Elecraft

Reality of "Shipping and Handling"

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Ken G Kopp

Reality of "Shipping and Handling"

Rose ships covers and cases all over the world ... or rather I should
say -I- pack and ship them for her. (:-) I'll wager we're one of the
larger shippers here on the reflector ... with the exception of Elecraft.

Powerwerks is most likely losing money at $6.49, and it has nothing to
do with the cost of the item(s) being shipped. They will have numerous
"hidden costs" ... all shippers do. It just depends on how deeply one
wants to burry them. If one lived in the same town where they're
located, I doubt that you could drive there to pick up an item without
conduming $6.49 in fuel ... maybe more. One's time also has a finite
value.

There's address and return labels and likely a label printer to print them,
bags for the item(s) and probably another label on that bag. Then there's
the shipping packaging, be it a small padded envelope or a carton. If it's
a carton, there's the cost of "peanuts" or other cushioning material.
"Bubble pack" is suprisingly expensive. (;-) Padded envelopes cost
$.50 to $2.50, depending on the size, even bought in 100 lots as we
do. Don't forget the shipping costs ths shipped pays their suppliers
when they purchase shipping supplis

Oh, and there's the cost of paper and ink for the printer that prints the
packing lists and labor costs of the person(s) who does the shipping
operation.

I'll almost guarntee they're losing money at $6.49.

On Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 5:49 PM, Terry Schieler <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I'd have to need a whopping large quantity of these retainers to justify
> the shipping and handling ($6.49) that Powerwerx wants to ship 5 of these
> little $0.49 devils to me here in the Midwest. Perhaps someday I'll buy
> some other stuff from them and order a dozen clips at the same time.
> Perhaps not.
>
> UPS Ground is their least expensive option. I think you could mail a
> dozen of those clips via USPS for a LOT less than $6.49.
>
> Terry, W0FM
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Walter Underwood [mailto:[hidden email]]
> Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 10:32 AM
> To: Elecraft Reflector
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Poles
>
> Like these?
>
>
> http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-accessories/powerpole-retention-clips.html
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
>
>
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Terry Schieler-2

Re: Reality of "Shipping and Handling"

Correct. I totally understand that, Ken. My company ships stuff all day. I am aware of the labor, benefits, overhead, hidden costs, etc. a company deals with. But I believe I correctly, I recall small item purchases that I've made from Elecraft Parts and others where they were safely shipped to me in a small padded envelope via USPS. If they were shipping me small parts in a cardboard box with bubble wrap and the like, I'd expect the cost going up to cover that. I recently had two, fairly hefty VFO knobs for a boat anchor project that were shipped to me via USPS in one of the $0.50 padded bags for $2.71.

I didn't intend to poo poo shipping and handling costs that are passed along to a customer, but merely point out that for these particular little bits of lightweight molded plastic, the USPS may be more attractive to a purchaser.

I have a special appreciation for what Elecraft, Powerwerx and Rose (and YOU) all do every time I walk back to my shipping department. ;o)

73,

Terry, WØFM

From: Ken G Kopp [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 1:44 PM
To: Terry Schieler
Cc: Walter Underwood; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Reality of "Shipping and Handling"

Rose ships covers and cases all over the world ... or rather I should
say -I- pack and ship them for her. (:-) I'll wager we're one of the
larger shippers here on the reflector ... with the exception of Elecraft.

Powerwerks is most likely losing money at $6.49, and it has nothing to
do with the cost of the item(s) being shipped. They will have numerous "hidden costs" ... all shippers do. It just depends on how deeply one wants to burry them. If one lived in the same town where they're
located, I doubt that you could drive there to pick up an item without
conduming $6.49 in fuel ... maybe more. One's time also has a finite
value.

There's address and return labels and likely a label printer to print them,
bags for the item(s) and probably another label on that bag. Then there's the shipping packaging, be it a small padded envelope or a carton. If it's a carton, there's the cost of "peanuts" or other cushioning material. "Bubble pack" is suprisingly expensive. (;-) Padded envelopes cost
$.50 to $2.50, depending on the size, even bought in 100 lots as we
do. Don't forget the shipping costs ths shipped pays their suppliers
when they purchase shipping supplis

Oh, and there's the cost of paper and ink for the printer that prints the
packing lists and labor costs of the person(s) who does the shipping operation.

I'll almost guarntee they're losing money at $6.49.
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Reality of "Shipping and Handling"

In reply to this post by Ken G Kopp

And add to Ken's comments that the boxes to ship items in cost money
too. I keep boxes for shipping back repaired Elecraft gear, and if it
is going UPS, I have to pay for the boxes - which average $2.50 each
since I purchase them in quantities of 20 instead of 1000 (which would
reduce the price to about $1.00).

USPS is nice because they provide some size boxes at no cost, and I take
advantage of that whenever I can.
What the customer is charged (in my case) is the actual cost of
transport, and does not include cost for shipping materials and my
packing time or gasoline to get to the post office or UPS shipping site
- other firms add a "handling charge" to cover those costs.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/17/2013 2:44 PM, Ken G Kopp wrote:

> Rose ships covers and cases all over the world ... or rather I should
> say -I- pack and ship them for her. (:-) I'll wager we're one of the
> larger shippers here on the reflector ... with the exception of Elecraft.
>
> Powerwerks is most likely losing money at $6.49, and it has nothing to
> do with the cost of the item(s) being shipped. They will have numerous
> "hidden costs" ... all shippers do. It just depends on how deeply one
> wants to burry them. If one lived in the same town where they're
> located, I doubt that you could drive there to pick up an item without
> conduming $6.49 in fuel ... maybe more. One's time also has a finite
> value.
>
> There's address and return labels and likely a label printer to print them,
> bags for the item(s) and probably another label on that bag. Then there's
> the shipping packaging, be it a small padded envelope or a carton. If it's
> a carton, there's the cost of "peanuts" or other cushioning material.
> "Bubble pack" is suprisingly expensive. (;-) Padded envelopes cost
> $.50 to $2.50, depending on the size, even bought in 100 lots as we
> do. Don't forget the shipping costs ths shipped pays their suppliers
> when they purchase shipping supplis
>
> Oh, and there's the cost of paper and ink for the printer that prints the
> packing lists and labor costs of the person(s) who does the shipping
> operation.
>
> I'll almost guarntee they're losing money at $6.49.
>