Don't place a small order - shipping rip off

[Mego Magyar]

It's not worth placing a small order with FTC/CTVT because you'll get ripped off even more on the shipping. Twice now I've placed a small order ( about $30.00 ) and ok I know they are charging $10 in shipping ( while it doesn't say Priority anymore that's what they are basing the rates on and I accept that ) but then for a small order they ship it 1st class for less then half the cost - they even get commercial rates which are probably even cheaper.

[j.chris.beynon]

Be happy you don't live in Canada...I paid forty bucks for them to ship me a two pack of Removable Cowl Batman and Robin via regular mail with no tracking.

I find that for apparel and accessories, CTVT/FTC usually have better prices than Dr. Mego for similar items, but any savings is usually negated by their inflated shipping charges compared to the $7 shipping Dr. Mego seems to charge me no matter what I order...

I have really conflicted feelings towards FTC...Like most people, I think their bodies are poor and their shipping costs are high but they offer some pretty nice accessories like the new '66 Batman styled gloves and boots that aren't available anywhere else...I'm glad that someone is producing fairly faithful reproductions of the classic DC Mego figures but I'm frustrated by the inconsistent quality...When I pay $50 plus shipping per figure after shipping, I don't expect to have to drop another $10 per figure in order to replace the bodies just so they can stand upright.

[FETT1]

Be happy you don't live in Canada...I paid forty bucks for them to ship me a two pack of Removable Cowl Batman and Robin via regular mail with no tracking.

I find that for apparel and accessories, CTVT/FTC usually have better prices than Dr. Mego for similar items, but any savings is usually negated by their inflated shipping charges compared to the $7 shipping Dr. Mego seems to charge me no matter what I order...

I have really conflicted feelings towards FTC...Like most people, I think their bodies are poor and their shipping costs are high but they offer some pretty nice accessories like the new '66 Batman styled gloves and boots that aren't available anywhere else...I'm glad that someone is producing fairly faithful reproductions of the classic DC Mego figures but I'm frustrated by the inconsistent quality...When I pay $50 plus shipping per figure after shipping, I don't expect to have to drop another $10 per figure in order to replace the bodies just so they can stand upright.

Brother you said it shipping in and to Canuckleland here is CraZy !!

[Lynn TXP 0369]

It's not worth placing a small order with FTC/CTVT because you'll get ripped off even more on the shipping. Twice now I've placed a small order ( about $30.00 ) and ok I know they are charging $10 in shipping ( while it doesn't say Priority anymore that's what they are basing the rates on and I accept that ) but then for a small order they ship it 1st class for less then half the cost - they even get commercial rates which are probably even cheaper.

I hate when people complain about shipping.

The actual shipping cost is only part of the factor in most prices.

You got various things involved, boxes, labels with ink and paper to make such labels, shipping material, tape, envelopes, packing materials peanuts, bubble wrap etc, gas to get to the PO if not picked up, your time to get this done.

You may get some box reuse, but most of the rest is not all free if your in the business of large volume shipping, nor should it be assumed. They got to pay for that stuff somehow.

Lynn

[Mego Magyar]

I'm not complaining about their base shipping costs, you know them going in. What I don't like is charging a premium shipping cost them sending cheaper and not refunding anything. They didn't even throw in any little extras like they usually do.

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Did you read my post?

There is more then just actual shipping in that shipping price. For example $10 "shipping" gets in you $5 actual shipping with confirmation or maybe insurance, $2 for a box, $1 for packing material, $2 for time and gas. That stuff is not free nor should be assumed so.

It all goes into "Shipping".

Lynn

[thunderbolt]

Did you read my post?

There is more then just actual shipping in that shipping price. For example $10 "shipping" gets in you $5 actual shipping with confirmation or maybe insurance, $2 for a box, $1 for packing material, $2 for time and gas. That stuff is not free nor should be assumed so.

It all goes into "Shipping".

Lynn

Thank you. We get complaints like this on ebay from time to time. People don't take the other costs into consideration at all.

[Mego Magyar]

Did you read my reply?
I understand the costs that go into shipping but when you charge for premium shipping then don't use premium shipping but a cheaper option pocketing the difference that's a gip. If I were to sell something in the marketplace and charge a one ounce package rate ( usually around $2 -$2.50 ) but then was able to use just a normal envelope for one first class stamp I'd be called out for over charging.

[thunderbolt]

when they shipped my last two batman figures and some other stuff for 10 bucks they probably just broke even. Even at parcel select rate to ship two empty FTC clams its 7 bucks. so with the added weight of the figures its probably really close to the 10 I paid and then you throw in the cost of the box and packing materials and paying some guy to pack them.

[jayraytee]

Did you read my reply?
I understand the costs that go into shipping but when you charge for premium shipping then don't use premium shipping but a cheaper option pocketing the difference that's a gip. If I were to sell something in the marketplace and charge a one ounce package rate ( usually around $2 -$2.50 ) but then was able to use just a normal envelope for one first class stamp I'd be called out for over charging.

I agree with you. If you buy something on ebay and choose to have it shipped fedex overnight and pay say $30 for that method, and the seller send it just regular mail which costs them like $2.00, thats a problem. You pay the $30 to have the item shipped a certain way because that is exactly what it will cost to ship it that way, it better be shipped that way.

