Fedex nor UPS can come close to DHL for the least cost in shipping. USPS and UPS both have proven to be bad news for blanks - they get there, but in pieces, even in good tubes.

We use a shipper who finds me the best price and min imizes the packaging to get it for me.

I agree wtih the comments above that say maximize your order. If, like Doc, you live near a supplier, go there first. If you go to the Show or the West Coast Show and sponsors will be there, place an order hand have them bring it - that elimin ates the shipping.

Some companies, like Cabelas, have made S&H a profit-center for years. I could tell you tales about their shipping prices that'd make you cry. Others, including many of our sponsors, will go out of their way to charge only the actual cost of the shipping. You might find their unit-prices to be a little higher - guess what? They builld the "H" part of S&H into their price, including the packaging, but they spread it over all their stuff so it hits you less for each order. OTHERWISE, THEY GO OUT OF BUSINESS!.

The shippers, like the airlines, have figured out that now is the time to simply raise prices. Everyone assumes it's because of fuel prices. No, folks, that's part of it, but in general,. they've been increasing prices gradually (well, lately it's not been gradual anymore) for more than four years - We have the comparable receipts to prove it.

We use a separate overhead calculation for our materials stuff that includes the cost of shipping, averaged over all our orders. We use that as one of the factors in pricing our rods.

I'm going to suggest you talk to you supplier when you make your order. Ask for better shipping terms. Ask for a small padded envelope sent USPS when that's all that's needed, not a box full of fluff and some small parts. Then pick the ones that best meet your needs. But the real question is, who provides the best service for you?

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I have a hard time comprehending the practice of basing shipping charges on a percentage of the invoice total. It may not cost a dime more to ship a more expensive, yet less bulky item, than one that is less expensive but heavier or more bulky.

Charging more to ship a dozen spools of thread versus 3 or 4 ? IF everything fits in a flat rate box- I should be charged the flat rate- not more because i buy more- if actual shipping charges incurred go up- then it is understandable- but not if based simply on dollars worth of invoice. That defeats the whole purpose of spending more to save on shipping costs.



Luckily I have a quality supplier within driving distance (about 40 minutes) and try to stay stocked up on most items, when I do drive to the supplier it is not for a single spool of thread. I only use mail order when absolutely forced to do so.

I too am lucky to have Mud Hole within 15 minutes of me. If they do not have an item I need, I run up the road to another supplier I know of who stocks a lot of every hard to find thing you can think of.

Its about a 20 mile drive, so as long as shipping stays above the cost of 2 gallons of gas, its worth more to me to make the drive. My orders aren't usually 1-2 items as well.

Overcharging for shipping or letting it slide by because you say a supplier has travel time is total @#$%& in my opinion. I can usually attribute the shipping costs to the tax savings if supplier is out of state, but I personally try to not use ANY website that over charges.
My belief is that any travel time, extra runs to Home Depot, or whatever else is a cost of doing business - NOT business with just me... A small company with a website has the ability to do business with the WHOLE WORLD - now make yourself prepared and don't blame home depot....
I also highly disagree with the cost base on amount of purchase. Heck, I spent more and the company made more money and now they won't even take the time to calculate proper shipping??????

-Steve

Tampa, FL

Mark Ganrude Wrote:
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> I have a hard time comprehending the practice of basing shipping charges on a percentage of the invoice total.

Mark, it's really simple - first, as long as I've been mail ordering ANYTHING (non-fishing related), there have been shipping charges based on the total $$ spent. It made no sense for me to pay more shipping on a pair of socks from Ralph Lauren, that it did a sweter from South Pole, but that's the easiest way for ANY company to calculate shipping costs. This isn't a rod building issue, it's standard business practice.

When writing code to calculate shipping, you have to input parameters. You could do it by weight, but that would require EVERY item to be weighed and teh data recorded, then totaled. Does this make sense YES. Is it practical, definitely not. Much easier to ship the way every other mail order company in the world ships, by total $$ spent.

Now, if you call up a company and ask them to do the right thing shipping, they will. 100% of the time. There isn't a retailer I've ordered from, who doesn't agree that a set of Titanium guides should not cost $25 more to ship than a set of HArdaloys. Each and every one will do the right thing, but you have to ask them.

The reason many companies charge a percentage or flat rate per dollar amount ordered, is so that they can provide the customer with an upfront amount that he/she can then expect to pay for shipping. Few large companies that print catalogs can expect customers to order and then wait for the company to return with a shipping quote - this is especially true of mail order which is still how most rod parts are sold. They'll lose money on some, make a little on others. They're running large firms and know how to get things to balance out. But I don't think anyone is making money on shipping fees. Most lose a little, if anything.


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I sent a couple sets of guides to Virginia from North Carolina this morning by way of UPS in a box 4.5 X 6.5 inches square, and they charged me $8.75 with a vender not even being involved.

Steve,
You could have put them in a padded envelope and mailed them for a buck and a half and they would have probably got there faster. I do it often I have even sent reel seat inserts, etc.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Steve, thos eMicro guides I shipped to you a while back cost me 41 cents. lol.

today i was shiiping a fishing lure to someone, total package weight was 4 OZs using the USPS online shipping and lable printing system i tried to ship it from NY to CT. Using pacel post method 2-9 days for $8.50! Prority mail $4.50. 2-3 days, first class mail $1.86 2-5 days what gives LOL?

I personally don't ship any thing that could be stepped on and broken in an envelope.

I have seen too many foot prints on letters and such that I have received.
To me it is worth the extra cost not to loose the guides to damage.

But thank you greatly or the input. On none fragile items I will take your advise.

Acid Rod and Fish Sticks 4U are both very reasonable. They get Dave's North of 60 seal of approval!!! LOL

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details