Re: purchasing parts

["Charles A. Dempsey" <cdemps@domain.elided>]

Angus Holliday wrote:

>  We charge you *Exactly* what
> they charge us.  We do not mark up shipping charges and
> do not charge "Packing" or "handling"  (Other than for items 
> that must be crated or windscreens).

I think that Stag Specialists should be highly commended for this. I
know I speak for others when I say that I am da*# sick and tired of
paying inflated handling charges. The wife and I call it "Shipping,
Handling, Insurance and Taxes, and we speak of it by its acronym. 

I recently phoned a company in Dallas, TX because they had fantastic
prices on a two pound part that I needed. The phone rep said "Sure, I'll
send it right out". When I asked what the total was, it turned out they
wanted $22.00 to ship it by UPS ground 180 statute miles in one hop. I
asked them to ship it on my UPS account. "Nope, can't do that. Company
policy." They would have paid less than $4.25 to ship this item, which
amounts to more than $17.75 in hidden costs. They did not get my
business.

It *does* cost real money to buy boxes and packing materials (check the
catalogs), and you've got to pay someone to box the item and take it to
the shipper, but I would much rather this cost be included in the markup
instead of sprung on me as they're toting up the check. Some companies
seem to think that the shipping department is their personal cash cow. 

Way to go Walter!
Charles