Gouging by Flash Forge among things I don't want for Christmas

[roykirk]

I just received a parts order from FF yesterday, and I just can't help but go on a bit of a rant. Maybe one of those eggheads will read this and finally do something about this sort of crap. But judging from other customers who continue to experience the same thing, it's doubtful they'll listen.

I needed three new Creator nozzles and corresponding teflon tubes. Those cost whatever they're going to cost. I don't even look at those prices. What I do look at is when they want to charge me $13.88 for UPS ground for such tiny parts. But I sucked it up and decided, "I need them, so I guess I better just buy it." But my annoyed resignation turned to seething anger when the package finally arrived yesterday. Take a look at the attached photos.

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Yes, this is a box about 6" x 6" x 3", with three nozzles and teflon tubes taped in the middle. This is a 4.5 ounce package, shipped by UPS Ground. Unfortuantely UPS doesn't calculate weights under 1 lbs, so the minimum charged shipping weight is for 1 lbs. Fine. When I go to the UPS webpage, I find that shipping a 1 lbs box of this size, from California to Washington, is $9.51. But I recognize they have to pay for the box and employee time to package it. Nevermind that a box like this costs about 25 cents when you buy them in bulk. But here is where they're really making the conscious choice to gouge faithful customers. USPS *does* calculate shipping weights under 1 lbs. Those nozzles and teflon tubes weigh under an ounce. The USPS First Class Shipping cost to send a 1 ounce envelope? 98 cents. Even if they want to use those super duty tear proof envelopes, it's not going to add more than about another 30 cents.

Flashforge, please stop ripping us off. Stop destroying the environment by using using massive cardboard boxes to ship parts that are no bigger than 5 mm. Every time I place an order, I feel like I just got mugged. I know you tell your mother you work at a cutting edge 3D manufacturing company. But it's going to be a very awkward conversation when she finds out you're really in to petty theft.

Rant. Over.

[LAFilament.com]

Anyone in Hawaii want to chime in on the coat of shipping?

[Bassna]

lol @ that box

[curious aardvark]

maybe they don't have padded envelopes in america ;-)

[djprinter]

If that's your idea of price gouging, I hate to see you rant about cable companies.

[jfkansas]

LOL, ya I had to get the fan mount from them for the left side for some testing. Shipping wasn't cheap, but at least the fan mount kind of filled the box. I ship almost everything Priority Flat rate. Boxes are free, and I have enough stash of packing material from incoming orders to fill them with.

Check out nozzle supplies from p3-d.com and micro-swiss.com

[andcorptech]

I would like to play devils advocate here as I have been on both sides of the shipping issue. I can only speak for my experience in Australia with couriers....which is often a better alternative to our national postage system. The size box that they are using may be due to a deal they have done to reduce shipping on a company wide basis. Some of our courier company's will do a very attractive deal if you agree to ship only certain size cartons, which means you essentially pay more for small parts shipped in larger boxes, but ultimately you pay much less for the heavier and larger items when shipped. At an individual consumer level you may think that's not fair but as a company you need to consider what is good for the whole base of customer....if you can offer cheap or free (free to customer - absorbed into profits) shipping on the heavy stuff it makes you a more attractive seller over those that dont.

Oh and to also put things into a pricing perspective....i ordered 4 nozzles for PP3DP Up! printers from a wholesales for one of my customers a few months back....in AU we pay over $20 for 1 nozzle wholesale....before shipping.....i read some of the prices you guys talk about and can only be envious

[Mjolinor]

I can beat that. I requested free samples from honeywell (IIRC) of a magnetometer chip. This is two chips that are maybe 3/16 inch on a side and 1.5 mm tall (can't keep both countries happy there so you can both whinge about the units,).

Weight was less than I can weigh.

This free sample arrived in the UK from the Philippines in a box 2ft long and 6 inches square. Thankfully it was a free sample, I would have been really pissed if I had to pay that shipping.

[Ward]

What you guys don't know is that FlashForge doesn't pay what you and I pay for shipping. Not even close.

I've been deep inside the mass shipping world.....

That package probably cost FF about....ohhhh....$3.00 max to send to you.

Hint: Amazon doesn't make their money selling items....it makes their money SHIPPING items. In fact, few big sellers make their money off of the items. It's in the shipping differential baby!

[jfkansas]

Hard to get a shipping differential on free shipping.

Shipping is one thing that makes me do business with a company or not. I go through the checkout process and if the shipping isn't reasonable for the size of item I go elsewhere.