cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Well, now I can write my own thread complaining a supplier!When I saw Cierra candles can ship to italy I decide to try a 10 fragrance sampler.Shipping weight of this item on the site is 3 lbs. That's a lot. But they tols me " I think it's because the way is packed".They have a nice shipping rates calculator, so i could see that shipping to Italy was $21.39.Today I got my box.I was stumped seeing that the stamp says $9.15. Only $9.15!!!!So I put the box on the scale, and it weighs 1.14 lbs.I just wrote an email, I hope to get an answer soon!Thanks for reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michi Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 HOLY COW, that is a HUGE difference in prices!! Sounds to me like they made a profit off shipping charges. That is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. I hope you get some satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I've ordered from them a few times. Just small, light items like wicks. Each time they charge me $5-6 in shipping and the stamp comes out to about $4. (difference is about $1.50-$2). I haven't complained because the difference wasn't too big, not like in your case. I figure it's still better being sent by post than UPS which starts out around $8. In your case, see if they can refund the difference as it's a much bigger discrepancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 It's not only the shipping rate, they say the wrong thing on shipping weight also.My dear friend Spellkast told me 3 lbs was way too much, if you tink about it I ordered 10 plastic bottles, each of them is supposed to be 1 oz (the label say fl. oz).I asked them to refund the difference, that rate is not real! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellkast Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Unbelievable!!! I knew they were ripping you off! I hope they refund you that money right away! At least it didn't take forever to get there, though!! :embarasse Ya know, I'm always so excited to get my stuff, I never even LOOK at the postage rate on the labels!!! Maybe I should start doing that! Thank you for bringing that to our attention and I'm never ordering from them again if they don't refund that $$ to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I'd kindly ask them to refund my money as fast as they sent the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 I already asked them to refund the difference.It's not only a matter of money, it's a matter of honesty.I'd kindly ask them to refund my money as fast as they sent the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I've never had a problem with Cierra. Always very reasonable shipping. Fast and good service. I'd email Karen directly. Hope you get it worked out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 Hey Spellkast, I had to ask opinions before placing the order!!!I was excited then when I saw the post label I stopped to smile.I found a lot of honest people here so maybe I'll keep on buying only in classifieds and co-ops!!!Unbelievable!!! I knew they were ripping you off! I hope they refund you that money right away! At least it didn't take forever to get there, though!! :embarasse Ya know, I'm always so excited to get my stuff, I never even LOOK at the postage rate on the labels!!! Maybe I should start doing that! Thank you for bringing that to our attention and I'm never ordering from them again if they don't refund that $$ to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 Hi Terrie, I don't know Karen and her email address, so for now I wrote at the info address.The shipping can be correct if they really ship a 3 lbs box, but this is not the case.How can ten 1 oz bottles weigh so much?If you go to the site and look to the same pack I ordered it says clearly it weighs 3 lbs.Don't you find it strange?I hope I'll get an answer from them!I've never had a problem with Cierra. Always very reasonable shipping. Fast and good service. I'd email Karen directly. Hope you get it worked out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 It's not only the shipping rate, they say the wrong thing on shipping weight also.That makes sense, because if the shopping cart's estimate is tied to postal rates, then they have to use higher weights in order to match the higher shipping. I know some people bump up the weight to factor in packaging, but it looks like they have overestimated it by quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 But who can we trust then???That makes sense, because if the shopping cart's estimate is tied to postal rates, then they have to use higher weights in order to match the higher shipping. I know some people bump up the weight to factor in packaging, but it looks like they have overestimated it by quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 But who can we trust then???The only time I know I am overcharged is if it is sent by post and there are stamps for me to compare with what I paid. If it is sent by a private carrier (here the common ones are UPS and FedEx) there is no postage printed on the box and I have no way of checking. Well, there is a way, by comparing the weight with the carrier's fee schedule, but if the supplier has an account with the carrier, they may receive discounts I am not aware of. It is not just suppliers who do this. If you buy anything online, shipping fees vary and I know consumers are often overcharged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellkast Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 In my business though, I just got a website with an online shopping cart that automatically tells the people how much shipping is. Now this thing is usually WAAAAYYYY off, and so I wait until I get the box packed up and get a stamp on it BEFORE I charge their credit card. I think it's a *little* more time consuming, but certainly more honest. I'm sure Cierra didn't do this on purpose to generate bad business, but it is certainly something that should have been caught, ESPECIALLY since Sabrina had already emailed them and brought the matter to their attention (the 10 1 oz. bottles should NOT weight 3 lbs, unless they're also packing the box with a brick or two.) So, they knew she was unhappy with the rate quoted, and you would think they would have stopped the package before it went out and checked it against what she was charged, especially since we're not just talking a dollar or two!I wouldn't be so angry if I hadn't had major customer service issues with that company a couple of times before...makes me mad when nice people are taken