Parts and Shipping prices

[Paul]

Last month we trashed Honda DirectLine for their shipping and handling policy. This month we will viciously and savagely attack Service Honda for a freight policy that has gone over the top.
I suspect Service Honda has adopted a freight policy based on value of the order not weight of the box.
On a $398.66 order they want $35 freight. No way, no how will I give you $35 this is just simple theft. Unless your shipping diamonds the value of the item has nothing to do with the cost of transport. I'll give the local dealer, who I trust about as far as I can throw, $35 more for the order before I support your criminal enterprise ever again.
This resembles the Coca-Cola profit model, another company that should be avoided because of highly questionable business practices.
I guess we are expected to cover the motorcycle dealer losses from mismanagement by simply giving into inflated freight charges. Not happening with me.

Zanotti Motors.
Anybody ever order from them? Experience with?
Same order $20 cheaper.

Paul

[Wjbertrand]

I've had good luck with Zanotti. Evidently until recently they tended to cost a bit more for shipping than Service Honda but their prices were usually enough better to still come out ahead. As with any mail order place, it doesn't really pay to order small bits but rather collect an order of several things, unless S.H. is now defeating that strategy with new shipping policies. Reminds me of the old J.C. Whitney. The shipping price was picked from a table based on the value of your order. I used to get all the way to the end of filling out the order 'till I saw the shipping and ended up chucking the catalog in the bin.

[MisterTFM]

Originally Posted by Paul

Zanotti Motors.
Anybody ever order from them? Experience with?
Same order $20 cheaper.

Paul

I live 3 miles from Zanotti Motors. If I order parts thru the internet, they refuse to allow me to walk in and pick up the parts and not pay any shipping. Other than that, their prices are about the best even including S+H.

[na1g]

I just received an order from Ron Ayers. The merchandise totaled $116 and shipping was $10 "Standard Shipping". It was a pretty big box but only 5 lbs, according to the UPS shipping label. There doesn't seem to be a way to find the actual shipping cost from the UPS label, but it must have been more than $10. Ron Ayers pricing is competitive and they have excellent stock of parts, in my experience. Maybe give them a try.

pete

[rodm850g]

Guys,
I just got an order from RonAyers myself,minimum weight about a lb for the parts.a washer, an o-ring,and a pair of bearings. The freight for this order was $7.00. I have to agree with their prices and have ordered from them many times, and probably will order from them again. Shipping and handling has got to encompass not only what it costs for your or their fav shipper to come by and pick up our treasures.I has got to account for the package and
anything they use to keep it from getting damaged during transit.....The difference seems to be when dealers get greedy...some on the fleabay had a multipkier in the calculators for their shipping....We vote on who we spend our dollars with and those that aren't fair need to be reminded of that...Those that really help us should be reminded of that too...
Rod

[Blue STreak]

I've found the only way to know you're getting the best deal is to price the purchase, including freight, each and every time. In general, I've found Zanotti to have good total prices, but on one order (a rear shock, IIRC), their shipping charges were more than double everyone else's, pushing the total price significantly higher than other.

I agree with the initial email, though, that many vendors use shipping as a profit generator, and charges sometimes have no reasonable relationship to the actual cost of packing and shipping something.

[JZH]

My gripe w/Service Honda is that you have to place the order before they'll tell you what their shipping charge is. Ridiculous. Only if they're way under everyone else will I try my luck with their shipping fee...

I've had good results with Zanotti; Ron Ayers seems a little bit more expensive, but also good service. (These are my w/in USA shipping experiences, btw, not overseas.)

Ciao,

[DickPeake]

David Silver, UK - honest dealer. No secret stuff.