Ohio Travel Bag ... Has Anyone Else Used Them Lately? *rant*

[JLSleather]

more true for large volume businesses than us small, home-based or mom & pop ones. I don't need a crew of people to pick drive a forklift across a warehouse to pull my order, pallets to store them on temporarily, very expensive inventory and control software to direct things, etc.

Yes. But if you have to store and stock 5000 items, then that charge would realistically be applied to ALL of those items - 1/5000 of the cost on each - not the entire amount on EACH item.

And speaking of volume business, they get a BETTER shipping rate than many of us. So, if I can ship that for $3.50, why would I pay them $13?

• so it's gouging o take into consideration cost of materials and labor - have you ever done a time cost analysis? It's called accounting and to cover one's costs (no one is talking about making a profit except those calling others gougers..

OF COURSE they aren't talking about it. That would be like screaming a warning to someone you're trying to sneak up on

Seriously, if I give that girl that answers my phone $10/hour .... do I then charge each person who calls $10? If all that was going on was people "covering their costs" not many would take issue with it. I sure hope they don't cut their throat by trying to tell me that the $12.99 shipping is justified. Because they got away with it (I LET them) doesn't mean it's right, or even okay. Shipping on that is $2.68 (usps). The envelope COULD be a dollar, if you were buying ONE in a retail store. That's about $10 short ...

[blue duck]

Back to Ohio Travel Bag specifically. I just got an invoice emailed to me. "Steamed" is a nice way of putting it. I missed one item on my last order and called Friday to get it. She was really nice and said they would not charge me the under minimum charge, which I though was really nice of them and a great way to keep business. So my total product charge $13, shipping $18. If you are going to hose me, just tell me up front. This could have shipped for less than $1. Don't care what kind of math you use, there is no justification for that!

[TomG]

I was gonna back out of this and leave it alone, but I'm a blabber-mouth and can't help myself.

1) Since I know of few hardware suppliers who carry the depth and volume of our kind of hardware that OTB does, it's hard to go elsewhere for a lot of stuff. So where do I buy that buckle that no one else seems to carry - at least in the quantities I can afford to purchase in?

2) Has anyone complained to OTB about their handling fees?

3) Are you asking for the most economical shipping on your order with them?

I just went back through my last 3 orders from OTB. 1 probably weighed 1 pound - small USPS flat rate Priority box. Charged me $7.75 S&H. Probably cost them $5.05 in postage.

Second order was about 2 pounds. Same small USPS box. $7.79. Not sure what the extra 4 cents in handling was.

Third order I checked. 19 line items. Many solid brass. USPS Priority box. $8.89 S&H.

I really can't complain about $2 - $3 in fixed costs above actual postage.

And anyway, who can I buy from that won't charge above actual shipping costs, either as a shipping charge or rolled into the product?

Oh. As a comparison, I use a lot of aluminum side release buckles in my products. My cost at OTB is $3.40 ea. I DO have another supplier who actually lists their prices to include shipping. (the product quality is inferior to the OTB product)

My cost for 1 is $6.15 ea shipped. OTB would cost me over $10 for 1. Obviously, I don't order 1 at a time.

[cgleathercraft]

When ordering I always look at the shipping and check to see if it justifies the cost/weight/need of an item(s). Only once have I had to call to question the cost of shipping. They worked with me and I have never had an issue with their shipping charges since. They assured me they only charge the actual cost of shipping and I believe I have never been taken for a sucker from them (Tandy). My one and only rule for cost of shipping to me - Is that item(s) worth the cost + shipping to me. That alone will determine whether or not I order.

At my stage in leather working i have not had the luxury of shipping any items. This is my hobby and I don't have any overhead associated with shipping. So I'm going to charge actual cost.

If the day ever comes that I have the requirement of someone sitting down and verifying/packing/shipping my work. That extra cost WILL be factored in. At that point I will own a business. If I don't do it in the shipping costs, it will be factored into the item cost. I may not explicitly say that $2 for every item is for the person sweeping the floor, but I would have to pay their wages somehow. Not saying prices would increase with each person hired, just that the bottom line has to be taken into account.

Everyone's situation is different so take it for what its worth, it's just text on a computer screen after all.