patronizing advertisers

[sksmsllc]

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

I wonder if there would be some method to provide the online advertiser with a member number showing we found out about the company from TractorByNet and as a result waive the shiping/handle fee for purchases from members of the site?

 

[Bedlam]

Id like to think that a company would make an exception if the buyer goes through the troubles to contact them and ask for it to go a different way. This would be the best advertisement they could get. Maybe get more business.
So many companies spend millions on advertising but drop the ball when its personal with a customer.

 

[Muhammad]

Some companies offer TBN member specials. We'd like to get more to offer specials in the future. A lot of times on things like parts and attachments, margins are low so there isn't a lot of room for us to negotiate deals.

 

[MikePA]

Id like to think that a company would make an exception if the buyer goes through the troubles to contact them and ask for it to go a different way.

You are told what the total cost of the order will be, including shipping, before you confirm your order. If you don't like the Shipping charges, don't order and contact Messicks. They even give you a phone number to call on the same page that lists the Shipping options and payment information.

I just started the order process for a $3.21 washer and here's what I see at the beginning of the Checkout process. As you can see, Shipping charges for a $3.21 washer would be $9.75. By way of reference, my last real order of 3 filters and 2 O rings cost $16.75 to ship and weighed 5 pounds. My guess is, there's a minimum charge that's based on your distance from Messicks.

Shipping Options
We typicaly ship UPS or Fedex depending on the best transit time to your area.
All parts shipments from Messicks are fully insured and trackable.

Ground Shipping - $9.75
Expedited Air Freight
Abbottstown Pickup
Elizabethtown Pickup

Call 877-260-3528 for assistance.

I started the order process for the same part at partspring.com. The washer was $0.01 more and here are the shipping options.

United States Postal Service
Priority Mail $8.20
Express Mail $24.85
United Parcel Service
Ground $17.50
3 Day Select $25.40
Federal Express
Home Delivery $18.72
Express Saver $24.96

 

[Bedlam]

I understand that. What I'm saying is a basic negotiation. Ask if they would consider reducing the shipping in hopes that you will come back for more. And also that you would be a 'happy camper' and tell others.
(old fashioned approach maybe) but negotiating is still around.
not to hijack but one gripe of mine with on line shopping is the lack of some company's to give you the shipping before you fill all the info out (personal).So you spend 10 minutes doing all that only to not order because the shipping is to high.
Northern tool does it right 'click here for shipping cost' plain and simple.Yes I don't like the cost ,but at least they are more forward not waiting for you to have to give all the personal info or make an account.This to me is a complete insult.
problem with negotiating is people tend to feel like they are looked upon as cheap. Maybe there is some truth to that. But I don't mind them thinking I'm cheap.

 

[MikePA]

...but one gripe of mine with on line shopping is the lack of some company's to give you the shipping before you fill all the info out (personal).So you spend 10 minutes doing all that only to not order because the shipping is to high.

partspring.com has an Estimate Shipping and Tax option on the first Checkout page they also allow you to checkout as a Guest and do not force you to Register.

Messicks forces you to either login or register, however, they show you the shipping cost on the first page after login.

 

[Solo]

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...

...

West Virginia calls this a usage tax that is to be filed at the end of the year.

120 mile round trip to dealer= 2 hrs x $30/hr.
10 gallons of gas = $28
$88-$12=$66 savings to order the part.

Ordering from Messicks= priceless :thumbsup:

Solo

 

[sweettractors]

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...

If the customer agrees to no tracking ability, We ship that smaller stuff in the small USPS flat rate box for $4.95 + $1 Handling. We have daily UPS pickup, however the flat rate they charge is going up almost every month and we only use them on bigger items. Like the other post said, UPS residential can get to $8+ pretty quick. Ken Sweet

 

[ToadHill]

I can understand the cost of shipping, what urks me is this "Handling" charge. If you don't want to handle the darn thing, don't sell it.

When I go to the parts counter, the guy behind there "Handles" it and I'm not charged for that.

 

[MossRoad]

I can understand the cost of shipping, what urks me is this "Handling" charge. If you don't want to handle the darn thing, don't sell it.

When I go to the parts counter, the guy behind there "Handles" it and I'm not charged for that.

Yes. But he doesn't have to stick it in a box, put packing material in it, tape up the box, weigh the box, print out a label, stick it on the box and then hand it to you. :laughing:

 

[sweettractors]

Some companies offer TBN member specials. We'd like to get more to offer specials in the future. A lot of times on things like parts and attachments, margins are low so there isn't a lot of room for us to negotiate deals.

We just started this offer after Muhammad made the suggestion. Hope this helps a few TBN guys. Ken Sweet

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/169028-3-discount-tractorbynet-members-till.html

 

[packrat001]

I can remember NOT ordering parts from SearsParts because I couldn't justify their minimum S&H for a $2.00 part. Usually, I'd just wait till they had a "free ship" deal (NOT very often, though), or I could come up with a few more items to order at the same time.

Most places have a min S&H... I try to shop places that offer FREE SHIP (like a lot of on-line places.)

 

[Whatswrong]

"Pine " I'm sure I would feel the same,but the UPS comes to their door and your's probably the postman comes to yours but Messicks probably would have to pay a Hotshot driver/Courier to get the parcel to the post office so the savings is gone anyway.I work a parts desk phone job ,shipping is insane,also there are only about 1 customers in 200 calls who ask for mail in Canada and I have 1 in USA that always does because his mail happens to be better due to his particular location.Just my thoughts, I'm sure it won't make you feel much less disulussioned.

