Shipping Costs

[Martin Boekers]

The worst I ever saw was a U.S. company (forget who) that I was going to order a 40# bag of hickory sawdust from for my smoker. $16 for the sawdust. When I got to checkout shipping was $250.00 - needless to say I found a different source.

YIKES!!!!!!

I have a smoker that uses pellets, good thing I get them local.

Curious I have an A Maze N smoker. I love it, I think there are only a couple
with sawdust, what do you use?

HA, I can hijack my own thread.....

[Dan Hintz]

The worst I ever saw was a U.S. company (forget who) that I was going to order a 40# bag of hickory sawdust from for my smoker. $16 for the sawdust. When I got to checkout shipping was $250.00 - needless to say I found a different source.

Sometimes it helps to call the company. I recently ordered a color laser printer for my wife. They called me a day later and asked if I had a loading dock..."What?!" They wanted to ship it freight (read, semi trailer), even though it only weighed like 45 pounds. I asked why they couldn't just use UPS or FedEx and ship it normally. "Hang on..." They came back an hour later and said it wouldn't be a problem. Saved me $100 and I got it in a few days, no semi.

[glenn bradley]

If items are available from multiple sources and there is not a compelling reason (like Lee Valley's outstanding customer service for example) to purchase from a specific supplier, I check the total cost to get the item in my hands. Sometimes I pay $14 more for the item but, get the item for $20 less.

[Delbert Rippetoe]

Can you share the company where you ordered the acrylic eagles? I am getting ready to order some. I want to make sure to stay away from that company. I guess I will ask when I order.

[Glenn Vaughn]

YIKES!!!!!!

I have a smoker that uses pellets, good thing I get them local.

Curious I have an A Maze N smoker. I love it, I think there are only a couple
with sawdust, what do you use?

HA, I can hijack my own thread.....

I have a home built cold smoker. I have since pirchased a Bradly 6 rack digiral smoker.

[Martin Boekers]

Just my rant for today on this again..... Just ordered about $30 worth of golf towels from Johnson Plastics, 15 total. Shipping was $18.00 & Handling $2.50. I commented in the "notes" area that I felt these was pretty high as USPS has a flat box rate for about $5. To pay $20 shipping for $30 of product can make me have second thoughts about purchases....

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

... I don't play golf. Are these towels big enough to cover a horse? $20.50 in shipping charges seems excessive for 15 towels that I'm guessing are small, lightweight and probably weigh less then 2 pounds combined?

[Martin Boekers]

... I don't play golf. Are these towels big enough to cover a horse? $20.50 in shipping charges seems excessive for 15 towels that I'm guessing are small, lightweight and probably weigh less then 2 pounds combined?

12"x15", they would fit in a USPS flat rate box... I did about 200 of them for a golf tournament earlier this summer. Real nice microfiber. They sell them with or with out grommets in a couple sizes. I have approached some local car clubs with these and they are starting to gain interest. Shipping cost raise my pricing though on this. We'll see what actual cost is as like many of the vendors now just Est the cost. If creates a pain doing bookwork as then I get a separate invoice and charge for "shipping adjustment"......

[Mark Sipes]

I concur with shipping/inventory at the distributors is a major cause for higher shipping costs. Customer selects 2 sizes of cups with gloss wood bases out of a distributors catalog. I place an order with my local supplier. Get call 10 minutes later. They stock the 2 sized bases but the cups (same style) will be shipped from two different warehouses. $35 profit spent on additional shipping....... Another case I order plastic and metal 1/4 sheets in a single order and get 2 flat boxes for $12 each...... I normally ask the customer service rep to pack together or tape the two boxes together at a cost of $12.00 . The distributors need to start taking the customers shipping in mind..... WHY? Because it costs them nothing to save their customers money that could be spent on product that is to their benefit.

I wonder how many distributors track the items that need to be shipped from additional locations, not because they are out of stock but because they don't stock that item........ I too like JDS' on-line order process,,,,,,, I can see which warehouse has the items if my supplier is zero balance.. allows me to select a different item that is in stock that will fill the order.

[Jeff Belany]

Just ordered some acrylic from Delvie's this week, small order, about 3# that cost $16+ to ship. Then I find out that they are selling the same item on EBAY and offer FREE shipping! Very frustrated. My fault for not checking EBAY first. But why do they cater to EBAY and not to regular commercial customers?

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Mark Sipes]

Ebay is considered "advertising" for them.

[Jim Beachler]

So they would give a better deal to a new customer who has no history than one who has been ordering from them with a history. This kind of marketing just blows my mind. I will sometimes give a regular customer a discount or special consideration from time to time. Why should I do it for a new customer who I don't know if they will ever come back no matter what I do?

[Jeff Belany]

So they would give a better deal to a new customer who has no history than one who has been ordering from them with a history. This kind of marketing just blows my mind. I will sometimes give a regular customer a discount or special consideration from time to time. Why should I do it for a new customer who I don't know if they will ever come back no matter what I do?

My feeling is you treat a new customer extra special so they BECOME a regular customer. Treat them poorly and odds are they will NEVER become a regular customer.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Ross Moshinsky]

Not only are companies like Marco using shipping as a money maker but they are not keeping inventory up in all their locations. Most orders we have been placing are being shipped from so many locations costing us so much more in shipping because they refuse to keep stock. When they have to ship a few pieces from each location, we may end up paying the customer to take the items out the door. When I bought from PDU, they would ship next day or two day air at their expense anything they didn't have in stock locally. I left PDU because of inventory issues but will check their stock over the weekend and will consider going back to them. I will call and get a shipping quote from each supplier for a box of 2x3 marble. We have all three major suppliers in Charlotte. I'll post back here the results.

You are right on the money. They do not keep a proper level of inventory and then expect you to pay $10.00 shipping on a $10.00 item that should always be in stock, especially if you order it on a regular basis. Marco is our warehouse with the worst inventory next PDU and JDS is the best as they will ship for free on items not in stock in our local, as we are a will-call customer.

[Mike Null]

JDS has long been my go to supplier for most things but shipping is a profit center for them so I pick my stuff up at the warehouse. I like Johnson's too but their inventory is spotty and they will not subsidize shipping from a remote warehouse to fill your order.