what's the deal with ridiculous shipping prices???

[phhnyc]

OK, is it just me, or is every online vendor making a bundle on inflated shipping costs? I swear, each and every time I order online, be it a book or an Antec case, I feel like I'm gettin screwed. Most recently, I ordered an electric guitar + an amp at what seemed to me a very good price, but then I got to the dreaded shipping and handling page...S+H for these items was $48.75 UPS GROUND....$50???? Who the hell are these people kidding?? I found out how much the items weighed and went to UPS and calculated myself just how much it would cost to ship these two items (11.9 lbs and 9.6 lbs): $6.73 and $6.42... Hmmm...I wonder where they got that $48.75 figure from. What the hell did they line the package with, golden peanuts? Call me crazy, but I don't think vendors/retailers should make any profit on shipping. They should make their profit on the damn item, the shipper (UPS, USPostal, FedEx, etc) is the one that makes money in shipping. I'd love to hear any actual vendors/retailers (online or b+m) opinion on this.

To be honest, I really feel pretty helpless. Once I get my guitar I'm planning on calling this particular vendor and letting them have a piece of my mind, but I highly doubt enough people do this. I think online buyers (and God knows how many there are on Anandtech alone) are getting ripped off on shipping costs. Online sellers hike up S+H costs to the maximum possible payable amount with impunity because they think we're helpless. I don't really know what the point of this post is (perhaps just vent), but I urge you to contact retailers and threaten to take your business elsewhere when you see exorbitant S+H costs. Also mention and make sure to check out Reseller Ratings.Com and leave your two cents about the place. And of course there's the BBB, but I'm not sure to what extent they deal with online vendors. Well that's all, I'd love to hear what anyone thinks about this.


-=all we do in life echoes in eternity=-

 

[Jerboy]

<< OK, is it just me, or is every online vendor making a bundle on inflated shipping costs? I swear, each and every time I order online, be it a book or an Antec case, I feel like I'm gettin screwed. Most recently, I ordered an electric guitar + an amp at what seemed to me a very good price, but then I got to the dreaded shipping and handling page...S+H for these items was $48.75 UPS GROUND....$50???? Who the hell are these people kidding?? I found out how much the items weighed and went to UPS and calculated myself just how much it would cost to ship these two items (11.9 lbs and 9.6 lbs): $6.73 and $6.42... Hmmm...I wonder where they got that $48.75 figure from. What the hell did they line the package with, golden peanuts? Call me crazy, but I don't think vendors/retailers should make any profit on shipping. They should make their profit on the damn item, the shipper (UPS, USPostal, FedEx, etc) is the one that makes money in shipping. I'd love to hear any actual vendors/retailers (online or b+m) opinion on this.

To be honest, I really feel pretty helpless. Once I get my guitar I'm planning on calling this particular vendor and letting them have a piece of my mind, but I highly doubt enough people do this. I think online buyers (and God knows how many there are on Anandtech alone) are getting ripped off on shipping costs. Online sellers hike up S+H costs to the maximum possible payable amount with impunity because they think we're helpless. I don't really know what the point of this post is (perhaps just vent), but I urge you to contact retailers and threaten to take your business elsewhere when you see exorbitant S+H costs. Also mention and make sure to check out Reseller Ratings.Com and leave your two cents about the place. And of course there's the BBB, but I'm not sure to what extent they deal with online vendors. Well that's all, I'd love to hear what anyone thinks about this.


-=all we do in life echoes in eternity=- >>




Simple. They make buck on handling charge. Its $14 to ship a stick of memory.

 

[Braves]

well, considering how many of these companies mess up at the shipping/handling part, maybe it's good they are charging more so they can hire some decent brains to do the work

 

[Jzero]

You can have it one way or the other--they got to make a profit, ro they go out of business.

But they'll attract more traffic if they can advertise what appears to be a great price and then make up the balance with their "handling" charge.
I would agree that a _reputable_ vendor would simply price honestly and charge a normal shipping cost, but not all vendors are reputable. You should always get a shipping quote in advance and tell them to take a hike if it's crap. The FCC recommends this as a good practice when buying anything mail order.

But I think if you call these companies up and complain, they'll either tell you to sod off, or they'll just up the sale price.
You can call the BBB but they have no teeth.
Resellerratings helps some, though.

 

[bozo1]

They are playing the Pricewatch game. List your product at or below cost, get higher on the pricewatch list for the item, make your profit off of 'handling' charges.

It's why Newegg and many others shipping costs vary greatly between products that are the same size/weight.

 

[IGBT]

ubid.com pads the shipping as well. Hardly worth doing biz.with them anymore..:frown: