UPS Shipping Charges - Just Crazy

[jbgroby]

This morning I went to place an order with Unity Spotlight to get a new on/off switch for the S-6 spotlight I have for my '60 GMC, I got a crazy surprise.

After filling out the order form on-line, you need select the shipping method, the CHEAPEST method is UPS ground at $14.85. This part only weights about 2 oz. and is not a hazardous product. I emailed Unity to see if they would put the part in a padded envelope and mail it regular, waiting to hear back.
I told them the shipping will cost them a sale. I'm not being cheap lord knows I both spent and wasted money on theis truck already, but this is just seems over the top.

I don't care how many different zones it has to travel through, a padded envelope is all needed.

jJke "Grumpy" Groby

[gtbrain]

Yes it is nuts.

Although I do have a good thing to say about ECE. I ordered some lowered sway bar brackets and encountered the same thing with an expensive shipping option. It was just two small brackets, probably less than a couple of pounds. I was pleasantly surprised to get a call shortly after placing my order. The guy told me they could use the postal services "if it fits it the box it mails for five bucks" thing. I told him thanks.

May be worth checking with them to see if they would be willing to send it that way.

[Sillyoldman]

That hurts but I figure it usually costs me about six bucks in gas to chase a part. I'm kind of at the point in which I need a bunch of parts. I can only afford a couple items at a time but I don't want to pay shipping on each. I'm saving up for a nice bulky order.

[markeb01]

You might try a couple of their distributors. Here's one that's cheaper, not much but every little bit counts. I think the switch is cheaper too:

http://www.vlsusa.com/cgi-bin/vlsusa...ml?id=WkXxECFU

[TheDark1]

I ran into the same situation yesterday with some labels for a special printer. They were only $15 but it was $10 to ship them. I could have run all over town, but my big truck only gets 9mpg and there's no guarantee that I would find them locally.

[TopFuel1966]

Don't blame it all on UPS. Some vendors jack up the actual cost of the shipping and call the additional charge "shipping & handling". The "handling" part of the charge depends on the what the vendor feels his time is worth to box your order and the cost of the packaging supplies, etc. and in some cases he will add a markup to that.

[jbgroby]

Point taken. It just sates the UPS charge, no handling fees. Back around 1990 JC Penny got is all sorts of trouble for that, they were charging a "handling Fee" and not stating the extra money and saying it was the USPS mailing fees, they had to offer a rebate or discount to all who had ordered from them.

[screwballl]

I ran into that with some parts recently ordered....

father in law needed a 5 oz. plastic tailgate handle for his 01 Nissan truck, part was $6 and the shipping was $12 "shipping and handling" plus $4 handling... I called them asking if the $12 should include the handling charges, especially for a small light item, their exact words "$12 is shipping $4 is handling, that is standard for all part regardless of size or weight... when it arrived it cost them $4.30 to ship it...
I called them back stating I see the label showing $4.30 to ship, so why was i charged $12 for shipping and $4 for handling, they changed their story saying the first handling part is for the mail room and the other is for the pickers... no matter what I said or did they refused to refund me anything.... I would suggest not ordering from rockauto.com, I will not again.

[jb1016]

Just my $.02 on handling charges...Where I work, if I'm shipping something UPS, I've got to spend a few minutes on the phone with the customer, pack it, weigh it, measure it (UPS demands exact dimensions), fill out a ticket in duplicate with all the customer's info, then enter all that into UPS Worldship again. I usually get interrupted at least three times during this process. So I don't feel guilty at all charging $5 handling, even though sometimes it adds 50% to the shipping cost. I mean, my time really is worth something to my boss, you know?

[screwballl]

I understand a few dollars for handling, but some of these places are charging double and triple the normal chipping cost for a half pound plastic piece. In my case double charged me for handling.
$16 shipping and handling for a $6 5 oz. plastic piece, yet the 50lb replacement bumper mount for my Durango cost $60 plus $10 shipping and handling (bought from a different online vendor). Same goes with computer parts, thats why I stick with a few respected vendors that have either free or cheap shipping and handling charges. Thats also why I don't buy off ebay anymore, these people show $12 shipping yet you receive it and they paid $3, so they pocketed that extra $9. They used the free post office boxes, local newspaper for wrapping and padding so no extra cost for "handling" there.

