Shipping & handling..a deal breaker ?

[ironglow]

   Recently, I have found some of what I consider ridiculous charges for shipping and handling. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I cannot see where S&H for say, a .223 shellholder & a small package of decapping pins in a small, padded envelope should cost more than 4 or 5 dollars. Most retailers pay their hourly help from profits, so why an EXTRA charge for an employee to pack the parts ?
   Coincidentally, it seems those that charge top dollar for their goods..seem to be the ones who also slap heavy S&H charges on things.
 
   SO..Here's your chance..your chance to mention a merchant who you have found to be very fair about S&H..

  NOTE: This is not an appeal to trash somebody you are displeased with..let's be positive and mention only those who have been what you consider very fair...with S&H.
   

[MGMorden]

Brownells has always been good about S&H.  They'll mail small stuff out parcel post in padded envelopes and keep the shipping charges low.  Gun items aside, Amazon is great too (break $25 on your order and it ships "free").

A lot of places use S&H as a way of posting misleading prices.  In this day and age, people have come to accept the posted price as what they're paying, and S&H as just an extra "cost of doing business".  As such a lot of times a $5 item with $5 shipping will often sell before a $6 item with $2 shipping.  Makes no sense (the second one has a lower total cost), but that's typically the way the market works.

Knowing this, a lot of merchants will undercut each other by setting their posted price either at or below cost, and then making their actual profits via an inflated shipping charge.  This is particularly evident when you see some manufacturers who list a shipping cost for each and every item, and it accumulates for each one.

Also, a lot of auction site sellers use it to get around fees.  Ebay, Gunbroker, etc always charge their fees based on final selling price.  Shipping is not levied against.  I've seen people selling a $20 item for $0.01 (Buy It Now) with $25 shipping for this reason.  They make their sale, and make their money, but the auction company only gets a cut of the $0.01 selling price.

[Brett]

Yep, excessive shipping & handling fees are definitely a deal breaker for me.  I have passed on many mail order/internet items because of this.  I look at the total cost.  Nothing tics me off more than being charged nearly as much or more in shipping and handling than what a product cost.

My business charges a flat rate of $3 regardless of the size/cost of the order.

[rex6666]

You have really watch out on ebay, some items will sell at $5-6 and have shipping charges of $10-$11, That is not e-bay that is the person listing it.

[Old Fart]

Recently I stopped before placing an order on a couple small items when I noticed an additional "Special" charge that was unexplained.
It had the normal s/h which was reasonable like $4 or $5.
Then this extra $4 or $5 special charge.
I thought What the heck is that.
No explanation.
No sale.

[LONGTOM]

It all comes down to the final price.
If someone doesn't check out the S&H before buying than that is their mistake.

I too have seen what you all have stated play out many times and do not partake in it unless it is something I really need and can not find it anywhere else.
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.




LONGTOM

[teamnelson]

I live on an island so most of the stuff we buy has to be shipped, and I think its ridiculous that one of the major shooting/hunting sites lists S&H on small items for as much as $30. A flat rate box is still a flat rate box. I've gone to using small businesses as I can normally contact them direct and they'll put it in a flat rate no problem.

[yooper77]

Everything I purchase comes down to the final cost.

I measure and research taxes & S&H on everything I purchase and I have and will continue to pass on high dollar items and low dollar items because of outrageous charges.

yooper77

[SHOOTALL]

S&H are profit makers plain and simple . I had 4 filler screws for holes left when scope was removed sent that cost 16 dollars. Under2 for parts the rest was shipping . What was the bad part they didn't ship the two screws i needed for the action and I had to pay shipping twice because i didn't click the only ship complete order box or something . And the only reason i ordered the filler screws in the first place was i had to get the action screws anyway . 

[Old Fart]

S&H are profit makers plain and simple .

This.    And when I catch them in the act I just move on down the street to someone else never to return. Dirty underhanded tactics.

[GH1]

S&H charges have broken more than one deal for me.  Another deal breaker is charging an additional 3% on credit card orders, and sales tax. All these things have to be taken into account when ordering anything.
GH1

[highwayman]

i was thinking of buying a lawnmower from a area store, waited to long and they sold it. it was their last one. they told me if i want to buy another one like it i had to pay s@h. i went to another store

[Heavy C]

I just had this experience last week.  One place had slightly higher prices on their merchandise, but very reasonable shipping rates and plenty of options.  As I shopped another place they had the same pistol magazines at a substantial discount, but only one option to ship; which started at $11.  That seems unreasonable for a magazine.  Needless to say the latter did not get my business.

[MGMorden]

S&H charges have broken more than one deal for me.  Another deal breaker is charging an additional 3% on credit card orders, and sales tax. All these things have to be taken into account when ordering anything.
GH1

Not only that, but they try to weasel around their contracts by saying that their prices reflect a "cash discount that cannot be earned with a credit card".  You see, a surcharge (OR a minimum purchase as a requirement of use of the card) is against the terms of their merchant agreement.  If a complaint is made they can be stricken of their ability to accept credit cards period.  And the reality is that regardless of how they word it, if the result is that the advertised price goes up, then it's a surcharge.  I've reported several local vendors - particularly on attempting to set a minimum purchase. 

