Shipping is to much - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Frankie · 11-08-2001, 07:35 PM

Is it just me or do online vendors charge a small fortune to deliver your order. I just loged out of one site that wanted $8.00 to get the movie from BC to Alberta.

I just finished sending a couple of movies to Texas from Alberta and it cost me $2.75. How the hell can they charge $8.00?

Every time I get to the check out and they show the cost to deliver the movie I end up canceling because I feel I’m getting screwed over. Do people actually pay these rates? I won’t.

I’m starting to think that these places actually consider shipping to be a profit center. UPS or express post charges them 2 or 3 dollars and they turn around and slap the customer with a bill for $8.00.

Frankie

ShaneMcFarland · 11-08-2001, 07:44 PM

Well first of all, they DO consider shipping to be a method of income. Secondly, I used to be the king of DVD buying online. But I haven't bought a DVD online for more than a year. Why? Go to Best Buy the week a release comes out and you can get it for 17-20 bucks. Not only is this only a dollar or so more (if not the same price) as online, you have it IN HAND.

Granted, if you want to buy a DVD that came out a year ago, its often better to get it online. Example, Best Buy: Mallrats, $27.99. I still bought it though...I really wanted to see that damn movie.

No6PackJoe · 11-08-2001, 08:23 PM

It's not the "shipping", it's the "handling" that's costing you.

dvds'r'us · 11-08-2001, 08:28 PM

I buy my dvd's on ebay mostly. so i always have to check out the prices of shipping for each auction i want to bid on. i think 2-5 dollars is the most reasonable shipping prices for 1-3 dvd's and more depending on weight.`

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I bought a pack of gum yesterday - Bubblicious - Watermelon. I know everyone's saying "Hold off, there's gonna be a special edition with remastered flavor and at least it won't be in that awful paper wrapper." But you know what, I figured it's worth it. I mean if it's not that good, I can always auction off the rest of the pack on eBay. And then if Bubblicious revisits the Watermelon gum, I can use the money to re-purchase the upgrade.

My DVD Site!

Chris in OC · 11-08-2001, 08:49 PM

Joe's right -- the handling is the root of the charge. There's the cost of shipping materials (small, but still something) plus the wages for the pickers and packers, as well as overhead for the warehouse.

Rates vary, though, and you can get better deals from some folks than from others. In the U.S., Amazon's domestic rate for DVDs and CDs is $1.99 per shipment and $.99 per item. That's fair-to-good among the dealers I've seen.

Earlier this year I bought a DVD from DVD Box Office in Canada, and besides offering a better price than other Canadian dealers, they had free shipping. It took two weeks to get here (regular mail) but unless you're in a hurry, it's hard to beat free shipping.

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Trust me -- I know what I'm doing.

Frankie · 11-08-2001, 10:37 PM

Charges like .99 cents and $1.99 for shipping is reasonable.

As far as handling and overhead goes, that should be part of the price of the DVD.

When UPS shows up at the door and tells the supplier that it's going to cost $1.99 to get it there then that's what the customer should pay. Not $8.00 !!

I don't know how some of these place survive with charges like that.

Frankie

[This message has been edited by Frankie (edited 11-08-2001).]

smegger2000 · 11-08-2001, 11:54 PM

Frankie, It sounds like you are talking about cnl.com. They charge a base $5.00 + 3.00 for up to 5 or 6 dvds. You will be screwed if you only buy one at a time. I have bought from them in the past and always get 4 or 5 so the total is $100 at least. Plus they don't charge me PST that I would have to pay here in Saskatchewan (which is $6.00 on a $100 purchase. So when I do this I feel I'm getting my shipping pretty much for free anyways. I know that in Alberta there is no PST so that won't help you but you definitely need to buy a few at a time from them to make it worth your while.

SystemLord · 11-09-2001, 12:57 PM

I was just checking out DVD Box Office.

Wow, they offer FREE shipping worldwide. But, the only reason they can do this is because they are clearly adding the costs into the price.

33.95 for Shrek. Give me a break. I can get it everywhere else for no more than 25 bucks Canadian. Please.

Later

Chris in OC · 11-09-2001, 04:38 PM

Sorry, I really didn't check out a lot of DVD Box Office's prices. But the DVD I wanted was only available in Canada, and their price on it was better than other on-line dealers I found. Both Videoflicks and another with the word "ultimate" in its name had higher prices and charged shipping besides.

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Trust me -- I know what I'm doing.

Frankie · 11-09-2001, 06:06 PM

Bingo !!! Smegger. You win the prize I'm shipping it to you via CNL. Your shipping cost will be 33% the price of the product being shipped.

Thanks Smeg for the tip. I don't normally buy that many at once. The most I've ever bought at any one time was 3 and I was in crazy mode that day.

Frank

[This message has been edited by Frankie (edited 11-09-2001).]

***1138*** · 11-09-2001, 06:45 PM

Welcome to the forum SystemLord!

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator
The defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.