These companies are hurting, they are using every twist possible to make the extra money

[aerotruk63]

Try shipping & handling charges as well as brokerage fees of $50.00 + from UPS on items over $25.00 from the U.S. I request USPS for all purchases. Post Office does not charge brokerage fees. Delivers to my door. Books are exempt, thank God.

[fastwillie 696969]

thats how they make there money too shipping,cost them a buck to ship and charge 12.95
another rip off is when you use a credit card and you got to spend a min. in the store to use the card.
i hate that

[ronh72c10]

UPS is criminal at times, aerotruk mentioned the brokerage fee, I had one order that got broken into three boxes, they charged a brokerage fee on each box, the total fees were $250 on a $750 order, most of that $250 was brokerage fees and that did not include the shipping charge.

Ron

[jbgroby]

Hey, I WON I WON!!

Go this reply from my note I sent Unity on the crazy shipping prices.

Jake,

Thank you for your comment.

We have finally added the US Postal Service as an shipping option. If you would like to try to place an order again, please feel free or if you have any
questions, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Benjamin Torres
Unity Manufacturing
1260 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
P: 312-943-5200 Ext. 211
F: 312-943-6581

[Baradium]

Originally Posted by fastwillie 696969

thats how they make there money too shipping,cost them a buck to ship and charge 12.95
another rip off is when you use a credit card and you got to spend a min. in the store to use the card.
i hate that

The credit card agreements with vendors require no minimum purchase amount (IE they aren't allowed to charge it). They are allowed to charge a fee but min purchases aren't allowed. If it really annoys you, a call to your credit card issuer will likely result in either them changing their policy or losing the ability to accept credit cards.

[screwballl]

The problem is that credit card companies typically "charge" the business $1 to 4 EACH customer payment/charge, depending on the company the business/store uses. Think of them like WalMart, they charge the bulk processing companies that handle large amounts of charges like $1 each, yet a small company that handles maybe 500 charges per month gets nailed with $4 per charge.
With my work it is I believe $3.50 per charge, but also that is why we stopped taking AmEx, because they wanted to change their rates from $5.50 to $7 PER charge since we were below the minimum number of transactions. That is why most companies/stores have a minimum charge amount of $5-10. That is also why my works does not have any rates/services below $10 per month, with a few rare exceptions for check paying customers.

[gator2511]

I just shipped a revolver frame and barrel out to have it ported. I removed the cylinder so it was impossible to fire it. UPS said it was still a dangerous firearm even with the cylinder removed! The only way they would ship it was by using next day service for $70.06!! THE PORTING WAS ONLY $125. I leaned over the counter and said go ahead and shove it to me while I'm in the right position. It was do it their way or don't ship it at all.

[jbgroby]

Could you have shipped it in two small boxes? The only way they could have sait it was dangerous was to be hit in the head with them.

[gator2511]

Originally Posted by jbgroby

Could you have shipped it in two small boxes? The only way they could have sait it was dangerous was to be hit in the head with them.

I just told them the truth, I don't need to get involved with illegal firearms stuff. You can ship USPS if you have a FFL but I dont. Fed Ex said they would not ship anything to do with a firearm. I think UPS has a thing going on and they are taking advantage of it and cheating you! I told the UPS guy that a hammer would be more dangerous than this part of a gun but it did no good.

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by gator2511

I just shipped a revolver frame and barrel out to have it ported. I removed the cylinder so it was impossible to fire it. UPS said it was still a dangerous firearm even with the cylinder removed! The only way they would ship it was by using next day service for $70.06!! THE PORTING WAS ONLY $125. I leaned over the counter and said go ahead and shove it to me while I'm in the right position. It was do it their way or don't ship it at all.

When I was selling firearms, if a distributor/wholesaler used UPS, it always had to go second day air.
The reason UPS gave was second day air minimized employee theft of firearms; fewer people had less time for thieving.
Great company, huh?