SO WHO HATES RIDICULOUS SHIPPING CHARGES?

[bgcatty]

​Recently I went online shopping for a set of hexhead grip screws for my CZ 75 B. I had just bought a set of full checkered coco-bolo grips and did not like the look of plillips head screws. So I found two places that had blued hex head screws. One large website had them for $9.00; exorbitant for two screws for sure but after spending about $50 for the grips, what the hay. I clicked, put them in the cart and went to checkout. To my astonishment the shipping charge was $9.08!!! I was stunned and canceled the transaction. Kept shopping and found the screws again for $9.00 but the shipping was "only" $4.50. Still ridiculous shipping cost for 2 screws when they can basically pop them in a padded envelope and ship for maybe $2.00 if that. So who else gets ticked at ridiculous shipping charges?

 

[d.kaufman]

Generally if i cant get free shipping i wont buy online.

 

[KMaC]

I think I paid $8 shipping for a $13 recoil spring. Not quite as bad as $9 for 2 screws but still irritating.

 

[Joniki]

I once bought some take down pins for the LC9S from Ebay. The add quoted free shipping. At checkout there was a $15 handling fee. I canceled that transaction immediately.

 

[churchmouse]

This is becoming a back door charge...S/H charges on some sites are idiotic. It negates the on line deal factor.
This is why I try and wait to get an order built up so possibly free ship.
Hard to do when you just need that 1 last little part to complete the project like the OP and his 2 little (and they are little) screws for his CZ.

 

[sparky32]

Generally if i cant get free shipping i wont buy online.

This 100% lately. I get so many free shipping offers from Brownells, Primary Arms, and occasionally Midway I just keep my cart loaded up with things that I want then use the codes I get. Majority of the time this excludes ammo but I go through SGammo for that anyway.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I agree. Here are the numbers from a new element for my water heater I bought a little while ago:

ORDER SUMMARY
Subtotal
$8.22
Estimated Tax
$1.31
Estimated Standard Shipping
$10.48
Estimated Total
$20.01

 

[Alpo]

Padded envelopes run me about $1 a piece. Shipping is normally a little over $2. So, $4 isn't exhorbitant. Someone has to pack it and deliver it or get it in the hands of the letter carrier.

I spent $14 the other day for two people at Burger King. Sheesh. It ain't cheap to do much of anything these days.

 

[gregr]

This is becoming a back door charge...S/H charges on some sites are idiotic. It negates the on line deal factor.
This is why I try and wait to get an order built up so possibly free ship.
Hard to do when you just need that 1 last little part to complete the project like the OP and his 2 little (and they are little) screws for his CZ.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^ As well as well as, whenever possible, patronize a brick and mortar. It helps keep our neighbors in business.

 

[Leo]

To show you another reason why American businesses are at a disadvantage, The shipping from China is heavily subsidized. I needed a part that was 1/2 lb and about the size of a brick. It shipped from China for only $1.60 shipping. The same day I received a music book from Michigan, $5.72 postage. There is a business study that proved subsidizing red chinese shipping at the same level of the poorest nations in the world, was a big enough factor to put Radio Shack out of business. Like item for like item, at the same price, but 4X the shipping cost took a huge amount of sales volume away. Anytime some government starts subsidizing something, the money comes from the legitimate business.

 

[M67]

You ever ship screws in an envelope for a postage stamp? They get ripped out of the letter by the sorting machines

First class starts at $3.80 I think for a small box or padded envelope

Priority is $6.80 if you use your own box


USPS is what it is. Small stuff UPS or Fedex isn't any cheaper

 

[Daggy]

I hate shipping and handling charges as much as the next guy, but everything is relative. If the LGS is selling a mag for $35 (MSRP) and Midway has it for $25, with $4 shipping it would still be cheaper. Sometimes the stuff I want is just not available locally, so I pay the price and shipping as long as the total makes sense.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

It can be astonishing, in the day when "free shipping" at so many places has us spoiled, when you get hit up with something like in the OP. Sometimes it pays to be patient and shop around but sometimes your choices are very limited. Most of the time though, that shipping is still much cheaper than me, piling in my GMC, driving to Indianapolis or Louisville or wherever and picking it up myself. I sometimes just chaulk it up to the price of convenience of having the UPS guy bringing it to my front porch for me.

 

[IndyDave1776]

It can be astonishing, in the day when "free shipping" at so many places has us spoiled, when you get hit up with something like in the OP. Sometimes it pays to be patient and shop around but sometimes your choices are very limited. Most of the time though, that shipping is still much cheaper than me, piling in my GMC, driving to Indianapolis or Louisville or wherever and picking it up myself. I sometimes just chaulk it up to the price of convenience of having the UPS guy bringing it to my front porch for me.

That's no kidding. In the example I posted earlier, just TRY to find a square-base bolt-in water heater element. Just getting one to come up on the internet has taken a couple of months of checking regularly.

 

[Bfish]

I was going to buy an MPX online because the price was about $80 less than my LGS. After getting to check out they wanted like $58 shipping and handling on it. I called the company and after a very brief conversation on the phone I just bought it local... Sometimes I refuse to pay shipping and handling. I can't count the number of times I've had things in my cart only to choose not to buy them due to shipping charges that were no where near fair.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Shipping Charges equal "Shop Supplies" at the Car Stealerships. I had to have an Electronic Part replaced, $12.00 Shop Supplies??????? It didn't even require a Shop Towell............

 

[bmbutch]

I have cancelled or held off on numerous orders due to shipping. Wish Lanbos Armory did free shipping, & I've never seen it from Primary Arms (sometimes there's is high, other times not bad).

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

Order from China. HA!
Just wait until you receive a Defective, Wrong, incorrect measurements.
I found something I was looking for at about one half price $850.00.
I sent the required measurement and specifications.
When I received it. one measurement was so far off.
it cost me $230. return shipping.
I received only 50% refund.
They stated custom made.
I resent measurements and produce measurements.
No adjustments.


PLUS THE EXTENDED WAIT TIME.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I see nobody has tried to ship stuff themselves lately.

Its not the sellers that are to blame for high shipping costs, its the carriers. I cant even walk into a shipper for less than $5 unless I'm mailing a letter. And the USPS is so stupid with their rules, dimensional shipping, etc.

How stupid you say? I actually got a package that was tiny, probably screws like we are discussing being shipped. or maybe even something flat like a business card. Inside the padded envelope was a 1" foam cube and a card explaining what it was; USPS has a minimum thickness to ship using a certain cheaper rate. They literally had to include a thickener or else the package wouldnt have qualified for the cheaper rate. It was cheaper to add a filler than it was to ship it as a letter.

 

[LarryC]

I first try to find what I need?/want, at local Gun shows. Those who do not attend Gun Show's would be amazed at the items in miscellaneous part boxes! Other times I wait for "free shipping" offers from various vendors. Amazon, although they do not carry firearms do have a lot of accessories available. As others have mentioned, I put items in a cart and wait for either free shipping or to accumulate the amount needed for free shipping. I do not have a "local" Gun shop but do visit Lafayette for Grocery's & other items, if I need something that is available at a Gun Shop there, I will purchase then. As the rest of you however, there are times I want something now, and do hate it when the only vendors have excessive shipping handling charges.