I'm sure this is nothing really new to most of you guys on here, but in the last few days, I realized that shipping cost from a chrome shop is crazy! At least the ones I always visit (Iowa80, Big Rig Chrome Shop & 4State Truck). I was checking on how much it would be place a small order (door lock levers extensions, air brake knob, & shift boot cover). I think the total was around $25 but with shipping it was gonna be almost $45 WOW! Granted, I understand it is better to bundle your purchase so you are not paying high shipping for every little order you place. I live no where near Big Rig Chrome's store or Joplin, MO. I do live about 1hr 15min. away from Iowa80, but more often than not, spending an afternoon driving out there takes the back to seat to family time, chores, house duties, etc... I guess I am used to buying from car/truck catalogs where shipping is very cheap and sometimes free to anywhere in the US. Besides visiting the parts counters, is there somewhere that I haven't heard of?
The warehouse hands, boxes/tape logistics etc aren't free in any business, it'd be like someone complaining about mobilization on an excavator, regardless rather its a 2min job to pull out a stump or not. I like a couple hours from 4states and I pay the shipping all the time, I can't drive 4hrs for 200 my time is more valuable to myself than that
I know what you mean.. Personally, I DONT CHARGE for "handling".. I'll stand "in-line" at the P Office with all "the stinkies" to save my customers afew bucks.. Whatever it costs them to ship a pump to me...that's what it goes back at..unless they need more insurance on "a working unit".. BUT its totally up to the customer. I know of companys that place several orders for DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS and get them in on the same order and charge EACH CUSTOMER the cost of THE ENTIRE ORDER.. I questioned it one day..and was told,.. "that's just good business".. GO FIGURE??
You have to remember those nice fancy stores get paid by someone, the last order I placed with the I-80 was for lights, they told me were in stock, had the cheapest price, etc, etc, etc, and a month later I hadn't seen them, but was billed for them and when I called, it took three days to get the response back they are back ordered six months, what the ****, I needed them right away and they billed me, but had to wait six months, then I actually looked at the billed amount and about fell over, shipping was more than the lights, and those were strobes and not cheap by any means, cancelled the order got a refund on my credit card and never went back, even if I drive by it, I won't stop. As for chrome, I'm not into that at all, so I wouldn't know where to go for it, but I now order my stuff from plenty of online places instead, have it in a few days and can move on with the project at hand. Chains, binders and lights now all come from somewhere else, whoever is the cheapest and I ask what the billed amount will be, not the quoted amount, makes a huge difference at some places.