TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:35 pm

Ok so as I posted the other day I am now working with Dan's Performance Parts and one of the things that annoys me is this Free Shipping CRAP.

I am sure that everyone out there knows there is NO SUCH THING as free shipping. There is I have priced it to account for the highest shipping cost I can find and think customers are to stupid to add it up at checkout.

So my question to the fellow Buggiers out there is as follows.

What do you think would attract more customers / do you prefer :

A - Free shipping in the Lower 48
B- No free shipping and lower prices, pay what it costs at Checkout.
C - Something else ?? If so please explain ?

I have run 50 shopping loads through the calculator and everyone has come out cheaper with charged shipping and better pricing than with Free Shipping and Competitive Pricing but Market Research clearly Shows Free Shipping Generates more sales than Better pricing.

All so confusing.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:58 pm

I am more a fan of timely shipping. I used to order from a big Canadian parts house because of free shipping. But it takes 10-14 days to get your parts. I'm not a fan of waiting especially when I live in an area without a local shop. I needed a fuel pump the other day, so I ordered a bunch of the other items I needed too. I paid for shipping and I had my parts in 4 days.

In short, I'll take lower prices and pay for shipping assuming that they arrive in a timely fashion.

(Free shipping is a way to lure cheap folks in and make them spend way more than they were expecting to, just to save a few bucks on shipping.)

Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:32 pm

"Free shipping", to me, is one of the ways of telling I might not have to go through the hassle of putting together an order without knowing the shipping charge - just to find out how I'm going to get socked when I check out… Then canceling the order, and starting over somewhere else.

Places should at least be up-front about their shipping/handling policies - e.g. through an easily accessible page on the website. It's gotten to the point that I won't even start to put an order in, if I have to start through the check-out process before I know what I'm being charged.

Mostly, we order from places where we know what we're buying, and know that we'll get it in a reasonable length of time & reasonable (total) cost. Most of those places (beside Amazon) charge for shipping/handling. That means that we're more often "repeat customers" than we are "new customers".

Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:07 pm

I would like to see all mail order companies offer a choice of shipping options. Sometimes I don't mind waiting an extra few day for economy shipping to help save a few dollars. Other times I need next day or 2 day priority shipping so I can get my race car fixed before the next race.

I also feel it is absolutely chickenshit for any business to overcharge for shipping to add to their profit margins.

Aircooled.net only charges you actual shipping cost. CB always over charges for shipping.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 9:19 pm

A hinging question: Do you also sell over the counter?

If the answer is yes, and you charge the same price for a part, what is the incentive for a customer to drive to your store?

If the answer is no and you are shipped order only- your profit margins have to be calculated on your most volatile inventory to offer free shipping. In this case, I'd expect to have shipping costs rolled in to every part I order from you. I'd then as a consumer expect that I'm paying a little more for every part, and shipping markup based on a distance far greater than just 3 states away. If a generator for instance costs $10 more than any other store in Socal, will the word spread faster because of cost or a shipping counterbalance?

I personally like knowing that I "control" the shipping fees I pay. I know I'm paying less than a guy in Connecticut, and am only 3 days from you. What good is free shipping when, after you've made price adjustments with your competitors, there is so little profit left in a sale other cuts at work are needed?

I'll never forget a phrase a former boss had found and printed on the back of his business cards from the mid 90s (something close to): "The sting of poor quality is felt long after the sweet taste of a good deal is forgotten." It can be applied to having to offer cheap parts in the interest of maintaining profit margins conducive to free shipping.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 8:11 am

I don't think its a free shipping vs pay for shipping issue as much as it is a gouging for shipping issue.

I always comparison shop (sorry...my money is important to me) and nothing turns me off more then getting to the shipping screen and having an insane amount come up on the page.

Its a instant turn off and ensures I don't go back.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:50 am

jspbtown wrote: I don't think its a free shipping vs pay for shipping issue as much as it is a gouging for shipping issue.

I always comparison shop (sorry...my money is important to me) and nothing turns me off more then getting to the shipping screen and having an insane amount come up on the page.

Its a instant turn off and ensures I don't go back.