11-08-2001, 07:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
Frankie DVDFile HT Award Winner Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Western Canada	Shipping is to much Is it just me or do online vendors charge a small fortune to deliver your order. I just loged out of one site that wanted $8.00 to get the movie from BC to Alberta. I just finished sending a couple of movies to Texas from Alberta and it cost me $2.75. How the hell can they charge $8.00? Every time I get to the check out and they show the cost to deliver the movie I end up canceling because I feel I’m getting screwed over. Do people actually pay these rates? I won’t. I’m starting to think that these places actually consider shipping to be a profit center. UPS or express post charges them 2 or 3 dollars and they turn around and slap the customer with a bill for $8.00. Frankie

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11-08-2001, 07:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
ShaneMcFarland Actor Join Date: Oct 2001	Well first of all, they DO consider shipping to be a method of income. Secondly, I used to be the king of DVD buying online. But I haven't bought a DVD online for more than a year. Why? Go to Best Buy the week a release comes out and you can get it for 17-20 bucks. Not only is this only a dollar or so more (if not the same price) as online, you have it IN HAND. Granted, if you want to buy a DVD that came out a year ago, its often better to get it online. Example, Best Buy: Mallrats, $27.99. I still bought it though...I really wanted to see that damn movie.

11-08-2001, 08:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
No6PackJoe Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada	It's not the "shipping", it's the "handling" that's costing you.

11-08-2001, 08:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
dvds'r'us Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: St. Louis Area	I buy my dvd's on ebay mostly. so i always have to check out the prices of shipping for each auction i want to bid on. i think 2-5 dollars is the most reasonable shipping prices for 1-3 dvd's and more depending on weight.` ------------------ I bought a pack of gum yesterday - Bubblicious - Watermelon. I know everyone's saying "Hold off, there's gonna be a special edition with remastered flavor and at least it won't be in that awful paper wrapper." But you know what, I figured it's worth it. I mean if it's not that good, I can always auction off the rest of the pack on eBay. And then if Bubblicious revisits the Watermelon gum, I can use the money to re-purchase the upgrade. My DVD Site!

11-08-2001, 08:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chris in OC Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: So Cal	Joe's right -- the handling is the root of the charge. There's the cost of shipping materials (small, but still something) plus the wages for the pickers and packers, as well as overhead for the warehouse. Rates vary, though, and you can get better deals from some folks than from others. In the U.S., Amazon's domestic rate for DVDs and CDs is $1.99 per shipment and $.99 per item. That's fair-to-good among the dealers I've seen. Earlier this year I bought a DVD from DVD Box Office in Canada, and besides offering a better price than other Canadian dealers, they had free shipping. It took two weeks to get here (regular mail) but unless you're in a hurry, it's hard to beat free shipping. ------------------ Trust me -- I know what I'm doing.

11-08-2001, 10:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Frankie DVDFile HT Award Winner Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Western Canada	Charges like .99 cents and $1.99 for shipping is reasonable. As far as handling and overhead goes, that should be part of the price of the DVD. When UPS shows up at the door and tells the supplier that it's going to cost $1.99 to get it there then that's what the customer should pay. Not $8.00 !! I don't know how some of these place survive with charges like that. Frankie [This message has been edited by Frankie (edited 11-08-2001).]

11-08-2001, 11:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
smegger2000 Actor Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada	Frankie, It sounds like you are talking about cnl.com. They charge a base $5.00 + 3.00 for up to 5 or 6 dvds. You will be screwed if you only buy one at a time. I have bought from them in the past and always get 4 or 5 so the total is $100 at least. Plus they don't charge me PST that I would have to pay here in Saskatchewan (which is $6.00 on a $100 purchase. So when I do this I feel I'm getting my shipping pretty much for free anyways. I know that in Alberta there is no PST so that won't help you but you definitely need to buy a few at a time from them to make it worth your while.

11-09-2001, 12:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
SystemLord Supporting Actor Join Date: Nov 2001	I was just checking out DVD Box Office. Wow, they offer FREE shipping worldwide. But, the only reason they can do this is because they are clearly adding the costs into the price. 33.95 for Shrek. Give me a break. I can get it everywhere else for no more than 25 bucks Canadian. Please. Later

11-09-2001, 04:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chris in OC Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: So Cal	Sorry, I really didn't check out a lot of DVD Box Office's prices. But the DVD I wanted was only available in Canada, and their price on it was better than other on-line dealers I found. Both Videoflicks and another with the word "ultimate" in its name had higher prices and charged shipping besides. ------------------ Trust me -- I know what I'm doing.

11-09-2001, 06:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
Frankie DVDFile HT Award Winner Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Western Canada	Bingo !!! Smegger. You win the prize I'm shipping it to you via CNL. Your shipping cost will be 33% the price of the product being shipped. Thanks Smeg for the tip. I don't normally buy that many at once. The most I've ever bought at any one time was 3 and I was in crazy mode that day. Frank [This message has been edited by Frankie (edited 11-09-2001).]

11-09-2001, 06:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Welcome to the forum SystemLord! ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator The defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.