Outrageous shipping. Rant

[PILOON]

Many if not most sellers go the flat rate route and use carriers that will pick up in order to avoid extra salaries.
UPS pick up and flat rate boxes becomes the norm.
The seller wants to avoid having a clerk weigh, calculate wrap and drive to the post office and perhaps even vehicle expenses.
Not to count inventory of boxes, bubble wrap and misc supplies.

By and large the post office is generally the cheapest method.

 

[AGRIMAN]

Never was I given a choice. And I didn't need it fast nor did I request it. These parts are gonna sit for another 3 weeks or so til I get the engine block, crank, and head back from the machine shop

Just wondering. If your head is at the machine shop, why are you ordering mail order valve stem seals? Why not let the machine shop supply them and assemble your head?

 

[Looking4new]

I just killed a deal where 100$ worth of goodies out of the eastern seaboard of the US was gonna cost me 100$ in shipping the total weight was 4 lbs and would fit in a 12" square box. SCREW that. IF that price included customs duties and Canadian taxes, then maybe I would go for it, but it doesn't. So I get to pay duty on top of the 100$ shipping. And those prices are in US $$ so add another 35% for the exchange on the buck, so now we are up to $270. for the parts + shipping and still have to pay duty and Canadian sales taxes. That would bring the cost of the parts to almost $400..oo$ for the pair. That aint gonna happen.

 

[LD1]

Just wondering. If your head is at the machine shop, why are you ordering mail order valve stem seals? Why not let the machine shop supply them and assemble your head?

Shop is only grinding seats and checking stem to guide clearance with the new valve. I am assembling the head for the same reasons I am assembling the block....because I can and because its cheaper

 

[skyhook]

I just killed a deal where 100$ worth of goodies out of the eastern seaboard of the US was gonna cost me 100$ in shipping the total weight was 4 lbs and would fit in a 12" square box. SCREW that. IF that price included customs duties and Canadian taxes, then maybe I would go for it, but it doesn't. So I get to pay duty on top of the 100$ shipping. And those prices are in US $$ so add another 35% for the exchange on the buck, so now we are up to $270. for the parts + shipping and still have to pay duty and Canadian sales taxes. That would bring the cost of the parts to almost $400..oo$ for the pair. That aint gonna happen.

I hear ya, and agree with you also but, don't forget,, you pay duty and taxes on $100.00 and on this side of the border, we have zip all, it's sad that "we" here in Canada have to order from the US because we either don't have it or its too dam expensive. Most of the things I order from the US (including exchange, duty and taxes) is still cheaper than here.

 

[Deere Dude]

What I found in a few places is I want one item even if is very lite for $1 and the shipping is $5. If I buy 2 shipping is $10. If I buy 10 shipping is $50 etc. They charge the full individual shipping no matter how many you buy and it all comes in one small pack. You have to read the fine print from these gougers.

 

[k0ua]

99 percent of the things I order online are on Amazon and if it is not "prime" I don't order it. You have to love that free prime shipping. Yes it is 99 bucks a year, but unfortunately I order enough things online to make it worth it. I would suggest that Prime is payed for in about a month. Of course the prime streaming service is nice too.

 

[doxford jim]

For me, if I can't get purchases sent by USPS (i.e. not UPS, FedEx, DHL etc.) then I don't buy. There is always another seller around that will accommodate the buyer.
Canadian companies wonder why we buy elsewhere - price gouging pure and simple.

 

[Gem99ultra]

99 percent of the things I order online are on Amazon and if it is not "prime" I don't order it. You have to love that free prime shipping. Yes it is 99 bucks a year, but unfortunately I order enough things online to make it worth it. I would suggest that Prime is payed for in about a month. Of course the prime streaming service is nice too.

I'm with you on Amazon Prime. That's the best way to go for me. If one orders from companies like HF, you sure have to be careful. The $6.99 shipping is not valid on every item they list on their fliers. And if it isn't - you best plan on picking up the item or get scalped. It seems NT has gone ballistic on shipping. They've killed my online purchasing from them.

Surely those companies give us online buyers credit for considering total delivered cost? Or maybe they're just betting on the odds of people not caring how much things cost...

 

[Creamer]

The bad thing is I don't even remember all the details of the call

I was wanting more than just the valve stem seals. But some of the parts they couldn't get or were out of. I literally ordered parts from about 6 different places to get all I needed.

Starter, valve seals, overhaul kit, oil filter adapter, ignition switch, shopanual, etc. Was a hectic morning when I ordered.

Sounds to me like you better get rid of the orange to save your green and your headaches!

 

[Creamer]

Many if not most sellers go the flat rate route and use carriers that will pick up in order to avoid extra salaries.
UPS pick up and flat rate boxes becomes the norm.
The seller wants to avoid having a clerk weigh, calculate wrap and drive to the post office and perhaps even vehicle expenses.
Not to count inventory of boxes, bubble wrap and misc supplies.

