all new Pelican means higher shipping costs?!

Jim Sims · 09:15 PM

Just started to finalize an order when I noticed the ground shipping costs for this relatively small order totaled $22! Closer examination revealed that a single small part (shift rod bushing- probably doesn't weigh an ounce) is coming via second shipment from the "northern California warehouse" (Porsche OEM parts distribution center in Nevada?) at a shipping cost of $9.75! The on-line ordering doesn't appear to offer the previous option of holding the order until all the parts arrived and then shipping out a single shipment. The stated rationalization for this automatic segregation of items into separate shipments was to avoid having orders held up waiting for obscure non-stocked OEM parts. This appears to penalize customers who plan ahead with accumulated lists of OEM parts for future projects and who don't need the order to depart immediately. Can the "hold or group for a single shipment" option be restored?

bfrenz · 01-15-2006, 09:37 PM

Did you call or just use the internet. I betcha it can be worked out if you talk to someone.

cyprusx · 01-16-2006, 04:40 AM

I noticed this also.... Unfortunately, I noticed it to late!!! I would change the default to hold for all parts unless noted.

Jim Sims · 01-16-2006, 07:12 AM

Experience was on-line. Ordering and communication (via e-mail)on-line saves time and reduces the costs to the vendor (Pelican). An effective telephone order system is very expensive and limited in hours as the vendor has to have an experienced person more or less on stand by. I have had other technical item on-line vendors add an item to the on-line catalog overnight after an e-mail request on my part. All of this without a word being "spoken".

GenX Porsche · GenX Porsche's Garage

Not to speak ill of Pelican, they will always have my business. But I had an exact same experience where I just paid 9 dollars to have a 14 pin harness shipped from LA to northern California. And that was on top of the 20 "special German" fee.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

We've worked to lower our shipping costs significantly from our previous shopping cart. At first glance, it may appear like the costs are higher, but in fact the actual shipping costs are much, much lower.

One of the number one requests that people have made has been free shipping. In order to provide this to our customers, we had to segregate our operations into two separate entities - one in Northern CA and one in Southern CA. The Northern CA warehouse holds all of the commonly stocked items, and is managed by a Pelican affiliate, combining other orders to other companies to create a large economy of scale that we can pass on to our customers in the form of free and discounted air shipping.

The Southern CA warehouse still works the same was as it did in the past - compiling and assembling orders from many different suppliers.

The end result is that we can offer free shipping from the No California warehouse (and lower our pricing), while also continuing to provide the special order items have have always been available from Pelican on a regular basis.

The only downside to this system is the fact that it appears to penalize small orders that have some parts shipped from one warehouse and other parts that are shipped from another warehouse. In the past we were paying for the shipping costs for everything to be delivered here to SoCal, so the costs were actually built into parts.

I checked with FedEx.com on the shipment from No Cal to your NM address. Our cost on this (what I write the check to FedEx for) is $8.05. We typically add 20% to the shipping charge to cover boxing, packing, and the fact that the weight of the final package typically exceeds the internal weight calculations of the parts. One thing that's intersting - the same package going to Cambridge, MA costs only $6.27 - I suspect the higher rate for NM is because it's more rural. Without a doubt, NM is much closer than MA.

The bottomline is that we're monitoring the new system to see how our customers react to it. So far, the repsonse has been overwhelmingly good. The only exception / casualty has been with the increased shipping costs associated with smaller orders. We made a concerted effort to keep and expand USPS service as a viable option from our SoCal warehouse in order to keep our shipping costs as low as possible.

-Wayne

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by GenX Porsche
Not to speak ill of Pelican, they will always have my business. But I had an exact same experience where I just paid 9 dollars to have a 14 pin harness shipped from LA to northern California. And that was on top of the 20 "special German" fee.

The special "German Fee" is a 10% premium on the retail price of a part when it has to be flown in from Germany. This is what Porsche charges us for 2-3 day delivery from Germany. For a $250 part, the cost to have it flown in is $25, regardless of weight, which is pretty darn reasonable in the grand scheme of things.

The alternative is to order it and wait for it to come across the ocean in 4-6 weeks. We used to do this, but the logistics were too difficult...

-Wayne

Shuie · 01-16-2006, 10:44 AM

I ordered a fuel pump last week and the price was $4 less than before the New Pelican announcement shipping was free. Thats an improvement in my book.

Jim Sims · 01-16-2006, 11:53 AM

I fully expect the shipping and handling charge including the NM rural delivery charge. What is frustrating/irritating is after having deliberately waited until I had a group of items so I would pay one shipping charge, to then have the order automatically split and end up paying two. I suspect the reason the cost to Cambridge, MA is low compared to NM is the total lack of service there by FedEx or UPS.

