Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Thank you, Al, for coming up with this idea. As my stash is ELE (Exceeds Life Expectancy), I won't be signing up for one of these programs. I'm only chiming in to say that I hope you keep your $5 flat rate option. From a business perspective, that is a really attractive option to prospective customers. It certainly drew me in!

Of course, we'll keep offering great prices on shipping for you!

If you do find yourself buying quilting supplies around once a month though, let's chat about why this is an incredible deal

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Al, I applaud you for giving so much effort, I also have empathy for your withstanding all the criticisms over shipping. just like death & taxes, your not going to please some of these ladies no matter what you do! The current shipping program is very fair, it's not your (MSQ's) fault someone lives out of the country. Their gripping should be at the country they live in. The extra 2 bucks is not really above what you regularly pay at other places. I like the extra bonus points you give occasionally, or a free charm pack now and then or buy 1 get 1 free?? It's time to end all this grief over shipping. It's time to say "This is our shipping program, so if it doesn't work for some of you, we're sorry.

Thanks for the support and feedback. The idea behind this is that for people who order regularly, they can get their orders in a fraction of the time for less money. Since it's a completely separate program, we can keep tweaking the original model and get it better and better while also building this PLUS option that people can opt into if they love it.

I'll never stop trying to figure out that next thing that will make life easier for a quilter I kind of like having the most innovative programs in all of quilting, honestly you could put us up against all of entire crafting world and I still think we're building the coolest stuff. It's what makes it fun

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

So, does the older version of shipping go away? Maybe someone asked this question.

No, normal shipping stays the same, this is an opt in program that gives you a PLUS level of speed and perks.

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Al,

I wanted to add my thanks for trying to help with the shipping. In general I think your new expanded options go a long way toward helping out. We use you $2 upgrade now because frankly FedEx smart post is terrible but ground works well enough. I also, being from a rural area, understand the issues you have getting a shipper interested in helping you out. Maybe you need to load up your own trucks and drop them off at the shipper near Kansas City? Anyway as for this beta, I agree with several other that the $50 toward quilting does nothing for us. I did like the suggestion of maybe making a Block subscription an optional replacement for the $50 quilting. I’d honestly go for the FedEx ground option with an annual Block membership right now. By the way we do have an Amazon Prime membership so the idea of prepaying for better shipping is nothing new for us. Another thought I had. Which will be harder to implement I fear, is maybe a take on Amazon’s new Prime Shipping Day, but with a twist. I understand the $25 minimum as you don’t want to ship a $1 item and eat all that cost, but what about maybe once every week or maybe better for you every 2 weeks allow the option (option not forced) for shipping club members to have small items they bought over the last week or 2 shipped? There are many a time we see a daily deal and think we would like it but it’s not worth the shipping for us or you and we aren’t looking at more stuff either. That said if we buy it but it goes into a hold box for us and then ships a couple weeks later when either we have bought a few more things or we just hit our 2 week ship day, great. I can see this causing some serious logistics problems for you guys though but it would be nice. Anyway again thanks for the work on the shipping options and if you do the shipping club thing, please make options other than the quilting credit an option.

Thanks

ahh that's clever, would be a cool idea if there's a lot of use in the program, that would make a lot of sense. It would just be a technical challenge of reserving inventory and exempting the item from cycle counts until things all got shipped. If people are using it, would be cool.

Block is an interesting idea, let me work on the other perks and get back to you guys

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Also we do load to KC every night, we're right there with you guys. Packages go straight to the sorting facility and on they go, but it only saves a day of time.

[auntstuff]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

I would use the reserve idea, since I never need much at at a time. Did you know that once yu drop off at the shipper, it often sits there as long as 3 days before it moves?

[Heather]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

I had to reread the beta program twice and I'm still not sure I understand... If I do, under the lowest cost subscription plan my 20th order would actually be free shipping. (19 regular orders annually x $5 = $95, plan costs $99)
I don't place that many orders each year, but for someone who does it might be a good deal. I agree with the other posters, the quilting credit is not an incentive.

