Deceptive pricing? Additional charges!

[JFB]

I have been thinking about how I could make a reduced inner diameter locator pin so I can use GP100 panel grips on my Alaskan (7/16” on the ends with a 3/8” center). After searching for tubing, rods, bushings, etc, I think I have found something that will work with minimum effort and in small quantity.

Fastenal had short sections of 3/8 aluminum rod and steel shaft bushings that would fit rod and give the 7/16” needed to fit in the grip rubber, just need to saw/file both to get the proper lengths.

The 36” section of rod was $4 and 1” long bushings at $2, I figured get one rod and 4 bushings incase I screw up and to pass left over alone here if someone else need to do the same. I called local store to see if they had the items. I know this location is pretty small and does not have a lot of inventory. It did not surprise me when they said it would be next week before they would have it, but I needed to go by and establish an account with them (basically name, number and credit card).

The order request she gave me was for $25! There was an additional charge of $10 stocking. While my first instinct was to tell her to forget it, I OKed after I expressed my dissatisfaction with their practice.

I felt like it is deceptive to have a store price, but charge to stock the item. I have only visited the local Fastenal a few times since it opened a few years ago and seem to recall walking out because of their price or quantity packaging. I would like to do business with them as they are the only industrial supplier around, but they sure make it hard.

 

[toysoldier]

This is why I have stockpiled a variety of pieces/parts of disposable surgical instrumentation. Whatever has been used over the years, I cleaned up, brought home, and disassembled at least one of everything. It paid off when I purchased a Llama .380 that had an undersize .32 slide stop. It turned out that the outer tube on an arthroscopic shaver bit was just the right size to fit snugly on the pin, and the sleeved pin a perfect fit in the slide.

 

[Kevin]

Wow! Well I guess you've already ordered it, but next time what about Lowes or Home Depot? They often times have an aisle with drawers full of various sized doohickeys.

 

[coach]

I bet the stocking charge may have been mentioned on the website or catalog. It could also be a small order type charge or shipping. At least they told you when placing the order. It seems a bit cheap on their part to just add it to any order when they probably have shipments coming from warehouses anyway.
Locally Ace hardware stores can order anything if not in stock from their catalog with no shipping if picked up at the store. A couple of local True Value hardware stores(still a few around) have bins with assorted hardware too. I've been amazed with some of the miscellaneous stuff to be found. They don't charge to order too.

 

[JFB]

It reminds me of an old joke where a one store advertises product for 1/2 price than his competitor accross the street. when ask why his price was so low the reply was he was sold out, but when he had product it was the same as competitors

I looked up the Fastenal part numbers before I called local store, the phone conversation went basicaly
me "do you have 0478651?"
her "that would be 3/8 aliminum rod, regualar price 7.88, but it is on sale for $4. I don't have it in stock, but can have it next week."

as stated, most stores I have dealt with like car parts places, hardware stores and the even the John Deere dealer will not charge if you wait till their normal recieving day. Just this week I called AdvanceAuto about 9am to see if they had a $5 clutch alignment tool. they didn't have it in stock but had it that day by 2pm with not addtional charge.

I guess I just would like to see a buisness like Fastenal in our town, but after this I will look elsewhere and they will be my last option

 

[AGE Ranger]

Sounds like LazyBoy. I wanted to replace a recliner. Went to the local LazyBoy and found what I wanted but the color wasn't at the store it had to be ordered. I said OK.

He rang it up and there was a $69.00 deliver charge.
I asked why since I was picking it up At the store.
*We have to get it here so you can pick it up.
But you said it would be on the next truck coming from the warehouse.
*Right it's coming with the next regular shipment.

This went on for several minutes and finally the true answer came out. They charge the customers so they don't have to pay for a regular store shipment. Picked up my credit card and walked out. Their corporate office confirmed this when I called to complain. I bought a chair else where and mailed the receipt to the CEO stated it had to be ordered and I didn't have to pay to have it delivered to the store.

Still haven't heard back. This took place in April this year. I'll never buy another LazyBoy.

 

[mohavesam]

So many retailers are putting extra charges on for something. Simply put, I will not agree to a fee for stocking/re-stocking a corporation's inventory, especially if I am burning my own fossil fuel to go pick it up!!!
-- I guess there are plenty of drones who go ahead and pay it, 'cause they (retailers) keep on charging...

It's not the salesman's fault, as they are most likely trying to keep themselves employed under the corporation's sales tricks, err... practices. Remember that salesman/woman would not be working if they didn't have to!

