I'm so mad I could chew nails...

[lspencer534]

and feed what comes out to my cats! Saturday I ordered a cloisonne grille badge for my TR-6 from The Roadster Factory, a well-know seller of Triumph and MG parts. I got lazy and didn't notice that the shipping charge isn't disclosed until TRF sends an e-mail. Here's what the order confirmation said:


717060 T6 BADGE,GRILLE $167.98

Shipping -- UPS Ground or Parcel Post $26.25

TOTAL $194.23

Outrageous! This is a small part and would cost maybe $6 to ship. I called them this morning to get them to correct it. Here's what was said after I explained my request:

TRF (His name is Albert): "Items don't get packed in a box and shipped for free."

Me: "That sounds like a shipping AND handling charge, and that's not disclosed in your catalogue."

TRF: "We now charge shipping based on the total amount of your order."

Me: "So you're going to pay USPS $26.25 to ship this part?".

TRF: The shipping charge stands. Do you want to cancel your order?".

Me: "Yes! And one other thing, Albert: Stick that emblem up your ass...."

Assholes!

[Admiral Blue]

So sue him!

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Me: "Yes! And one other thing, Albert: Stick that emblem up your ass...."

...and you still want it? Maybe that is why the shipping and handling is so expensive?


Good news----it is not too early for a drink.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Admiral Blue

So sue him!



...and you still want it? Maybe that is why the shipping and handling is so expensive?


Good news----it is not too early for a drink.

Dayum! Can't believe I missed drink time....

[LATB]

not sure you could ship a small box full of air for 6 bux.

[DukeAllen]

You paid $167 for a badge and the shipping is the part that pisses you off?

[LATB]

Originally Posted by DukeAllen

You paid $167 for a badge and the shipping is the part that pisses you off?

he's an attorney...someone else always pays the freight.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by DukeAllen

You paid $167 for a badge and the shipping is the part that pisses you off?

It's irritating because TRF got in a new shipment of the badges and put them on sale. Adding about $20 (shipping charge they want vs. actaul shipping cost) to the price kinda takes away the saving.

[Bill]

I'm trying to understand your indignation. Is there no way, pre-purchase, that you can actually find out the drive out price for your order? Most on-line sellers have some mechanism to calculate the shipping cost of your order prior to consummation of that order.

[LATB]

you could always drive to Pennsylvania and avoid the shipping costs.

[DukeAllen]

Originally Posted by LATB

you could always drive to Pennsylvania and avoid the shipping costs.

He can't DRIVE the Triumph, he has to sit and rub it with a diaper. I just wish he'd use a clean one

[DAB]

item cost: $0.01, shipping: $4.99

yeah, i've run across stuff like that. it's 5 bucks, but if you want to return it, you only get a penny back. guess what, very few returns.

you need a cheaper hobby.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

I'm trying to understand your indignation. Is there no way, pre-purchase, that you can actually find out the drive out price for your order? Most on-line sellers have some mechanism to calculate the shipping cost of your order prior to consummation of that order.

Since almost all online sellers can calculate shipping cost based on what you order (through having done any combination of parts before and to any place), I'm afraid I don't understand what you're saying. Right now all I know is that $26.25 is aa ripoff on a very small and light weight part, and calculating shipping from the amount of your order is stupid.

For example, if a jeweler did that and you purchased a $2K ring, they would charge you >$250 for shipping (10% of the amount of your purchase).

[Bill]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Since almost all online sellers can calculate shipping cost based on what you order (through having done any combination of parts before and to any place), I'm afraid I don't understand what you're saying. Right now all I know is that $26.25 is aa ripoff on a very small and light weight part, and calculating shipping from the amount of your order is stupid.

For example, if a jeweler did that and you purchased a $2K ring, they would charge you >$250 for shipping (10% of the amount of your purchase).

What I'm saying, from my limited on-line buying experience is, most sellers have some version of, put the item in virtual shopping cart, then just prior to "checking out", the site will calculate the shipping, giving you a drive out price.

Did this company's website follow that protocol, or were you required to place your order, then actually wait until a later date for the company to notify you of your drive out total?

If you were required to actually place the order and had no facilities to determine exactly what that order was going to cost, then yeah, that's a shitty way to do business. If, on the other hand, you just glossed over the steps where shipping charges were proposed for your potential order, then that's on you for not picking it up at the time. Caveat emptor, and all that.



As DAB points out, comparing your final cost to what that item would cost locally at a brick and mortar, or from another online source is really the only measure you need to be concerned with. If you got it locally, you'd save the shipping but pay the tax. If you got it from some other online source that trumpeted "hey, free shipping", but the item cost was actually higher than what you paid, then that would really be a pyrrhic victory.

In your example, let's say I was able to find that $ 2,000 ring locally, but it was $ 2,500 plus 8.25% tax. Hell yeahz I would pay the $ 250 shipping to get that ring for $ 2,250 drive out, and would be happy about it.

[Grey Ghost]

I was going to order a bunch of parts from rockauto. Most would come direct from mfg. or other warehouses. Shipping almost equaled the cost of the parts. I bought them from a local place.

I thought the TR6 was perfect though? Why are you changing emblems?

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

What I'm saying, from my limited on-line buying experience is, most sellers have some version of, put the item in virtual shopping cart, then just prior to "checking out", the site will calculate the shipping, giving you a drive out price.

Did this company's website follow that protocol, or were you required to place your order, then actually wait until a later date for the company to notify you of your drive out total?

If you were required to actually place the order and had no facilities to determine exactly what that order was going to cost, then yeah, that's a shitty way to do business. If, on the other hand, you just glossed over the steps where shipping charges were proposed for your potential order, then that's on you for not picking it up at the time. Caveat emptor, and all that.



As DAB points out, comparing your final cost to what that item would cost locally at a brick and mortar, or from another online source is really the only measure you need to be concerned with. If you got it locally, you'd save the shipping but pay the tax. If you got it from some other online source that trumpeted "hey, free shipping", but the item cost was actually higher than what you paid, then that would really be a pyrrhic victory.

In your example, let's say I was able to find that $ 2,000 ring locally, but it was $ 2,500 plus 8.25% tax. Hell yeahz I would pay the $ 250 shipping to get that ring for $ 2,250 drive out, and would be happy about it.

This situation was your first example: I was required to place the order and then receive an e-mail confirmation of what the total price is. Like I said, I wasn't thinking clearly...if you can imagine that....

[Bill]

Originally Posted by DukeAllen

You paid $167 for a badge and the shipping is the part that pisses you off?

Apparently, Spence don't need no stinking badges.

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

I thought the TR6 was perfect though? Why are you changing emblems?

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

I was going to order a bunch of parts from rockauto. Most would come direct from mfg. or other warehouses. Shipping almost equaled the cost of the parts. I bought them from a local place.

I thought the TR6 was perfect though? Why are you changing emblems?

The existing emblem on the TR-6 is perfect. The cloisonne one was just going to be a desk accessory. The cloisonne emblem actually isn't correct for my car, but it's much prettier than the foil decal on my car.

[Budman]

When I had my MGB I got most parts from lbcarco dot com

Always stood behind his parts, shipping was very reasonable.

Not sure how his Triumph parts are though.

[CertInsaneC5]

Your whining about something that is going on your desk? Something that costs +100$ and the shipping charges are what you are upset about? OMFG!!!!