patronizing advertisers

[/pine]

I thought I would place an order with Messicks as they seem to be respected by TBN users...however I was highly dissappointed to find they charged me a $12 flat rate to ship me 6 oil seals that can't way a combined 8 ounces...

I will not be doing business with Messicks any more...

 

[Muhammad]

Might want to give them a call and ask about it... if you haven't already.

 

[MikePA]

I thought I would place an order with Messicks as they seem to be respected by TBN users...however I was highly dissappointed to find they charged me a $12 flat rate to ship me 6 oil seals that can't way a combined 8 ounces...

I will not be doing business with Messicks any more...

While it's not justification, lots of online retailers have a minimum shipping charge, probably because it covers both Shipping and Handling.

 

[Bedlam]

Yes I agree just got a chainsaw cap. sells for $5. on line withe close to 6 dollars ship.
Found it at my local hardware and parts store and paid $4.25 . No shipping. But on line is ok if your in a pinch.
Thats why they call it shipping and HANDLING.To justify it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Shipping has beena deal breaker for me on allot of things that I was very close to buying. I understand that the person selling the item needs to make a profit and adding Handling to that is an expense that comes into play with packaging up an item to ship it out. I don't begrudge a company their time or materials to package an item, but there is a limit to what I consider reasonable.

$12 is excessive for some oil seals in my opinion. I've bought tons of stuff and tens of thousands of dollars online, and have found that shipping fees are a big part of who I do business with. If somebody else has the same item and can sell it to me for less with the price of shipping included in the price, I'm going with the lowest cost.

Eddie

 

[magicheater]

the consumer has the choice, pay the shipping or spend the time to find it locally. Don't like the charges, ask why or don't buy.

 

[Bedlam]

I agree but its rather silly to think like when i bought a plastic part from sears, that the part cost 3 dollars or so and would be mailed in a standard envelope, that it costs the an additional 7.45 to ship it.It leaves a taste that will never go away..No common sense when it comes to that .

 

[Muhammad]

Most online retailers won't use the most economical shipping methods if they can't be tracked. Due to the amount of fraud online, retailers need to use shipping methods that can actually verify delivery (with signature or delivery confirmation).

Also, the shipping carrier will determine price and minimum shipping charge. While those seals could probably be mailed for $2 in an oversize envelope (and certainly could go for the $5 priority mail minimum), if the store uses UPS or FedEx ground exclusively, a residential delivery can easily cost $7-8. Then add the cost of the box and packing materials (or approximates for averages) of $1-$2, labor for picking and packing, e-mail confirmations, figure about $1-2 there, and then you are at $9-$12.

Not sure if that's what's going on here, but high shipping charges can certainly can be explained in some cases.

 

[deepNdirt]

I have many times paid more for the S & H then paid for the actual item,
12.00 to ship 1.00 item does seem a bit high,but when I think about how much time I would spend on the phone calling around searching for the part locally? or how much fuel it would take to drive to pick up the item? ...........
I then realize that shipping to my door for a fee is not so bad after all,
although I agree shipping fee's have become outrages and some folks might think if the convenience IS! actually worth the cost?
Try to look at it this way........ when you order that 25 lb part from 800 miles away and you only paid 12.00 for S & H .... somehow it all weighs out even :thumbsup:

 

[/pine]

...12.00 to ship 1.00 item does seem a bit high...

It's not about the value of the merchandise...it's about the weight...How much can 6 oil seals weigh?

The total of the merchandise I ordered was about $42....my CC was billed $57...

I contacted the represenative here on TBN and got some song and dance about how they use (UPS) ground shipping that if I would have asked they would have sent it via USPS but it would NOT BE THEIR (Messicks) FAULT if the parcel got lost in the mail....right then I decided I would never do business with them again.....

The USPS offers simple to use flat rate boxes that are easily insured (the same as UPS only much more reasonable)...

 

[Hakim]

I contacted the representative here on TBN and got some song and dance about how they use (UPS) ground shipping that if I would have asked they would have sent it via USPS but it would NOT BE THEIR (Messicks) FAULT if the parcel got lost in the mail....right then I decided I would never do business with them again.....
The USPS offers simple to use flat rate boxes that are easily insured (the same as UPS only much more reasonable)...

Actually it can be a huge hassle to prepare a package, take it to the post office, STAND IN LINE (up to 15-20 minutes) and fill out the various forms to get registration, delivery confirmation & insurance.

Many people may not realize how difficult it is to get the PO to pay for lost or damaged merchandise (think: almost impossible). If there is a lost package, you have to wait for SIX MONTHS after the package is "lost" before you can even file a claim with the PO. The sender (selling company) must be the one to file the claim. etc etc etc.

So most vendors insist to use FedEx ground or UPS, since you get door to door tracking, delivery confirmation, and instant pay for insured items (up to $100 insurance is included in the fee).

If your time as a buyer is worth even $15 an hour, you will be much better off paying that $15 S&H than going around to various stores looking for the item, because lately many stores do not even have standard, simple items in stock. Even WalMart is often out of batteries and similar items when I just "drop by" to pick some up.

For every $1 item that costs $12 in S&H, many items that cost several hundred may cost the same or less (software, small electronics, etc.).

Many vendors "eat" some of the costs of shipping, to make it more reasonable. As someone else just said, it kind of "balances out" over time.

Just some more "angles" to think about ...

 

[brin]

Hakim don't forget , at least I know, when I buy from Messiks I don't pay sales tax and that either offsets shipping costs or reduces it greatly and that savings plus my time, gas etc. makes it all worthwhile.

