they lost would only have been $18 shipping for a couple of hundred pounds. Go figure.

I'm off of my soap box.

[Doug Miller]

You pay for the handling one way or another -- either as a separate fee (like Harbor Freight), or as combined "shipping and handling", or in the form of higher prices.

All other things (such as delivery schedules, return policies, etc) being equal, the only thing that matters is the total price. How it's broken out should make no difference.

[EXT]

I prefer it itemized because often handling is a one time charge, whether I am ordering 2 or 20, shipping will only climb a buck or two. If these are built into the price of each item, I will be paying much more for multiple items. It is the total bill that counts not the individual cost per item.

[George Max]

I know what you and other say about this is true, but I can't help but feel *something* should be done that doesn't result in feeling screwed.

Psychology is important. Don't make the customer feel he/she has just been held up or they may never come back.

[Prometheus]

It *shouldn't*, but it does. Why do you think they charge $xx.99 for everything? It's not like a penny makes much of a difference- it just makes the price tag look smaller.

I've passed on plenty of things because of shipping charges- it's not that I don't believe it costs the company money to send them, I just don't care to pay extra.

Oddly enough, Delta was the one that the OP was concerned about- but they've never charged me anything, list price or shipping on any replacement parts- even out of warranty. Must have been overzealous customer service reps...

[SimonLW]

As a person doing business and shipping product, I see why businesses do this - bottom line. An employee must collect the order, package it and print the shipping label. In addition to the shipping cost, which is more than that product cost, the cost of the printing label and packaging must be recouped. Anyone with an employee knows that they cost much more than their hourly wage.

One company I do business with online, has a $5 minimal shipping fee even though the lowest priced item is 30 cents. The idea is that the customer purchases several of these items. Purchasing one would cost $5.30 while purchasing 100 would cost .35 cents each. Much less than I would pay anywhere else and I don't have to burn gas going to get the item if it is even available.

-S

[George Max]

My own employer does that too. Heck, *I've* done that when a customer somehow gets connected to me. Grab a few screws or whatever, drop 'em in an envelope then into the company mail. Simple. For *one* rare instance.

[George Max]

Fair enough. If the transaction can work that way everywhere.

[Splintered Cell]

(Reply originally misposted elsewhere)

Sorry - I was taking all of that as a constant. I'd rather see the EFFECTIVE price, and pay the actual shipping. Sort of like hotel reservations over the Internet - sure, some discount company may offer the lowest price, but with service fees it's often cheaper to call the hotel directly.

-And it still seems odd to be able to ship a tablesaw across the country for $18 when a handful of plastic knobs cost $8. :)

wrote:

You pay for the handl>>>I agree, cost is cost, shipping is shipping. Never 'shipping and handling'.