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A Rant About Shipping

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My rant is a package around 19 pounds cost $145 to ship from UK to USA It not a ripoff charge but a regular shipment charge (I guess you could say a regular rip-off).
 
Well I have listened to the rants and I too could add a few. However, for those cases where parts are not delivered at optimum times. I have learned over the years, to avoid this scenario by scheduling my repairs and ordering parts in advance.Using this scheme I usually have all the bits I need on hand when I start to work.In most cases I end up with more bits than I actually needed,but there will come a time when. Further, I never accept back orders---Fwiw---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Thats right Vette, it is because they will not use US mail services.Now you are gonna get me to rant too by posting a similar example.I had purchased an elusive part for one of my cars in the UK the supplier insisted on a $140.00 surcharge {Core Charge} even though the part I bought was new.So to redeem my lost dollars I packed the core up and headed to a friends UPS store. When I told him what I wanted he told me after weighing the package you are in the wrong place.I said why! well we add a significant surcharge and it will cost you $140;00 to ship this via UPS /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. He then told me, just go to the US post office and have them handle it.After completing the paperwork there it cost me $23.00 to return the core.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
I guess I can add to the war stories. I shipped four wheels with tires mounted to Hendrix for the free re-truing service. UPS lost one of the four on the way to Hendrix. The tires were nearly new but discontinued Michelins. Obviously Hendrix didn't have a replacement tire. Hendrix returned four wheels with four new tires mounted. UPS paid the entire claim for a new wheel & four new tires plus mounting, truing, & balancing.

I told Hendrix to keep my three Michelins for some needy person. Sure enough someone in Hendrix's area needed just three to complete a set. True to his word, Hendrix did not charge for the Michelins. I found out later who got them, just "happened" to be a friend of mine. Except for some suspense & worry on my part, everything came out very well.
D
 
ok so weve all kinda been beatin up on our friendly local venders,to be fair lets try and look at it from his perspective.you go and order a part'schminkin gear'exclusive to just the early runs of 105's,your told its got to come out of australia,botswana,heaven forbid england,you leave a deposit,the order is translated to supplier /manufacturer via fax,phone tele,etc.the order clerk that receives it is makin what?close to six bucks an hour[min.wage rounded off]and has chipped a fingernail while reaching for the phone,thatll garner lots of attention to your order!,so its probably already on its way to being lost cousing its arrival delay,oh this is only the first oppertunity for this to accure,[ever wonder why your stuff is almaost a month late?]now its got to be searched out,in a warehouse[picking i believe its called]sent over to shipping,packed wrapped,and delivered to a shipper,[some not all services pick up]placed on an appropreate manner of convayance,ship,plan,balloon,dunky etc,from there it, in most cases does not just show up at you venders door!no,no,now youve got to send 1-5 people to pick the thing up[healey engine blocks are not self convaying]at a terminal,be it an airport,shipping port,consoladated terminal etc.these employees all have to be paid,now your using your highly trained and dedicated staff to drive the truck that you bought,pay taxes on, purchase insurance for,maintain,and worst of all have to put gas in!oh ya the staff,may require health,medical,and dental insurance,not to mention the dreaded responsability of "workmans comp.insurance"i believe thats about 18%-20% now.also today in the extremely litigious sociaty in wich we live,as a business owner youd be nuts not to pay for at least a 50 million dollar liability insurance floater!just in case a dedicated employee desides to inadvertantly drop a transmission on a good custormers neck.[with my luck itll have the overdrive attached to it]i almost forgot a small item,renting /buying a physical location,insurance for that,overhead,ya know stuff like lights,heat,snow removal,trash removal,staff,including bookkeeping,and a nice fee to your c.p.a. every year,computers,printers,fax machines,security cameras,disposables-paper,pens,desks,just to much to mention,i think ya gettin the idea,it aint easy bein green!or owning a business,we have to stop believing these guys are makin billions on this stuff,i hate giving my hard earned money over to anyone,let alone a bad vender!,but is the mark up substatiated?perhaps in most cases,are there gougers out there?you bet!talk to fellow enthusiast,get folks emails and ask if theyve had experiance with a certain outfit,its your money and sometimes your safety,id be the first one to wave a banner for a good vender,and ya can bet your expensive italian sports car id be the first to get a bad one in a headlock!figuratively speaking of course,aha! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
WOT!!,now I understand why they have all them surcharges Dave.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
dave,heres one while in cannada,going to the challenger aircraft maint.school,i had my wife send me some extra cloths,consisting of 2 pairs of blue geans,3 shirts,etc,all for personal use they would not let me clear it from customs unless i cut them up so as not to be able to use them for resale!most people dont see this kinda stuff first hand,and do not have an appreciation for what goes on in many cases,try to bring tools into many countrys,good luck! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif
 
