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Should trooperbay change to flat rate shipping?


TK-4510

Should trooperbay charge flat rate shipping on all orders?  

27 members have voted

  1. 1. Should trooperbay go to flat $9.99 shipping?

    • yes
      9
    • no
      19


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Should trooperbay go to flat $9.99 shipping? This would be for US only. On the plus side this would allow for heavier orders and larger quantities at considerable savings to the customer. On the negative side small orders where the items are light and the quantity is one or two items will still pay $9.99. Decals are always free shipping so they are not part of the equation. What do you think?

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Agreeing with Anthony here. I only buy small things as I need them. Ā I can imagine it would be a good idea if someone was buying in bulk, but I don't know many people who do that.

I'd hate to pay $9.99 on top of a pair of gloves or a neck wallet costing nearly the same as the proposed shipping cost.

Ā 

Should this change occur, I'd be forced to buy in bulk, or find supplies elsewhere. And I'd hate to do that because I've had a great experience with TrooperBay up to this point. My $0.02

Edited by SolidScrafty
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I agree, I don't like the idea. I don't have the money to buy everything at once which means the shipping would kill me to buy small things here and there.

Ā 

I think things are great as they are. I always go to Trooperbay first and part of that reason is reasonable shipping.

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When buying only what is needed, small purchases, it seems not such a great idea. But, on the other hand , it might make people purchase a bit more items to make it worth while for shipping. Pros and Cons on both ends.

Ā 

Myself, it would make me want to fill up my cart....

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I love trooperbay. Mike you always do us right......especially in a situation like this.....giving us new ideas and options.

Ā 

I can't predict what I'm going to need over the next year.....If I could then I would make one big order and grab it all and pay only 9.99

Ā 

But....like I said......A lot of us pick up as we build or break things...... If it goes flat rate....I'm going to have to use different sources when I need stuff for financial reasons (and I always need stuff if you look at my orders over the last year lol...I just can't predict what and when)

Ā 

And that Ā would suck because you deserve the business.....I'm hoping it doesn't go flat rate for sure

Edited by Redforce
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I would have to agree that it's not a great idea. I already don't order much and when I do it's usually only one item. Should it switch to flat rate I would really have to need something that I could only get at trooperbay.

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Is there a way to do flat rates on orders over a certain size or price? Other wise I would have to say no. if I order some e6000 and some one else order 30 items we shouldn't have to pay the same shipping trooper bay has been an oasis in a vastly TK unfriendly internet for cheap reliable Trooper needs and I hope it continues to be for a long time to come

Ā 

Ā 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Although the above shows the consensus is that most folks only order one or two items, surely you're not asking this because that's 100% accurate of your order history.

Ā 

To me, $9.99 is less than my actual shipping costs for most items I sell on ebay. I pay for boxes and packing materials, and the cheapest option available for me is at least $6.

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Hmm. Well.... we'll just have to see how this poll plays out. I am trying to figure out a way to make shipping fair for everyone and less of a nightmare for me :) Right now I set a shipping amount per item and that is not really good if someone buys alot of items. It's great if a person only needs screen mesh and a tube of e6000 though.....Usually it means that I get an email from someone (overseas) that is wondering why they have to pay $100.00 in shipping for $200.00 worth of goods. I try and work with them as much as I can. In all fairness overseas shipping is really cheap for everyone as I send almost everything first class. Priority overseas would exceed what I am already charging but then our brothers overseas would be paying ALOT.... ugh....

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So my domestic options are:

1. Flat rate shipping.

2. Free Shipping (prices increased to recapture shipping costs)

3. Itemized shipping by weight, which will require reworking the site completely, but is probably the most accurate

4. Free shipping over a certain amount... Not a bad idea, but I could get burned on quite a few items...

Ā 

Overseas is still another issue...

Edited by MTK
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I used to design shipping logistics for e-Commerce sites almost a decade ago. Ā Once you factor in international shipping, it's a nightmare! Ā There are entire software suites designed to assist business owners to design shipping charges... it's a tough one sir!

