Why Do People Do This?

[KatL]

MANY times when I'm taking an order and the company is offering free shipping if you order over a certain amount, the customer will give me their item numbers, ask if they've reached the amount for the free shipping (how can you not know how much you're spending?) and when I tell them no they start grumbling and look and look and look through the catalog for something to add to reach the free shipping mark. I DON'T understand! Why waste 10 minutes searching for an item that you don't really want that costs $40, just to save $10 in shipping?

This morning I had kinda the same thing happen but it made even less sense. Lady gave me an item number and then asked me how much the shipping was and how much more she could spend before the shipping charge changed. I told her. So she started looking through the catalog and gave me another item number which took her over that amount and to the next shipping charge. Asked me again how much more she could spend before the shipping charge changed and how much she could spend. I told her $11. Then she got all flustered and told me I'd need to be patent with her while she tried to find an $11 item. Babbled about how there wasn't even anything else she wanted and what was she supposed to do. I was trying to figure out how to ask her what the hell she was doing without being rude when the call was disconnected and I was glad.

Can anyone shed any light on WTF people are thinking in the above scenarios?

[Rapscallion]

We have a similar situation with minimum orders. However, with wholesale, we often find that shops will take another couple of cases of something they sell plenty of to make the minimum. Also, we have nearly six thousand product on our listings, so we can usually suggest something we have on offer at the moment.

Rapscallion

[ominousoat]

Ah yes...Amazon was so damn clever when they came up with that little banner on the checkout cart that says "You're only $x away from SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!"

[Drakstern]

It's because, for some reason, people will spend a lot of money to get something for free. It doesn't matter that the free item might only be 10 bucks and they're spending 50 to get it, THEY WANT THEIR FREE STUFF.

[BookstoreEscapee]

It's the PRINCIPLE of the thing!

Sorry.

[Boozy]

I often do this when I order from a catalogue....except I've got it all figured out BEFORE I call.
I sort of see buying an extra $40 item that saves me $10 in shipping as a discount on that extra item. So an item that I want but I thought was a little pricey looks more appealing if I save on shipping by getting it.
Yes, I've spent an extra $30 overall, but I've gotten an extra item, too.
With that said, I'd never buy something I don't want to save on shipping. It sounds like your customers would.

[rvdammit]

You're only saving money if it's something you would have bought anyway.

[allniter]

It's because, for some reason, people will spend a lot of money to get something for free. It doesn't matter that the free item might only be 10 bucks and they're spending 50 to get it, THEY WANT THEIR FREE STUFF.

If it's my business they're in and wanna do that, I'll gladly smile and be jovial the whole way through

[Jack7957]

Ah yes...Amazon was so damn clever when they came up with that little banner on the checkout cart that says "You're only $x away from SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!"

That's why I keep alot of books and DVDs in my Wishlist, so if I ever need something that's less than $25, I can find something I want to help me get the free shipping.

[the lawsmeister]

The same things happens at a pizza shop my friend owns.
If you order over $xx you get a free garlic bread or salad or whatever. People will order something worth $8 - $10 to get a free garlic bread that would have only cost $2. Its insane.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

That's why I keep alot of books and DVDs in my Wishlist, so if I ever need something that's less than $25, I can find something I want to help me get the free shipping.

Me too. Saves a lot of headaches when shopping, I can tell you.

Hard part is going back later and deleting the items I've already bought though. Last time I checked, I had only 12 pages of stuff on my list.

Nah, I don't want much.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Gee! I feel like some sort of mutant. I look at a list and say...

"Hrm, I spent $60 on the items I wanted, Shipping is $15 so that comes down to $75. Or I can spend $40 more on crap I don't want right now and get free shipping. $75 or $100...hard choice...I think I'll spend the $60, pay the $15 shipping and take the $25 I didn't spend and take my wife to the movies."

I must be some sort of freak.

Mongo

[Pezzle]

Ah yes...Amazon was so damn clever when they came up with that little banner on the checkout cart that says "You're only $x away from SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!"

Dear mother of Christ Caramels I'm guilty o' this one. "5 bucks away from super saver shipping? Well jeesus bogs, maybe now I have an excuse to buy that other Sisters of Mercy CD i've been after! IMPORTS :>"

[Mark Healey]

Sure, if you can buy somthing you will use eventually you can save shipping on that item and what you are buying for immediate use by combining orders.

Or.

Say, there is an item for $20.00 that is worh $15.00 to you. If your current order would entail $10.00 in shipping and that $20.00 item would get you free shipping, then adding it would be like getting it for $10.00, $5.00 less than the value you assign it.

[AFpheonix]

I'll do it if I'm ordering through a catalog that carries other stuff I'm going to be using at some point anyways, even if I don't need it right that second, like shampoo or hoof black or other grooming supplies for my horses.