 

[TBDonnelly]

"patronizing advertisers"

Is Messick's Equipment now a paid advertiser?

Don

 

[/pine]

at least I know, when I buy from Messiks I don't pay sales tax

You don't have to pay sales tax on any purchase outside of your home state as long as the vendor is located outside of said state...

Actually it can be a huge hassle to prepare a package, take it to the post office, STAND IN LINE (up to 15-20 minutes) and fill out the various forms to get registration, delivery confirmation & insurance.

entities that are in the merchandising business have their own shipping departments...Even the average e-bay seller does not "stand in line" at the post office....USPS insurance is the same as that used by the other shippers...

I have been buying and selling merchandise online as long as there has been an "online"...I know all the ins and outs of the business...I also know when I'm being charged excessively...

 

[/pine]

Is Messick's Equipment now a paid advertiser?

if they are not, sorry my mistake...looking back now it is my second mistake regarding the subject...

 

[George2615]

You don't have to pay sales tax on any purchase outside of your home state as long as the vendor is located outside of said state...

Just a note for those in NY State. At Income Tax time NY State asks if you purchased anything out of state where you didn't pay sales tax. If so they want you to pay sales tax on the items purchased out of state.

I see it coming that eventually they will require reciprocity with other states to collect that tax or notify the state the purchaser lives in that an item was purchased out of state and how much it was so they can expect that sales tax.

Many people are internet shopping to buy out of state to avoid paying sales tax. It won't last forever. I don't know about other states income tax but I imagine there are a few that also require sales tax be paid on items bought out of state come tax time.

 

[MikePA]

You don't have to pay sales tax on any purchase outside of your home state as long as the vendor is located outside of said state...

entities that are in the merchandising business have their own shipping departments...Even the average e-bay seller does not "stand in line" at the post office....USPS insurance is the same as that used by the other shippers...

I have been buying and selling merchandise online as long as there has been an "online"...I know all the ins and outs of the business...I also know when I'm being charged excessively...

Perhaps this is what you meant, but the vendor can't have any presence within the state where the purchaser is. If they have a store in the purchaser's state, even if you buy online from their HQ in Texas, you pay the sales tax.

I have no idea whether Messicks has a shipping department, wouldn't surprise me if their parts department handled everything. Everything I've bought from Messicks has arrived via UPS and since a round trip to them is 40 miles, the shipping cost is always cheaper although I've never had an order of just 6 oil seals. Regardless of how they ship, there's a minimum amount of labor to fulfill even the smallest order and get it ready for shipping. As I mentioned before, the charge is for Shipping and Handling. If you feel you're being overcharged, don't buy from them. Not sure why you felt it warranted starting a thread. Hopefully, you'll update us if you find another retailer with lower shipping charges.

if they are not, sorry my mistake...looking back now it is my second mistake regarding the subject...

Messicks is not an approved advertiser.

 

[Hakim]

entities that are in the merchandising business have their own shipping departments...Even the average e-bay seller does not "stand in line" at the post office....USPS insurance is the same as that used by the other shippers...

Yes there are differences between small companies ("Messicks" would qualify in this discussion) and a large mail order form with a full time shipping & fulfillment staff.

While there have been some very positive improvements in the USPS, small individual mailers still have many problems complying with all of the various postal regulations. Some who sell on eBay are "power sellers" with tens of thousands of sales per year, and thus would have a fulfillment center handle all their mailing needs.

We have a body care company and ship dozens of packages most days. Many of the packages -- due to their small size and weight -- ship easily with prepared postage, and are just dropped off in the bulk receiving containers at the rear of most post offices.

Still, almost every day there are one or more packages that require an employee of ours to make some direct interaction with a postal clerk. The wait can be more than 30 minutes, especially at holiday times.

I understand your aggravation, but I also certainly do understand that handling special requests on small ticket items eats away any profit on such a small sale. I do not believe it is simply a matter of gouging.

I stand in line at the PO almost every day to pick up packages, special delivery, inbound foreign orders, etc. I can tell you that EVERY day I see several eBay sellers standing ON LINE with up to 20, 30 or more packages, waiting to process their orders.

"USPS insurance is the same as that used by the other shippers..." Not sure what you mean by this, or what the relevance is.

I am sure some vendors try to squeeze a bit of extra "profit" by boosting fees on shipping. But generally speaking, as one who sends and receives thousands of packages a year, I have found such vendors to be the exception, not the rule. In fact, many vendors -- such as Zappos (free shipping both ways), and Amazon, with options for "super saver" or free freight) have S&H fees that are reasonable for the service provided.

 

[/pine]

If there is a lost package, you have to wait for SIX MONTHS after the package is "lost" before you can even file a claim with the PO. The sender (selling company) must be the one to file the claim. etc etc etc.

Like I said...the insurance that UPS uses is no different than the postal service uses...I do not have to wait 6 mos. to file a claim...
I can also get tracking and delivery confirmation from the postal service...

If you feel you're being overcharged, don't buy from them. Not sure why you felt it warranted starting a thread.

I already stated I will not be doing business with them again...the reason I started the thread...I had read nothing but positive things about them in many different threads here as well as knowing a represenative is among the members...I was so dissappointed and my sentiments became the exact opposite of what I had read...I thought I would relate my experience...

 

[Muhammad]

Yeah, no worries about starting the thread---that's why the forum exists---to talk about tractors and related topics.