An online store should have their shipping materials, boxes, wages, sales tax, any overhead, etc. factored into their product price. The shipping price should only be for the carrier and method used to actually deliver the product. Thats why like on ebay you give the weight of the item and it's dimensions, and the buyer puts in thier zip code and it calculates what it will cost to actually ship it. Taking someone's money for a certain type shipping and then using a different method is just sloppy business, especially if they claim they are taking the cost of boxes or shipping materials out of the shipping charge. Because really the customer already pays for the 'overhead' when they buy the product, the cost of the figures for FTC isn't as much as we pay for them, not even close.

Now on the flip side, I had someone buy something from me on ebay, choose UPS as the shipping method and the only shipping address they gave me was a PO Box, which UPS won't deliver to. The person wouldn't respond to any communication, so I had to use USPS to ship it, which cost me more.

[Starroid Raiders Dagon]

Yeah, I bought a sixty dollar order from Figures and it cost $30.00 to ship. Shipping from the US to Canada is idiotic. Now they have import fees on Ebay? Insane.

[fallensaviour]

Brother you said it shipping in and to Canuckleland here is CraZy !!

No doubt my last order shipping was $40.
It's almost a catch 22,I find if I keep my order plus shipping under $100 I'm okay but the second I go over $100 by one dollar then I'm paying an extra $20 duty by canada post / border.
So now my shipping just cost me $60 for a $61 dollar order.
Really,really wish they had a supplier up here...lol

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Did you read my reply?
I understand the costs that go into shipping but when you charge for premium shipping then don't use premium shipping but a cheaper option pocketing the difference that's a gip. If I were to sell something in the marketplace and charge a one ounce package rate ( usually around $2 -$2.50 ) but then was able to use just a normal envelope for one first class stamp I'd be called out for over charging.

If they used "premium" shipping, then shipping would have been $12-$14 instead of $10, my statement still stands. The "pocketing" of the rest goes into their time and effort getting "your" item ready to ship to you. If your charged $20-$30 for shipping and arrived as you describe, then yes, I see your point.

Lynn

[Lynn TXP 0369]

I agree with you. If you buy something on ebay and choose to have it shipped fedex overnight and pay say $30 for that method, and the seller send it just regular mail which costs them like $2.00, thats a problem. You pay the $30 to have the item shipped a certain way because that is exactly what it will cost to ship it that way, it better be shipped that way.

An online store should have their shipping materials, boxes, wages, sales tax, any overhead, etc. factored into their product price. The shipping price should only be for the carrier and method used to actually deliver the product. Thats why like on ebay you give the weight of the item and it's dimensions, and the buyer puts in thier zip code and it calculates what it will cost to actually ship it. Taking someone's money for a certain type shipping and then using a different method is just sloppy business, especially if they claim they are taking the cost of boxes or shipping materials out of the shipping charge. Because really the customer already pays for the 'overhead' when they buy the product, the cost of the figures for FTC isn't as much as we pay for them, not even close.

Now on the flip side, I had someone buy something from me on ebay, choose UPS as the shipping method and the only shipping address they gave me was a PO Box, which UPS won't deliver to. The person wouldn't respond to any communication, so I had to use USPS to ship it, which cost me more.

Now we're getting into the "hey, this guy is waaaay over charging for his goods when this other guy can sell the same for thing for $10 less." "I'll go to the cheaper guy and forget this rip off guy trying to make money.". The other guy is just trying to factor in his overhead, thus the higher price.

If I paid for Priority mail, I expect it to arrive priority mail not standard, but if no specific method is said, then it is what it is.

Lynn

[jayraytee]

Now we're getting into the "hey, this guy is waaaay over charging for his goods when this other guy can sell the same for thing for $10 less." "I'll go to the cheaper guy and forget this rip off guy trying to make money.". The other guy is just trying to factor in his overhead, thus the higher price.

If I paid for Priority mail, I expect it to arrive priority mail not standard, but if no specific method is said, then it is what it is.

Lynn

Not exactly, FTC manufactures these figures in bulk meaning their cost per figure for sake of argument could be $8 a figure, they sell them for $25; all their overhead should be within that margin, including bubble wrap, boxes, etc. Anything left over if proffit. When they charge for shipping, no matter how much it is, that should be over and above all of that and should go to the actual shipping charge. That is what the customer is expecting and rightly so. Other retailers that sell the same product most likely buy the figures from FTC and buy them wholesale, not as cheap as FTC gets them, say for sake of argument they get them for $14.. they can still sell them for $25 and factor in their overhead and etc. What they charge for shipping should go to shipping. Again that is what the customer expects.

People that choose to sell the figure at $28, are just trying to make more proffit, which is fine but they might sell less than everyone else, regardless whatever they charge for shipping should go to shipping.

Some companies, like say Entertainment Earth could buy the figures wholesale and maybe even sell the figures for less than FTC because they might be making a bigger proffit off other products, still whatever they charge for shipping should go to shipping.

Anyone that charges $10 for shipping but only uses $4 of it for actual shipping costs is just dishonest and sloppy. Anyone that takes a certain amount for specific shipping but then uses something cheaper is just dishonest and sloppy. What you charge for shipping should only go to shipping.