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Originally Posted by QKO
a. Do lower free shipping limits entice you to buy more, or less? It depends on how much my total cost per yard is going to end up being. (If I am buying 10 yds of fabric, the price of shipping divided by 10) b. Is predictability of shipping costs in your ordering important to you, or would you rather be surprised when your shipping cost is lower than quoted? If I don't know what the exact shipping is going to be, I will walk away right then, if it is ridiculously high to begin with. Again, you don't know how much is going to be taken off until you are billed. c. Do you walk away from an order if shipping costs are quoted too high, or do you take the time to check the store's shipping policy? When I read that they "may" adjust the charge, I still don't know "if" they will be doing so on my order and "if" it will be enough d. Does having a lower free shipping limit compensate you for paying too much for shipping on smaller orders? I will hardly ever think it is a good deal to pay $4.95+ for a pattern, 1 yd of fabric, or one sewing notion... I will wait and get it at another time. I have a lot more questions, but these are probably enough for one post. Thanks in advance for your help in my research! |
Originally Posted by charmpacksplus
If only free shipping was free for the seller I'd be rich! :roll:
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Originally Posted by franie
My two cents here. The companies that offer free shipping exclude us here in AK. If they use flat rate boxes at USPS the price is the same as continguous USA. Connecting Threads will not ship free to AK no matter the size of the order. Does it stop me from shopping with them--NO! Because the deals I can get--I just placed a large order of batting that was on sale. 4 of us ordered together and we split the shipping so we do well that way. I am used to paying for shipping most places.
Probably because they can get away with it... |
Hubby's company ships to customers via United Parcel Service, he has a book that tells him how much to charge to different areas of the country, Ground, Next Day Air, 3rd Day air, etc. Always an additional charge for residentual. He adds it all up and tells customer how much it will cost. He mostly sells to a certain sector of the industrial world. Only in U.S., he sells stuff most people would never use and more quantity than most would ever use, outside of the industry. If he buys from another company and they ship to him and he delivers it, he passes the freight charge onto the customer, exact amount, doesn't add anything to it.
He has always said "You can't make money on freight", and he lives by it. If handling is part of it, that is how people make money on it. You usually then pay for the person to package it and get it ready to ship. That is how it works, if the company or person isn't trying to gouge people. Companies and people we quilters would buy from, wouldn't usually live by those standards. |
I fell short on a fabric & found it at Bug Fabric.com for $9.25 . I needed 1 yd. Their shipping cost is $6.75. I emailed them to negotiate shipping. That didn't work, no negotiating shipping at Bug Fabric.com. I cant see paying $16 for 1 yd of fabric. :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:
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Originally Posted by Jingleberry
Hubby's compnay ships to customers via United Parcel Service, he has a book that tells him how much to charge to different areas of the country, Ground, Next Day Air, 3rd Day air. Always an additional charge for residentual. He adds it all up and tells customer how much it will cost. He mostly sells to a certain sector of the industrial world. Only in U.S., he sells stuff most people would never use and more quantity than most would ever use, outside of the industry. If he buys from another company and they ship to him and he delivers it, he passes the freight charge onto the customer, exact amount, doesn't add anything to it.
He has always said "You can't make money on freight", and he lives by it. If handling is part of it, that is how people make money on it. You usually then pay for the person to package it and get it ready to ship. That is how it works, if the company or person isn't trying to gouge people. BTW, since we are a home-based business in a residential area, we also get charged about 15 to 20 cents more, per yard, for shipping our bolts to us, since our suppliers all ship UPS or Fedex. :shock: Our local B&M quilt stores pay from 25 to 30 cents/yd for shipping in, we pay from 40 to 50 cents/yd for shipping in. |
A lot of what Hubby's company sells would not be practical to lug to the post office and they would not handle it anyway. I think we are talking apples and oranges, like I said before, he sells to industrial shops, not to the general public, they would not, for the most part know what the stuff was or what to do with it. Residentual rate for UPS is $1.50 more. Hubby has a business and warehouse in a business area. Yes, they do charge a weekly pick up charge and believe me it is worth it.
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Everyone hates high shipping, but the people at UPS and USPS need their jobs too!
I try to ship the cheapest way and some still don't like the amts but if I offered free shipping even on larger orders I would have to increase the cost of my products. As does every business! so you are paying the shipping no matter what! |
Originally Posted by QKO
a. Do lower free shipping limits entice you to buy more, or less?
Sometimes more purchases. It depends on if you have what I really really want. b. Is predictability of shipping costs in your ordering important to you, or would you rather be surprised when your shipping cost is lower than quoted? Love to have the surprise of lower costs. Would not order if shipping was more than quotes. c. Do you walk away from an order if shipping costs are quoted too high, or do you take the time to check the store's shipping policy? Yep, and I always check out the shipping costs before I order. I figure that into the cost of what I want. If it is going to cost me the same with shipping as driving to my LQS I don't order. d. Does having a lower free shipping limit compensate you for paying too much for shipping on smaller orders? If I was buying say 30 dollars of fabric and the free shipping was 40, I would check to see what the cost for shipping the fabric and if the total was close to 40 I would go find something else I want instead of paying for shipping. |
>>So, we're considering going to flat-rate shipping and lowering our free shipping limits, to compete with Amazon, who does this. (Fabric.com is owned by Amazon).
This would appeal to me! |
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