Shipping and Handling?

[Beowoulf]

I was just looking over the invoice for a recent purchase I made from ... I won't say their name since they are a sponsor of this forum. Anyway, I bought a pound of Benjamin Hartwell's Evening Stroll for $39.20. Shipping was was, I thought, a little high at $14.11 (I don't live in China, for heaven's sake!) But then, I just noticed, there is a HANDLING FEE of $10.00. What are they doing to my bag of tobacco, giving it a full body massage? Forget about the massage and just ship the damn thing! The grand total was $63.31 for a 39.20 purchase! Jeepers that doesn't sit right with me!

 

[warren]

Did they email an invoice before shipping? Or, are all the attendant costs listed when you order? Any discounts for ordering over a certain amount of product? As you don't list the vendor I am unable to ascertain the answers to the above on my own

If you are unhappy with the vendor all I can offer is, not turning to them again and find a more satisfactury vendor. I don't believe any of the members can rectify your problem or ease your discomfort/anger. I'm unable to even commiserate with you without seeing the vendor's site to see if they cheated you with unstated charges.

 

[Beowoulf]

This vendor has about a million offerings for tobacco blends. For that reason, they are quite attractive.

Just to compare, I went to look at a second vendor's invoice. They don't charge a Handling Fee, but...Shipping is more than twice the price of the first vendor I mention. Then again, it's not really a good comparison because I bought a lot more from the second vendor. Shipping would naturally be higher.

I guess it is just the price of doing business. Thanks for the reply @warren .

 

[bullet08]

Unless it's rather an urgent order, I don't order till I meet the minimal requirement for free shipping. It saves a bit. Then there's tax and other crap. No such a thing as a free lunch. It does suck.

 

[didimauw]

Yeah I refuse to pay more for shipping than the actual product. Wife asked me about a dress for our daughter. "Would it be obsurd if I wanted it by Thursday?"

"Yes....at that price it would!"

But I tend to wait untill I have enough for free shipping too.

 

[Beowoulf]

I don't order till I meet the minimal requirement for free shipping.

@bullet08 No free shipping to me. I live in Canada. First Class International Shipping only. At least it wasn't shipped through UPS who, I swear, must have direct ties to Canadian Customs. I ALWAYS pay duty when anything is shipped through UPS.

 

[Waning Embers]

I don't see any of the forum sponsors carrying that one, but many wait and place an order around $100 to avoid shipping charges.

 

[Olkofri]

@bullet08 No free shipping to me. I live in Canada. First Class International Shipping only. At least it wasn't shipped through UPS who, I swear, must have direct ties to Canadian Customs. I ALWAYS pay duty when anything is shipped through UPS.

UPS and other couriers make money from brokerage: ergo, they're very interested in there ALWAYS being duties on imports.

 

[Olkofri]

I live in Canada.

Heh. Wait till you get the Can Bull $hit Agency's invoice and you may call the handling and shipping fees a pittance.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have never placed an order from Canada, but all of the orders I’ve made did allow me to chose a carrier and shipping option… if I didn’t meet the free shipping threshold. So, I always knew my costs before pulling the trigger.

But, maybe since you’re importing a taxable product, and putting the retailer at risk… there are more charges for the risk? Just a thought.

Calling the retailer would have been my first instinct. However, if you received the tobacco without having to pay your government’s ransom price for taxes… you may have gotten off cheap. Just another thought in my pea brain.

 

[craig61a]

Perhaps the handling charge was for preparing the customs forms...

 

[Ahi Ka]

I’m sorry, but you just got to suck it up. This is just part of the deal when it comes to international shipping. If you don’t like it, pay local prices.

This is not meant to sound rude. Be stoked you got a box in. I’m all too familiar with the stress involved with tobacco importing, and I’m now glad that head ache is behind me.

 

[warren]

Perhaps the handling charge was for preparing the customs forms...

That plus packaging, preparing and getting reciepts from the shipper/PO, maybe even mileage to and from the PO and the salaries, taxes, workman's comp fees, etc. for the employee(s) handling all those chores. Customers cover all business costs or the business fails as it doesn't turn a profit.

The purpose of a business is to turn a profit for the owners/shareholders. That's accomplished by including a percentage of all costs/expenses in the retail price and sometime flat rates/special charges such as shipping and handling, special orders, etc. There are not many successful enterprises which operate altruistically.

 

[Davy]

@bullet08 No free shipping to me. I live in Canada. First Class International Shipping only. At least it wasn't shipped through UPS who, I swear, must have direct ties to Canadian Customs. I ALWAYS pay duty when anything is shipped through UPS.

That's because UPS staff act as a broker on behalf of Customs. Just like FedEx, DHL, etc.
So yes, you will pay customs fees every time.

 

[Davy]

Beowulf, you sure that retailer is a site sponsor? I know of only 2 places that demand this fee and they are not SS.
And I certainly don't order from them. They can....that fee.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Might as well say where it’s from, the seller won’t care. It charges what it feels is necessary to cover costs and make a profit and the charges would be known before finalizing an order.

 

[Beowoulf]

Beowulf, you sure that retailer is a site sponsor? I know of only 2 places that demand this fee and they are not SS.
And I certainly don't order from them. They can....that fee.

As I investigated further, it was not a site sponsor for THIS forum. It was for TobaccoReviews.com. So sorry.

 

[Beowoulf]

Might as well say where it’s from, the seller won’t care.

@HawkeyeLinus As I already pointed out, the vendor is a sponsor of TobaccoReviews.com, not PipesMagazine.com. My mistake. So sorry. Sloppy investigative reporting.

Their name? Cup O' Joes.

 

[simong]

Still a bargain price for a pound of tobacco, delivered to your door!
What more do you want?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

@HawkeyeLinus As I already pointed out, the vendor is a sponsor of TobaccoReviews.com, not PipesMagazine.com. My mistake. So sorry. Sloppy investigative reporting.

Their name? Cup O' Joes.

I was just curious, not concerned about the sponsorship aspect. I assume without knowing if they don't charge what they charge for shipping and handling in certain situations then either the price of the tobacco goes up, or free shipping thresholds change, and so on. And maybe you can't get free shipping to Canada, wouldn't be surprised.

Sounds overall like it was still a pretty good deal - don't beat yourself up.