Aircraft Spruce shipping charges

[algonquin]

I didn’t read all these post, so if I’m redundant please forgive. I recently went thru this with Spruce, I ordered a couple lengths of Sceet tube and the shipping came to $67.00. It came in a 12” box square. I called and they told me the computer figures it out if you order thru PayPal or on line. They refunded $47.00 to me which was very nice of them and now if there is any question I call. This is a pain and takes time but the savings adds up when you order a couple times a week sometimes.

 

[algonquin]

I guess the answer if Amazon getting into aircraft parts business and shipping with Prime,lol

 

[Amy]

I guess the answer if Amazon getting into aircraft parts business and shipping with Prime,lol

Amazon does provide logistics and warehouse services. I am told it’s pretty reasonable about January-September but you PAY for it October-December.

I worked on launching e-commerce for aircraft parts. It’s quite challenging due to the mix of part sizes as well as values. Many shipping plug-ins or even custom programming can handle most retail items, but they are similar enough in size and value. Some airplane parts have specialty boxes or crating charges, and the shipping software can’t figure out that the specialty box can also fit all the hardware, so it adds up. Many online items fall into certain tiers of packaging and shipping cost, but if you look at things like small $$ parts and weird-shaped things like ribs, spars, etc., you can see where the automation falls apart.

Bottom line, if you get a good price with the online shopping cart, hit ‘go’ and buy it. If it seems high, it may be worth a phone call.

—Amy

 

[sj]

Not every post office offers address service like this. My new one here in AR does but my last one did not. You can ask them if it is available.

sj

Steve (et al)

I have had some experience with UPS. They will not ship to a PO Box. But they will deliver to the post office. So instead of putting the post office box number, what are you do is ship it to the address of the post office. So the address would look like some thing like

Steve Pierce
1101 Doc Wolf Dr #296
Poplar Grove, IL 61065

dont put PO Box 296 or even “box 296 “ just #296 after the street address of the post office and it will work. It seems like a stupid game to play, but that’s what UPS said to do, that’s what the post office told me to do, and I did that for three years and it worked like a charm. Until somebody screws up the address. So you have to be very careful that the person sending the product writes the address down exactly the way you tell them. UPS will deliver a whole pallet of boxes every day to a post office using this system and I’ve seen it done. So you might consider that in the future and everyone else on this board it’s another option. It applies only to UPS. I have never tried this with FedEx or any other shipping company. I doubt it works.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[hotrod180]

I recently posted an ad to try & sell some stock (aluminum) Cessna wingtips I have.
Got a response from a guy in South Carolina.
I couldn't scratch up a suitably sized box to ship them in,
so I went down to the local UPS store to see about getting a quote to box & ship.
48x15x15 box: $14.85
packing: 24.08
shipping: 157.82.
Almost $200 total (plus tax!), wow!
Pretty sure that the shipping costs blew the sale, esp since I was only asking $150 for the darn parts.
I didn't weigh anything, but those aluminum wingtips probably weigh less than the box.

Seems like USPS is usually the cheapest way to ship, not sure about larger bulkier heavier packages though.
For small stuff, their flat rate boxes can be a pretty good deal.

 

[NunavutPA-12]

Considering where you live and the challenges of delivering there I would say their shipping charges are fairly reasonable.

There really are no "challenges", unless we're talking about something large. My Firmin pod, you may recall, was a challenge, yes, but I expected that due to its size. But a small package of nuts and bolts just goes to the post office in Ontario and gets to me like any other mail.

Today I ordered eight boxes of seed potatoes. Much bulkier and much heavier than my Spruce order. The potatoes, like the hardware, comes by mail from Ontario. Shipping was $8.99. Granted, they probably lost money on that order, but Aircraft Spruce made a killing at $63 for a half-pound envelope.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

If it makes you feel better I ordered something from EI and it was 19.95. Shipping was 22.00 and it fit in an envelope


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bat443]

Last week I got a few parts from Spruce, the order came as 3 shipments from 3 separate locations. What was particularly of interest to me was the largest package which was 5 lbs had in small print dtw (dimensional weight) 16 lbs, a smaller package was 2 lbs with a dtw of 2 lbs, and the third a packing envelope with 2 cherry max rivets from AZ. The total shipping was just a few cents over $30. I don't think that was bad for 3 shipping cost plus 3 employees picking and packing the shipment. I would expect the shipping cost for 16 lbs to be near $30. Until this thread I had never looked for the dimensional weight on ground shipments though I had noticed that when I shipped items with UPS they measured the package. To be fair I don't think that dtw was a factor with the original post unless like in my case he had a coil of tubing which required a larger box do the minimum coil diameter. I do find it nice that Spruce doesn't have a minimum total order size or a minimum quantity of each item like many aviation and non aviation suppliers do.

