moodier

My Feedback: (1)

Hi;Well probably get blasted for this but really wonder about some of the shipping costs here and on Ebay?I can see $25 but some of these people are asking $35-$75 for shipping.This is for simple 40 size planes!See some of those on line hobby stores on Ebay planes sell reasonable but shipping of $35-$45 are they making there money from the shipping?Had friend years ago who was in business selling and shipping items{before Ebay}Figured could sell at cost and profit was in his S&H charges almost looks like that situation here with some of these outfits?Recently was interested in a nice,fairly priced small plane when asked about shipping costs was quoted $75 by the owner guess he probably didn't want to ship it needless to say he lost a sale!I didn't bother to ask him the rationale for the cost!OK shoot!!!

ob1n

My Feedback: (14)

I totally agree....but, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what kind of "attitude" these people have. They don't care at all about satisfaction in my opinion. They are after the sale and that's it. I prefer to buy from an "honest" vendor who wants to sell the product at a fair price(within 20.00 of the cheapest competitor) and be fair with the shipping. I, too, am in the business of shipping so I know what it cost to send items of such nature. A small .40 size airplane kit without motor, radio, etc. shouldn't be over 10-15 dollars WITH insurance....UPS, Fed Ex and/or USPS.

Fletch124

My Feedback: (7)

Maybe they were going to ship it to you in a huge wood crate. That could definetly be quite heavy even with a .40 size in it.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

eBay charges are based on the initial price (the insertion fee) and the final price (final value fee). The final value fee is only on the selling price and does not include the shipping. Charging a high shipping value allows the sellers to shield some of the money from eBay fees. Using unreasonably high shipping fees is a direct violation of eBay policy. However, there appear to be many people (including some here on RCU) who think that because eBay is a profitable company that it's perfectly acceptable to cheat them.

In response to Fletch124, the people selling the cheap Chinese ARFs with $25-35 shipping fees are most definitely not shipping them in a "huge wooden create"

jettstarblue

It's just a way of selling something at a "low" price to get the sale, then charging a high shipping cost to artificially raise the price.

I've shipped kits across the country (Ohio to Washington) INSURED for under 20 dollars. (USPS)

I shipped a whole 30's Lionel train set to S. Carolina insured and with delivery confirmation ect. for 14 dollars. USPS....The UPS store wanted 37 dollars for the same thing.

Maybe they are ingnorant to the fact that there are other ways to ship beside UPS.

depfife

My Feedback: (14)

When considering price, it is the total cost that concerns me, not what column it falls under. If a plane I want costs $99 and the shipping is $1, that is no better than the plane costing me $1 and the shipping $99. If the total price is more than the item is worth to me, I don't purchase it. Lots of companies ship kits/ARFs for less than the actual shipping costs. Are they loosing money? No, they are charging enough for the plane to allow them to discount the shipping. Is this somehow less less sinister than charging more for shipping than the actual shipping costs, to price the item lower? With the exception of folks trying to avoid auction fees by padding shipping costs, I think it all equals out in the end.

http://www.ouraaa.com/news/library/d...t/driving.html

It is about 80 miles from my house to a hobby shop, so most of my RC purchases are made online. It amuses me how some folks shudder at paying $3 to have a $5 prop shipped to them, but think nothing of driving to the hobby shop ten miles away for the same prop. According to AAA driving costs over 50 cents per mile when you take in to consideration all of the associated expenses of vehicle ownership. If you only consider gas, maintenance, and tire wear, driving costs us about 15 cents per mile. If you have a gas hog like me it is more. A twenty mile round trip @ 15 cents per mile = $3.

Eric

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Especially since on that trip for the $3 prop, the guy will probably get a gallon of fuel or a new ARF that he's got to have.

carrellh

This is the way I look at it too. If the shipping cost is clearly stated in the ad, there is no way you can consider it a rip off. All I care about is the 'total cost to put it on my doorstep.' Call it 'low price/high shipping' or 'normal price/low shipping,' as long as I know all variables I can make an informed decision.

I never bid on anything that doesn't have the shipping charges clearly stated. That like saying 'please cheat me.'

famousdave

My Feedback: (61)

If you have ever shipped a plane using UPS, etc you will know it is not all inflated. A while back I was going to ship a U-Can-Do 90 size to Florida - UPS wanted $55 and Fedex wanted $60 If the box is oversize or double oversize it adds up really fast.

I sent it greyhound instead for $30


DP

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

They state a price with shipping and you buy it or you don't. It's called "capitalism" and if they are charging to much no one will buy. If they are able to sell it than it's not overpriced. What's "attitude" have to do with it OB1N?

