How important is $3?

[markgum]

A choice would be nice, but I'm sure that complicates things on your end.
Quality products; great customer service is most important. Shipping is something we tolerate.

 

[ed4copies]

47-35-18
First class-Priority-don't care.
135 votes, so far.

 

[dogcatcher]

I order every 2 or 3 months, and early enough that I am never sitting and waiting on anything to arrive. Buying more at one time saves on postage, compared to ordering every 3 or 4 weeks, also I get some bulk buy discounts by doing it this way. Myself, I want it as cheap as possible, that is what makes my bottom line look better.

 

[leslie hines]

First class unless I need it in a hurry maybe some kind of customers choice

 

[Sylvanite]

My observation from the shipper point of view is a little different. I used to offer two shipping options - a fixed rate that went Priority Mail, or a by-weight rate that shipped First Class Mail. No matter how well I explained the options in my shipping procedures, I had customers who would

1. Order one item, choose priority mail, and then ask for a cheaper rate and a refund, or
2. Order several items, and choose first class mail - even when the charge was higher than the priority mail rate.

For a while, I emailed customers who chose counterintuitive shipping options, but that took up a lot of my time. Eventually, I switched to a single zone-based shipping charge and set up the rates to match First Class postage for small, lightweight packages, and switch over to Priority Mail small/medium/large box rates at the appropriate points. Every package automatically gets the least expensive shipping, and I don't have to doublecheck customer options, confirm choices, or issue refunds.

Just my experience,
Eric

 

[SDB777]

I usually order with time to spare....so it doesn't really matter to me.

The only thing that irks me is the sites that offer Priorty shipping and quote a price of $12 for a small flat rate when we all know it only costs $5.20(unless you go online to pay for it-then it's less)....and then wait a week to send the package out. Why bother?




Scott (doesn't matter = my vote) B

 

[dogcatcher]

First class unless I need it in a hurry maybe some kind of customers choice

If the customer waits until the last minute and wants it in a few days, I will offer them the option of overnight express, and add it to their bill. Even with a Priority mail order that a customer thinks they needs right now gets stuck with the shipping charges.

Their last option is to take something I have in stock, but as I said earlier, I keep a good inventory and only need to order every 2 or 3 months. Those weekly orders with $3 or $4 shipping charges on each order is not the way to run a business. I can order a 2 month supply and only pay once, and that shipping maybe only $10.

 

[ed4copies]

Well, we put the choices on the site and, so far, everyone has opted for the Priority---it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Thanks to ALL for your feedback--hope the "choice thing" will make most of the people happy all of the time!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[ed4copies]

BTW, current tally:
43% Send it first class, refund diff
37% Send it priority
20% Don't care

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Holy crap that added up to 100%

BTW, current tally:
43% Send it first class, refund diff
37% Send it priority
20% Don't care

 

[ed4copies]

:biggrin::biggrin:I was a math major!:biggrin::biggrin:

 

[ldb2000]

I will never understand why someone would "cheap-out" over $3.00 . I've never had a problem with getting broken or crushed items when they were shipped in a flat rate box but I've had several destroyed items that were shipped First class in padded envelopes (not from you Ed) . I've also had items shipped first class that took a week or more to arrive , not that I was in a rush but I ordered them and didn't want to wait that long to play with my toys . I'm still unemployed (going on a year now so every penny counts) but will ask that you only ship by Priority Mail to me anytime I order from you , the $3 won't make or break me .

 

[ed4copies]

Butch,
You actually point out something about first class mail.

We shipped some samples of refills when we first introduced the 9000. At the time, I shipped them first class--seemed easy enough.

Over half were damaged in transit. So, now if we ship first class, we also put cardboard on each side of the product being shipped, which, of course adds to the weight. That's why we are always over $2 in postage, even when we use first class (but they DO get there, undamaged!!)

 

[JeffW]

Ed, Shipping costs always get me. I'm very happy to wait a day or two more.

 

[ed4copies]

Ed, Shipping costs always get me. I'm very happy to wait a day or two more.

thanks for "revitalizing" this thread, now that the count is displayed publicly.

We decided to give a choice, so when you check out, you can choose "cheapest" or "priority". So far, we have only had ONE "cheapest" choice since this was initiated (about two weeks).

Thank-you to all who voted!!!! And those who commented.

AND Dean (Alphageek), for figuring out how to give folks a choice!!

