PSA: Buy.com now adds "handling fee" at checkout

[DaveSimmons]

Buy.com has a half-off sale on boxed anime sets so I decided to use a bit of leftover credit plus my CC.

Adding the sets to the shopping card shows the expected shipping, with it showing as $0 if you pick the turtle slow option. -BUT- once you checkout, a mysterious "Handling Fee" appears below the Shipping: Free. in your total!

For 2 DVD box sets this "handling flat fee" was $1.95. They have a 1-page grid of shipping charges in their Help Center but this flat fee doesn't appear there.

Just a warning if you're thinking of ordering from Buy.com and expect "free shipping" to mean free shipping like it does at Amazon.

Update:
I asked customer service twice to explain the $1.95 fee, and received 2 form email responses of:

"For Budget Shipping, there is a surcharge of $1.00 for video items weighing more than 2.5 pounds and DVD items weighing more than 0.35 pounds. Therefore, you will be charged handling fee."

The second time I pointed out that $1.95 != $1.00, I received this:

"We would like to inform you that Buy.com has begun charging a small handling fee depending on the dollar amount of your order. This is being done to cover rising expenses.

The handling fee only applies to the Computer, Software, Electronics and Clearance stores. This type of fee is consistent with industry standards. Buy.com will continue to bring you the best service, lowest prices, and best products. "

So take whatever you think your order is going to cost, and add some random extra?

 

[Pabster]

Well, Buy.com's "Free Shipping" is a hell of a lot faster than Amazon's. I'd pay $1.95.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Well, Buy.com's "Free Shipping" is a hell of a lot faster than Amazon's. I'd pay $1.95.

Ture, 3 days for an APC UPS I got from them last week, vs. 7+ days for many Amazon orders.

The problem is since the fee I was charged isn't documented, it could be much higher for other items.

 

[intogamer]

google checkout FTW

 

[Ika]

YAAH! DIE, SCOTT BLUM!!

anyway, now that I have that out of my system...

I view this as an underhanded tactic to make prices seem lower than they are, but at least it IS better than amazon.

 

[Kaido]

Well that's dumb

 

[Slew Foot]

i love google checkout, its like a free $10 on everything.

 

[eplebnista]

Thanks for the heads up! :thumbsup:

 

[DaveSimmons]

I asked customer service to explain the $1.95 "handling fee" and got this response:

"For Budget Shipping, there is a surcharge of $1.00 for video items weighing more than 2.5 pounds and DVD items weighing more than 0.35 pounds. Therefore, you will be charged handling fee. "

Um, OK I understand it much better now

 

[flashbacck]

Originally posted by: intogamer
google checkout FTW

Does the current 10 off 30 offer for every order? or one time per store?

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Well that's dumb

 

[RossMAN]

I should have ordered that ATI HDTV tuner card last week

 

[DaveSimmons]

Update:
I asked customer service twice to explain the $1.95 fee, and received 2 form email responses of:

"For Budget Shipping, there is a surcharge of $1.00 for video items weighing more than 2.5 pounds and DVD items weighing more than 0.35 pounds. Therefore, you will be charged handling fee."

The second time I pointed out that $1.95 != $1.00, I received this:

"We would like to inform you that Buy.com has begun charging a small handling fee depending on the dollar amount of your order. This is being done to cover rising expenses.

The handling fee only applies to the Computer, Software, Electronics and Clearance stores. This type of fee is consistent with industry standards. Buy.com will continue to bring you the best service, lowest prices, and best products. "

So take whatever you think your order is going to cost, and add some random extra?

 

[akubi]

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2107.html

add your grievances and join the club..

 

[SuperNaruto]

I order from there since the early dot com days.. never had a problem.. even with lost items... they resend the items.

 

[AnyMal]

What's wrong with $1.95 handling fee? They didn't say "free handling" right? At less then two bucks, it's a very reasonable cost to have your stuff properly packaged.

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: AnyMal
What's wrong with $1.95 handling fee? They didn't say "free handling" right? At less then two bucks, it's a very reasonable cost to have your stuff properly packaged.

:roll: What next, a website usage fee? Things like that are business overhead and should be part of the products' prices. Adding it after the fact without early notice is deceitful.

 

[mflacy]

Am I crazy or did Buy.com used to charge a handling fee years ago?

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: mflacy
Am I crazy or did Buy.com used to charge a handling fee years ago?

I do not know about buy.com, but I know eCost did that or maybe still does. Haven't shopped at eCost for a long time.

IMO those secret handling fees are really stupid if they are not stated when you calculate your shipping. I'd prefer to shop at a merchant who has no "hidden" fees.

 

[crystal]

Originally posted by: flashbacck

Originally posted by: intogamer
google checkout FTW

Does the current 10 off 30 offer for every order? or one time per store?

Every order. Hurry, it will end this month.

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: crystal

Originally posted by: flashbacck

Originally posted by: intogamer
google checkout FTW

Does the current 10 off 30 offer for every order? or one time per store?

Every order. Hurry, it will end this month.

I used that on a hard drive and did not get charged a "handling fee", it must be charged on some items and not on others.

 

[Drakkon]

newegg to charge "handling" fee in 3.......2......

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
newegg to charge "handling" fee in 3.......2......

They do have their optional rush processing fee but it's voluntary for now

Originally posted by: eplebnista
I used that on a hard drive and did not get charged a "handling fee", it must be charged on some items and not on others.

3 different customer service reps replied to my emails, with 2 different stories neither of which pointed to specific policy on the website.

Rght now the answer seems to be "you get charged a fee if the order system says so."

 

[b0mbrman]

So for items where the $1.95 makes the total cost to you exceed the utility you'd receive, don't buy.

 

[artikk]

You don't like the fee? Buy your stuff somewhere else. There's no reason to complain about it, the company won't change its charging policy because of them. This is business, not democracy.