So I needed a quick release pin to use with a SV Racing Parts side stand and someone linked to McMaster-Carr's website. So yesterday I found the one I was looking for for around $4 on their site. I went through the ordering process and no where did they say what the shipping charges were. I'm used to paying high shipping charges living in Alaska, but figured for a one inch pin, it wouldn't be more than a few dollars. Their site only had an option for ground shipping, not via mail, which concerned me a bit, but when I placed the order they said they'd add applicable shipping charges. I figured if the cost was too much, I'd cancel the order and find it somewhere else.
Late last night I got an email from UPS notifying me, as they now do, that a shipment was coming my way... from McMaster-Carr via 2nd Day Air. Uh, oh. I hadn't recieved any follow up from MC after I placed the order telling me what the charges would be. This isn't good.
Sure enough when I woke up this morning my invoice from MC was waiting in my Inbox for me. Drumroll, please....
$22.08! Holy moly! Just for shipping something that could have been mailed with a regular stamp! I was not a happy camper. I fired off an email before I even got out of bed to the sales person's email that was on the invoice. Something along the lines of, "You can sheer a sheep many times but only skin it once. I'll never do business with MC again if this is how you do business."
Less than 20 minutes later I received a reply from a sales rep. Good response time! I figured it would be to tell me to take a long walk off a short pier. Wrong. Here's the email's contents minus the salutation and closing with our names:
I wasn't expecting the charges to be waived in full, but I expressed my thanks to her for doing so. They may have some things to work on as far as their website goes, but their customer service is outstanding. If you live in the civilized parts of the US, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend McMaster-Carr. Next time I need something from them I'll have it shipped to my brother in Oregon and he can mail it to me. :smile2:
TL;DR: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Late last night I got an email from UPS notifying me, as they now do, that a shipment was coming my way... from McMaster-Carr via 2nd Day Air. Uh, oh. I hadn't recieved any follow up from MC after I placed the order telling me what the charges would be. This isn't good.
Sure enough when I woke up this morning my invoice from MC was waiting in my Inbox for me. Drumroll, please....
$22.08! Holy moly! Just for shipping something that could have been mailed with a regular stamp! I was not a happy camper. I fired off an email before I even got out of bed to the sales person's email that was on the invoice. Something along the lines of, "You can sheer a sheep many times but only skin it once. I'll never do business with MC again if this is how you do business."
Less than 20 minutes later I received a reply from a sales rep. Good response time! I figured it would be to tell me to take a long walk off a short pier. Wrong. Here's the email's contents minus the salutation and closing with our names:
I wasn't expecting the charges to be waived in full, but I expressed my thanks to her for doing so. They may have some things to work on as far as their website goes, but their customer service is outstanding. If you live in the civilized parts of the US, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend McMaster-Carr. Next time I need something from them I'll have it shipped to my brother in Oregon and he can mail it to me. :smile2:
TL;DR: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.