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4260 Views 20 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  crazyseany, 
B
What's with all the high shipping charges from online bee supply sources?

I run several companies and I can tell you that the insane shipping charges that some of these places are charging are way too inflated.

I placed orders with about 4 different places over the past couple weeks and I couldn't believe how much they were charging for shipping on some of the items...If anyone knows of places that charge you actual shipping charges and aren't trying to make a bunch of money on shipping please send me a PM, I would much rather give my business to them.
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Hey blist,
You may want to call the company and have them check the on line shipping number. The on line numbers seem to be way out of line quite often but after calling they will normally drop the shipping charges way down.
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G
The online shipping is merely an estimate, at least at Mann Lake. The only way to get an online estimate through UPS, is that each item is presumed in its own box. That is why 9 times out of 10, the online "estimate" is only that. Mann Lake packages your order, and charges you only what the actual shipping charge is. There is no "handling" charge, per se. Additionally, they do their best to get your order processed and shipped within 24 hours, 48 hours on the outside. I have been doing business with Mann Lake for 2 years, and am ALWAYS extremely happy about their service. :):)
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MAXANT
Shipping seems to be all over the place from day to day.
I have been finding that USPS seems to be more than UPS or FEDEX.
UPS and FEDEX seem to be within a dollar or two with each other. I always hunt for the cheaper of all, especially with freight.
Here is a good example of a recent freight quote to UTAH.
One company quoted me $396.00 and the "other" company quoted me $161.00
Big difference!!!!! :popcorn:
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D
Just checked three suppliers for the same order of mostly bottles today and shipping was not what you would expect. The one closest to me was $22 higher than Mann Lake who is more than two states away. Prices on products was within a few dollars, but went with Mann because of shipping. I always go with UPS because USPS can take several days more and FedEx is not reliable. I once waited over a week to get a part from FedEx. They would not deliver it because they said they didn't have enough deliveries in my area! UPS man shows up like clockwork at around noon every day.
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B
ah, I may have to call them next time, I didn't realize they were only estimating and doing the charges manually.

Some places I didn't order from because the stated shipping was extremely high.

I am placing an order with Mann Lake this week.
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blist said:
.If anyone knows of places that charge you actual shipping charges and aren't trying to make a bunch of money on shipping please send me a PM, I would much rather give my business to them.
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what are you looking for? I charge only shipping and packing costs. But freight ain't cheap these days.

I recently did a price on shipping 5 hives, unassembled because of the dimensional charges, and it cost 190.00 to ship all 5 hives. Couldn't get it any cheaper.
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I'm not even looking at full hives, just different parts, veils, etc etc...

However, I still don't understand the high costs of shipping even hives. We ship very heavy computer parts (servers) that are larger than hives and the shipping costs aren't as much as many of the bee supply places charge for hives which are lighter with smaller shipping dimensions.

We did order a garden hive (8 frame, 2 medium supers) from brushy mountain a few weeks ago and the shipping on it wasn't bad...$35 I believe.
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K
Unless you have a "business" account with ups/fedex. You are going to pay more for shipping.

I remember that I quoted as an individual to ship a ~50-75lbs pocket bike motorcycle. Using the business account, the shipping was more than 50% cheaper.

But,

I agree on the crazy shipping prices. I've been trying to talk myself into purchasing some beetle barn traps from Rossman. I wanted to order 10 traps for 15 bucks, the s/h was ~15 bucks. When I'm 90% sure that they would fit in a small flat rate shipping container from the USPS for $4.95.

I guess the traps will have to wait for a larger order or I won't get them.

Miller Bee Supply and Kelley's has been pretty reasonable on shipping.

I purchased a 2 deep complete hive from Miller and it was ~25 shipping.

I placed two orders from Kelley's
First I ordered a screened bottom, inner cover, plastic top, and misc stuff for around ~20 dollars.
Kelley I ordered 60 frames and misc stuff for like ~18 dollar shipping.

Brushy Mountain was a little high on the stuff I got, but not too extreme.

Really sucks, cause I would buy a lot more equipment, but I can't afford to give all the money to the shipping companies.

:doh:
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KQ6AR
I recently wanted to order 5 plastic inner, & outer covers from Kelly, the shipping would have been over $80.
They are the highest I've seen in shipping costs.

Needless to say that order didn't get placed.
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KevinR said:
Miller Bee Supply and Kelley's has been pretty reasonable on shipping.


:doh:
Click to expand...
I have also found Millers to be reasonable and have very good customer service.
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B
I believe most of the companies charge such a high price on there shipping tp pad there profits. Then when someone complains they just say that is the cost of shipping and handling. Then the blame is on the shipping company and the customer keeps purchasing from them with no thought that they are getting ripped off.