If there is a free shipping day, are the shipping plan people given something in lieu of, since they've already paid their subscription?

My $.02 in reading all the complaints is that the issue seems to be the service level of the shipping, secondarily it is the cost. So instead of focusing on different plans, I would be re-engaging the (Fed Ex?) account manager and renegotiating the current agreement to address the service level problems foremost, additionally pricing. I have a hard time believing that all these long delivery windows I keep reading about fall within service level guarantees.

[Momofmonsters5]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Thanks for your hard work. I've never had a complaint about your shipping and appreciate your daily deals. I lived in Germany for a few years while I was married to a soldier and I always got my daily deals and orders in great time. I live in NM and still get orders in a great time. I'm a happy customer! Thought I'd add a happy customer comment ��

[sydneybean]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Thank you for addressing the problem. Just my viewpoint here but the bottom line is that FedEx Smartpost (or whatever they call their "smart" service) is the worst shipping service on the planet. My packages go from KC then to StL sorting, on to Earthcity sorting, then on to ESTLouis sorting. I live about 45 minutes from EarthCity but it takes a week or more to finally get to me. Sometimes the package will go from ESTLouis sorting back to Earth city and sit there for days. This happens with all packages sent smartpost. I think you would be better going back to your previous shipping. The perks you are offering surely can't be cheaper than what it was costing you in shipping before the switch. I could be wrong about that tho. All that said I still love you guys.

[purlewe]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

I am not a member of Amazon Prime and I my MIL and I do all our own quilting.

My issue is with FedEx. I wish there was a way to offer one option of plain USPS post. FedEx smartpost just drops the package off at USPS anyway and it takes double the time it would either by FedEX or USPS to get the packages where they need to go. I say this living in a city. I can't imagine what would happen if I lived in a rural area. Plain USPS post is the way I wish my packages could be sent. Only having FedEx is not my favorite and I know now I need to give myself 2 weeks or more to get a package. My last package was declared "delivered" for 7 days before it was actually delivered. This means their delivery numbers look fine, but the truth is they aren't. Please offer something other than FedEx.

[BillNye]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Tried a few other things, curious your thoughts -

OPTION A
Free standard shipping
$50 Machine quilting credit
$50 In town credit for when you visit Hamilton
A free Jenny on the Road ticket for when she gets to your area
Unlimited access to all digital versions of the BLOCK magazine
the cost for this is $99

OPTION B
Free 2 day shipping
$50 Machine quilting credit
$50 In town credit
A free Jenny on the Road ticket for when she gets to your area
Unlimited access to all digital versions of the BLOCK magazine
the cost for this is $149

OPTION C
Free Standard shipping
$100 Machine quilting credit
$50 In town credit
A free Jenny on the Road ticket for when she gets to your area
Unlimited access to all digital versions of the BLOCK magazine
the cost for this is $129

[auntstuff]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Not the least bit tempting to me.

[wlrquilts]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

Al, I sent email yesterday asking for invite. I did receive the link to join, but Option 3 wasn't one of them.

Any chance I can get that offer - it is $129 correct?

Also, will the Block App ever be available for the Amazon Kindle? The Tutorial one is.

If I need an order quicker If I go with this plan, can I choose faster service for that order only? I would pay the extra charge.

[Vonnie]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

I think you should add in the videos that your sister is making and all others as they become available.

A choice between $50 in store credit or $50 quilterspoints. A lot of people will never be able to visit the stores in Hamilton.

[auntstuff]

Re: Beta testers needed for new MSQC Shipping program

I think you should add in the videos that your sister is making and all others as they become available.

A choice between $50 in store credit or $50 quilterspoints. A lot of people will never be able to visit the stores in Hamilton.

Very true. I am unable to travel. Not even for "on the road", because it certainly will not ever be local here.