Anthony, it doesn't help to come up with these oddball situations to excuse every day ordinary shipping nonsense. There's always exceptions. All they do is prove the rule. There's no excuse for 99% of this. And as you can see from the fact that everybody has a problem, it's time that vendors get the idea that they need to start treating their customers a whole lot better. So no need to apolgize for the vendors, or start ordering 6 months ahead of time just in case. How about they just do what we're paying them to do. Or better yet, when they screw up, how about a refund? Let's see which vendor will be the first to stand behind their shipping. Anyone?
 
keoke,my desertation was not ment for the worldly and knowledgable individual such as yourself!but for the many that may misconstrue how this sector of the business world functions,i ment only for my inept attempt of an explination to these uncomfortable and frustrating accurances to perhaps sooth the anguesh of those idividuals that have sufferd such tromma,if not in full fact then in a vain and unsuccessful[in your case]attempt at comic releaf.now go look at my last post on"seeing into the past". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Or better yet, when they screw up, how about a refund? Let's see which vendor will be the first to stand behind their shipping. Anyone?

[/ QUOTE ]

Moss does this. I recently received two shipments of the same part due to a back-order mistake. I returned the part and they reimbursed me for the shipping. They also do this if there is something wrong with a part (not that you just don't want it for some other reason). They are also very liberal with returning unused parts up to 6 months for a full refund. Many others want to charge a re-stocking fee. I do feel a bit cheated when they (just about everyone) overcharges for shipping. You know they get great rates from UPS or FedEx ground but seems like it is tripled for the box and handling. Oh well .. I can't complain too much .. I'm just glad there are parts still being made for our LBC's.

Cheers,
John
 
shg,no im not at all attempting to make excuses for anyone,though im not to sure about the 99% bit,ive had as much if not more problems then most of our friends in this
"hobby"about 38 years worth,yes we pay for and deserve a higher level of service,perhaps we as an organization should just take the entire business out of the hands of these mutants!stop expecting from them what thell never be able to accomplish!in great part its our own fault, form a coop,group buyers,clearing house,something ,if not for profit then for convienance,this mistreatment has been going on since the invention of anything.this isnt the only business in wich there is a general air of apothy,lethergy,and down right ignorance!ive always believed if ya dont like were the ship is goin,grab the dam wheel.we should not expect this type of treatment to self correct,itll just never happen,so whats the allternatives,what options do we have?thats what we should be looking into,not a method to make these nuckleheads do what we think we deserve,remove them from the equation totaly!and it doesnt matter how much we pay them itll just get worse,that would just be affirming there stupidity.true one can not do or be everything,but it is our call!
 
You are exactly right, this isn't the only business that does this. None of them should, and the fact that we, as consumers in general, accept it is pathetic. But in this instance, we are a rather small universe of potential consumers, and while we can't have a great deal of influence on the world at large, maybe we can have a bit more say with that small group of suppliers who needs us as much as we need them.

John is right about Moss being very good about returns and customer service. I've had the same experience with Healey Surgeons. But some others, who talk a good game when you're buying, don't produce when it comes time to receive the good stuff that we're waiting for. When they tell you it will be there, it should. When they charge you far more than it costs to ship, they shouldn't. And maybe I can't do anything more about it than shop elsewhere, but I still don't like it.
 
