WTF is up with Buy.com's new "handling fee" on Free Shipping??????

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91
How can they call it free shipping if there's a handling fee????? Granted, the fee was only $.99 for $12.00 worth of stuff but still...
 

spanky

Lifer
Jun 19, 2001
25,716
4
81
i got that from somewhere else back in the day. free shipping, but handling was like $5. :Q
 

Challenger

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2001
3,028
36
91
Same thing Summit Racing has been doing for years.They can claim free shipping and still sneak in a charge to pretty much cover shipping,even though the cost of handling is already covered in the price of the merchandise.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
4
0
Well, you have the term "Shipping & Handling"

Shipping is free, but the handling will cost ya :p
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
They're paying $5.00 to ship you $12.00 worth of junk, and they have the nerve to charge a buck handling fee on top of it? Those bastards!
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91
Originally posted by: Ornery
They're paying $5.00 to ship you $12.00 worth of junk, and they have the nerve to charge a buck handling fee on top of it? Those bastards!

Well they should say "Free shipping + handling fee" instead of trying to sneak it in at the last order confirmation page...sneaky bastards.
 

kami333

Diamond Member
Dec 12, 2001
5,110
2
76
True, they should put that in somewhere. Personally I have no problems with handling fees, I sell a lot on eBay so I know what it's like if you want to package something well.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: Ornery They're paying $5.00 to ship you $12.00 worth of junk, and they have the nerve to charge a buck handling fee on top of it? Those bastards!
Well they should say "Free shipping + handling fee" instead of trying to sneak it in at the last order confirmation page...sneaky bastards.

they did...
Handling Fee

<SPAN class=headline>
Handling Fee
</SPAN>Applies to cover the cost to process and fulfill buy.com orders.

0 - $24.99 $ .99

 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91
Originally posted by: guyver01
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: Ornery They're paying $5.00 to ship you $12.00 worth of junk, and they have the nerve to charge a buck handling fee on top of it? Those bastards!
Well they should say "Free shipping + handling fee" instead of trying to sneak it in at the last order confirmation page...sneaky bastards.

they did...
<a class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.buy.com/corp/support/shipping/tables.asp?what=much" target=blank>Handling Fee</A>

<SPAN class=headline>
<STRONG>Handling Fee</STRONG>
</SPAN>Applies to cover the cost to process and fulfill buy.com orders.

0 - $24.99 $ .99

Not on the product page. All it says is "free shipping." No disclaimers til you get to the order confirmation screen. Someone who has been using the free shipping option at Buy.com for the past few months might place an order without even noticing it.


http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10248821&loc=101

Even when you click the free shipping icon on the product page, it makes NO mention of the handling fee
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
33,944
1
0
It looks like they are finally trying to recoup lost revenue. I just noticed the new "handling fee" and high shipping charges yesterday.
 

Parrotheader

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
3,434
2
0
Originally posted by: kami333
True, they should put that in somewhere. Personally I have no problems with handling fees, I sell a lot on eBay so I know what it's like if you want to package something well.
That's true, but that's really more applicable to private parties or small businesses who don't have their own shipping and distribution facilities on site. For business with those facilities on site it's basically just a ploy to make a deal seem more attractive to the consumer while still making roughly the same amount of profit on the business's end. It's not that much different than those Wal-Mart stickers that say "Was $23.98, Now $17.99." Then you peel back the sticker on the display rack and see that it was ALWAYS $17.99. That's personally my biggest pet peeve.