13 replies to this topic

[John O'Neill]

Hi,

 

Forgive me if this has been to covered before:

 

Today I checked "Men, Monsters and the Modern Universe"  from ShopAtSky (Sky&Telescope) sells for $25.95, but the shipping is $17.40 to NE USA!

 

Why is ShopAtSky shipping so expensive?

 

By the way for comparison at random, the shipping from Astronomy Magazine for a comparible (in size & weight) item (Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide) is just $8.76.

 

 

[RichA]

Shipping "padding" to pay for the packing, etc.  This site has free shipping, but the used cost for the book is the only reasonable one.

 

https://www.abebooks...-0943396247/plp

[Overtime]

One thing that wasn't mentioned was HOW it is being shipped ( ups, fed-ex us postal ) also is the shipping times the same? Next day, 2 day, 5 day? They might over pack for the safety of your package. Then there's always the chance they are making up for money lost if they discounted anything? Also consider the distance it's being shipped from. Or maybe they over quoted the shipping and it will be cheaper when its actually shipped. 

[SNH]

Hi,

 

Forgive me if this has been to covered before:

 

Today I checked "Men, Monsters and the Modern Universe"  from ShopAtSky (Sky&Telescope) sells for $25.95, but the shipping is $17.40 to NE USA!

 

Why is ShopAtSky shipping so expensive?

 

By the way for comparison at random, the shipping from Astronomy Magazine for a comparible (in size & weight) item (Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide) is just $8.76.

Yeah, their shipping cost is funny. But usually, if you add a couple more items, it will hardly budge. So, the best way around it is to order 2 or more items.

 

Scott H.

[turtle86]

Hi,

 

Forgive me if this has been to covered before:

 

Today I checked "Men, Monsters and the Modern Universe"  from ShopAtSky (Sky&Telescope) sells for $25.95, but the shipping is $17.40 to NE USA!

 

Why is ShopAtSky shipping so expensive?

 

By the way for comparison at random, the shipping from Astronomy Magazine for a comparible (in size & weight) item (Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide) is just $8.76.

 

It's terrible, especially for a single book. Instead of using USPS media mail, they use Fed Ex.  If you buy multiple books, the shipping price stays about the same and is more economical.

 

Plus, the packaging is inadequate and the books arrive damaged half the time, just like Amazon.  But at least returns are easy with Amazon.  It's almost impossible to get customer service for a return with Shop at Sky.

[gmiller123456]

Plus, the packaging is inadequate and the books arrive damaged half the time, just like Amazon.

That certainly has not been my experience with Amazon, books I've gotten are well packaged. The more recent ones I've gotten from ShotAtSky were better packaged than those from a year or so ago, fortunatley none were damaged.

And, while I'm no Amazon fan boy, you have to give credit to them for pioneering the "not adding crazy shipping fees until after you've gone through all but the final step of the checkout process". If you don't let your wallet speak for your disapproval of merchants that still engage in that practice, then it will never end.

Edited by gmiller123456, 09 July 2024 - 11:19 AM.

[turtle86]

That certainly has not been my experience with Amazon, books I've gotten are well packaged. The more recent ones I've gotten from ShotAtSky were better packaged than those from a year or so ago, fortunatley none were damaged.

And, while I'm no Amazon fan boy, you have to give credit to them for pioneering the "not adding crazy shipping fees until after you've gone through all but the final step of the checkout process". If you don't let your wallet speak for your disapproval of merchants that still engage in that practice, then it will never end.

 

Glad that you've had better luck than me!  On my end, Amazon packaging for books used to be fine.  Now not so much.  But Amazon certainly does a lot of other things right, so I still buy stuff from them.  Just not books.

 

Of course, the packaging by Willmann-Bell before the owners retired was the best, basically bulletproof, and the shipping fees were very reasonable. But those days are gone.

Edited by turtle86, 09 July 2024 - 05:17 PM.

[Pinballwiz]

Small businesses can’t compete with Amazon on shipping costs. Vote with your wallet and support small businesses.

[gmiller123456]

Small businesses can’t compete with Amazon on shipping costs. Vote with your wallet and support small businesses.

Anyone can compete with Shop At Sky's shipping prices. Amazon got where they are today largely by breaking the trend of adding exorbitant shipping fees only after you've jumped through several hoops.

Edited by gmiller123456, 13 August 2024 - 04:25 PM.

[jcj380]

I wanted to buy a desk edition of 2000.0, but the S@S shipping was about half the cost of the atlas.  I like the format of the atlas, but I don't like it that much.

 

I'll keep searching the used book outlets.

[dr.planet]

I’ve wondered why they don’t sell some of their books through Amazon.  At the very least, the Pocket Sky Atlas should be on there.

[obrazell]

I suspect because of the very heavy discounts Amazon requires to sell the books. This why Perry would never work with Amazon

[turtle86]

Anyone can compete with Shop At Sky's shipping prices. Amazon got where they are today largely by breaking the trend of adding exorbitant shipping fees only after you've jumped through several hoops.

 

Shop at Sky could easily cut shipping costs substantially just by shipping USPS media mail instead of FedEx.

[dr.planet]

Agreed, I just checked and it would be almost $17 shipping costs to Tucson for the Jumbo Pocket Sky Atlas, which is ridiculous.  That would probably be $5 with Media Mail.