By and large the post office is generally the cheapest method.

When I had my business USPS would pick up the flat rate boxes at the shop free of charge - no need to send somebody with it. Their service was every bit as good as what UPS was.

 

[LD1]

Sounds to me like you better get rid of the orange to save your green and your headaches!

If by that you are talking about my bota, thats not what this is for. Rebuilding the 7200 hour engine in my 1967 ford 5500 tlb

 

[DFB]

I gave up buying anything from Northern Tool years ago when the cost of shipping their items was determined both by both weight AND the geographical zone you lived in when so many other tool distributors had one flat rate or even free shipping for most items.

Never often look there much for stuff I want never felt their pricing was anything spectacular anyways. Check it out a Milwaukee 18V grease gun is the same price at Northern, HD, CPO, and ACME Tools but NT is $14.49 standard ground shipping...the others all offer free shipping with the purchase.

Priority truck shipping on that item for me at Northern is shown as $175 :shocked:

Priority ground (2 day) with HD for the same order was a very reasonable $7.99

Wasn't an option with CPO's automatic online ordering system. (Probably is if you call though)

3 day AIR was $23.14 at ACME TOOLS

 

[DFB]

And what about returns hey. One place (can't remember who but none of the places in my prior post) said...we include a printed return label for your convenience just drop it off. Shipping charges will deducted from your refund. :confused2:

 

[Todd727]

If they shipped it overnight, that was a good deal. If you didn't need it overnight, you need to check next time you order. Remember, a lot of people who order parts for farm and construction equipment want them yesterday. They may default to overnight if nothing is said.

 

[Oldpath05]

I'm a little nervous about buying complicated tractor/car.... part's online as it is, so if I don't see shipping charges up front, I go somewhere else. But I have to say when it come's to buying commend tractor maintenance part's, Coleman's out of Missouri get two thumbs up from me, easy web site just pick your color and number, sh. charges up front and reasonable considering how far from me they are, for under $10.00 in shipping, I get the filter and oil for my tractor in 3-4 days, that's awesome.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

What all that under $10.00 means to me is, I don't have to start my car, I don't spend 45 min. of time, no car accident, and no $150.00 speed trap fine.
I just don't know why other tractor place's in New England aren't like Coleman's or even where I bought my tractor.

 

[LD1]

FWIW, the order was placed on Thursday 12-31.

Parts were picked up via FedEx on Wed 1-6, and delivered thursday1-7. So only 1 day but the part only had to go 1 state away.

Knowing I had ordered the part kn Thursday (new years eave) if I was indeed in a hurry and paid extra for next day, I would be upset they waited til Wednesday the following week to ship.

 

[rgr33]

I'm with you Gem on Northern Tool shipping price. Too bad they are so expensive in shipping charges. I used to buy a lot from them, but haven't for a while. Once you add in their shipping, they are not competitive any longer. Too bad.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Anyone else get upset with the shipping charges some places charge for parts?

I'm not gonna mention names because this place is a sponser here,but have every intention of calling Monday when they are open and express my feelings.

I ordered the parts over the phone, got prices on what they were and ordered. But my fault that I failed to verify the total my.card would be ran for including shipping.

Parts were 8 valve stem seals. 4 were hat style, and 4 were tiny o-ring style. Cost me $18 freaking dollars to ship via FedEx in a 6" x 6" x 4" box that may have weighed a half a pound.

Why can't busnisses use a little common sense? I could have fit 40 of these seals in a small flat rate bos that cost a whole shopping $5.

Anyone else think $18 to ship 8 valve stem seals is excessive?

I try to order everything via Amazon Prime as I dislike hidden profit centers as a customer.

Some businesses justify shipping as a profit center by building labor cost of packaging and profit on the same into the cost of shipping. Those prices should be built into the cost of the part.

Gets worse: back in the 90s my distributors could do blind drop shipping from their warehouse to my clients with my company's name, address, and logo on the shipping labels. But tractor dealers apparently order their parts into their shop, then repackage and send back out, charging shipping. Or, when they do blind drop shipping from distribution to you, the dealer pads the shipping costs according to what the dealer wants to make in profit.

 

[5030]

I'm with you on that, that's why I no longer go to places like Messicks web site. If a company want's to play these shipping games, I'll go somewhere else.
The old saying "buyer beware", IMO, with online forum's and FB, it should now be >seller beware< but that only works as long as people will up-hold the/their 1st. amendment right and not settle for this new millennial age political correctness BS.

MESSICCKS is real good for that crap. I have a commercial account with them and while they almost have what I require in stock, any savings between my local dealer and them is quickly ate up in inflated ship costs so I only order items he don't stock anymore. I don't like that crap at all.... and they never quote shipping either. Bad business IMO.