"Ohh, If Only ...." When Policies Are Compared

[RetailActress]

My women's apparel retail store also has a catalog channel, print as well as online.
When we don't have what a customer wants right there in our store, we'll suggest that she use our dedicated-line courtesy phone to place a catalog order for her next-best chance of fulfillment. These in-store-placed catalog orders (shipped to a home address) get a reduced shipping & handling fee, but they're not FREE.

Invariably, SCs will protest,"But, LL BEAN always has FREE SHIPPPING!"

Or, "But, ZAPPO'S always has FREE SHIPPING!"

Or, "But, COLDWATER CREEK always has FREE SHIPPING!"

Naturally, when I hear this whiny crap, I want to snarl, "Then do yer g.d. shopping THERE and get outta here!"

However, as my name indicates, I am a paid Retail Actress, so instead I purr:

[with sweetly-apologetic smile and sympathetically-tilted eyebrows] "Ohhhh ..... IF ONLY we were LL Bean!"

...... pause ....... let that sink in ........ perhaps SC will "get it"? ......... if not ....

[meaningful sigh] "But, we're not." ..... another significant pause, and then, with polite delicacy, "Did you want to continue with your order?"

99.9% of the time, they do. <eye roll>

This frequent little act is a real PITA.

[PepperElf]

...i guess i'm just not getting it... (either that or i'm not an entitlement whore when it comes to shipping)

to be free shipping is a "oh cool, that too?" kind of bonus, or an incentive.
but if they didn't have it... well they didn't have it.

then again...most of those big name stores draw in enough profit to afford giving free shipping. or they gouge the prices up to cover the loss. (or both)

[bigjimaz]

Take it from someone who knows. Those people who think they're getting "free" shipping at stores like LL Bean, VS, etc., are paying for it in some way, either by handling or convenience fees or higher item prices. You guys are at least honest about it.

[marasbaras]

People see "free" and their brain stops.

[Peppergirl]

God, don't you hate that?

Like when they call me and ask for a price quote and then say "Well, on travelocity it was x.xx (random cheaper amount)"

Ok. Then logic would say to hang up with me and go book it on Travelocity, right?

Wait....did I just use the dreaded "L" word in relation to an SC? What was I thinking?

[Becks]

to be free shipping is a "oh cool, that too?" kind of bonus, or an incentive.
but if they didn't have it... well they didn't have it.

That's how I feel.

I do try to make sure I'm not paying more for shipping than the item(s) I'm buying, though. (Used books from amazon.com excluded.)

[chops]

God, don't you hate that?

Like when they call me and ask for a price quote and then say "Well, on travelocity it was x.xx (random cheaper amount)"

Ok. Then logic would say to hang up with me and go book it on Travelocity, right?

I'd get the same thing at the Planet-With-a-Big-Ring-Around-It place. We'd get people looking at a used car who'd say that they can get the same car (usually they'd claim it was cleaner, newer, fewer miles) down the street for less than what we were selling our car for. Obviously, this was a ploy to get us to lower our price, which is against Planet-With-a-Big-Ring-Around-It policy.

[Broomjockey]

Yeah, most of the time, places with free shipping make it up in volume, higher price, lower overhead, or a combination. That's why I like Amazon actually. They're fairly honest about it. "Yes. You will get free shipping. But only if you're buying enough to make it worth our while. Oh look, you only need THIS much more to make it worth our while!"

Damned good marketing, I'd say. "Oh look, if I spend $20 more, I save $12 on shipping!"

[earl colby pottinger]

I wish

God, don't you hate that?

Like when they call me and ask for a price quote and then say "Well, on travelocity it was x.xx (random cheaper amount)"

Ok. Then logic would say to hang up with me and go book it on Travelocity, right?

Wait....did I just use the dreaded "L" word in relation to an SC? What was I thinking?

I wish there was some way to do a follow-up after their trip, I like to cruise and I am read the cruising forums all the time. And they are full of people wailing how their cheaper internet trip were missing all sorts of extras or had taxes added later that there was no mention of on the websites.

When an internet site offers savings greater than the profit margins of flesh & blood agents then there *ALWAYS* is something missing!

[Rapscallion]

Pay less, get less.

There are few exceptions.

Rapscallion

[Catwoman2965]

I wish there was some way to do a follow-up after their trip, I like to cruise and I am read the cruising forums all the time. And they are full of people wailing how their cheaper internet trip were missing all sorts of extras or had taxes added later that there was no mention of on the websites.

When an internet site offers savings greater than the profit margins of flesh & blood agents then there *ALWAYS* is something missing!

I know...me too....I LOVE to cruise, and laugh at those people who complain that the cruise line or travel agent had it for this much more than some website. Hello, did you add in port charges or taxes, or now, the fuel surcharge? My line of choice is Royal Caribbean and they DO NOT discount. so no matter where you book, you pay the same. some places may throw in some extras, but i prefer to use my trusted travel agent, who will go to bat for me if anything happens. A

These are the same people who whine and moan that you have to pay for this and that ON the ship...yeah, some stuff is pricy, but no one is holding a gun to your head to buy or pay for stuff!