FAIR shipping fees for live coral and fish.....sticker shock?

[WVNed]

I am quit willing to pay extra to get frozen foods and live animals shipped to me.

 

[Utubereefer]

I wanted a wrasse on Vivid Aquariums. The cost of the fish was $33. Shipping is $45. Or free over $225. Of course I added $192 worth of inverts and coral to my order to qualify for free shipping [emoji574]️[emoji854][emoji886][emoji226]

 

[AcroNem]

It is very strange how many hobbyists will spend several hundred dollars on nubs of corals or flashy Rhodactis mushrooms yet freak out at a 40-$50 shipping charge. I ship fish/inverts/coral frequently, and it is indeed painful. I use eps two piece molded styro boxes, 40hr heat/cold packs, and I triple/quadruple bag everything and even ship urchins in containers. It is expensive, and I've shipped more than a few times at a loss. So when I see a $50 flat rate for shipping no matter the quantity, I'm fine with that. I'm always shocked by a site I frequently order from that does free shipping and box at $125, I try to order as much as possible to offset because my invoice shows what they paid to ship that box and I feel terrible. A lot of small vendors can't get a box shipped for less than 50-75. I sent a 7x7x6 3lb box to NY from UT this week that cost me $72 AFTER discount using shipnex, and add a heat pack and an $8 box to that. I sold the items for $125 shipped.

To be blunt, shipping sucks, but it is what it is. You either pay more for items to disguise "free" shipping, or get cheaper prices and pay closer to actual shipping.

 

[Ferrell]

The shipping fees stops me from buying just 1 coral at a time. I feel I need to make it worth the purchase and just pay a 1 time shipping fee.

Side note, does anyone know if you win the WWC ebay auctions if they will allow 1 fee for shipping or you have to pay multiple?

WWC will combine your eBay orders and even allow web purchases to be placed in same box

 

[tnyr5]

The reason I do not, and will never ship:

Actual shipping for my joculator angel (Coastal CA to central PA boondocks, via a large and reputable aquarium business) was nearly $120. A friend sent me a few giant bounce Ricordea, which required a decently-sixed box (around 14 x 10 x 10). The total via UPS overnight, through his business' discount? Well over $200. It's hilarious to me when people complain about paying 39.99.

 

[jsvand5]

For me to ship a regular Battle Corals sized box, it would be at least $80 with a discount, closer to $100 retail for overnight... and I am not talking first overnight, just standard by 10:30 am overnight. If I used my business account from work, I could cut that by more than 50%, so the larger shippers do get a nice discount. The smaller guys have a lot of shipping to eat if they want to keep things comparable.

This is 100% true. I think a lot of people don’t realize how much shipping actually costs. I have an account from when I used to ship a lot of reptiles. Even with my discount it would cost me close to $100 if someone lived out in California (I’m in FL). Even just shipping relatively close was usually at least $50. They were only 12”x12” boxes for the most part. And of course every customer expected free shipping. Tough to handle the shipping charges unless you are one of the huge companies that gets huge discounts. As ball python prices dropped it got to the point where I was shipping $200 orders and having to eat $75 in shipping charges. Just eventually made it not worth the time and work. Unfortunately, I think the same will happen for a lot of the coral sellers as these “designer” corals get more common and become cheaper.

 

[amoore311]

I ship 2-4 pallets per day combination UPS and Fedex every day for my business. We have the best rates they allow until you are a huge company like home depot/amazon/etc.

I cannot over nite anything for cheaper than $35. Doesn't matter if its a 6oz package. And that is for instance shipping someplace like 60-80 miles away. If were to overnite across the country we are talking closer to $45-50.w Once you get above 10 lbs the costs go up exponentially as well.

 

[sneakerhead]

If buying from a small private seller, whatever is the cost of shipping from UPS/USPS plus the cost of packaging and supplies seems fair for starters. They are usually not eligible for business discounts and the cost adds up.
Of course, if you are buying a lot and if the seller wants to subsidize some costs, thats up to them.

 

[MnFish1]

It is very strange how many hobbyists will spend several hundred dollars on nubs of corals or flashy Rhodactis mushrooms yet freak out at a 40-$50 shipping charge. I ship fish/inverts/coral frequently, and it is indeed painful. I use eps two piece molded styro boxes, 40hr heat/cold packs, and I triple/quadruple bag everything and even ship urchins in containers. It is expensive, and I've shipped more than a few times at a loss. So when I see a $50 flat rate for shipping no matter the quantity, I'm fine with that. I'm always shocked by a site I frequently order from that does free shipping and box at $125, I try to order as much as possible to offset because my invoice shows what they paid to ship that box and I feel terrible. A lot of small vendors can't get a box shipped for less than 50-75. I sent a 7x7x6 3lb box to NY from UT this week that cost me $72 AFTER discount using shipnex, and add a heat pack and an $8 box to that. I sold the items for $125 shipped.

