Question about shipping prices

[WTF7218]

I’m a new sponsor so still getting the hang of things - I’m hoping those of you with more experience can give me more info/your opinions on this. Is it common for vendors to charge a lot more for shipping than they pay? I paid $45 for 2 day shipping - order arrived in 4 days and price on envelope that was paid was $9.95. I know sometimes shipping price also includes packaging and such, but $35 seems like a lot for that. Everything else was good, and there are only positive things said about this vendor. Their prices are pretty good too - I’ve seen other vendors with higher prices charge that much or more for US to US shipping.

 

[player72]

I've seen some pretty epic shipping fees. $45 for two day would not be the highest. I suspect it's part adding a little profit and part encouraging bigger and less frequent orders.

 

[Dr-Octagon]

Never been a fan of express. Too much paper

 

[player72]

Never been a fan of express. Too much paper

And I don't want to have to sign for a pack. Know it can be done without but more likely to happen with express I feel like.

 

[alixjones2018]

It's the "tax" they have to pay for the runners. I guess I am jaded as it doesn't startle me these days.

Risk = rewards.

Never had to sign for express ever. And you can set it up to waive sigs on all deliveries unless the sender pays to only release with a sig but even then it's up to the carrier to follow thru with that request. But like I just said, never received with a required sig.

Now. I will tell you that I have years of experience with these carriers. Both as a receiver and being the person that headed logistics for many years and was the negotiator with all three carriers we think of today. So I am more comfortable playing in this game.

In almost 20 years --probably more actually--the only one that has ever been a legal threat to me and a house of thieves is the old school. Try never to mess with those mother fuckers. They got too much time on their hands. The others are driven by profit and bonuses and want to look at letters for no more than 5 seconds.

The way I look at it is that if I have to pay the equivalent of a few items and I ain't taking the drive to downtown LA to the local drug alley then Imma gonna pay it and live my best life. I wish it wasn't the case. But it's not if you want a guaranteed landing.

 

[Dr-Octagon]

I had to sign last time I went sotb

 

[Gracie5]

It’s also because more goes into the process than you see. Without too much detail, the vendor isn’t going to the PO himself- he has to hire someone. That’s the difference between listed price and charged price.