Other retailers are starving for your business and if you look you'll find them all too happy to order your item, and even discount or price-match if you're a nice customer!


BTW - Don't call the "customer service" line they offer, look up the shareholder's relations lines and don't forget to back up your words in writing.
THIS is the website you're looking for in such a case: http://www.gethuman.com .

 

[Pierow]

In the investment arena it is even worse. Not just hidden fees but serious misrepresentation. How would you like to bill clients and have them pay you fees each and every month without them even knowing they are doing so? If you are an owner of a variable annuity, which is about as opposite of what an annuity is supposed to be, you are doing just that. Owners of variable annuities also purchased a term life insurance policy hidden inside and pay fees each month for it. No variable annuity owner I have ever met knew of this and why should they? It is never disclosed at the point of sale. Here is their secret folks. The broker or sales guy says something like, "Don't worry. Even if you lose all your money in this investment your original principal is guaranteed".

The thing that stings is the brokers who sell these products wake up shaving each morning knowing they are pulling fees from these investments regardless if you make money or not. When you receive no bill it is tough to complain isn't it? Much more wrong with these investments especially if you have qualified or IRA monies invested in them.

Pierow

 

[dougader]

You really have to watch the shipping charges, as well as other charges some sellers tack on. Even on GB I've seen wide swings in what people charge.

Last year I bid on a gun and this other guy kept out-bidding me. I finally stopped and bid $5 more on another item with lower shipping charges and no extra fee for using a credit card. I ended up paying less overall...

 

[Cooperhawk]

My Wife somehow dinged her VW Passat. Put a nasty gouge in the door and has no idea when or where it happened. Turned it in to the Ins. and they said fix it. Took it to a local chain run body shop that I know does nice work.

Went to pick it up and they did a beautiful job. Go in to pay the deductible which is $250.00 and the lady at the desk tells me there is an additional deductible. I ask what it is and she say for paint depreciation. WHAT? She says another $250.00.

I agree and pay but tell them I am contacting the insurance company the next day to complain. She smiles and says okay.

Early next morning they call and say it's just a big mistake and the are crediting our account back the $250.00.

I never heard of paint depreciation before. Have you? :roll:

Wonder how many people they have ripped off with that one.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Speaking of shipping charges; The reflective material in my right headlight had gone bad and I lined it with foil; Yeah a "white light" but no real beam and then the lens off my right turn signal disappeared. Fallen off, stolen? WHo knows?
Well there is an outfit in Portland, OR that specializes in Volvo parts and they had an ad in my email; NO SHIPPING CHARGES for orders over $99 for ground shipment.
Ordered a new right headlight assembly ($119 for the headlight and $27 for the turn signal assembly, ZERO DOLLARS for shipping and NO sales tax either.) The parts are on the way !! How is THAT for doing Business?

 

[Mobuck]

The only time I/we use Fastenal is for stuff that's really odd. I can't buy common stuff there economically. Need 10 left hand metric threaded countersunk allen head screws? Sure we'll have that on your door step in 2 days @ $1 each. Need 10# of 1/4"x 2" coarse thread pan head screws w/nuts? Those will cost you $1 each if you pick them up in 2 days. Cost doesn't seem to follow the rarity of the item.

 

[blume357]

It has to do with needing a minimum amount of 'profit' on each transaction and then trying to cater to the cheap or small item crowd. Here in town supply houses will have a minimum 'order'... and I understand it. You can't make money spending 10 or 20 minutes helping a one time customer buy a 25 cent bolt or screw.

 

[Tweety Bird]

Back in 2007-2008 when Mrs. Tweety had the Matco Tools truck, I used to kid my co-workers at United Airlines that I had a special discount just for them.

Most UA employees would receive a 5% discount from us, and would save $5 on the purchase of a $100 tool. But just for the guys I work with, we'd do something better. First, we'd first raise the price 10%, then give them a 10% discount. That way, my friends would save $11.

It's all about presentation. At least the guys at work know me well enough to have seen right through that joke.

 

[olcop]

Google up "Speedy Metals", they are a mail order metals co. That are used a lot by home shop machinists, reasonable prices and very fast service.
Remember, most anything you need can be found on line and usually in the quantities you need------añd, sometimes in the most unexpected places, Amazon and eBay for example.
olcop

 

[mohavesam]

You can't make money spending 10 or 20 minutes helping a one time customer buy a 25 cent bolt or screw.

This is true of course. But you CAN stay in business doing exactly that. It should be part of a sucessful business plan. I don't know how many (aerospace machine shop) manufacturing days I lost because a customer arrived and wanted to spend most of my day and lunch jabberjawing about his/her experiences... We built in the NVA time to keep repeat customers and grow the business.