Keoke:
The shipment was originating in the UK consequently, the US rates did not apply. I called all the normal carriers that advertise in the US and could not beat the individual's shipping arrangements. In addition, I found I was lucky that the shipper knew how to describe the contents of the package to avoid US duty taxes!
 
UPDATE: Received an email this morning in response to my query about what happened to my shipment that never arrived, for which I was charged a "huge" amount. The answer was that the shipment went out "regular mail" and hence the vendor can't account for what became of it.

BUT, the better part of the email was that the "huge" amount for shipping not only reflected the cost of mailing, but the "labor and packaging." Labor and packaging? That's the vendor's fixed cost of doing mail order business, not my variable cost as a buyer. To make matters worse, this is a new vendor who advertises here. He did offer me an unspecified discount on my next order, but given the specialty nature of his product, together with the representation that his product will never fail, I'm having a bit of difficulty seeing how that helps. End of the day, no idea when it will arrive, no attempt at expedited shipping and my shipping charges went to paying him for the pleasure of shipping me the product I already purchased.

Anyone want to try to explain this one away?
 
folks, this problem is not exclusive of AH owners; One Jaguar parts supplier charges a $2.50 "box charge" on top of the shipping charge, which they don't tell you about, and which is not Actual Shipping Cost, since they pay the carrier a special "high volume" lower rate, but they charge the customer the "Retail" higher rate. just another way to make more money. I also refuse to buy again from those companies who lie to me when taking an order, then change the story after they have charged my card. Here's what I do: Inform the seller that you will Record the conversation when placing an order. It is your right to do so after you inform them. (check the Laws in your particular State/country, in some states you do not have to inform anyone that you are recording). If they do not want you to record them, then simply be prepared to not buy from them and tell them bye bye. If we ALL do this, they will get the message and stop lying. It's nice to hear what we want to hear: "yes I have it in stock", "yes I can ship it today", "you will have it in a couple days", but after you hang up, the story changes, except that your card got charged the same day. But if you have a recording, they cannot deny what they said, and they always do. If they have an attitude that they are "doing you a favor", you need to find a different parts supplier. I have been ordering parts for my two Jags for the last 15 years, (yes, fifteen years), so you can imagine that I have dealt with most every Jaguar parts vendor on earth. Some I always go back to, some I will never call again. Yes I agree that we cannot turn the forum into a complaint center against any one vendor or vendors, but the word must be spread about those vendors who cheat us. For example, I recently learned of one particular Jaguar vendor who charged a naive female customer, $900.00 for a used Jaguar grille for a 1986 XJ-6. (you can get those at eBay for $40.00 used). Then the customer was sent a very bad condition grille with dents, rust, pitting, and when she protested, she was told: "what do you expect for $900.00?" Gentlemen: a brand new factory grille doesn't cost $900.00 at the Jaguar Dealer, it costs less than half that amount. she was ripped-off big time. But the Forum in which this complaint appeared, censored all the cries of "foul play" that came after, and even closed the post. Why? because the Vendor is an Advertiser in the site and business money talks. Now, I am not saying that is the case in this forum, but the Rules are the Rules and we agreed to what we agreed when we registered, so the rules must be followed. That doesn't prevent us from sending Private Messages, so let's use the PM feature and warn other potential buyers about any abusive practice from any parts seller.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
 
exotexs,well said,another thing you could do,is have the charge removed from your credit card for"non-delivery of item" most credit card companys extend this protection,then if you ever do get the item delivered,return it to them as expeditiously as they sent it to you,oh,and make em pick it up! nice hag,i just sold a 1957 gib.l-50,got a couple others as well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
So one of the parts I was waiting for arrived. It was the wrong one, even though they were told exactly what I needed, and worse yet, was a plastic piece of crap that can be had for half the price. I've emailed back that I want a full refund and a call tag to get this piece of crap out of my house. Let's see what they have to say now. If anyone wants to know who and what this is, send me a PM.
 
SHG, Check for private message. I want to know who it was. I'll never deal with them based on your experience !
 
Yeah me too ED, I sent him a PM but I ain't heard from him yet.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif
 
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