 

[arw01]

Personally, I HATE SHIPPING CHARGES. Lee Valley get's three orders a year from me. When the shipping is free. Last order was $140.

I find I bail from a lot of check outs when I find out they want $9.00 to ship something that could fit in that $4.85 flat rate box.

First class is a great option, I find those packages arrive 1-2 days later than priority that always seem to arrive the second day after being mailed.

Johnnycnc just sent me a priority on Friday night that arrived tuesday.

Personally, I didn't know you had a $3.50 shipping option, that will cause me to put an order in this week

 

[Andrew Arndts]

Bill Cosby had a great answer about the Half Glass question is it half full or half empty. His answer was "am I drinking or am I pouring?"

I write that to write this.
Am I sending or am I receiving?
If I am the person making the order, I want this item as soon as it can get here in the fastest yet economical method. I like flat rate priority. "if it fits it ships for one low rate." HOWever this is not always the norm. I will send off a package first class or parcel post if need be.

I guess really if you sent something to me priority, then I should do the same.

 

[toolcrazy]

When I listed my wife's handmade note cards on my site, I enabled first class. And I found that my customers were selecting First Class instead of Priority. But, when I have the option, I generally select Priority.

BTW, check out my wife's handmade note cards, they are awesome. http://tfwdesignstore.com (sorry for the plug )

 

[CaRed]

Ed,

Thanks for asking. I learned a lesson from a prior employer. The owner was an engineer and very intelligent. He asked a series of questions of all employees about the upcoming catalog and how we thought our customers would like to see it. Our suggestions were to be based on our interaction with customers on the phone or in person and our personal preference. He came to a concensus of what we thought our customers would want. All the while, he was calling our customers and asking them the same questions. He sampled about 50 of our best customers. It was really embarrassing to find out what we thought our customers wanted was exactly the opposite of what they actually wanted. How could we, who were supposed to be the experts regarding our customers, be so far off? He gathered all of us in the conference room and gave us the results and humbled all of us. He was actually angry at his management group (primarily me) for not stepping up and suggesting he was asking the wrong people. Only our customers know what they want. LESSON LEARNED.

Thanks for asking the simple question and keeping your customers at the number one position.

 

[ed4copies]

Chris,

Mostly this proves I'm old!!

Years ago, when computers were just entering the workplace, we installed one in my copier dealership. I was a "hands-on" guy who KNEW my customers. When the computer started spitting out data, I realized how misinformed I had been. Now, I rely on data first and asking questions of customers next. The results of this survey have, so far, shown that our customers do not act exactly as this poll would predict. HOWEVER, having the option of first class doesn't hurt anything!!!

Another "Marketing 101" lesson.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I guess I come from a different world after 40 years in the shipping business... I have trouble understanding the fuss about shipping times and costs... shipping cost is a cost of doing business... regardless of whether you are a full fledged small business or just doing a hobby business.
Even if you go to the local store and pick up your items, there was a shipping cost in getting the goods to the store...
As for the time involved, shipping takes time... there are the transportation companies schedules, the processing time, etc all are factors to the shipping times. There are factors that no one can control... example, my son is a long haul trucker... he recently left Indianapolis headed down I75 to Laredo... he was stopped just north of Little Rock because the road was flooded, turned back north to a detour that would take him around the flooding. Because of the detour, he was 8 hours late getting to Laredo. His delivery was on time because of the schedule, but if not for the flooding, he could have been earlier... a factor outside anyone's control.
In the question of first class vs priority mail.... both classes will generally leave the post office on the same truck... the priority may be handled faster once it reaches a sort station, but it leaves on the same truck.. just in different colored bags. Back in the '70's when I worked for an airlines, we flew a lot of "Green Mail"... mail in green bags - first class mail..... right along side the air mail in orange bags.... you paid a premium to fly our mail in that orange bag.

The significance of $3 doesn't escape me as I will choose the lesser costs on my orders, because when you are ordering $30-$40 at a time, $3 is a significant cost... but back when I was in the industry, it wasn't unusual for my shipping invoices to be $10,000 or more, so $3 was insignificant. I haven't had the pleasure of buying from Dawn or Ed yet, and it may be a while since I've cut back on my pen turning significantly and I have an abundance of bowl and pepper mill blanks, but I would probably choose the lesser cost and not worry about the time involved in the shipping...