Online component question

[wallypedal]

I went on Graf & Sons checking a few things, interested in Lapua .308 Win brass. Excellent reduced price posted in a green font. Right below that, in the same green font, "Prices include shipping!" (bold underline from me). Below that, in smaller black print it says "One flat fee of $7.95 per order". Exclusions apply. Click for details. I ignored that and put it in my cart, and went to the cart page. There was the $7.95 charge.

The secondary window for details explain that the $7.95 is a handling/insurance charge for internet orders, and that yes the shipping is free.

The item description with pricing should be more clear without having to 'click for details'. The description should say "There will be an additional $7.95 fee for handling/insurance".

When someone wants to charge me for "handling" I run the other way. What the heck is "handling" anyway? You are in business selling products! Products require storage, packing, moving, delivery to shipper, etc. -- all part of doing business. The price out the door should include handling. It's like going to a restaurant and paying an additional cooking/table delivery charge for your food! I would rather pay shipping, with a charge shown on the delivered package and invoice.

It just so happens the item I wanted was marked down from the regular price almost the exact same amount as the handling/insurance charge. I would probably have bought if the sale listed the non-reduced price but "free shipping, handling, and insurance!". That way I know what I am paying and there are no surprises at checkout.

I like Graf & Sons, and they have excellent prices and delivery times, so I guess I'm writing this as a suggestion for them and other internet suppliers. I want to be able to comparison shop without clicking for details. In my perfect world, I'd like to be able to go to any of the major suppliers and know what my actual cost to my house will be so I can make a good decision.

So much for my early morning rant Got to make coffee, and calculate the handling charge my wife is going to have to fork over for that service.

 

[Edd]

I discovered that when I bought some brass from them a couple of weeks ago. I think $7.95 is a fair price for packaging and shipping the stuff but I do agree their wording is a little deceitful. The regular price at Brunos, on 308 brass, is less than the sale price at Graf. I don't know what their shipping is. Some companies have a shipping policy that is practically a scam. Grizzly has an oversize charge for barrels.

 

[varmintH8R]

I like how Graf's does it. I can order as much or as little as I want and pay the same fee to get it delivered.

In my opinion, it beats Midway's system. I'm pretty sure Larry Potterfield spins his "whimsical wheel of random shipping ridiculousness" every time I order. Box of bullets: $11.95 to ship. 50# sack of corn cob media: $4.62 to ship. Redding die bushing: $12.95.

Drives me nuts.

I had a VERY poor experience with Bruno's relating to shipping. Very poor.

Brandon

 

[Edd]

I'm pretty sure Larry Potterfield spins his "whimsical wheel of random shipping ridiculousness" every time I order.

Yes he does. I ordered some bullets tonight. The cheapest shipping was USPS for $14.70. The stuff would fit in a small flat rate box.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Yes he does. I ordered some bullets tonight. The cheapest shipping was USPS for $14.70. The stuff would fit in a small flat rate box.

That's why when I order from Midway I peruse the free shipping stuff first. I also check for online coupons to free up $$. I'll order a cheap pocket knife and the free shipping will knock better than half the price off of the shipping as the knife ships free. Just ordered a scope from them a few weeks ago; it shipped free but they went with sure post-- ups to postal service. You can track the heck out of it until the usps gets it then it's a black hole 'till it gets to your door.

As to Graff's $8 packing, ins. etc. charge. If you order 1 thing it'll be noticeable; if you order a couple of hundred dollars it's fly crap in pepper. If I'm not mistaken it's gone up lately though; I didn't remember it being over $6.

 

[wallypedal]

I like how Graf's does it. I can order as much or as little as I want and pay the same fee to get it delivered.

In my opinion, it beats Midway's system. I'm pretty sure Larry Potterfield spins his "whimsical wheel of random shipping ridiculousness" every time I order. Box of bullets: $11.95 to ship. 50# sack of corn cob media: $4.62 to ship. Redding die bushing: $12.95.

Drives me nuts.

I had a VERY poor experience with Bruno's relating to shipping. Very poor.

Brandon

I agree. I think I was really whining about the difficulty of comparison shopping due to highly variable shipping/handling whatever add-on costs applied by the various companies. I like the "wheel" comment! Just try pricing out some checkering tool cutters sometime. It must be really hard to 'handle' those little suckers. Want to repeat I do like Graf's, and must admit I had forgotten they just apply that flat rate regardless. I'll try to rememberlightbulb

 

[Gunpoor]

I have ordered small items that would fit into a small shipping envelope and go through USPS for the price of a stamp or not much more from Midway and some others but the put it into a carton more than ten times the size needed and charge $6-$7 to send it through UPS. That drives me into a fit because sometimes the shipping charge is more than cost of the item shipped. I have never been bothered by Grafs charging their handling fee because I can buy a large amount of stuff for the flat rate handling fee (no shipping cost to me).

 

[newmexkid]

Sometimes we just have to grit our teeth because we can't find the item elsewhere. I also don't like how Graf's hides the handling/shipping charge. Heck, just come out and post it where it can be seen right away! I feel that these companies could control some of their shipping charges if they paid more attention to the size of their boxes. Yesterday I received a rod guide from Sinclair that came in a box big enough to hold 200 of them, (not kidding)!