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View Full Version : Un-freakin-believable! Shipping woes!


GoodOlBoy
05-09-2014, 09:45 AM
*Begin Rant*

So two different companies that I am on a waiting list for starline 45 long colt brass contacted me that they have the brass now in stock. Track-of-the-wolf and some fly by night that I don't remember being on the waiting list for. Track of the wolf wants $13 to ship 100 pieces of brass! the other place wants $18 to ship 100 pieces of brass! What the heck! If you are going to charge me $22 for brass, then tack on $13 for shipping you are ripping me off! Although I guess you are giving me the "better deal" since the other joint wants $35 + $18 S&H! So what do I do? I am just about to bite the bullet (per say) and pay it anyway when a third little mom and pop company contacts me that they have also gotten in 100 round boxes of 45 long colt brass after I showed interest in them (All I did was send an email inquiry as to when they expected them back in). $28 plus $5 for S&H through the US postal service. $5? $5. $5! You are telling me that Aunt Gene-Ann, and Uncle Joe-Bob can get $5 shipping on 100 rounds of brass, but track of the wolf, cheaper than dirt, and other places can't?!?!?!?! So Aunt Gene-Ann and Uncle Joe-Bob get my order and I have it in hand, well packed in a flat rate USPS shipping box two days later...... The last time I ordered from Track of the Wolf, Cheaper than dirt, AND Midwayusa it took well over a week to get my order, and in one of those cases *cough cheaper-than-dirt cough* it took almost a month! Last time I went to order from Cabelas was when they got in CCI 22s for a reasonable price. They limited me to 1 box of 50 and wanted to charge $16 S&H...... really? REALLY? Why not be honest and say hey we are going to overcharge you for the product it's $5 to ship it? I am getting real REAL sick of companies who have decided that they will keep their prices lower than the "competition" then turn around an try to break you on the S&H. That's why my last "big" order from midwayusa got "cut" when most of the items got ordered from Amazon instead. Why should I pay midwayusa nearly $60 for shipping (not kidding the big order that was a order for me an several people being bought together)? More than half the stuff was ordered from amazon at a dollar or two more per item with FREE shipping, and a couple of the BIG items a buddy of mine ordered were actually CHEAPER at Amazon without considering the free shipping on top of it! Once we figured it up our whole order $560+ for four people we paid almost $114 LESS by ordering all the big and heavy stuff through amazon and getting free shipping and/or BETTER prices! The smalls (shellholders etc) came through midway because the prices were SO much cheaper, but the shipping was still stupid! I mean they charged almost $20 to ship a small shoebox sized box that when opened was more than half full of packing "balloons". Then when we get the stuff in (amazon order came in a good week before midwayusa) we find out MOST of the stuff was actually from small mom and pop shops who SOLD through amazon with free shipping! We actually got to support the small shops, give them some profit, AND save us time hassle and money!

I tell you it's crazy. Here outdoors companies are talking about hurting for business and every time you turn around they are doing this kinda malarkey to their customers......

Sheesh...... *end rant*

Richard

toxic111
05-09-2014, 09:49 AM
You try shipping up here... If I want to get something from the states, I have to pay shipping, and if it goes UPS or FEDex or similar I will have to pay brokerage too.. try around 50% of the value of the purchase for that.

It seems most of the large companies use UPS for their shipping, thus the higher charges. I would love to find $5 shipping up here by mail.. Hell a regular letter here is $1 now.

Oh and up here loaded ammo/powder/primers must be shipped by a HazMat shipper, so that will add to it as well.

Dan Morris
05-09-2014, 11:06 AM
You try shipping up here... If I want to get something from the states, I have to pay shipping, and if it goes UPS or FEDex or similar I will have to pay brokerage too.. try around 50% of the value of the purchase for that.

It seems most of the large companies use UPS for their shipping, thus the higher charges. I would love to find $5 shipping up here by mail.. Hell a regular letter here is $1 now.

Oh and up here loaded ammo/powder/primers must be shipped by a HazMat shipper, so that will add to it as well.

Canadian shipping, before I retired, was a bear! Engine or transmission I always tried to get the customer to pick up on the US side. How they got them across was up to them....most had ways.Those brokerage fees to do paperwork always bit you!
Dan

Westerner2
05-09-2014, 11:53 AM
I have been going to Amazon for about 2 years now. I have been getting Scopes there. They are $50 to $125 less there and free shipping. I have saved about $400. When you are on S/S THAT IS A LOT !!!!!

Westerner2

Adam Helmer
05-09-2014, 02:24 PM
GOB,

Your rant is justifiable! Empty cartridge brass is Mailable matter via USPS. The cost for 100 empty .45 Colt cases should be about $5. The horror stories you post are why I patronize our local gun shop. I want the shop to exist so I do not have the shipping costs (rip-offs) you documented.

Be well.

Adam

GoodOlBoy
05-10-2014, 06:06 AM
thanks for the replies guys. I know hazmat fees can be tough, thats why if buying stuff that requires hazmat fees I try to get a bunch of guys together so we can order as much as possible under one set of fees. However these aren't hazmat fees they are charging. JUST S&H.

Adam, I wish I had a local shop to shop at. The only local shop left within 40 miles of me won't carry anything to do with reloading, and they won't carry a used gun that isn't 90% or better condition because they can't make as much money on them. I have even tried to custom order items through them and its like pulling teeth to get them to order ANYTHING even if I am willing to pay up front.

Richard

Rapier
05-12-2014, 03:46 PM
Richard, we use priority shipping, if it fits it ships, lol. It costs 5.94 now and a book box can hold a good bit of stuff, like several boxes of bullets.
Ed

Dom
06-01-2014, 03:13 PM
There is a very positive point for you's -- and that is you are NOT having it shipped to an APO.

Several won't even ship you a hat or a book, Midway comes to mind, and those that do ship to APO restrict what you wanted to order and won't ship it. Don't even want to go there :mad:

GoodOlBoy
06-14-2014, 05:28 AM
So I got an order in to brownells for the first time in YEARS, and I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't killed on the shipping. I still think $8 was a wee bit much to ship the item I am picking up considering how light it is, but considering midway wanted $19 to ship the same item it ain't bad.

Richard