Tim

 

[stewartb]

I stopped by and picked up my internet order of Zulu 3s this afternoon. I had two backorders they handed me, too. In and out in seconds. I’m a fan. Two miles out of my way home, but I can live with that.

 

[Iflylower]

Get a fedex acct. and ask them to ship it under your specifications “ground/air/2 day/etc. on your acct number. (Actual cost, and maybe a discount.). I do this all the time.

maybe this can be done with USPS?

 

[40m]

Sounds like you ordered such a small order you couldn't justify the shipping cost. On the other hand they might have been able to get the shipping lower if they had really hunted around for best shipping price but why would they do that on a $10 order for bolts? The shipping person's time would have cost more than your total order.

Why might they try harder? Because posts like this one read by someone like me pisses me off. Build your profit and overhead into the product cost and let me decide to buy or not. Don't screw me on the final end just because. Actual shipping cost and the effort to provide options is what I remember about the transaction. Last impressions are often more valuable than the first to me.

 

[Steve Pierce]

Get a fedex acct. and ask them to ship it under your specifications “ground/air/2 day/etc. on your acct number. (Actual cost, and maybe a discount.). I do this all the time.

maybe this can be done with USPS?

That is how my Univair account is set up, they use my FedEx account.
I have noticed oversize packaging has gone up considerably lately.

 

[Steve Pierce]

We never use the parcel carriers here. They are way too expensive compared to Canada Post.

I did contact them. I got the expected (stock) answer and when I rebutted their argument they did not respond again.

In the days when a company had to actually put stamps on the package it was easy to see what they had paid for postage and compare that to what you were charged. But now, Canada Post just attaches a sticker that does not show the amount paid. But, when received, I can ask the postmistress to weigh the package and tell me what the company had actually paid. Invariably, in the case of Aircraft Spruce, the amount I'm charged is about four times their actual cost.

When I don't get anywhere with people that answer the phone I go up the chain of command. I use to order from Spruce on my account and requested FedEx shipping because it was here in 2 days from GA vs 3 days via UPS. We went round and round because they kept shipping UPS and when you are waiting on parts an extra day it clogs up the work flow. A higher up told me they had to wait till CA opened to get the ok to charge my account for my order and by the time they did that FedEx was gone. Sounded like BS to me and I figured I could use my credit card and they could eat the 2%. Sent Jim Irwin (owner of AC Spruce) an email with all the details. He responded and let me know his employee was not truthful with me, my account was now flagged FedEx unless I specified otherwise and if I had any more issues don't hesitate to let him know. I never had another issue.

 

[NunavutPA-12]

Clearly, my problems with excessive freight charges are due to two factors; first, my "remote" location (who is "remote" these days? We get mail five times a week, jet service almost daily, I'm using this thing called "internet", etc.)

The second factor, and apparently this is not a problem for many others, is the outright gouging of Aircraft Spruce. Where is the justification for charging $63 when the actual cost of postage is about $17?

Yes, it was a small order, and if Spruce would use the available flat-rate shipping boxes that are available from Canada Post, I'd fill the box, even with stuff I don't need if that would make them happy.

Edit: I have contacted a rep at AS, three weeks ago, and was promised that my concern would be directed to Jim Irwin, but nobody has contacted me since.

Fedex and UPS are WAY more expensive than Canada Post - like two or three times the cost. Not an option.

 

[jimboflying]

I have always wondered how it is that you can order something from China and it will have free shipping and arrive quicker than if it had been ordered from Los Angeles or Philadelphia. Anyone know how that works?

 

[NunavutPA-12]

I have always wondered how it is that you can order something from China and it will have free shipping and arrive quicker than if it had been ordered from Los Angeles or Philadelphia. Anyone know how that works?

I'm not sure but I'm guessing that the Chinese get some sort of flat-rate shipping. In my case, that would be to "Canada", whereas a supplier in Ontario is faced with various postage rates to different parts of the country. Postage to me would be fairly steep compared to the generic rate that the Chinese get. Even though I dislike buying from China, the free shipping is very attractive, even if I have to wait a month or two for the article.

I doubt they can supply quality AN-type hardware, but if they did I'd be a customer.

 

[Charlie Aileron]

I have had trouble with Spruce also. They are not the only ones. Ordered two Cowl Bumps from Wag Aero. All of 10 ounces. Came in small box. Cost of shipping $26.30! Geez!

 

[stewartb]

I find it hard to believe that a guy living in the Canadian Arctic hasn't had shipping problems before. Alaskans are used to high shipping rates. If I shop on the internet I'll look at multiple vendors and the shipping is usually what sells the order. That was true with Spruce before they opened here. If I had a choice between Chief, Skygeek, and Spruce? Spruce usually got the order. How does Spruce deal with customs when shipping to Canada?

