I was all set to order that red Pachmayr Decelerator pad from Natchez Shooters Supply when I saw the shipping estimate: $11.68 shipping and $0.65 insurance on a $29 recoil pad that weighs less than a half-pound.
Look, I know margins are small in the gun business (though much higher on accessories and ammo than on guns themselves), but this kind of deceptive pricing annoys me enough that I’ll simply look elsewhere, even if I don’t find a better deal. If you can’t make a reasonable profit with the pad priced at $28.62, increase the price and charge me THE ACTUAL SHIPPING COST for shipping.
Oh, and according to UPS, I (as a no-volume-discount, non-corporate-account-holder regular guy) could ship the same package, by the same method, from Chattanooga to Detroit for $7.28. I’m sure Natchez’s shipping cost is lower, given the volume of business they do.
I’ll be ordering from somewhere else, thanks…
The charge is for shipping and handling. What goes into that total:
UPS costs
The person that picks the item (gets it from the shelf)
The box or envelop + packing materials
The person that packs the item
The person that double checks the order (You wanted 8mm stripper clips right?)
The first 2 items cost are pretty much based on the actually items and weight. The second three get cheaper the more that you buy because they get shared over more items.
If you bought 10 items the handling cost would proportionally be less.
(Not affiliated with Natchez Shooters Supply but i ship a lot of stuff)
Good to know. Thanks.
The last time the UPS guy came to my porch carrying a box he said “my God, this thing’s heavy. What do you have in it. . LEAD?
Oh, if he only knew.
I don’t care for handling charges either. It’s not like they are selling the item at cost. That’s why I like to support my local shops when possible. Even though it costs more in time gas and sales tax.
Shipping and handling is getting to be a real racket–good luck finding a supplier who will do it for less.
Midway really nicked me a while back on a back-ordered item. It shipped the same day as the rest of the order; doubled the s&h charge. I’m being a lot more careful when I order from them to make sure nothing is backordered. I’m also holding things until the order is sizable enough that I don’t feel I’m getting screwed on the shipping and handling.
Of course, sometimes that means that I have a chance to find it at a local or a show at a good price, and Midway loses out on the order. Hate it for them.
I’ve been going in with range buddies on orders to share in the shipping. It saves us a little bit anyway.
I blow enough money anyway, between life, helping out elderly parents and donations to people on the net in desperate need (I love it when you do that and the next messages are about their new toys or fabulous vacations or such). One of these days I’ll quit being nice and save it for shipping and handling.
Brigid, I’m sure I don’t know who you could be talking about there!