Shipping Costs

[dusty]

I have always been somewhat critical of what Shopsmith has charged for shipping. I have just come to the conclusion that they might not be out of line with these charges.

Yesterday I placed an order with Fluke for a pair of standard test leads and a fuse for my digital multimeter. The leads and the fuse cost me $30.65 and the shipping charges were $9.95. Wow. Two 36" long pieces of wire and a fuse that is about 1.25" long cost a ten spot to ship UPS ground.

Now I'm wondering about the fuse. It is an 11 amp fuse used to protect the instrument when using it as an amp meter. This is a meter function that I hardly ever use and was not using when the failure mode became apparent. Will the meter function properly when the new fuse is finally installed? I sure hope so.

[Gene Howe]

Dusty,
I've always had good luck with Graybar, Elliot or Fastenal in Tucson. Even Grainger....well, not for parts.
Depending on your location, you might spend the tenner in gas, though.
Gene

[Ed in Tampa]

I always wonder at the difference in shipping charges, charged by one company versus another. I wonder how one company can offer free shipping, where another charges $4 and another charges $9.95 for the same thing.

Just doesn't compute to me and I'm left wondering why the great difference.

[greitz]

Part of the difference in shipping costs is whatever the company can negotiate as their "company discount". I know that it costs me twice or three times as much to ship a package myself versus my company shipping it using the company account number, both with FedEx and UPS.

Gary

[keakap]

I always wonder at the difference in shipping charges, charged by one company versus another. I wonder how one company can offer free shipping, where another charges $4 and another charges $9.95 for the same thing.

Just doesn't compute to me and I'm left wondering why the great difference.

I think in many cases the problem is access and/or ignorance.
Access-- for some it's easier to have UPS or FedEx stop by once a day and pick up a bunch a stuff.
That leads to the second item: they probably don't know that they can do the same thing with the USPS.

But IMHO the BIG reason is illustrated by the following example:
I online ordered something small (a little bitty PC 'internal' modem card- $12) from a place in Ohio. "Shopping Cart" said shipping would be $25. Since I'm not a Democrat there's no way I would pay that.
So I called 'em up to ask. Guy said "hm, that does sound kinda high, where do you live?"
When I told him Hawaii, he said "Oh, no wonder, shipping to other countries is always more."

'Nuf said.

[colday]

I just received an email saying my shipping address in PayPal is not set to AK/Canada, so they did not realize they had to charge me more!

I wrote back saying Alaska IS part of the US! :D

Good grief!

However if I was enjoying the weather in Hawaii I think I could put up with it! :cool:

[JPG40504]

Geez! One would think you two are residents of a foreign 'land'.

Do they not teach geography anymore?

Wonder how folks on this peninsula get their mail? It also must go through Canada to get there. The upper part is Canada, the lower part is Washington state!

8176

Maybe they have a 'mail boat'!:D

[a1gutterman]

Hi Red,

Point Roberts is a very interesting piece of property! Access can be provided without traversing Canada, however; by boat!:D

Oh! You already pointed that out.:o