Messick's shipping. You've got to be kidding me!!!

Fordtech86

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L3200
Aug 7, 2018
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I went to my local dealer for some maintenance items for mine, they had most in stock, but didn’t have the hoses. Special ordered them and no freight was added. They are also a stihl dealer (not the dealer I bought all my stihl stuff from), but while I was there I needed a stihl part. They looked it up, gave me the price, I said get it. After I paid for the in stock kubota stuff and prepaid the special order kubota and stihl parts another parts guy said there was a freight charge for stihl parts ($15 I think it was). I was never charged the freight though.

I work in the auto world and as far as Ford goes we do daily orders and parts delivered next day if they are in our closest warehouse. Mazda gets ordered 3 times a week and same thing if its in our closest warehouse its next day delivery. No freight charges passed on to customer (I’m sure its worked into the sale price somehow). Only major assemblies like engines and transmissions are charged freight.
 

Boatman

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Kubota L2800, Kubota BX1870
Nov 26, 2016
168
54
28
Mill Spring, NC, US
If you don’t need it right away, order it on the weekly stock order at your local dealership and it will be cheaper.

I tried this with my most local dealer. The parts guy laughed and said everybody pays freight. Doesn't matter if it's a single customer item or comes in with the dealers stock order.

I drive another 15 miles to get my parts now and haven't been charged freight on anything from them.
 

whitetiger

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Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
Nov 20, 2011
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Kubota does not charge freight on stock orders shipped to the dealer location. Some dealers are still charging their customers for freight that they got for free. Now if the dealer has to ship to the customer, there should be a competitive charge.
 

Daveinwestmi

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L3560 ROPS, BX2380
Jul 6, 2019
12
6
3
Kalamazoo, MI
Another profit center and a big one. With the amount of shipping they due, think 500 or more packages a day they get a substantial discount off the UPS and Fedex published rates. Even US Mail is discounted to volume shippers.
 

Dae06

Member
May 10, 2018
170
11
18
Minnesota
I have always been happy with my local dealer, but in this situation they didn***8217;t have the part and the warehouse they get parts from didn***8217;t either. So I had to search elsewhere. I definitely prefer my dealer, they have never treated me unfair..
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,214
1,896
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Mid, South, USA
They do get a discount.

But it's not as much as you'd think.

Stock orders are free freight, correct. IF you can wait, sometimes during offseason there isn't a stock order but once every so often (maybe every 4 days, maybe every 4 weeks). They have a minimum order to get free freight on stock orders. If minimum is not met, they get RAPED on the shipping, usually LTL plus line item charges.

Yes they're charging shipping. No they don't have much choice if the dealer wants to survive. Put the blame wherever you want but the simple fact is that when any business has an increase in cost they're gonna pass it on.

The auto industry, there is usually a warehouse every hundred-fifty miles or so, so orders are fast and cheap. Kubota aint got that luxury, the main distribution center is in KC, and supplies the other 3 or 4 warehouses nationwide.
 

D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
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They do get a discount.

But it's not as much as you'd think.

Stock orders are free freight, correct. IF you can wait, sometimes during offseason there isn't a stock order but once every so often (maybe every 4 days, maybe every 4 weeks). They have a minimum order to get free freight on stock orders. If minimum is not met, they get RAPED on the shipping, usually LTL plus line item charges.

Yes they're charging shipping. No they don't have much choice if the dealer wants to survive. Put the blame wherever you want but the simple fact is that when any business has an increase in cost they're gonna pass it on.

The auto industry, there is usually a warehouse every hundred-fifty miles or so, so orders are fast and cheap. Kubota aint got that luxury, the main distribution center is in KC, and supplies the other 3 or 4 warehouses nationwide.
And that sentence I put in red is a good reason to purchase from Coleman store in Bonner Springs, Ks. From them to Kubota in Gardner. Ks is 26 miles. They get items quickly.
 

AllDodge

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M9540 RTV1100
Jan 19, 2019
191
0
16
South Central, ky
No different then CAT, they have several warehouses and have trucks going from each to the dealers once a week, yet they still charge freight unless its an item they normally stock at that dealer
 

GeoHorn

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Texas
This conversation reminds me of when teenagers get their first car and begin to date and run-around driving friends everywhere...until they realize it takes $40 to fill the gas tank. THEN they begin to “get it.”

