Over packaging = high $$ shipping??

[Oldpath05]

I't kinda bugs me when ordering just a few small items online the shipping cost is or almost half the cost of the items I'm buying. At times it's like shipping charges get's on the One Size Fits All Road when it come's to packaging.

I just got these 6 Grandberg sharpening stones for chainsaw sharpening in 2 tiny bags and a small Cool Grind stick, and the box they came in I thought was over packaged and that makes me wonder if that doesn't have an affect on higher shipping charges. The total item cost was $15.75, Shipping was $7.65 flat rate, those few items could've easily fit into a small padded envelope.......

 

[4570Man]

I ordered a seal kit for a hydraulic motor. It was in a plastic bag smaller than a quart ziplock bag maybe 1/2” think. The place wanted $16.50 shipping. These absurd charges are another reason I like amazon.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Even with Amazon I often get stuff that is packed in a carton 3 times larger than the packing the item has plus the item has packing much larger than necessary. Maybe damage problems contribute to this way of packing. Amazing how banged up the outer packing comes through.

Ron

 

[tjkubota93]

I bought cabinets for our kitchen from a place a long way from here. All hardwood, very nice painted finish, all custom. Truck shipped, for $500. Cabinets were around $10k. Everything was perfect except a few peices. No problem, sent new ones out, got them like 1 week later.
1 peice with a problem was a cabinet door. The strapping they used rubbed the paint. The replacement got beat up in shipping......
They sent me 7 replacements that got messed up by fed ex. The 8th one was packed well.

 

[tjkubota93]

But to address the op,

They probably use the flat rate box for everything. Being a frequent Ebay seller, it's kind of a pain weighing and packaging things. Just throwing it in a box and passing the cost on to the buyer is easier.

 

[Diggin It]

All carriers have raised rates significantly over the last 5 years or so. You probably can't walk in to the PO and ship most packages for what companies pay to have items shipped to you. For carriers, it's all about weight, package size and address zones ( to/from ). I don't remember the exact numbers now, but a package I paid around $2.50 to have shipped to me cost me over $4.00 to return.

 

[4570Man]

All carriers have raised rates significantly over the last 5 years or so. You probably can't walk in to the PO and ship most packages for what companies pay to have items shipped to you. For carriers, it's all about weight, package size and address zones ( to/from ). I don't remember the exact numbers now, but a package I paid around $2.50 to have shipped to me cost me over $4.00 to return.

There’s obviously a volume discount in place. Go Amazon!

 

[tjkubota93]

There’s obviously a volume discount in place. Go Amazon!

Yeah I was 100% go amazon before. Now I'm 80for/20against. Their amazon delivery folks are not as good as the ups and USPS were here. So I will keep being an Amazon customer until it doesn't benefit me.

Since we got the amazon people I got alot more 1 day delays and alot more beat up packages.

If it's 2 day shipping I expect it in 2 days, whether I need it or not. If it's get it to you when we can in the next week but 75% are 2 days, ok, just tell me ahead of time so i don't expect or wait on 2 days.

My experience here has been ups #1 USPS #2 and fed ex sucks.

 

[Aquamoose]

Just wait until Amazon establishes itself a monopoly and the incentives to keep you as a consumer quickly diminishes. That’s why I try my best to patronize the smaller companies if cost isn’t far apart.

 

[Diggin It]

The rate increases nearly everyone else pays can be attributed at least in part to the unnaturally low rates AMZ has negotiated (OK, strongarmed) with carriers.