advantage of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blest2BAmerican Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 In all fairness, I went to the USPS website and plugged in shipping a package weighing 1 lb 4 oz from the US to Italy. It returned the following rates and times... (Sorry that it didn't post straight when I did a cut and paste.)Airmail Parcel Post 4 - 10 Days $20.05Economy (Surface) Parcel Post (Rate for pieces 5 pounds or less) 4 - 6 Weeks $19.25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna4909 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 It was probably sent airmail letter post. I know anything I send out of country goes letter post, if at all possible. If it's under a certain weight and size, you can send boxes via letter post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsyjen Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I am sorry to hear this about Cierra. I just ordered two cases of jars from them and since my order was over $100 they did not charge me for the first 30 pounds (they have a shipping special). So two cases of jars from Nevada to Tennessee only cost me $22.04 to ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 In all fairness, the box weight is not 1.4 lbs but 1.15.The stanp on the box clearly shows how much the shipping rate is.They sent it as airmail letter post, the rate is exactly $9.15.Same thing on USPS site. I can take a pic if you want.This is not the first box I get from US, I usually buy in classifieds ads, kind people who weighs their boxes and then tell me how much shipping rate is and what method they ship.So I know what I'm talking about.I'm not trying to fool anyone.Little packages can go as letter.In all fairness, I went to the USPS website and plugged in shipping a package weighing 1 lb 4 oz from the US to Italy. It returned the following rates and times... (Sorry that it didn't post straight when I did a cut and paste.)Airmail Parcel Post 4 - 10 Days $20.05Economy (Surface) Parcel Post (Rate for pieces 5 pounds or less) 4 - 6 Weeks $19.25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 You know it, I already mailed them when I palced the order asking why that box weighs so much, their answer was not so good, they told me " I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE WAY IS PACKED"Is this an answer????You think??? You should know exactly why!!!!Well, this is a lesson for me.Very bad and sad, but this is a lessons.In my business though, I just got a website with an online shopping cart that automatically tells the people how much shipping is. Now this thing is usually WAAAAYYYY off, and so I wait until I get the box packed up and get a stamp on it BEFORE I charge their credit card. I think it's a *little* more time consuming, but certainly more honest. I'm sure Cierra didn't do this on purpose to generate bad business, but it is certainly something that should have been caught, ESPECIALLY since Sabrina had already emailed them and brought the matter to their attention (the 10 1 oz. bottles should NOT weight 3 lbs, unless they're also packing the box with a brick or two.) So, they knew she was unhappy with the rate quoted, and you would think they would have stopped the package before it went out and checked it against what she was charged, especially since we're not just talking a dollar or two!I wouldn't be so angry if I hadn't had major customer service issues with that company a couple of times before...makes me mad when nice people are taken advantage of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 You know it, I already mailed them when I palced the order asking why that box weighs so much, their answer was not so good, they told me " I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE WAY IS PACKED"Is this an answer????You think??? You should know exactly why!!!!When I ordered wicks from them, they came in a box much bigger than was necessary. Packaging peanuts filled up 95% of the box and the wicks were at the bottom. That must have been what they meant by "the way it is packed". At the time, I decided it was because they normally process bigger orders and so do not have small boxes for my small little order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 When I ordered wicks from them, they came in a box much bigger than was necessary. Packaging peanuts filled up 95% of the box and the wicks were at the bottom. That must have been what they meant by "the way it is packed". At the time, I decided it was because they normally process bigger orders and so do not have small boxes for my small little order.Hey, so now you know the reason of that big boxes!!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerrie Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 That is one of my pet peeves.........HUGE box full of peanuts and a small bottle of oil. Way to many suppliers do it this way. Genwax was really bad for that, but their shipping was free back then, but to me it was just a waste. Didn't surprise me at all when they finally quit their free shipping. I understand the need to protect the supplies, but let's get real, it doesn't take a 1' square box for 2 small bottles of oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Not taking sides here..but if something happens during transit to the pkg, this shipping carrier does not even bother doing a claim if it is not properly pkg'd to their standards which I believe is 2 inches of pkging on each side. I have sent out candles in a big box due to making sure if they messed up my pkg I was going to get my insurance money from them. I don't charge the customer this though...This is a cost that I chaulk up.Edited for grammer...I'm a nerd..hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 hey please keep in mind this:I'm not complaining about wrapping and packaging, I got a box with a lot of peanuts but still much lighter than the 3 lbs they claim on their site.I'll take a pic and show you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerrie Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Sabrina, I understand your gripe isn't with the packaging, this matter just sort of got thrown into your post, sorry, didn't mean to take away the whole topic of over charging for shipping.mizb, I would expect more than 2" per side, that surprises me. I'm talking 6-7" per side, with a small little "plastic" bottle of oil, it's just nuts. We could save a lot of trees and not use up so much of our land with land fills if we would just use some common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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