More on shipping.

GW included this message in a recent email to me.

The shipping calculators clearly make errors and in my case it was when I paired a drop ship item with a tiny light purchase. 

Shipping rate seem unusually high? Orders containing vastly different size/weight items can make our calculator do odd things. Let us know if you feel the rate seems unusually high, and we’ll take a close look at it and contact you with a revised quote for your approval!

But, I will try the adding and checking the shipping each time procedure going forward. 

Eric Caron 

> On May 1, 2022, at 11:13 AM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Eric, You didn't offend me, and I did not mean to offend you.  If you get
> benefit from Prime, great.  I was just expressing my opinion and describing
> my experiences.  I don't order enough from Amazon to justify the cost of
> Prime, especially given the everyday "free" shipping.  It is hard to smile
> on email, but ☺.
> 
> On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 6:16 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>> Hi David,
>> 
>> Ouch!
>> 
>> A few thoughts,  sorry I seemed to have upset you, your tone feels crusty
>> but maybe I’m missreading it.
>> 
>> GW actually has a statement  That talks about how the shipping calculator
>> can get wonky.  And, they offer to talk to you to fix it.  I was just
>> pointing out my experience and my solution.
>> 
>> I also noted that Bus Depot has been providing great shipping prices to me
>> lately but this time the tiny light items came up very high.  As I had a GW
>> solution I didn’t need to make a call to point it out.  They seem so busy I
>> don’t think they would want to know such a small glitch.
>> 
>> My Prime Account has been very helpful to me comes with many additional
>> features not just shipping but If you want to  let me know I fell for a
>> scam I can live with that. I’ve certainly made more significant errors in
>> judgement.
>> 
>> But, sharing that shipping can be very different among venders for the
>> same product and that sometimes ordering separately  seems to clear up the
>> calculator.
>> 
>> Again sorry I seem to have offended you in some way.
>> 
>> Best.
>> 
>> Eric
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Apr 30, 2022, at 8:58 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Regarding ""free" at Amazon:  I don't pay for Prime, I have better sense.
>> Anything over $25 from Amazon is "free shipping" (regular ground shipping,
>> usually under a week).  Of course, it's not free, the cost is built into
>> the price.  But Prime is just a scam.  For one thing, it is not one-day, it
>> is usually more like 3-4, and I often get my items within that time frame
>> without using Prime.
>> 
>> Well, shipping costs from small vendors often makes no sense.  It is also
>> the case that the calculator is often just wrong.  I have called when the
>> shipping cost seemed really outrageous, and found that the cost is less
>> than the calculator said.  Still high, but not as high.
>> 
>> On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 5:51 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> 
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> But, the two items were $8.5 lesss when ordered separately and from the
>>> same shipping methods.  So they had to do the same handling either way.
>>> And the site says no charge for handling.
>>> That was GW
>>> Bus depot has been providing great shipping prices lately.  But suddenly
>>> this item was $3.50 from California and $18 from PA to VT.  I’m currently
>>> about two hours from Bus Depot and was considering arranging a visit!
>>> 
>>> But, still why a $14.50 difference in shipping the tiny light weight
>>> item?
>>> 
>>> Shipping strangeness.
>>> 
>>> And Amazon shipping is not really free, most pay a Prime membership of
>>> about $200.00 per year.
>>> 
>>> eRic
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Apr 30, 2022, at 8:41 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> One of our favorite online suppliers once told me that shipping charges
>>> are
>>>> unrelated to what it actually costs to ship, but rather to the labor
>>>> involved in pulling, packaging and so on.  That was because I questioned
>>>> the $17 charge for shipping an item that the PO told me cost $2.50 or so
>>>> for mailing.  Scale must be involved, also.  Amazon ships a few million
>>>> parcels a day, and can sell items for less than local retail while
>>> shipping
>>>> for "free."
>>>> 
>>>> On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 5:10 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Shipping calculators are strange.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Today I ordered the dash cover, and looked at shipping, $16.  Then
>>> added
>>>>> the window glides. Shipping jumped to $28. I took out the dash cover
>>> and
>>>>> shipping for the glides dropped to $3.50.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I then checked the window slides at Bus depot. Shipping was $18.00
>>>>> 
>>>>> So, I ordered from GW as two orders. Shipping total $19.50.
>>>>> 
>>>>> It is hard for me to use talking software to read all this stuff but I’
>>>>> thinking I’ll need to take the extra time to check the shipping as I
>>> add
>>>>> each item.  Something randomly messes the calculators up.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Eric Caron
>>>>> 85 and 84 Westfalia
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Apr 29, 2022, at 12:27 PM, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> They call it a dash cover.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> https://www.gowesty.com/product/dash-mats/3022/dash-cover-
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Fri, Apr 29, 2022 at 6:08 AM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hi folks,
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Does anyone know the name or source fr the dash rug for vanagon?  I
>>>>> looked
>>>>>>> on GW and Bus Depot and could not find.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Maybe another vender or just called something  else?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> And what are the little plastic things on the ends of the slider
>>> windows
>>>>>>> called?  I think they help the windows slide more smoothly.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Some other small missing things needed but I may have to keep my
>>> fingers
>>>>>>> crossed to find in used parts sheds.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Tips and sources appreciated.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Putting this van together is going to be fun.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> eRic
>>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>