I rep. for a pet food company and we charge $ 7.95 for 100 # Shipped from FL to SC. The cost of our food is high but you have to pay for the best. We dod not hide cost in shipping.

Brooklyn
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blist said:
I'm not even looking at full hives, just different parts, veils, etc etc...

However, I still don't understand the high costs of shipping even hives. We ship very heavy computer parts (servers) that are larger than hives and the shipping costs aren't as much as many of the bee supply places charge for hives which are lighter with smaller shipping dimensions.
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One reason is size of company. The shippers give the big computer companies breaks, usually because they get deals from the computer companies. Bigger you are the more power you have to control shipping.

I'll tell ya 40 bucks shipping a hive is about average, though i have seen dadant and betterbee charge 70 a hive to ship.

I charge only what the shipper charges me, plus my packaging cost. Thats all. And there is those, including computer companies whos profit margin is higher, charge more for the product, and lower shipping costs to hide shipping costs.
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W
Shipping has been a killer - we do the same - whatever the shipper charges plus a packaging cost which is minimal. This applies to LTL, truckloads, UPS and USPS. I took the shipping plug-ins from UPS and USPS off our online store because they were no where close to being accurate - if shipping is a concern, I request on front page of store to tell us you want a shipping quote before confirming your order. That's not a problem and we've been happy to do that ever since we had an online store (1998). We're a "preferred" UPS customer but I still cringe - recently shipped a 6# item from our end of the state (western MT) to other end of state (500 miles east) and it was $12.38!!. Ridiculous.

This is why I encourage "pooling" of supply orders to get to an LTL-sized order - I haven't seen anybody beat the rates we're able to get there. Even when we order supplies in that will come LTL, we tell the other end that we'll take care of shipping - and they're always amazed that rates we end up with are generally 50-80% less then quotes they got for same shipment.

Rick
Western Bee
Polson, MT
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Well, i did a rate quote for 2 hive at 90lbs with UPS. Using my account there. The quote i got back was 73.00 to ship 2 hives. total weight of 180lbs.

I noticed someone said they got 100# shipped for 7.95, but i can't see how they can get it for that cheap. The cost has to be hidden in the price of the product, thats the only way they can offer it for 7.95.

Now is this about the price everyone else is seeing for hive equipment to be shipped???
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gstephan1981 said:
The online shipping is merely an estimate, at least at Mann Lake. The only way to get an online estimate through UPS, is that each item is presumed in its own box. That is why 9 times out of 10, the online "estimate" is only that. Mann Lake packages your order, and charges you only what the actual shipping charge is. There is no "handling" charge, per se. Additionally, they do their best to get your order processed and shipped within 24 hours, 48 hours on the outside. I have been doing business with Mann Lake for 2 years, and am ALWAYS extremely happy about their service. :):)
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If it's only an estimate, why do they always end up charging the price quoted on the internet? They have never adjusted the shipping cost for me. I don't think I have ever paid actual shipping from any bee supply retailer. Why do other online retailers have an actual shipping charge (which is usually fair) but bee supply houses quote an "estimate" and you have to call for actual charges? I think it's all a bunch off bull and they are making a LOT of profit from shipping. Check any bee supply and look at the quoted weight for an entrance reducer, 1lb. Really????
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W
You know its because the software doesn't go below a pound. I have store setup and the min is 1 pound.
They could just usps it, in which it would only cost maybe about 1.00 to ship with first class postage.
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B
Dan,
You have Mann Lake located in Woodland Calif and Dadant in Chico.
Check them out.
Ernie
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P
i have done orders with both dadant and brushy mountain and they both charged actual shipping and no handling fee. i ordered during the spring rush and received my packages in a reasonable amount of time. both places did and excellent job in packing the packages. nothing was broken or damaged.

i am also going to try mann lake and betterbee
generally i drive down to dadant since it is 45 minutes away.
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roger33 said:
If it's only an estimate, why do they always end up charging the price quoted on the internet? They have never adjusted the shipping cost for me. I don't think I have ever paid actual shipping from any bee supply retailer. Why do other online retailers have an actual shipping charge (which is usually fair) but bee supply houses quote an "estimate" and you have to call for actual charges? I think it's all a bunch off bull and they are making a LOT of profit from shipping. Check any bee supply and look at the quoted weight for an entrance reducer, 1lb. Really????
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having worked in one shipping dept and one receiving & shipping dept. shippers lowest weight is 1 lbs.
how many letter size envelopes weight 1 lbs, none, but it is the shippers lowest billing weight for retail customers. every shipper does this fedex, ups, etc.

then there are the over size limits even if it weighs a pound you get charged for 92 lbs because of the size of the package not the weight.
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