Ā 

Leland Crooks over at Speaker Hardware ( a small business owner who's dealt with the exact same thing you are dealing with now. Ā I've never once had an issue with his shipping charges - and he's sent me gallon buckets of heavy paint (Duratex).Ā He's a really nice guy - maybe he can help you out with some advice. Ā 

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Negative to the flat rate. MANY of the items that Trooperbay offers are on the small side. I just bought two $3 dollar patches. Why would I want $6 in patches to be $16?? As for saving for larger packages, decide what constitutes a "larger package" and flat rate that and find out what the smaller packages are and flat rate those. $4.99 for small ones, $9.99 big ones

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Sorry Mike, but case-by-case shipping is the best option. Paying $9.99 for decals, foam padding, or other smaller items is a poke in the eye. We all love Trooperbay and what you do for us.

Edited by Griffin-X
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Interesting..If I go to welovefine.com and purchase 2 shirts and a stuffed animal my shipping is $10.18. Would you pay that much for shipping from we love fine? Decals, foam padding, e-6000 and 4 clamps not worth $9.99 shipping on trooperbay?

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Brianstoys.com has a minumum shipping rate of $5.27 and a $2.00 handling fee..everything on the site is based on weight.

Zappos is free shipping in the US but they dont ship international

hasbrotoys.com's minimum shipping is $7.97 and seems to go up in increments as you add to the cart....

Toysrus.com - an angry birds stuffed animal is $7.99 shipping but if I spend more than $50.00 I get free shipping

I wanna be fair and NOT rebuild trooperbay.com....

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Here are my options:

Method 1 ( per quantity of 1, prices reduced for additional items )
Method 2 ( once per shipping class no matter what quantity is ordered )
Method 3 ( one overall charge no matter what quantity is ordered )
Method 4 ( by weight & zone. )

Ā 

I am using method one right now and that seems to workout within a dollar or so up or down. But if someone buys alot of stuff (why wouldnt I want people to buy more?) it may charge too much shipping...especially overseas... I try and refund any overages or upgrade the shipping to priority in those cases. I feel like I am losing sales right now because people are loading the cart and seeing too much in shipping charges.

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Of course if you just want a tube of e-6000 then you will pay a fair price for shipping as everything is based on single sales for shipping right now. I want to encourage adding stuff to your cart, I dont want to make someone feel like they have to, but if they want to then I need the shipping to be fair.

Ā 

What if I offered free shipping on domestic stuff if you buy more than $100.00 all the time?

Edited by MTK
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I went to speaker hardware and actually his shipping is pretty expensive. For 8 screws and a speaker plug on its $8.15 shipping...$8.57 if I go fed ex. ugh...

Ā 

Vern I wish I could do that, but I cannot. Thats too low.

Edited by MTK
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understood brother!

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I love your website mike, without it I would not have been able to help out almost 30 troopers... and in the past we handled

quite a few troops,,, must be at least 50 or more that you and I were both able to help.

Edited by TK Bondservnt 2392
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I went to speaker hardware and actually his shipping is pretty expensive. For 8 screws and a speaker plug on its $8.15 shipping...$8.57 if I go fed ex. ugh...

Ā 

Vern I wish I could do that, but I cannot. Thats too low.

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Wow, either he's using a unit ship charge now, or changed the prices altogether. Ā It might be worth a shot to even ping him and see if he'd offer any info on what he's done - just trying to help!

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I pulled up my last order below. The Duratex is a gallon jug of paint, about 11 pounds packaged

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hdwc1405 Penn Elcom Chevron Corner USD $0.50 8 USD $4.00 DuratexSG Duratex Spray Grade USD $52.50 1 USD $52.50 Ā  Sub Total: USD $56.50 Ā  Shipping and Handling: USD $10.04 Ā  Grand Total: USD $66.54
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OK looks like at least for now I need to look for another option. I may be forced to do method 4, actual weight. That would put trooperbay down for about a week. Not sure when that will actually happen though.

Edited by MTK
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