Can anyone define "Flat Shipping Rates" for me?

[stonythug]

I was just curious what is meant by this statement when a vendor puts it on a his website next to his shipping rates of:
UPS Ground $5.00
UPS 3 Days:$10.00
UPS 2nd Day:$12.00

I know this is kindof a stupid question, but I want to hear what other people think it means because I was obviously confused. Thx

 

[ManSnake]

It just means no matter how much you buy, your shipping cost is always gonna be that much money!

 

[stonythug]

Funny, cause that's what I thought until they told me that the flat $5.00 UPS Ground was only for a single 1 lb item. I got charged $7.00 for shipping a single motherboard UPS Ground because it was more than a pound. So is it a flat shipping rate as long as the total weight of my order stays under 1 lb?!?!? Weak sauce.

 

[kranky]

I agree. Flat means flat. I'd be ticked off also.

 

[Russ]

Actually, $7 isn't too bad for shipping a motherboard. Particularly right now, since UPS has jacked their rates a hefty margin since fuel costs went through the roof. Check the rates at some of the Pricewatch "hook you with the price, rape you on the shipping" vendors and you'll find that $7 is a pretty good deal.

Russ, NCNE

 

[stonythug]

Yeah I know, I'm not complaining at all. I think $7.00 is definitely a fair price for shipping. However I don't think it's fair to charge $7.00 when you state that there is a flat shipping rate of $5.00. I did go back to the website and if you go to their shipping details page it does say that shipping prices listed are for a single 1 lb item. So then what do they mean by "flat shipping rates" if these flat shipping rates only pertain to a single 1 lb item?

 

[Russ]

stonythug,

That would indicate exactly what it says, that it's for one pound. That makes sense. They probably should also have the notation on the page with the flat rate numbers, but it does sound like a fair policy.

Matter of fact, if you're quite a ways from the vendor, the Two Day one pounder could work out to a pretty good deal.

As further clarification, the term "flat" may indicate that the cost stays the same regardless of the value of the item. Some vendors seem to exponentially increase shipping costs based on value as another way to squeeze out profit.

Russ, NCNE

 

[stonythug]

Ok, but I'm still confused about what the "flat" part of the shipping rate is supposed to mean. What is flat about charging one price for a single 1 lb item and charging more for anything else? That was the whole point, I never meant to imply that I thought their shipping rates were unfair or overpriced. I just didn't understand what "Flat shipping rates" meant if it didn't mean that you could order multiple items and it would stay the same price.

 

[stonythug]

Oh man! You mean vendors out there try to base shipping on the value of what you're ordering and not the weight?! What a bunch of scuzbuckets, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.