Same principle applies to retail sales.

 

[JFB]

I don't think I'll have to worry about thier pricing again.

got a call this mourning, the items showed up. She then proceeds to inform me I was suppose to pay for the items when I ordered them. I cut her short by repling I didn't place the order, one of her sales reps did and she needs to take it up with her. I went ahead and paid over the phone because I thought I might get some one else go by.

when I arrived to pick them up, that rep that I talked to this morning was off and the one at the desk couldn't find my items. After about 20 minutes of them looking, I went behind the counter and found the items on a cart they used to restock with. Not sure the items were hid intentionally or not.

So I got my 20 minutes plus of thier time for my "minimun profit fee"

After all this, I forgot what i was planning to do with them anyway!

 

[Pat-inCO]

I had one this morning with Wally World. They had some hearing protection
available for a good price, but the web page didn't say what the NRR was.
So I went in to verify it was what I wanted. No one knew how to do that.
I decided to order once I got home.

The price went UP by over five dollars between the time I left for the store
and the time I got back (I did a screen print, so I have a copy of what there
was posted this morning).

With the "new" price and the sales tax, I can get the item from Amazon
and have it delivered to my door, for one dollar less.

The correct item is coming from Amazon. 8)

 

[Colonialgirl]

Speaking of shipping charges; The reflective material in my right headlight had gone bad and I lined it with foil; Yeah a "white light" but no real beam and then the lens off my right turn signal disappeared. Fallen off, stolen? WHo knows?
Well there is an outfit in Portland, OR that specializes in Volvo parts and they had an ad in my email; NO SHIPPING CHARGES for orders over $99 for ground shipment.
Ordered a new right headlight assembly ($119 for the headlight and $27 for the turn signal assembly, ZERO DOLLARS for shipping and NO sales tax either.) The parts are on the way !! How is THAT for doing Business?

The Headlight parts arrived today at about 4:00 PM and as stated, NO shipping charges; they came via FedEx ground. As expected, the Headlight had a PLASTIC lens, But, I'll just swap that out with the GLASS lens off the OLD headlight unit, easy-peasy and be Tickety-Boo with Bob's your Uncle.

 

[6gun]

Wow! Well I guess you've already ordered it, but next time what about Lowes or Home Depot? They often times have an aisle with drawers full of various sized doohickeys.

Yup I just go to the local Ace Hardware store they have drawers full of spacers any size, any length and diameter you want, steel, brass or nylon way cheaper than buying a rod and I don't have to cut them, I like the nylon ones for grips light weight and just as strong as the metal ones.

 

[RSIno1]

I never heard of paint depreciation before. Have you? :roll:.

Here in CA they call it betterment because the shiny paint will make your old car look better. It's illegal here but they try to get away with it unless you call them on it.

 

[Jim Puke]

Since you were aware of it upfront, it probably was not deceptive...but it was a bit steep.

 

[Boxhead]

[/i][/i]

I have been thinking about how I could make a reduced inner diameter locator pin so I can use GP100 panel grips on my Alaskan (7/16” on the ends with a 3/8” center). After searching for tubing, rods, bushings, etc, I think I have found something that will work with minimum effort and in small quantity.

Fastenal had short sections of 3/8 aluminum rod and steel shaft bushings that would fit rod and give the 7/16” needed to fit in the grip rubber, just need to saw/file both to get the proper lengths.

The 36” section of rod was $4 and 1” long bushings at $2, I figured get one rod and 4 bushings incase I screw up and to pass left over alone here if someone else need to do the same. I called local store to see if they had the items. I know this location is pretty small and does not have a lot of inventory. It did not surprise me when they said it would be next week before they would have it, but I needed to go by and establish an account with them (basically name, number and credit card).

The order request she gave me was for $25! There was an additional charge of $10 stocking. While my first instinct was to tell her to forget it, I OKed after I expressed my dissatisfaction with their practice.

I felt like it is deceptive to have a store price, but charge to stock the item. I have only visited the local Fastenal a few times since it opened a few years ago and seem to recall walking out because of their price or quantity packaging. I would like to do business with them as they are the only industrial supplier around, but they sure make it hard.

Oh the horror...

 

[JFB]

[/i][/i]

.......

Oh the horror...

I haven't sleep since :wink:
Upon picking up the pieces it was stated they have a minimun sales limit so they did not want to deal with selling under $25 so they just added on "shipping" to the order