X2

Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:08 am

Personally, i think free shipping is more interesting. Maybe because i don't really care to order from somewhere else to save 5$ on an item. But i do take notice of a company charging me 50$ to ship 200$...

there's a few thing more important imho ;
- the quality
- the availability (out of stock stuff)
- the range available (I'd rather pay more to get everything from the same place)
- custom fee (being canadian, if i could, i'd always order from canada... i'm sure its the same with US customer)

Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:12 am

The ones I hate the most are the places that base shipping cost on the amount spent.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:42 am

Offering free shipping or selling parts with shipping already factored in can save a lot of time for the buyer and the seller. The buyer does not have to ask how much shipping is. The seller does not have to recompute shipping for every ZIP Code and answer a bunch of emails asking about shipping costs.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:34 pm

when I order something, I usually need it FAST. my situation differs a lot from casual buyers, as I need to get someone back on the road quickly.

that said, shipping is what it is...if a company eats shipping, they will be out of business quickly. it costs money for boxes, bubble wrap, tape, postage and labor...sorry folks.

either that or a 30.00 part would be 45 with "free shipping"....if it cost them 5 to ship it, yay for them but it will cost them 20 to ship that part somewhere else...

free shipping is a loss leader for these guys just like an oil change for a garage (not iffy lube type joints, but real shops)

the reality is the internet, amazon and the Wal-Mart mentality have eroded the brick and mortar stores almost out of existence due to the "I can get it cheaper on the internetz" mentality.

I say give me options, give me speed and quality and charge me accordingly.

fast
cheap
correct

pick two

Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:57 pm

OB Bus wrote: Offering free shipping or selling parts with shipping already factored in can save a lot of time for the buyer and the seller. The buyer does not have to ask how much shipping is. The seller does not have to recompute shipping for every ZIP Code and answer a bunch of emails asking about shipping costs.

This. In a box, on my doorstep.

Bonus Round: The tax magically rounding up to even dollar amounts.

And please people, don't be cheap with the PayPal percentage. Just have it figured in as above. It's kind of sad when you ask for it.

Tue Oct 06, 2015 2:45 am

Shops obviously include the shipping cost in the parts when they offer "Free Shipping"
So then someone like me, overseas, ends up paying for the shipping anyway and extra for the parts as they were inflated to include shipping?
If you get what I mean
Dave

Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:10 am

Split 1 wrote: Shops obviously include the shipping cost in the parts when they offer "Free Shipping"
So then someone like me, overseas, ends up paying for the shipping anyway and extra for the parts as they were inflated to include shipping?
If you get what I mean

This is possible...

In the classifieds here I often sell stuff like "$20 shipped".
This is for the USA only.
For foreign buyers I figure out the shipping and remove whatever I guessed for USA shipping so it's not $20 + $10 shipping for a total of $30, it's more like $25 total.

Tue Oct 06, 2015 12:08 pm

Personally, I feel that “free shipping” is a hook for gullible fish. Ain’t nothing free.
I say, study every aspect and detail of the MAM model. Then make sure you don’t do any of that.

Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:42 pm

Egg zactly.

Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:32 am

Quote: Personally, I feel that “free shipping” is a hook for gullible fish. Ain’t nothing free.

I don't know about that....

I often price shop on Amazon (and lots of other places) and find that many things are the same price or most of the time lower than I can get wither locally or from places that charge shipping.

Thu Oct 08, 2015 12:06 pm

Order something from VanCafe.com .........

This is how you want to operate!

No, shipping is not free but he doesn't charge "handling fees" and he gets it in the mail TODAY!

I order from BusDepot just across the Delaware River from me..... It takes almost a week to travel 60 miles to me.

I order from VanCafe in Southern California, I almost ALWAYS HAVE IT WITHIN 36 hours.

Don't Dilly dally on shipping the product, get it out...... Now!!! Sell only proven quality products, communicate with the customers And customers will be lining up at your virtual door.

Dave

Thu Oct 08, 2015 4:26 pm

I expect to pay for shipping and will want options for delivery speed. I will compare that with prices in the local shop which is usually more expensive but it is right in front of you. Often I have run into Internet item is 50 plus shipping of 20 and local is 60 and I drive 1.5 hrs round trip to get it. Lots of times I will make the drive in the bug or bus cause its pure pleasure of an excuse...but this is hobby car stuff, not something I must have for a paying customer.

Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:22 pm

personally reasonable shipping costs and reasonable shipping time are not that important to me. I care more about the reputation of the vendor and the quality of parts that im buying. only suckers get hooked into "free shipping" on china bling crap parts.