Year One Shipping Costs

[Dodge Don]

I have used Year One alot however always ordered large shipments and the shipping costs were quite reasonable...I'm talking about very large orders. They pack everything together so the costs were okay. And I've pretty much had nothing but good experiences with Year One.

I've heard complaints about their shipping costs and when you order one thing I now see the problem 

I recently realized I needed their premium glass inner/outer felt weatherstripping. Costs like $112 or something. Shipping cost was $38 and change and then I get hit with another $57 in UPS fees. Here is the kicker....these pieces should have come in a box 4" high by 4" wide.......but nooooo....they came in a box 8" high by 14" wide. Complete and total overkill. No doubt driving up the shipping cost.

Why would Year One do this? Well I did some digging and although Year One is not a publicly traded company (so I cannot see their sales/revenue filings) I did note that UPS has "volume discounts". This is a hidden program. If a shipper like Year One drives more volume through UPS they get a discount on the back end (25-26%). So Year One drives up their shipping volume with UPS (which we pay) and then later UPS kicks back around 25% to Year One (which they keep as part of their revenue).

So had they sent it in a smaller box lets say the shipping cost would be $25 for arguments sake.....they would get a kick back of $6.25. But by sending in a larger box at $38 shipping their kick back would be $9.50. Because volume discounts are credited back after the fact they keep this as profit.

Anyone else get a small part in an obscenely oversized box? 

[lisiecki1]

+100000 got screwed on my window felts too.....

[Nacho-RT74]

same about same... plus felts are pieces of S**T...

try to imagine the shipping to FL, with that shipping cost PLUS use same box on the international courier!

[Dodge Don]

same about same... plus felts are pieces of S**T...

try to imagine the shipping to FL, with that shipping cost PLUS use same box on the international courier!

They sell two versions of the felts. The "standard" ones are absolute garbage. The "premium" ones are alot better and almost identical to OEM...I had the standard ones and they were crap so I got the premium ones which are very nice. 

[Nacho-RT74]

not to 3rd gens, just standart. AND THEY TOLD ME ON THAT MOMENT THEY WEREN'T ANYMORE STANDART AND ALL WERE PREMIUMS

LIARS LIARS LIARS

[moparstuart]

not to 3rd gens, just standart. AND THEY TOLD ME ON THAT MOMENT THEY WEREN'T ANYMORE STANDART AND ALL WERE PREMIUMS

LIARS LIARS LIARS

man you have the worst time with parts and suppliers , they must think your so far away let screw him he cant do anything about it , sorry about all your bad luck 

[Silver R/T]

I've ordered vapor separator and this is box it came in. You can fit two or three of these in the same box.

[Ghoste]

Its a shame too because before they went incorporated, they were a good place to deal with.

[The70RT]

I've ordered vapor separator and this is box it came in. You can fit two or three of these in the same box.

That is the same size box they shipped my e-brake groumet in. It is the size of a 50 cent piece. They sent me the groumet and my cable was back ordered for a couple weeks. Why would they send the groumet when It goes on the cable when it is installed They could have saved both of us on combined shipping.

[Troy]

Well, I worked in mail order for 10 years and I've heard every complaint in the book (and our shipping rates really were reasonable). You can't possibly keep every size of box ever known to man on the shelf. The packers need to have as many sizes as possible within reach or they spend a large amount of time walking instead of packing. Year One has pre-printed boxes so more sizes equates to larger cost. A little air space is never a bad thing (less chance of a puncture or dent in the box ruining the items inside). The weight difference of packing material is usually negligible. Using a box one size bigger than absolutely necessary and filling it with peanuts or balled up paper won't usually even change the overall weight enough to go up to the next rate. Packing multiple items into the same box certainly saves everyone money. Back orders put a damper on this approach though because now you have to print, process, pick, pack, and ship the same order multiples times.