Fletch124

My Feedback: (7)

Very true. I thought you meant like a RTF airplane.

shford

My Feedback: (27)

I agree with Desert Pig. If you haven't shipped one of these big boxes, you have no clue. I sent a GP pt-19 ARF(NIB) to Arkansas (from Indiana) and UPS shipping was $33.00, Fed ex was $28.00. I sent a Dynaflight Chipmunk kit to Ca and the shipping was $28.00.
Then you need to add in the cost to box the material. I always put the kit into another box. The UPS store wanted $75.00 to box the pt19-kit and that didn't include the shipping. I just laughed at them. I went to a box store, got a big sheet of cardboard for $9.00 and packing tape and did it myself for about $15.00.
You won't hear me complain about shipping costs ,like Tower's, and I sure am going to save those boxes from now on.
Sam

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

In Payson, AZ the sales tax is 8+% so if I buy anything on the web, which is almost a necessity, I can pay $7.99 shipping and still come out about even. It's 90 miles to the nearest LHS and with the price of gasoline these days + an hour and a half drive, Tower and Hobby Lobby are my friends. Usually buy enough in one order from Tower to get free shipping.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I've been on eBay in the boat section and there is one seller in there aselling cheap imported RTR boats for a cheap price, what you'd normally see in a toy store. He is charging $35.00 shipping for what I know can't cost him anything over $8.00 at the most. He will only ship to US addresses so those that see his ads aren't looking close enough to see where they helping him make his profit. He is also using the "Buy it Now" and must have at least 2 pages of these items up for bid.

Jim Schwagle

My Feedback: (1)

It's a very common way of lowering the price and still making a bigger profit. Look at the computer section on Ebay. PCMCIA USB cards selling for $5 .........with $18 shipping! (this could be shipped in an envelope!) Like others, all I look at is how much it will cost to get it to my door. That's the price I use for comparison.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Used to work for Piper Distributor in Calif. Shipping companies would charge an arm and your first child to get a PA18 wing half from Lockhaven to Long Beach. Found out soon enough if it was labeled "airplane wing" the cost would be as much as the value of the wing. Started having Piper label the crate "airplane parts. NOIB". Wonder if the labeling on model stuff could be changed to model airplane parts. Shipping is always higher on a complete item than on parts.

moodier

My Feedback: (1)

Hi;Very interesting replies to my intial posting.Agree with the fact that the item has to be worth the cost plus shipping.An excessive shipping cost just means I would only pay less for the item so that shipping and cost equal the value I place on the item.You can't just look at the cost of the item as I was doing then being upset over the shipping cost!Some people also do ship for very fair cost as it does require time and effort to do it they should get fair reimbursement for there effort.I have made lost of my RC pruchases at swap meets and I think this only reinforces my efforts in that direction!Hope this makes some sense!!You have helped me gain a better prespective on the whole internet sales bit which I am very new at.THANKS !!

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

I ship quite alot and I can tell you gentlemen a few things about this subject.

First off if you take your item to the UPS store you will be charged a very high price for both UPS and Fedex. A few years ago you could take your item direct to UPS and they would charge about 1/2 of what you would pay at the typical "pack and mail store". Same with Fedex.

Then UPS bought out a "pack and mail" chain and instantly started charging the "pack and mail" store price regardless of where you dropped off the package.

If you want to ship at about 1/2 the cost of UPS then ship with Fedex ground. But you must either go online and print your own label or take your package to any FEDEX company store or shipping center. If you take it to the "pack and mail" place you will pay a premium, especially if you take it to the UPS stores (gee I wonder why that is?)

As for "rip off" shipping fees forget Ebay and log onto the DELL COMPUTER web site and price out one of their $299.00 systems they advertise on TV. You will be charged about $75.00 for shipping and handling! Surprisingly if you buy a system over about $500.00 they waive all shipping charges!

If you want to question DELL's practice on the phone I can guarantee you will have a very nice conversation with a young person in INDIA (who speaks very poor English)!

Just another way to TRICK the unwary or uncaring purchaser.

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

their english is fine, it's the accent you're having a problem with. and it's not "poor", just different.




dave

AgCat1982

If I can't understand it, then it's poor!

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

You can only say that if English is your first language.
any India tech support i've dealt with had no idea what they were talking about either. If i need tech support, I talk to my ISP. there's one guy that can help me with EVERYTHING i need. he even helped me set up my router.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Jeez, anyone else from down South want to disagree with Zagnut? Pretty stereotypical of you guys don't you think?

Thunder, FYI.....English is his first language and he probably has a better perspective of our ingrained Xenophobia having lived out of this country for many years.

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

Stereotypical? I'm just citing what I've said, and no, I haven't specifically dealt with DELL'S customer support, but quite a few other companies I have.
and as far as "from down south", I've lived in Ohio and Michigan for a combined total of 17 years, which is about 3/4 of my life (not exactly, of course, but close)
now quit being a whiny prototypical californian and defending minorities
I simply disagreed. The India-based customer support (computer-wise) has been horrible in my experiance (not that many american-based customer support services are much better), and I don't think the customer support sucks because of the accents...I think it sucks because the ones THAT I HAVE DEALT WITH spoke broken English at best. So, I try to avoid dealing with them.
I'm not racist, as you insinuated(sp?), I have nothing against other cultures (what did i even say that made you think that? prototypical californian...)...it's just a bad freakin idea to outsource customer service.
YOU my friend, appear to be a xenophobe with your "down south" crack. grow up.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

I said "our ingrained Xenophobia" which includes myself.

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

BB is from ohio too, maybe you were neighbors??

and what does all this have to do with the original topic? is tower shipping via india now??



dave