I soooo wanted the quilt pattern Hokey Pokey, went to order, pattern is 8.95 yet they want 4.95s&h. For a pattern :thumbdown: :thumbdown: Just needed to vent, thanks ladies and gentlemen, I'll go silently into my sewing room and pout now :-(

OK - I feel you pain! And then if you finally break down and order the item, it gets to you and you see what the postage actually was, that really gets me started!

shipping does get to you sometimes

There's an article in my new Readers Digest this month about this same problem. Companies actually make money on S & H especially items sold on TV.

This is a major peeve of mine as well. But remember it is S&H, emphasis on the H. The amount over shipping they charge is the handling fee for paying someone to pull the item off the shelf package it (packaging isn't free either) and process the sale. Yes it annoys me to no end but I have to sit back and realize I am paying for more than just USPS fees. This is why I always save up my on line ordering so that I am at the top end of the price grouping for the that S&H charge or close enough to getting it free for spending up to a certain amount (usually $50). Most on line shops price S&H on a sliding scale with what you spend.

Order a bunch of things to combine shipping and it doesn't hurt so much. Yes, enabling is fun!

I have had fights with companies over this. As previously said, is the H that kills you. They want to get paid for the box and the time spent packing your box. Also, some companies use flat rate to make it easier for them. In that case, no matter the weight, the shipping will be the same.

Have you contacted the company and asked them what the charge is to mail one pattern? Sometimes I've been pleasantly surprised with their response. Is there another company that sells it?

I don't charge extra for shipping on my website, but I don't have the Hokey Pokey pattern. (I've got others!) Some sellers charge a minimun shipping rate so they can use the free Priority flat rate envelopes and not have to pay for additional shipping supplies and it does cost around $5 to mail it, not counting tape, labels, printer ink, time spent packaging, and a trip to the post office. That can really add up $$$ fast. It also makes it more cost effecient to the buyer if the buyer purchases additional items, sometimes the seller won't charge extra S&H if it all fits in the same flat rate envelope.

That is horrible. More than half the price of the pattern for shipping.

I have found used book at Amazon for 99 cents and had to pay $3.99 for shipping. Is a real turn down.

Is the Hokey Pokey the one with the tumbler design split longways? It's easy to do without a pattern all you need is a tumbler template. There are many tumbler print outs online. This is why EQ is a great value to me. I can create any quilt block pattern from a picture.

Read my post about business going out of business. I won't grip too much about shipping/handling charges after the mess I got in a box.

I couldn't agree with you more.

sometimes you can call the company or email them and discuss a lower S&H. i've done it.

I hate the charges too..but i realize what the other costs are,like stated above. I charge exact shipping charges when i sell on ebay. and out of my own pocket comes the packaging and the ink and the labels..and the tape. I recycle all packging i get, to save on costs. I just sent someone a package that had "bareminerals" all over the package. lol

Good info.

I got a catalog from Keepsake Quilting yesterday that has that Hokey Pokey quilt on the cover and they're selling the pattern for $9.00 (item #6782) and shipping is only $2.99 for orders under $10. Their number is 1-800-865-9458.

I don't think so, it is on the cover of Keepsake Quilting catalog I just received, just fell in love with it. Thanks though. :D

That is the one :thumbup: I will try again :-D Thanks.

I'll try that, thanks. :D

I was just looking at my Keepsake Quilting catalog, too, and I agree with Eddie.

Isn't it a pretty and fun pattern?

I have had the same thing happen to me -- S&H more than whatever I was buying. Have sent nasty emails but nothing ever happened and I didn't buy their product(s).....

:lol: :lol: I thought of several off color things to say but I'll just keep my mouth shut and fingers off the keys :lol: :lol: :lol:

try asking your LQS to order the pattern for you - they can add it to their regular order -- no shipping and handling for you!!

I agree...sometimes those fees are outrageous...then I think about how far I drive to get stuff...and then I think, well...maybe it is worth it to save the costs in gas..and of course I can be sewing during the time it would take me to drive to get it.....sometimes...that is. :wink:

I bought material at $7.99 a yard on the internet. After they added shipping and handling it was $10.99 a yard. I was steamed.

Shipping and HANDLING used to be so aggrevating to me until I did a national fundraiser and realized that the handling really pays for supplies and someone's time. It took me hours to package and label the product for shipping, the trips to the PO, the many trips from the car into the PO for all the boxes, and the time it took to do it all.

Shipping charges are what they are, and if someone is not close to a PO and uses priority for everything, then it is going to cost you whatever that set amount is.

If someone is buying packaging, tape, labels, taking the time to cut, pull, package, seal, address, and deliver to the PO (gas, time, etc), then I believe they should be paid for their time and materials which is the HANDLING. Larger companies pay employess to pull and package, so I now I understand the HANDLING part.

I had an issue with Equilter charging me $6.95 shipping and handling for one yard of fabric. I called and asked them to ship differently to save me money and they didn't because they have to pay someone to do the work to cut, package, invoice, etc, and that is the fee they charge, alson with the price of priority mail, and they were very kind in explaining that to me.

I now shop to find the best shipping price along with the best sale price for what I need. Those that charge excessive amounts don't get my business, but those who charge reasonable S&H do get my business. I look at it as saving my time and gas money by not traveling out to look for what I want.

I've also come to realize that paying full price for fabric at the local quilt shop often costs less than finding the fabric on sale, online, and having to pay S&H!

Webfabrics.com and fabric.com both have low order amounts for free shipping! I'm sure there are several others out there too.

Diane

Try a nice email next time.

I used e-patterns, I think that is the name. My computer has been wiped out since I last ordered. Any way, I paid a small fee for the pattern and they sent it to me in an e-mail. Then you just print it off. Worked great for me.

I just place an order with Nancy's Notions for over $50.00 and the shipping was free. Not long ago I ordered from Connecting Threads, order over $50.00; the shipping was free. Then there have been times when I had a small order and the shipping was rather high, but there was a coupon for free shipping on the next order. I did notice that overnight shipping has really escalated in price across the board. Before I retired I worked a lot with shipping costs. A company that ships a lot usually has some discounted shipping costs and the more they ship the larger the discounts. Perhaps smaller companies are actually paying a lot for their shipping.

There sure are a lot of patterns named Hokey Pokey. The one on the catalog looks very simple to make. I love the colors.

This is one of my major gripes! I realize they pay someone to package,etc. but some companies go way overboard! I always check the shipping first and then figure how much I would spend in time and gas to go out looking for an item. Some companies make you fill out your order before they quote the shipping....I hate to spend time "shopping" and end up canceling the order at the end! Since the local quilt shops charge such ridiculious prices. Since Walmart is closing out the fabris departments,I do most shopping on line. I am always thrilled to find a company that is reasonable. :-D
Ditter

:lol: :lol: I was much too ticked at the time to be sweet!!! :lol: :lol: -- However, you're right. I SHOULD have been reasonable and NOT told them I'd NEVER shop at their on-line store again...but I don't have red hair for nothin' :lol: :lol: :lol:

Have you caught the new one? Some companies are charging S&H for EACH piece. I've seen this on TV but so far, none of the online fabric stores. Be sure to watch for it.

Now that will just make me mad.. :evil:

Amen to that!!!!

I do the same thing. Sometimes I end up not buying anything if I can make it worth the S&H fees.

I agree there are quite a few times I have gotten my stuff all in my cart and then canceled when I saw the shipping charge. i am not going to pay an arm and a leg when I know it is darn well a lot higher then the actual shipping cost!!!