It doesn’t matter where your parts come from... the consumer pays the freight....one way or the other. “Free Freight” LOL
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

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M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
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83
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We now live in a 'I want it now society' (thanks to Amazon and some others) so wanting it now, always has a price. Called freight charges. Only thing I need 'now' is my morning oatmeal. Everything else can wait and my dealer never charges me freight on a stock order.
 

thepumpguysc

Member
Aug 8, 2018
267
1
16
Sunny South Carolina
MUST be nice "Flip".. my dealer is the Central Distributor for the mid south for ALL THINGS fuel injection & have hundreds of each part "in-stock".. & I still have to pay 25.00 + on EVERY order I place..
THAT adds up quick..
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
MUST be nice "Flip".. my dealer is the Central Distributor for the mid south for ALL THINGS fuel injection & have hundreds of each part "in-stock".. & I still have to pay 25.00 + on EVERY order I place..
THAT adds up quick..
If I order something and I'm willing to wait until my dealer places his stock order (which is usually every week), I pay no freight. If I 'need it now', I do. Most times, I can wait. Just got the front mud flap kit for the Sidekick. Waited 10 days, no freight. I did pay freight on the wheel kit for my round baler that came from New Holland. 91 bucks, but it came in a crate and I expected to be dinged for freight on that.

In reality freight costs don't concern me. I'm in business, the farming business, so freight costs, just like item costs are a write off anyway.

Freight costs have went way up across the board.

I charge shipping on everything I sell but the ship cost is predicated on location and each charge is different and I calculate it on a per location basis. No flat rate one cost covers all with me. I sell stuff worldwide, nit just here. Just shipped some items to Dubai. Ship costs are tit for tat. I don't consider it on the P&L statement (for my business end), just a wash.
 

Donystoy

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No such thing as free shipping to Canada. Some time ago I ordered a A/C charge label for a car that I restored. Label was about 1 1/2" x 3" and cost under $5. The supplier that was just across the border from me wanted an astounding $60 for shipping. I called and spoke to the manager who agreed it was ridiculous and put it in an envelope and mailed it free of charge. It seems a lot of suppliers use a third party for all their shipping. It is considerably cheaper for me to just drive across the border to obtain parts.
 

ItBmine

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Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,377
384
83
Canada
The absolute worst is UPS. I never have any issue when I have stuff shipped to Canada with Purolator or US Mail.
But UPS....they always call you and want to know who your broker is and all kinds of stuff. Then they charge outrageous amounts of duty and brokerage fees on top of the shipping.

I once bought 2 tee shirts from Mack Trucks. They were $20.00 and I also paid the shipping up front. UPS shows up at my house and hands me a bill for $86.00
I said what is that? They said brokerage fees. I said enjoy your shirts, now get out of my yard.

Now I just got got 3 shirts from Land Pride and to my horror UPS just called me and wanted my broker information and Revenue Canada tax account number.
What an outfit.
 

SidecarFlip

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M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
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Interestingly, it takes more transit time for me to send a package to Canada that to Australia.
 

fried1765

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Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,843
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Eastham, Ma
This is a $50 light switch (TD350-75360). Its the exact same switch that came with the tractor for the front working lights.

This is smaller that 1.5" cubed and the cheapest shipping is $18.47??

The reason I looked a Messick's is that there are no switches at any of the dealers near me and they said the warehouse doesn't have them either.

I'll wire my own switch before I pay $18.00 for shipping a small package like that. :mad:
Messick's is apparently set up to ship everything via FedEx or UPS.
I got caught in this trap before.
I mean nothing bad about Messick's....they are fantastic folks.

That said: when you order a small part from Messick's just request that they use USPS flat rate shipping.
The cost is under $10, and they are happy to do it for you.
You MUST ASK them for USPS shipping though
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,214
1,896
113
Mid, South, USA
Messick's is apparently set up to ship everything via FedEx or UPS.
I got caught in this trap before.
I mean nothing bad about Messick's....they are fantastic folks.

That said: when you order a small part from Messick's just request that they use USPS flat rate shipping.
The cost is under $10, and they are happy to do it for you.
You MUST ASK them for USPS shipping though
I do a lot of shipping too, at work. I actually prefer USPS, however, there are many times UPS is cheaper. It all depends on what you're shipping. If you're using flat rate boxes, you're paying the flat rate regardless of weight. BUT...sometimes a part in question won't fit in a flat rate box, or it will and UPS or FEDEX will do it cheaper and faster...as said all depends on the part. A complete KZG770 engine block won't fit in a flat rate box....but it will go UPS, and cheaper than USPS and fedex. One thing I really like about USPS is regional boxes. Sometimes a regional will be under $5 for a box that is basically the same as a medium flat rate priority, but it will only ship to an address within certain regions.

Each one of the major companies has an increase several times a year, every year. Sometimes it's 1.5%. Sometimes it 5.5%. I expect another increase after 1 Jan 2020 and I also expect at least one more about June. For a lot of localities, minimum wage goes up after the first so that's one reason for an increase across the board.