Posted on 12/16/2009 3:39:33 PM PST by bluerose
WIESBADEN, Germany — Overseas military customers ordering gifts online from certain retailers might get an unpleasant surprise when shipping and handling fees are tacked on at the end of the purchase.
Those same customers might be most surprised to find that retail giant Walmart had the biggest markup.
On a $120 purchase, Walmart.com charged $10.35 to ship to an APO address, compared with $2.10 to a stateside address. For most items, Amazon.com charged the same to ship to an APO address as a stateside address. And Target offered shipping on a $120 purchase to an APO address for less than to a stateside address.
Wal-Mart Inc. officials did not return calls requesting an interview. However, in an e-mailed response, spokesman Ravi Jariwala said: “In your shopping cart during the checkout process, we show an estimated shipping cost, based on our lowest-price shipping method and assuming all items in your cart are going to a single address within the contiguous United States. If you select a different shipping method, a military APO/FPO address or an address outside the contiguous United States, your actual shipping cost may be higher. We continue to work with carriers to negotiate favorable shipping rates.”
But Earl Small, the postmaster at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, said that the shipping and handling charges have nothing to do with the military postal system or the U.S. Postal Service.
“A company can charge whatever they want,” said Small, who explained that items up to 108 inches are normally shipped at normal cost, but larger items often fall under a more expensive “balloon charge.”
According to Small, when companies ship to APO addresses in Europe, the order is shipped to New York, after which the Department of Defense picks up the tab to get the package to an APO address.
On Walmart.com, the company says shipping costs will be higher to APO addresses due to higher transportation costs.
“There is no higher transportation costs,” Small said. “Companies are abusing the system and making a killing.”
“when companies ship to APO addresses in Europe, the order is shipped to New York, after which the Department of Defense picks up the tab to get the package to an APO address.”
In that case Wal-Mart just lost a customer.
As an online retailer, honestly, $10 for a $120 order sounds about right. UPS just raised their rates (again) and a medium sized USPS box costs $10 to ship. Medium sized is probably a 3 pound (average) box that is about 12 x 9 x 6. There is no raping and pillaging going on here. I don’t love Walmart, but as a small retailer the $10 shipping charge may or may not cover all costs to the original destination.
Many times I’ve skipped Walmart (and other companies) because there shipping charges to an APO were way out of line compared to other stores. I mean I’ve gone so far as to find the item on the Walmart website, place it in the basket and then when shipping charges are shown, run like hell.
They even charge like a $1.50 to ship a gift card for gosh sakes.
This article looks more like an attempt to sock it to WalMart. Shipping charges depend upon the size and weight of the article being shipped. A $120 small electronics item may cost a few bucks to ship as opposed to a $120 vacuum cleaner that weights 25 pounds.
Some companies build at least a portion of their shipping costs into the base price. Do folks think that anything over $25 purchased from Amazon really has free shipping? Hopefully, they realize this is a sales tool, and that Amazon is recovering that cost in the base price.
If a lower cost for shipping is the goal, then the buyers should purchase their items elsewhere. Of course, the base prices are likely to be a lot higher than WalMart.
Also...ever tried buying something and then having THEM ship it to Hawaii? Another ripppp off!!!
Now this is theft!
The problem is charging more for APO or FPO addresses. Its not the amount of the shipping.
But I agree that UPS sucks. They are lobbying for a federal bailout.
All of that is different now. I rarely go there anymore. Bah humbug on Wal-Mart!
Arghhhhhhhh! Not another corporate welfare case!?! Looters.
Its related to the teamsters and is an attack on Fed Ex
If they are doing this, its wrong. However, here in New York, our local WalMart is giving $1,000 gift cards to families who have deployed family members. I am right down the road from West Point, they are giving out alot of gift cards....
Phone companies Charging GIs to call home while deployed overseas always bothered me. Some GI is having a problem at home and winds up spending hundreds of dollars in a month to talk with his family to try and resolve it.
Why should the Military pay for private phone calls. Because they own a big pipe and pay for it.. It is nothing to tell the Jackass Phone Companies and others.. We will find an alternate means of Communications unless you find it in your hearts to provide our GI especially JR Enlisteds and Jr NCOs with a 40min a month phone card for those deployed overseas.
W
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