When Buying Online, Make Sure You Compare Apples to Apples When It Comes to Shipping Costs
When Buying Online, Make Sure You Compare Apples to Apples When It Comes to Shipping Costs
Online shopping online provides great opportunities to save money over brick and mortar storefronts and allows you the convenience of shopping from home. There also are lots of site that let you "easily" compare the prices of different online retailers. While these tools are very useful, make sure that you don't compare apples to oranges. The difference in the often shipping price. When comparing the fruit available on websites, make sure you understand and consider shipping costs.
Many online companies advertise free shipping. Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch and virtually no such thing as completely free shipping. Free shipping means that shipping costs are built into the store's overhead and therefore into the cost of the item. It's primarily used for two reasons:
It is easier for the merchant as each order does not require time-consuming shipping costs for each sale, allowing time to be spent on customer service; and
It's easier for the consumer to compare prices as there are no surprises when you get to the check out process.
Many big box stores can afford significantly reduced shipping due to quantity. One advantage of smaller retailers is that they have a smaller customer base. Each customer and every sale are very important to them. Most small retailers go out of their way to provide quality customer service for each customer, even if they ultimately do not make a purchase.
Shipping has risen quite a bit since a year ago, in part due to fuel surcharges.
In addition, some large shipping companies now charge a standard weight for odd-size or large packages. For example, a foot stool may only weigh five pounds, but the self-assembly model's box is often large enough to be charged a minimum weight of 30 or 40 pounds.
Here is an example of a recently researched product available at several online stores, with price comparisons online at several website. A customer may think they are comparing apples to apples, but really are comparing apples, oranges and even grapes!
Let's say that are looking for a special foot stool, and do a Google search to see sites that compare prices. Three listings for the foot stool catch your eye:
"Available at Store A for $49.99, plus shipping."
"Available at Store B for $52.99, estimated shipping $15.00."
"Available at Store C for $68.99, free shipping."
At first glance, it seems that the best deal is available through Store A. If Store B estimates shipping at $15.00, one can rationally assume that Store A's shipping cost is pretty much the same. And forget about Store C, why are they charging more and saying "free shipping?"At first glance, it really doesn't seem to be such a good deal compared to the others.
But hold on! This is where you need to take a few extra minutes and do your research. (For the sake of example, let's assume that none of the sites are required to charge you taxes.)
You visit store A's website and select the foot stool priced at $49.99 plus shipping. When you check out, the shipping is calculated at $26.00, for a total cost of $70.99. Surprising, but this is often the case. Since the purpose of listings or ads is to attract as much interest as possible, shipping may not be referenced at all.
Next, you try Store B's website and order the foot stool for $52.99 expecting the "estimated shipping cost" of $15.00. When you check out, your actual shipping cost is actually $25 for a total cost of $77.99 instead of the 67.99 that you expected. This is not common, the website accurately stated that it was an "estimated shipping" cost.
The vast majority of sellers do not intend to mislead potential customers. Store B may not have updated their shipping costs recently, was unaware of fuel or size surcharges, or estimated that their customer base lived closer to the manufacturer than you do.
Finally, you go to Store C's website and buy the foot stool for $68.99 with "free shipping." When you check out, your final cost is $68.99. And what originally looked like the most costly product is really the least expensive.
More and more, sellers incorporate shipping into the price of an item in hopes of making price comparison easier for consumers. However, retailers often determine how to price shipping based upon their personal preferences or marketing strategies. Sometimes, contracts with their manufacturers factor in, and some site's check-out carts help make the choice for them.
Ultimately, it's up to the consumer to do the extra work and sort out the fruit to get the best picking!
copyright 2011, AM McElroy, SolarFlairLighting.com Watch True Blood Season Online Free Searching for London Hotels Online Watch South Africa vs Mexico live streaming online Free FIFA World Cup 2010 June 11 Stop! Read This Before Making Any Decision Regarding Online Banking Online casino members offered a collection of titles Watch Uruguay vs France live streaming online Free FIFA World Cup 2010 June 11 Online Web Directory Submission Is Still The Popular Seo Strategy Watch Sex and the City Season Online free Choosing an Espow iPad Bluetooth Keyboard From Online Vodafone online recharge can done at freecharge Canadian Pharmacy Online: How To Buy Drugs Online Online university and the courses it offers Watch Get Him to the Greek Online