We have family in Boston and have basically given up on both FedEx and UPS there; the only hassle free method to receive a package there is the USPS. I compare that to our local UPS guy who wanted to see the Porsche projects that he was delivering all the parts for.

Wayne, I hope you revise the automatic shipment split feature (bug?). There's no savings paying $16 for a shift rod bushing.

Cheers, Jim

randywebb · 01-16-2006, 12:17 PM

"but in fact the actual shipping costs are much, much lower."
- Putting this together with a stmt lower down in Wayne's reply, it must refer to the avg. outgoing shipment. Or maybe he has done some statistical analysis on what the avg. customer would pay across all shipments.

But the problem for those who place small orders remains. I place orders of a variety of sizes, and suspect the avg. size of orders I place in the futrue will decline, since the upgrades on my car may be getting accomplished. I'd hope something can be done for small orders. If not, I understand that they are no doubt inefficient to handle...

On the other issue, I defintely do not want my orders split w/o my consent and have additional shipping added to them.

But I suspect many will look elsewhere -- esp. those in larger cities who can go to a dealer with little trouble.

Dixie · Dixie's Garage

Make sure you select having your package sent via the United States Postal system if your package is small.

bfrenz · 01-16-2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Make sure you select having your package sent via the United States Postal system if your package is small.

You will get quicker delivery too.
Also note that in some remote areas UPS/ FedEx use USPS to make the final delivery. They find it cheaper for them to use them as they dont have to travel that one time to a remote location. This may add too the cost. It may be the case with what Wayne is saying, it was cheaper to ship to MA then NM.

unclenick · 01-16-2006, 03:39 PM

I did in fact notice that a small order was more to ship, so I said what the heck...ordered more and wella shipping was free. I needed it all anyways.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by randywebb
On the other issue, I defintely do not want my orders split w/o my consent and have additional shipping added to them.

I see you haven't ordered from us in the past week - the shopping cart is extremely clear on the separation of packages and what the shipping charges will be.

Quote:

But I suspect many will look elsewhere -- esp. those in larger cities who can go to a dealer with little trouble.

I doubt it. Most people don't go to the dealer. Most dealers could care less about our older cars. This is one of the reasons why Pelican has been so successful over the past eight years.

-Wayne

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Capt. Carrera
Make sure you select having your package sent via the United States Postal system if your package is small.

This is now the default option for packages shipped from our SoCal warehouse, and under 2 lbs...

-Wayne

porschenut · 01-17-2006, 10:39 AM

I, for one, had a greatly improved experience on my last order from a few days ago. Free shipping on most parts, more rapid shipping, and a better catalog. You go Wayne!

Paul Thomas · 02:45 PM

I doubt it. Most people don't go to the dealer. Most dealers could care less about our older cars. This is one of the reasons why Pelican has been so successful over the past eight years.

-Wayne [/B][/QUOTE]

I think this is less true than it used to be simply because of the dealership parts counters getting fully computerized. When they had to check the microfish (sp?), they would generally say they didnt have it available. If it is a factory part i can get it in one day with no shipping I go to the dealer.

I think Pelican's success has been due to better prices on aftermarket items that many people sell, ie. Weltmeister.

Paul

Shuie · 01-18-2006, 05:59 PM

the local dealer here admittedly stocks nothing that will fit on my car. The parts guy is great and he will get me anything thats available at comparable pricing, but that means I have to drive 45 minutes across town to pick it up a week after I really needed it. No thanks unless I have one of those PCA coupons to burn.

CarreraS2 · 01-18-2006, 07:28 PM

I loved the idea of free shipping on $75 and more!

Reminds of a company called Imparts from 10 or 15 years ago. I ordered EVERYTHING from them. Free shipping on on all orders over $50 and no sales tax.

So it was with great excitement that I started loading up my Pelican shopping cart, right next to that "FREE SHIPPING" banner.

Alas, I was met with disappointment when my cart was $75 full, and it said I needed to order something like $68 MORE to get free shipping! Since apparently so few of the items I need "qualify" for free shipping, I'm never going to get close to getting it.

Bummer.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal911SC

Alas, I was met with disappointment when my cart was $75 full, and it said I needed to order something like $68 MORE to get free shipping! Since apparently so few of the items I need "qualify" for free shipping, I'm never going to get close to getting it.

Bummer.

Roughly about 80% of the parts in our hard parts catalog qualify for free shipping. Specialty items that are only available from the dealer, and accessory items do not qualify at this time, but we will be observing the comments and suggestions of our customers in reaction to our new program, in the future...

-Wayne