Great Models Shipping Charges - BS

They sent my order (2 or 3 small kits or accessories)in 2 packages in

2 days-got twice the shipping and handling from me. Needless to say that was my last order from them. I don't want to hear anybody say I should have tried to resolve it with emails or a phonecall either. I don't have to work at being a "good customer". I just never ordered from them again.

Dear All,

As an operator of a model e-shop, I am just trying to figure out what is the best approach to resolve the S&H. I just want to get the feedback from customer. Most web site does not provide the actual shipping charges (especially international orders), as this would be very very complex programming. We have spend quite a level of works to provide the shipping charges as accurate and possible. But from the customer point of view, do you like to have the actual S&H during you confirm your order (either waiting for final S&H charges to you).

Raymond Chung LuckyModel.com

"Raymond Chung" a écrit dans le message de news: bjq81o$ snipped-for-privacy@imsp212.netvigator.com...

I refuse to place ANY order unless the shop can provide the exact S&H. But I am rather patient with the store (I don't mind waiting a week for them to calculate the fee), all the more if it's cheap! Same goes for Ebay: I give nasty evaluations to guys who ask 6 bucks for S&H and end up sending it low rate at $ 3.50. Most US based websites give a link to a USPostal Office chart for international fees, but it isn't (or wasn't the last time I checked) in the metric system and doing conversions myself never works or isn't accurate enough (when you're shiiping halfway accross the planet, 20 gramms DO make a difference!!).

-- _________________________________________ Pierre-Henri BARAS

Co-webmaster de French Fleet Air Arm

de l'Aviation sur le web

I honestly don't mind paying a flat shipping rate like Squadron (under $20 is $4.75, $20-50 is $5.75, etc.).

What I really hate is when a company sends one or two items, charges full shipping, and then sends two or three more and charges full shipping again.

If you can't get it, don't even bother to take my order. Let me know up front that the item is gone.

One of the things I like about Squadron. I'd gladly pay 95¢ extra per item and only get hit once for shipping and have everything in my order filled in one shot. Rob Gronovius Visit my motor pool in the

gallery

" But from the customer point of view, do

I won't buy a thing until I know ahead of time what I will be charged. too many companies know how to deal with shipping. GM has not a clue. I have no idea why anyone would do business with them.

Craig

I wasn't aware of that. I always thought they were a no backorder company. If it is not in stock, don't order it. Even their website takes an item off if its not in stock.

Craig

>

Best of all worlds is like Squadron - spend $100.00 and shipping is free............

Woody

Raym> Dear All,

Well, IMHO, the term "shipping & handling" is grossly misused. What most should really say is only "shipping". "Shipping" is just that. Shipping. If someone charges $8 "S & H", then ships the item fror $5, well there's their way out. The $3 was for "handling". There's a difference between saying "shipping" & "shipping & handling".

Yeah, they were going to charge me $6.50 to ship a $2.50 decal sheet. That is a rip off.

Actually, it is surprising that they would accept an order that small. There sure isn't any profit when they are done, only a loss.

Cheers,

Ken

Most of the places I do business with either give exact postage costs by return e-mail with confirmation after order, or else they have a scaled shipping cost, which often goes to zero with a large enough order. It'a a little easier for a manufacturer selling direct to the public, because they can charge retail, swallow domestic shipping costs, and still come out ahead of the game. Likewise, wholesalers or people with huge inventory have leverage to offer more attractive shipping. Eitehr way, consider it a golden age in the US--the way all the states are hurting for cash right now, expect all these transactions to be hit by a national sales tax redirected to the states of the purchasers. It'll probably happen faster than you can say 'recall.'

Mark Schynert

I bought what I wanted on sale. The other stuff I buy I get at a different dealer with no shipping over $50. Shopping at GM was a last ditch decision, not by choice...

Craig

Despite GreatModel.com's efforts to improve their business, to me they are still the mailorder company of last resort. I've had too many screw-ups with them to be able to have any real faith in their service. I actually get stressed out when I order from them, wondering "ok, what's going to go wrong THIS TIME?"

Shipping charges,

Well, it ain't cheap for one thing.Fuel prices spiking have not helped., I just spoke with Great Models after UPS failed to leave a package even after I signed the receipt for it.No problem, it's resent.

Sometimes things just happen that tha tway.

I have to say Amazon is one on-line place that has exceeded my expectations every time.

UPS has been interesting. Several times they have left the package with a neighbor when I wasn't home, but neither was the neighbor!

Tom

For tax purposes, it's treated just like any other income.

The actual shipping cost is treated as a business expense, like any other expense, and is subtracted from gross income (along with all other expenses) to determine taxable profit at the end of the year.

A retailer may very well track it as a separate income source for their own information, but it's not any different, tax-wise, than selling a model car.

Mike (back to lurking) Tennent "IronPenguin"

Or VLS with a membership (ask for it for a holiday present..) then you get

28%off admittedly full boat MSRP and FREE shipping over $10 (or did it go up to $15.. I forget)

Anyway, I've gotten a VLS membership for a birthday present for the last 10 yrs and LOVE it! Especially since their holiday sale comes out right after my birthday, gotta love 40%off and FREE shipping!

My $ 0.02 US Mike please remove "diespam" to reply

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, perhaps you've misunderstood the situation.

So far this thread is 27 messages long. You would think that would be enough of a wake up call for GM to get their head out of their butt and revamp their shipping policy. My bet is that nothing will change. Pete