It's a safe bet that anyone who ships a large amount of packages through any shipper gets a volume discount. With that in mind, the source of complaints for most shippers becomes the difference between actual cost to ship and the charge to the customer. Year One isn't making as much off of kickbacks from UPS as they are from overinflating shipping prices in the first place. A company gets charged by weight per package (not the cost of the item). It's difficult to know the weight of every package at the time the customer places the order so, to be totally fair, the customer should get a second bill/charge just for the actual shipping amount. This doesn't work in the real world so averages are used. Some companies average the amount to break even and others make sure their estimate is high enough that they'll never lose money. If there is an additional charge from the shipping company (ie oversize box or exceeding the wight limit), this is usually charged to the customer but not at every company - they average these back in which essentially raises the cost on all those tiny little items that people seem to love to order one at a time. In some cases, a company will pay return shipping on any defective order which also affects the overall average.

Don't forget that shipping charges usually include "handling" which covers the 800 number, web site, printing, and packaging as well as (possibly) the salaries of the phone order takers, order pickers, QA, packers, and the guys who weigh, document, and load the shipments. This is a totally subjective number and varies widely between companies.

Troy

[4cruzin]

I will shop somewhere else if I can as I think Year One is a big rip-off.  The only way I will buy there is if I can't seem to find the part I need anywhere else.   

[Nacho-RT74]

Don't forget that shipping charges usually include "handling" which covers the 800 number, web site, printing, and packaging as well as (possibly) the salaries of the phone order takers, order pickers, QA, packers, and the guys who weigh, document, and load the shipments. This is a totally subjective number and varies widely between companies.

Troy

Damn, now I wish to work to those services on year one LOL

[The70RT]

 The bottom line is whatever suits them best not the customer. With hard times now with less sales why bite the hand that feed you. It's just not America anymore.

[dkn1997]

I just received a 500.00 order from them.  cost 60 bucks to ship it.  this thing weighed 10lbs.  They totally rape you on shipping.  thank god I got 25% off the order or else I would have really gotten hosed.

Call me crazy, but I thought that the 800 number, website, salaries, warehouse were overhead.  I feel that should be built into the prices.  If yearone doesn't want to do that, then make the price what everyone else charges.  They don't .  they hit you twice by charging more for merchandise than anyone else period. Then they hit you with more than anyone else on the shipping.  In the end, you are paying more for their parts because 1. it's easy one stop shopping  2. generally good on returns 3. they do have some parts that you might not find anywhere else.

Im as guilty as anyone for buying there for the above reasons.  They also have very good descriptions in their catalog and sometimes that can help those of us who are less than knowledgable pick the right stuff. 

Anyone can explain it anyway they want, but YEARONE does beat you over the head.  for some of us, at certain times, the beating is worth it.  Definitely not for small items though.

[TUFCAT]

I read Troy's explanation and, living in the real world, what he speaks is 100% true but.....

The thing that pisses me off is buying one item from YO, let's use bumper guard cushions as a specific example, which weigh less than a pound!  Once you add the cardboard box, processing, and the inflated shipping.....I'm getting charged close to $15 shipping from Georgia to Michigan?  Hell, I could have shipped these overnight for that price! 

Unfortunately, there are many problems with YO approach. I do agree with Troy about costs, etc, but I'm willing to bet the cost to retain an existing customer these days is probably damn near (or exceeds) the cost to attract a new one in the first place...especially ones with a proven payment record, and potential to spend considerable amounts of money as their project advances.

First of all, YO certainly should realize NOBODY wants their hard earned money being used as a "profit center" with shipping.... especially when, in most cases the product in question is already priced higher than their competitors. Secondly, the high shipping cost is SO DAMN OBVIOUS! 

Sure, I can be gouged a little on shipping and I may not notice.....and it probably happens more frequently than I realize due to volume discounts passed onto mail order retailers from UPS and FedEX....

Never has it been more obvious to the consumer than Year One!  I'm sorry but, most people are just not willing to pay for this anymore.

Summit racing, for example only charges $9.99 per order with FREE SHIPPING. Whether you buy 10 items, or a $4.99 license plate frame, the fixed cost is the same $9.99 which is a bonus when you buy a lot of big stuff.

