Shipping idea

[Kristler]

This morning I was putting in an order for the daily deal. At the same time I’m thinking my last order hasn’t shipped yet and I wish I could just tack this item on, so no extra shipping. That led to the idea of an Amazon “like” shipping day. So here's my thought:

- Establish an every 2 week or maybe every month shipping day
- Allow us to add or remove things to our shipping day queue for our next shipping day up to 1 week prior (so if your day is the 15th, you can add items up to the 8th).
- Quilter must pay the $5 shipping if they have less than $100 in there next queue (saves issue of this just being an infinite holding basket)
- After add/remove date, added items go to next shipping day
- Allow option (at quilters cost) of ordering things outside there shipping day (for rush orders, etc.).

There are a lot more daily deals and small items we would get this way, and with the COVID issues already making shipping times slower, seams like not a big added delay. Add to that you can schedule picking and packing these items with the 1 week prior cut off.

Anyway, just a thought. . .

[Bubby]

Good idea but it could cut down on M*s profit. I know that many items that ship cost less than $5. What I don’t know is how many shipments cost more than $5. I guess that’s something M* would have to consider.

[KPH]

I know I haven't been ordering a lot, but I would hate to have 'missed the cut off' and have to wait another two weeks in addition to the length of shipping times, as some of my orders have come as far as GA to only go back to the original shipping center then come back to me.

Not to mention the logistical night mare of finding an order that's already packed and ready to ship and have to unpack it take that item out and repack it.

[jjkaiser]

I completely agree it would be a logistical nightmare for M. Too many pkgs would have to be "on hold" and for different dates and I wouldn't want to be responsible for keeping track of all that!

[Granny Fran]

Good idea for those that shop without the daily deal. That deal is only good for one day, it could not be held or released without affecting inventory. Thanks for your comment to help improve some shipping.

[Hulamoon]

I think they should get rid of the $5 shipping. It was a novelty in the beginning and now It's like what else can I add to this. I don't like to shop like that.

[Claire Hallman]

I think that is the marketing idea, charge a set fee for shipping and people will try to maximize what they can buy. I doubt they make money on the shipping charge, they make money on what all you put in your basket, the more the better.

[Rob the HOAQ]

I agree with Claire that companies don't make money off of shipping. They just try to cover their costs (by the way, free shipping is a chimera. The cost is passed on in the price of goods).

That said, the closest I've ever seen a company make money from shipping in the used book market. Most places charge a set price per book. I buy used books all the time and most times pay $4 a book no matter the price. I have paid .99 for a book and $4 for shipping. Then the company will ship it media mail, which gives them a cut rate from the USPS. Many booksellers who do volume business pay even less based on how much business they actually give to the shippers.

I think the biggest issue with Kristler's idea is what Katrina referenced. Once an order is picked and packed, it would be a logistical nightmare to find it and add to it given the amount M* ships out in a day. I have had some smaller fabric stores refund my shipping on an order I placed later in the day, but I've never asked for it. They have done it on their own in the name of customer service (which I can guarantee has made me a repeat customer). Shipping is just one of the things we have to accept for the convenience of shopping at home.

Rob

[auntstuff]

You shop the wrong place for used books. I seldom EVER end up paying shipping at thriftbooks.com

[Rob the HOAQ]

I had not heard of that site, so I took a looksee. I priced "Team of Rivals" which in hardcover used was $5.49 for a very good edition (good condition was slightly cheaper at $4.89). Shipping would be .99. On Alibris, I found a used copy for $1.84 (described as good condition), with shipping at $3.99. Even with shipping at $3.99 the book (very good vs. good) was cheaper by about .60 on Alibris. Comparing apples to apples, the price was virtually the same. Like I said, they make up for free or low-cost shipping by the price of the item.

Thanks, however, for giving me another outlet to find used books!

Rob

[auntstuff]

I buy 3-4 at a time and never pay shipping. Then, I get a free book now and then too.

[Kristler]

So I don’t know how M* does their inventory, but my guess is it’s all electronic. In which case when you add something to your queue (or cart), the inventory system updates and an item is basically “on hold” for you. No boxes are packed until after your order is complete or in this case your cut off date has passed. I’m guessing that even now orders basically do exactly this and are put in a queue (first come first served), then only packed when your order comes up in their shipping management system and there is an available packer (I know there are some missing details, like cutting and finding items not in the warehouse, etc.). Anyway, all my suggestion does is make a special category in the existing shipping queue system. While I certainly don’t know how M* does their order, inventory and shipping system, it must be something roughly like this or they would oversell items all the time (inventory has to be updated upon order, not packing). Also I can’t imagine they make much if any money off of shipping. The $5 is a small offset not the full cost of shipping except very small and light items I would think.

I guess another way to think of it is a special kind of time delay automatic purchase cart. When you add an item to this special cart, it’s held for you (electronically) for up to 2 weeks at the price you added it. It you remove an item, then re add it, you get the price at the time it was added (you remove yesterday’s daily deal, then decide later you really wanted it, sorry the price is now today’s price). Once the 2 weeks is up, everything added is charged to your default method and shipping is based on your total (free over $100, otherwise $5). There would be more details than this, but this kind of gives another way to look at what I was suggesting. Again, no boxes packed until after the cut off date.

This all is just a thought, a kernel of an idea maybe M* could look at and maybe use some of, or totally ignore.

Thanks to all for taking your time to even look at my suggestions, make comments, etc.

[Rob the HOAQ]

inventory has to be updated upon order, not packing

You would think so, but not always. Once, I ordered the Daily Deal, which was a layer cake of Limoncello fabric. It showed in the confirmation email that this was what I was getting, and all was right with the world. Except when I got the package it was a completely different layer cake from a different designer and fabric line. Even the shipping document I received said it was the Limoncello layer cake.

The store I worked at for 20+ years shifted to fulfilling online orders from store stock. We would get x numbers of orders to ship from our store, yet while the picking was going on, the item still showed in our store inventory. I once spent 30 minutes looking for something that showed in stock, but which was also on the ship from store list and in the back room.

The $5 is a small offset not the full cost of shipping except very small and light items I would think.

I would say you are right that for most people this would nowhere near cover the cost of shipping, but M* ships hundreds, if not thousands, of packages per day, so the economy of scale plays a role here. If I own Rob's Shipping Company and I know that M* is going to give me a ton of business, I will bend over backward to give them whatever break I can and still be profitable. If that means charging X Fabric Store more because they only ship 1/4 of the volume that M* does, that's what I'll do.

I think your idea has merit, but I'm not sure about the practicality. Then again, I have been known to be wrong before.😉

Rob

[K. McEuen]

I think the biggest logistical issue is trying to keep the inventory straight between the brick and mortar stores and the online store. Throw in an "on hold" system into the mix and it becomes a nightmare.