To be blunt, shipping sucks, but it is what it is. You either pay more for items to disguise "free" shipping, or get cheaper prices and pay closer to actual shipping.

you're right anyone that would pay for that is a fool. firstly - many frags and single zoos dont survive - secondly - they are mostly not worth anything near the amount that being charged. Note - I dont criticize the prices being charged - vendors have their options - but I would Nevee pay it myself. the shipping price is a small piece of an equation - an equation that starts with vast overpricing (imho) of stuff the dies in the end.

 

[jsvand5]

As much as I hate the cost, I'm pretty impressed when something leaves California or up north and is on my door step in Louisiana the next day at 10 AM.

It really is incredible. When you think about everything that has to go right with that package to get to your doorstep less than 18 hrs from being dropped off in the other side of the country it really blows my mind. Just the computer program that is able to route the packages and gets every one on the right planes and trucks is crazy to me. And then they even give you your money back if they are a little late.

 

[MnFish1]

I ship 2-4 pallets per day combination UPS and Fedex every day for my business. We have the best rates they allow until you are a huge company like home depot/amazon/etc.

I cannot over nite anything for cheaper than $35. Doesn't matter if its a 6oz package. And that is for instance shipping someplace like 60-80 miles away. If were to overnite across the country we are talking closer to $45-50.w Once you get above 10 lbs the costs go up exponentially as well.

right so who but a fool would buy a 6 ounce package - and I totally believe you. if you're going to by a small coral - wait until you want to buy a bunch more..... imho

 

[shred5]

Obviously there are allot of people that have not shipped a coral overnight priority in this thread.

 

[Keepswiming]

While I fully understand shipping costs etc and while I know that $40 for an overnight package is a steal, I do a lot of online shopping and shipping is very often free or MUCH less than to ship a coral or a fish.

I am an Amazon Prime member, so most of my shipments are free when buying from Amazon. I think that is part of the problem though... I will admit, I have come to expect free shipping. However, I have also learned that when ordering online, the shipping IS part of the cost I am paying. So saving $20 by buying online is only saving $2 if I pay $18 for shipping. Taking that into consideration is vitally important if you are being conscious of how much you are spending. And, YES, I will absolutely buy another $50 fish to reach the "free shipping plateau" and save $35 on shipping, it's like getting a $50 item for $15!

^This. I practically add fish and Corals into my cart until I reach the free shipping and free gifts lol!

The real issue is large companies dealing with volume and eating shipping costs makes the consumer expect this from all. Small businesses simply can’t do this...

 

[jsvand5]

^This. I practically add fish and Corals into my cart until I reach the free shipping and free gifts lol!

The real issue is large companies dealing with volume and eating shipping costs makes the consumer expect this from all. Small businesses simply can’t do this...

The large companies also just have a huge advantage of getting shipping prices that are less than half of what smaller companies have to pay. I’ve gotten boxes from LA and saltwaterfish.com that would have cost me $80 under my account with a discount. Many times those boxes are right at $100 worth of stuff in them. I usually buy the fish I want and then just add snails to get right up to the $99 threshold. Then with live aquaria you can even use your rewards dollars and still get free shipping. It’s crazy.

I have a friend that is an engineer for General Electric so he ships a lot of parts for them. He said their shipping account is set up so they just pay a flat rate to fedex for the year no matter how many packages they send. Not sure if he’s right about that or not though. It would definitely explain the free shipping companies offer at such low prices though.

 

[Keepswiming]

The large companies also just have a huge advantage of getting shipping prices that are less than half of what smaller companies have to pay. I’ve gotten boxes from LA and saltwaterfish.com that would have cost me $80 under my account with a discount. Many times those boxes are right at $100 worth of stuff in them. I usually buy the fish I want and then just add snails to get right up to the $99 threshold. Then with live aquaria you can even use your rewards dollars and still get free shipping. It’s crazy.

I have a friend that is an engineer for General Electric so he ships a lot of parts for them. He said their shipping account is set up so they just pay a flat rate to fedex for the year no matter how many packages they send. Not sure if he’s right about that or not though. It would definitely explain the free shipping companies offer at such low prices though.

Exactly, it is factors like this that make roughly 20% of small businesses fail in the first year. Got to love capitalism in America!

