Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=Brock Poling] If I told you what the wholesale rate on magazine subscriptions are you would fall over dead. About 50% of titles are (nearly) pure profit for the subscription agent.[/QUOTE]
Yep, I knew that, but on the other hand, it would cost me 50%, give or take, above the subscription price to buy it at a local retailer. My beef is when a subscription is listed at, say, $24.00, and then they add the small print saying, "plus 6.00 for shipping." Well, it HAS to be shipped, so why not just say a subscription is $30.00?

[QUOTE=Don Williams] I'd rather see the shipping cost and the handling/packaging cost split from the wood than buried in the price.[/QUOTE]
Shipping, sure, because it's an expected expense; but for handling, why? I understand the concepts of labor and overhead, and, I think, so does everyone else here, so why include what SEEMS like a hidden charge? I've backed away from purchases when I saw things like that. I'd suggest, instead of a "surprise" charge, offer the "reward" of a discount for local pickup.

Please understand, Don, I don't think you're being underhanded in the way you're doing business; but consumers are getting frustrated by being "nickeled & dimed" everywhere we turn, and I think that sometimes businesses don't understand that they may be hurting themselves.

So would you rather see an invoice like this:?

Wood...................120.00
Postage.................12.00
Box......................3.50
Bubblewrap...............1.25
Shrinkwrap...............0.25

Or would you rather see it like this:

Wood...................140.00
Postage.................12.00

Get the point? With it all spelled out, you know exactly what you're getting. Scenario 2 can build in all kinds of stuff and isn't necessarily a better deal is it?

What you're talking about is perception. Most people don't have an issue paying S&H.....like I said, they can get you either way. Sounds like you'd just rather not know about it!

I completely understand your point...really I do...but I think it's a matter of perception. Not all people look at a handling charge as nickel & dime-ing people to death. Handling charges are a fact of reality.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=CarltonM] [QUOTE=Brock Poling] If I told you what the wholesale rate on magazine subscriptions are you would fall over dead. About 50% of titles are (nearly) pure profit for the subscription agent.[/QUOTE]
Yep, I knew that, but on the other hand, it would cost me 50%, give or take, above the subscription price to buy it at a local retailer. My beef is when a subscription is listed at, say, $24.00, and then they add the small print saying, "plus 6.00 for shipping." Well, it HAS to be shipped, so why not just say a subscription is $30.00?[/QUOTE]

That is a rip off. If you report them to the publisher they will get in touble for that. There is no shipping fee on subscriptions... unless your international then the price is just a little higher.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=Don Williams] So would you rather see an invoice like this:?

Wood...................120.00
Postage.................12.00
Box......................3.50
Bubblewrap...............1.25
Shrinkwrap...............0.25

Or would you rather see it like this:

Wood...................140.00
Postage.................12.00
[/QUOTE]
Well, neither one. I'd buy from the guy who charged $125.00 for the wood and $12.00 for the shipping.

You're correct, it is about perception--that was my point.

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]That is a rip off. If you report them to the publisher they will get in touble for that. There is no shipping fee on subscriptions... unless your international then the price is just a little higher.

[/QUOTE]
Brock, here's an example--An insert in the latest issue of Men's Health magazine offers a subscription for $19.97...plus $4.97 for "delivery." I would assume that this is an offer from the publisher. It is a deal compared to the $45.00 cover price, but it just seems like something is false in an offer like this.

Are they giving away a perk (golf umbrella or some such trinket?)

I have never heard of this... but then again... I have been out of the magazine business for a few years.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]
Are they giving away a perk (golf umbrella or some such trinket?)[/QUOTE]
Oh, yep--a "free" health tips pamphlet. That explains it. Still doesn't make it right, but it explains it.

[QUOTE=charliewood] Larry,
Do you make knives as well? I had one made by my friend Seth Burton from Cosmo Knives on Saltspring Island
http://www.cosmoknives.com/


Charlie[/QUOTE]

I don't, Charlie......mater of fact I don't make time for any hobby stuff. I do have an acrylicized wood knife handle product line I peddle at several knife shows a year. I feel guilty when I cut wood for myself...like I should be cutting a customer's order. Been saving a 600 pound Thuya burl boulder for a sculpture carving for 4 years now...maybe next year

[QUOTE=Don Williams] So would you rather see an invoice like this:?

Wood...................120.00
Postage.................12.00
Box......................3.50
Bubblewrap...............1.25
Shrinkwrap...............0.25

Or would you rather see it like this:

Wood...................140.00
Postage.................12.00
[/QUOTE]

Don, you missed some:

strapping tape

printer ink used on labels

UPS dally pick up account service fee $11-16 per week plus thermal printer rent. If no pick up account, $4 per package scheduled pick up. If no pick up then drive stuff to UPS outlet.

USPS shipping...drive to post office, wait in line self or employee

cover and protection boards for delicate wood. Foam or packing peanuts cost

wrapping time for self or employee. If self then shop work stops. If employee then pay employee. I wrap for 3 hours per day sometimes.

Liability for damaged wood or product if insurance claim denied.

If order is paid by credit or debit card small business get tagged with a large merchant service fee around 4% of the material and shipping costs charged to the card. Material can absorb the 4% out of "profits", but there is no profit in shipping to absorb the 4% cost from.

Customer gets to open his front door and take the package from the UPS driver...very convenient for customer

Alternative method is consumer can drive (say 500 miles for a luthier specific wood or gear) $75-100 fuel, $65 motel, 2 days driving time (no value or customer wouldn't be doing this). Supplier hands the customer the goods in his store or shop...very convenient for seller.

There's probably more, but I've got shipments to wrap

I stand corrected !

All of that should give folks something to think about I guess.

It's a lot of work and time just buying the wood, let alone all the processing and all the other intangibles.

Typically, I have to travel over an hour and a half to get to a place where I can look through wood that might possibly be instrument grade, if there's anything worth looking at there at all. Then there's the time to sand and slice wood, then stickering, the space it takes up, etc etc. All that costs. And don't even get me started about checks from out of the country! My bank charges like $15 or $20 to cash an out-of-the-country check. So much for profit...

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."