One store in particular really ticked me off.  I've shopped there for more than 15 years (since they opened).  I even WORKED there for 3 years during high school (though nobody I worked with was at the store at the time).  Spent God-knows how much money with them - usually cash, but I'd bought gas a few times on my card. Went there after fishing one day and got a hot dog, chips and a drink.  Total was somewhere around $3.50.  Checked my wallet and turns out I didn't have cash.  No biggie, I'll use my debit card.  The cashier told me that they had a $10 minimum purchase.  I reminded them that this was against their merchant agreement.  She didn't care.  $10 minimum.  OK.  I left the stuff, called VISA and reported them, and have not been back since.  I wonder if the wasted hot dog (not to mention all future business) cost them more than the $0.15 or so it would have probably cost in transaction fees?

[powderman]

I used to order from Smokey Mtn Knife works til they kicked the shipping and handling up so high. Buying in a store is now cheaper. The biggest ripoffs are the tv offers. Buy one get one free, must pay SEPERATE s&h. Initial catalogue prices are nothing, add it all up. Still a bargain??? POWDERMAN. 

[Cabin4]

Total price (products plus S&H plus Tax if applicable) is the only price that matters.

[ToadHill]

I buy electronics stuff now and then from "Woot".  Everything they sell is $5 S&H be it a set of ear buds or a 42" flat screen TV.

[LONGTOM]

Fine if you are buying the TV but not so good if it is the ear buds. 



LONGTOM

[buffalo]

Another ripoff is Cabela's.Their stores are bare of primers.However; you can buy them through the catalog. Problem is they sock you with the HazMat charge $20.00. You can't tell me that there isnt a little rebating going on with the freight companies
While I'm at it what about UPS.All handguns must be shipped next day Air.This came into being when the UPS employees were stealing too many guns.The next day Air puts a little more control in the hands of management. UPS should clean out their dishonest employees.Why should we have to pay for their chicanery?

[torpedoman]

I have a bad habit of contacting sellers and telling them if their s&h is out of line and a deal breaker and if more people did it they would cut them down. (some private sellers have been rude ans basically said if you dont like it go elsewere to which i replied "gladly"

[steve y]

Grafs charged $4-$5 now they are 6 I believe. Most places just charge whatever UPS or Fedex charge for ground $10-$11. If I see someone way out of bounds I won't trade with them. steve

[Cabin4]

Some on-line retailers charge you the full list price for shipping but make money because they get a discount on the rates from UPS or Fed. Some pass on the discounted rate to you in full or in part. Again, in the end, the total price is the only thing that matters.

On the point about theft at UPS: All the small package carriers suffer from some level of theft. Overall, UPS Air and Ground combined has the lowest loss/theft rates in the industry. FedEX Ground is the worst. FedEx Ground is a franchised operation. Its made up of thousands of small localized out-sourced companies. The hand-offs between one courier to the next and the lack of tracking technology is a huge issue for them. FedEx Express is their air product offering and it is corporate owned and operated through & through. The package tracking and security is outstanding.

[Boxhead]

Well the OP got one answer, Brownell's. I will add Numrich Arms and Montana Bullet Works to the "list".

[Foxxtrot]

Midway USA.

Looked at a full case of 30.06 (10 boxes) and I checked the estimated shipping with my zip code. Gave me a $23 charge. I said OK. Started the checkout process and put in a coupon code for $10 off. Took the code fine. Next I went to the final page and the shipping charges changed to $33.

Just a little pissed about the change in shipping from $23 to $33....and how much was that coupon for???

$10 dollars.

They will never get my business for crap like that.

[Old Fart]

Midway USA.

They were the one I was talking about in my original post.
They added some mysterious special charge on with out explanation.
Later Larry, I'm gonna look elsewhere.

[MGMorden]

Midway USA.

They were the one I was talking about in my original post.
They added some mysterious special charge on with out explanation.
Later Larry, I'm gonna look elsewhere.

In that case it was probably their handling fee on small orders.  MidwayUSA charges an extra $4 for regular customer orders under $30, and dealer orders under $40.

This is allowed under their merchant agreement because it applies to all orders regardless of payment method, but it's still a bit sneaky and aggravating.  The seller that charges me for my small orders probably isn't going to be at the top of the list when it comes time to place a large order either. 

For the most part, though their website is laid out in a more confusing manner (of course Midway's otherwise nice website crashes a lot, so this is kind of a wash),  Brownells is a better option most of the time. 

[scootrd]

My wife ebays.. me not so much.
I noticed on a few items she purchased 4-5 $ S+H (it's the handling fees that crack me Up)
But when the package arrives at the house the seller only paid $ 3.50 to have it shipped.

So the seller made $ 1.50 extra off the sale for a handling Fee .
Please !!! that's ridiculous.

[rex6666]

I just sent a seller on ebay a message about an item, was intrested in buying
at his price, but thought the $11 shipping was to high, thought it would fit
in a $4-5 flat rate box. He said it was going to be $11 dollars no matter
where it fit. I told him to see if it fit where the sun don't shine.

[Old Fart]

Ebay is a whole other story.
There's a bunch of people on it that sell cheap and make up thier profit on the s/n fee.
You really have to watch that site. 

[ms]

   Recently, I have found some of what I consider ridiculous charges for shipping and handling. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I cannot see where S&H for say, a .223 shellholder & a small package of decapping pins in a small, padded envelope should cost more than 4 or 5 dollars. Most retailers pay their hourly help from profits, so why an EXTRA charge for an employee to pack the parts ?
   Coincidentally, it seems those that charge top dollar for their goods..seem to be the ones who also slap heavy S&H charges on things.
 
   SO..Here's your chance..your chance to mention a merchant who you have found to be very fair about S&H..

  NOTE: This is not an appeal to trash somebody you are displeased with..let's be positive and mention only those who have been what you consider very fair...with S&H.
   

I agree.