This is why I truly make an attempt to support local small businesses even outside of reef-keeping. The issue is most livestock that I am looking for are not available locally because they cannot stock the volume, so I have to go online and fall subject to the big business sales tactics. This only exacerbates the problem because I am impatient, and amazon constructs my schema to believe that if I don't have it within 48 hrs its slow/late.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I've ordered online in the past, and what makes me buying large enough quantities for live corals is free shipping at $100. And also Dry Goods.

 

[MnFish1]

Exactly, it is factors like this that make roughly 20% of small businesses fail in the first year. Got to love capitalism in America!

This is why I truly make an attempt to support local small businesses even outside of reef-keeping. The issue is most livestock that I am looking for are not available locally because they cannot stock the volume, so I have to go online and fall subject to the big business sales tactics. This only exacerbates the problem because I am impatient, and amazon constructs my schema to believe that if I don't have it within 48 hrs its slow/late.

Except - that every company big and small usually gives discounts to people who buy more. Thus a company that ships 5000 packages a day gets a lower shipping rate than companies that ship 2 packages/week. This makes sense. If big companies weren't shipping that much the smaller companies would pay even more. I don't view it as some kind of scheme that evil big business is guilty of.

The reason 20% of small businesses fail is poor planning. Its not 'capitalism in America' (IMHO). If it doesn't make financial sense to run a company that can't get a good discount for shipping - then that's not a good business to be in (unless - like you suggest - they are shipping rare things that other companies can't get).

A couple months ago - there was a big argument when the law came out that companies that sell on the internet need to start making customers pay state tax. That law - which was designed to help small business by evening the playing field - was widely criticized here.

IMHO - places like live aquaria also get their livestock more cheaply from suppliers overseas, etc - thus they can charge less for shipping - and still make more on the fish. Again - they buy more - they pay less. Are you advocating that every company with more than 4 employees be banned or something?

 

[Keepswiming]

Except - that every company big and small usually gives discounts to people who buy more. Thus a company that ships 5000 packages a day gets a lower shipping rate than companies that ship 2 packages/week. This makes sense. If big companies weren't shipping that much the smaller companies would pay even more. I don't view it as some kind of scheme that evil big business is guilty of.

The reason 20% of small businesses fail is poor planning. Its not 'capitalism in America' (IMHO). If it doesn't make financial sense to run a company that can't get a good discount for shipping - then that's not a good business to be in (unless - like you suggest - they are shipping rare things that other companies can't get).

A couple months ago - there was a big argument when the law came out that companies that sell on the internet need to start making customers pay state tax. That law - which was designed to help small business by evening the playing field - was widely criticized here.

IMHO - places like live aquaria also get their livestock more cheaply from suppliers overseas, etc - thus they can charge less for shipping - and still make more on the fish. Again - they buy more - they pay less. Are you advocating that every company with more than 4 employees be banned or something?

I think your reading into my personal opinions to much. I just purchased from live aquaria twice this week, so no...

Simply stating some reasons why I feel the big companies have the advantage, thus make it harder on the little guys.

 

[Keepswiming]

Except - that every company big and small usually gives discounts to people who buy more. Thus a company that ships 5000 packages a day gets a lower shipping rate than companies that ship 2 packages/week. This makes sense. If big companies weren't shipping that much the smaller companies would pay even more. I don't view it as some kind of scheme that evil big business is guilty of.

The reason 20% of small businesses fail is poor planning. Its not 'capitalism in America' (IMHO). If it doesn't make financial sense to run a company that can't get a good discount for shipping - then that's not a good business to be in (unless - like you suggest - they are shipping rare things that other companies can't get).

A couple months ago - there was a big argument when the law came out that companies that sell on the internet need to start making customers pay state tax. That law - which was designed to help small business by evening the playing field - was widely criticized here.

IMHO - places like live aquaria also get their livestock more cheaply from suppliers overseas, etc - thus they can charge less for shipping - and still make more on the fish. Again - they buy more - they pay less. Are you advocating that every company with more than 4 employees be banned or something?

Prime example, go find a small LFS that can offer Hawaiian flame wrasses (female) for $83, and give you a $50 gift card plus free shipping when you order over $170. There is something to be said about large volume retail...

 

[squampton]

The places I am familiar with in Canada charge in the $35 to $50 range for courier service, sometimes its more cost effective to use airline service depending on the vendor. I have ordered a few times for things I can't find locally, but for the most part I get 99% of my livestock at local stores or people selling stuff from their tanks as for the most part I am not willing to pay the shipping rates.