 

[/pine]

Messicks probably would have to pay a Hotshot driver/Courier to get the parcel to the post office

...what? they don't get mail from the USPS 6 days a week?...eventhe USPS television advertising says they (USPS) will come to you and pick up flat rate packaging...


OK, just to clarify...not being asked and automatically charged $12.75 to ship 6 oil seals (less than 8 oz) was what irked me about Messicks..

since then I have ordered 6 radial bearings (from Tractorsmart)..the bearings weigh about 20 times what the seals weigh and the the shipping for the bearings is only $9...

 

[deepNdirt]

...what? they don't get mail from the USPS 6 days a week?...eventhe USPS television advertising says they (USPS) will come to you and pick up flat rate packaging...


OK, just to clarify...not being asked and automatically charged $12.75 to ship 6 oil seals (less than 8 oz) was what irked me about Messicks..

since then I have ordered 6 radial bearings (from Tractorsmart)..the bearings weigh about 20 times what the seals weigh and the the shipping for the bearings is only $9...

A think a lot of Vender's will eat the Handling cost to get and keeps people coming back for business, so I believe the handling cost is what runs of the prices, shipping cost is what it is and no getting around it.... it depends on if the seller wants money for the handling or not! If I were to have take time out to package something and this time took away from my earned income then of course I would need to be compensated.. Lets say I earn 20 bucks an our, it takes me 30 minutes to package and get the package off for delivery.... this would be $10.00 of the $20.00 that I would have made in 1 hour.... see where I'm going with this but! if I were to have employed a person specifically to do the Handling/ packaging of items and pay this person say 10.00 hour and it takes 30 minutes.. then I have paid this person 5.00 to package the item for me, thus leaving me to making my 20.00 per hour less 5 bucks I paid them, so now I'm down to making only 15.00 hour .. now I'm not happy making 15.00 hour so I up charge extra 5.00 for the handling to get me back to where I'm happy making 20.00 an hour
But Now You not Happy its a Cruel world :confused2:

 

[/pine]

IMO..."shipping and handling" charges for companies doing business on the Internet is a crock of bull...

If a user buys something on the Internet and unless the item is marked "free shipping" the user should be aware of the additional shipping costs...

However, any and all "handling" charges from an Internet based retailer is nothing but gouging the public....packaging is part of any catalog or Internet retailer's overhead and should be included in the listed price of the inventory...

I seriously doubt that any retailer's business model relies on revenue derived from their packaging department based on a perentage of the weight of the merchandise packaged...(a brick mason gets paid by the hour...not by how many bricks he lays)...Go to Sears and buy a big flat panel TV...I bet the associate spends a lot of time with you and will probably spend even more time helping you get it out to your truck and loaded etc...they don't add on anything to the price for this service to compensate whomever is paying the associate's salary...

Up until recently when the USPS started offering their flat rate parcel boxes...if you bought and item via a catalog or the Internet...you expected to pay a rate based on what an item weighed...there is no excuse for any shipper not to offer these savings...statistics indicate that the USPS loses no more packages than any of the other carriers with similar volumes...

 

[deepNdirt]

Let me ask this Pine/..... did you save any money by ordering these parts on line?........ I always seem to have more concern about why I cannot go into a local retailer and buy something as cheap there as I can on line, Same business same part... but Buying things on line seem to give a % of discounts.
for instance back last Holidays I shopped from home on line looking for the best deal on a GPS I found one on walmt website, instead of ordering it and waiting or taking chance it would get tied up it delivery and not show until after Christmas I decided to drop in at the local walmt and buy it, well they inform me it was only that price on the net and in order to get it for that price I would have to order it.......... OK now my point is---> if a business can lower there price selling on the net then they must try making up the difference in another way? Ahhhh! by handling charges perhaps?
Oh! BTW I probably spent more money in gas going back home Printing the ad
bringing it back in to them and showing the manager the part in the ad that stated can be ship to store to be picked up....... well I told him I would save them that hassle, and that I'm there now "to pick it up" Duh! whats the difference other than walmt having spend time and money to ship & handle the item out to me and for a lesser profit to them and then them to try and make up the difference in another sale...:confused2:

 

[/pine]

If I worked at an Internet shipping company and I was being paid..
when I retrieve the parts for the order, place the parts in the box, label it, setup shipping and then complete the order in the order management system I likely would take 20-30 minutes.

If someone is paying you... or anyone and you took 20-30 minutes to do this 20-30 second job...they would be out of business in a heartbeat...

And you think I have no business acumen? guess again...

 

[/pine]

whats the difference other than walmt having spend time and money to ship & handle the item out to me and for a lesser profit to them and then them to try and make up the difference in another sale...

Most Internet retailers charge a premium for telephone orders simply because they require two different people... pure Internet orders are usually handled by only one person..the shipping clerk...the same software that prints the shipping lables and postage codes does everything else...

In most cases of general retail merchandise...there is already enough profit margin written into the consumer price that it covers most shipping...

 

[MikePA]

However, any and all "handling" charges from an Internet based retailer is nothing but gouging the public....packaging is part of any catalog or Internet retailer's overhead and should be included in the listed price of the inventory...

Businesses are free to define their pricing any way they want to and include, or not include, costs as they see fit. A smart shopper adds the cost of the item plus all other charges and compares that to the alternatives before buying. If they determine it's gouging, they are free to buy somewhere else. Not to mention, in this situation, Messisks is also a brick and mortar store. What are they supposed to do, charge people who walk into their store a price that has an online 'handling' charge built in? :confused2:

On the same page where your shipping charges were displayed, there were several other options, two of which were to pick up in one of their 2 stores. If I chose to 'save' the delivery charge by providing my own 'pick up' service, why should I pay an 'online handling' charge? Ans: I shouldn't.