When I order from Summit (for example),  I'm always spending more - - just to take advantage of the free shipping. I consider their measly $9.99 handling "the shipping" ....and I really don't care what the actual shipping cost is!  I just know I got a good deal.

If an on-line retailer expects to win my business, you must offer a top quality product, at a fair "delivered price" or I will look elsewhere.  Generally speaking,  just about all retailers these days have the same items for much less than YO without the shipping ripoff.....which generally puts YO at a 20% disadvantage right from the beginning!

Then they have the balls to offer us a 20% discount???  Get serious. Like most everyone else, unless Year One has an EXCLUSIVE part that I REALLY need....they won't get my business.

I expect it will be tough staying in business selling only YEAR ONE EXCLUSIVE items - - without the sales revenue from other catalog items. Unless they stop this nonsense, this is how we will most likely treat YO in the future.   


More here:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,53928.0.html


 

[1969chargerrtse]

I read Troy's explanation and, living in the real world, what he speaks is 100% true but.....

The thing that pisses me off is buying one item from YO, let's use bumper guard cushions as a specific example, which weigh less than a pound!  Once you add the cardboard box, processing, and the inflated shipping.....I'm getting charged close to $15 shipping from Georgia to Michigan?  Hell, I could have shipped these overnight for that price! 

Unfortunately, there are many problems with YO approach. I do agree with Troy about costs, etc, but I'm willing to bet the cost to retain an existing customer these days is probably damn near (or exceeds) the cost to attract a new one in the first place...especially ones with a proven payment record, and potential to spend considerable amounts of money as their project advances.

First of all, YO certainly should realize NOBODY wants their hard earned money being used as a "profit center" with shipping.... especially when, in most cases the product in question is already priced higher than their competitors. Secondly, the high shipping cost is SO DAMN OBVIOUS! 

Sure, I can be gouged a little on shipping and I may not notice.....and it probably happens more frequently than I realize due to volume discounts passed onto mail order retailers from UPS and FedEX....

Never has it been more obvious to the consumer than Year One!  I'm sorry but, most people are just not willing to pay for this anymore.

Summit racing, for example only charges $9.99 per order with FREE SHIPPING. Whether you buy 10 items, or a $4.99 license plate frame, the fixed cost is the same $9.99 which is a bonus when you buy a lot of big stuff.

When I order from Summit (for example),  I'm always spending more - - just to take advantage of the free shipping. I consider their measly $9.99 handling "the shipping" ....and I really don't care what the actual shipping cost is!  I just know I got a good deal.

If an on-line retailer expects to win my business, you must offer a top quality product, at a fair "delivered price" or I will look elsewhere.  Generally speaking,  just about all retailers these days have the same items for much less than YO without the shipping ripoff.....which generally puts YO at a 20% disadvantage right from the beginning!

Then they have the balls to offer us a 20% discount???  Get serious. Like most everyone else, unless Year One has an EXCLUSIVE part that I REALLY need....they won't get my business.

I expect it will be tough staying in business selling only YEAR ONE EXCLUSIVE items - - without the sales revenue from other catalog items. Unless they stop this nonsense, this is how we will most likely treat YO in the future.   


More here:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,53928.0.html


 

Well written and 100% true.  I bought my reverse harness from them because they were one of the only places I found that had the correct connector that plugs into the factory connector off the bulk head.  It came in a big box and shipping was overpriced.  Thing is, they loose because I figured that out already and buy most parts else where.  Lets not even get into the quality of some of their stuff, like the rear lamp gaskets for my 69.  They were so cheap, and off looking, I had them ship me another set and they were the same thing ( I thought they were for a Coronet ) .  I just threw them in the garbage.

[quapman]

I could go on for hours about Year Zero's shipping policies, but I will try to keep it short.

A few years ago I posted a comment on another board that said some VERY unflattering things about YO. I was trying to buy a large quantity of a particular part and they wanted to charge me $60 shipping for about 4lbs. of parts, based on the PART PRICE.