Heck, lots of internet companies won't ship to Alaska because they only ship to the USA. Go figure!

I don't know what you other business owners do but my shop labor cost is $125 per hour. If a guy has to package something and make a shipping record? Somebody's paying for his time. Whether it's built into the material price or added as a shipping cost? The customer is paying for it.

 

[NunavutPA-12]

How does Spruce deal with customs when shipping to Canada?

They don't. Aircraft Spruce Canada has a warehouse in Brantford, Ontario so customs and freight charges from the US are already embedded in their prices.

I doubt that many people would consider that paying $63 for "shipping" when the actual cost is $17 is fair. The employees time to package, etc. - that should be factored into the advertised price.

It reminds me of the days when I worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. "Item cost + freight = "cost-landed" x %mark-up = sale price". So they were making a profit on the item and another profit on the freight. Good business practice? I guess if you're a shareholder - no problem!

 

[stewartb]

Good business practice? Absolutely. Freight is an expense. It costs money to process. A business needs to mark it up to cover costs.

What I don't understand about most of this thread? If I order from Spruce and choose home delivery I get three shipping options. UPS Ground, UPS air, and Priority Mail, and all three options are priced. No surprises. I don't care what the actual cost is. If I accept the price so that's what I agree to pay.

 

[8GCBC]

Personally, I contact Spruce directly if there is an issue (and not post complaints until I talk with Irwin). They seem to work very closely with customers and resolve problems.

I capsized my Yamaha FXHO last weekend, in the ocean, and damaged the MFD... Ordered from Partzilla, really amazing, great service.

$40 for overnight Georgia to Hawaii. Excellent!

 

[Mr. Ed]

Not Spruces fault but typical of the USPS lately. I’ve had regular mail take 16 days when it took 3 in the past. Ordered stuff from Spruce that was shipped on the 11th from Corona, CA. Arrived Anaheim the 12th and left the 13th. On the 14th it hit Eugene and then Portland (16 miles from me) and then to Oklahoma City. From there it went to Moreno Valley, CA. and Los Angeles on the 17th. So in seven days it is back where it started. We’ll see how many cities it hits before it gets to me. Frustrating, especially since the part I ordered has been on back order for five months.

 

[180_jeff]

Not Spruces fault but typical of the USPS lately. I’ve had regular mail take 16 days when it took 3 in the past. Ordered stuff from Spruce that was shipped on the 11th from Corona, CA. Arrived Anaheim the 12th and left the 13th. On the 14th it hit Eugene and then Portland (16 miles from me) and then to Oklahoma City. From there it went to Moreno Valley, CA. and Los Angeles on the 17th. So in seven days it is back where it started. We’ll see how many cities it hits before it gets to me. Frustrating, especially since the part I ordered has been on back order for five months.

I am experiencing the opposite these days - USPS is routinely early. I just had some oil arrive in 2 days shipped from other side of the country first class mail. UPS on the other hand, is taking a week to go 1000 miles. The local center is placing packages on indefinite hold as they claim they are 'swamped.' Amazon shipped something UPS and after the indefinite hold, UPS decided to send the package to the other side of the country. So, 3 weeks later, still no package. You realize stuff shipped faster in the 1800s, right? I am experiencing about 50% yield on UPS packages.

 

[labrador_cub]

shipping to labrador is expensive as well, I have same problem $10 worth of hardware costing almost 10x that by the time its in my hands. spruces shipping calculator is strange at best, I check the shipping cost every time I add an item because sometimes 1 item will send the cost to the moon. I've also played around and at times it was upwards of $100 total cheaper in shipping to place 2 separate orders splitting up the shipping. shipping was also the reason I switched to 20w50, when shell switched the case from 12 to 6 quarts the shipping cost for 2 cases of shell ( 12 bottles) was same as 2 cases of phillips ( 24 bottles), that has since changed last time I checked but I haven't switched back.

 

[Ken Robbins]

I will never complain about Spruces shipping again.
Put a new wood stove that I happen to have on a pallet then called for a freight pick up to send from CA to Kasilof, AK. Nope, not gonna do that, I'll fill a 20' container instead. Finally realized I was preparing to ship a pile of stuff I don't use in CA to AK where I would not likely use it much as well. Ordered a new woodstove locally and complained about shipping to my co-workers. One of them repeated to me what I say often "If you're gonna run with big dogs, learn to pee in tall grass".
I forget that everything goes up and when I look at our invoices for annuals and small jobs, it is surprising that our customers can afford to operate their planes. We can't charge any less and still be here. Humbling thought and a realization that I am not seeing the forest through the trees sometimes.
Ramblings of a short-timer.
Ken