I got a phone call the next day from Kevin King himself (he's the prez. of YO).

After a LONG conversation, I finally had him convinced that UPS charges by WEIGHT, NOT by the value of the goods. This guy was previously THAT ignorant (or a good actor). Not stupid by any means, he just theoretically didn't know.

Soon after that, shipping prices dropped dramatically across the board.

YES, they still charge TOO MUCH for shipping.

Troy has some good points, but......

Hidden handling fees to cover operating costs are a very 20th century way of doing business and this policy is morally corrupt. If YO (or any business of this type) was a shipping company, then by all means, they should profit from shipping. Well, they're NOT. Consumers are very educated on these matters in the internet age.

A company that huge could, and should use more than one service to ship their goods. Small parts could go U.S. mail in a jiffy-pack envelope for $2. Flat rate Priority Mail boxes are usually less than UPS. The one-size-fits-all box is crap service and shows the level of laziness of this compnay.

NOBODY wants to pay $15 to ship a $3 part that weighs 2 ounces.

I buy from YO as a last resort. Their online catalog blows, too.

At least 6 cents from me this time.......... 

[Troy]

I was just pointing out that the size of the box isn't what is costing so much on the shipping - that's negligible. Year One is, no doubt, making a profit from shipping. One only has to look at eBay for a multitude of companies doing the same thing. What you guys are forgetting is that most everyone here is an "informed customer" but not everyone who gets into the hobby knows that there are many companies offering the same or similar parts for a lower price with a smaller shipping charge. Year One has brand recognition and anyone new to the hobby will almost always find them first (either by searching magazines, the internet, or just asking around). I know when I first got here it took a while to find all the sources that I use now - but even then I knew Year One was very expensive so I didn't buy much. Year One doesn't just sell parts for Mopar and their customer base is very large.

There are certain job functions directly related to shipping a package. Sometimes these are covered by S&H and sometimes they are considered overhead (depends on the nature of the business).

Some companies use multiple shippers but it's not always the best approach. Shipping by US Mail means you lose the tracking and delivery confirmation features of FedEx and UPS (unless you pay more and then the customers complain about charging too much) AND you lose the guaranteed delivery days. It's also simpler/easier/more convenient for the customer service department to find a package if there's a delivery problem if they only have to deal with one or two companies. Not to mention the shipper's discount. We used DHL for a while but they lost or damaged a lot more packages than any other shipper. We had access to FedEx if someone asked for it but it wasn't a standard option. However, these days I think FedEx ground is very competitive and I use it myself for almost everything.

Troy

[dkn1997]

Troy, I agree with what you said about many ebay users making money on shipping just like YO.  While the business model looks the same,  I do see some differences:  1.  The typical Ebay vendor has identical items that are priced lower than YO from the get go.  2.  From what I have seen, the Ebay vendor shipping is not the same kind of screwing you get from YO.  If you shop apples to apples on the bag, you will almost always be able to get the parts cheaper than opening up your YO catalog.  again, one time small purchases are they time to do this.
It bothers me also that all of the really cool good stuff is "discount exempt"  GV overdrives to name one. probably some sort of price structure that they have to honor with specific parts suppliers (not allowed to sell it below a certain price)  but it still bugs me!

I know it comes off as YO bashing, but I really like many aspects of the YO business model. Nice informative catalog, one stop shopping, Show presence, nice people answering the phone, easy returns.  I ask myself if they could afford to provide all of that if they didn't make this  profit on shipping?  There are times when I want to buy a part and don't feel like talking to some guy in his basement and wondering if it's ever going to get to me. 

Notice I left out that I like the YO website.  It's because I don't.  It stinks.  many items without pics, not all print catalog items are on there.  I just don't like it.  I don't know if I'm using it wrong, but they should make it so that when you sign in and search for parts, all that will ever come up is things that will fit your specific car.  then you should be able to toggle that feature off for when you win lotto and buy that E body!!

[The70RT]

On ebay they try to dictate how much to charge on shipping. Year one needs to sell through them.