Adding Orders Together to Reduce Shipping

[kspry]

Hi, I'm new here - has this been addressed before?

It never fails - at every show there is a person who doesn't want to pay for the $4 shipping and wants to split it with someone else.

A guest is trying to be polite and make an order for her friend, but guest orders a $4 item and shipping is $4.

OK, so I combine orders and split shipping and shipping tax.
It has come back to bite me in the butt, I must say:
- Host can't figure out who got what
- returns
- warranties

How do y'all deal with this? Thanks.

 

[Christ Follower]

It is sooo frustrating. If they ask me to do it, I tell them at their own risk! Then I go into a schpeil (sp?) about why it's not a great idea. It is also frustrating for them to pay that much for a small item. We are much better than most DS companies though! PH charges $3.50 PER ITEM!

 

[Christ Follower]

BTW, almost EVERYTIME I've ever allowed this, it comes back to haunt me. If we let them do this too much, I guarantee PC will raise the cost of shipping to make up for it eventually.

 

[missyciccolella]

I agree! I warn, and then tell my host to use MY receipts not the ones that are sent from HO. Just remind the order is technically under whomever's name so there won't be a record of her individual order with HO, Don't address the issue about a return or possible problem...if there is she will call you rest assured!

On a side note, have you ever compared our shipping costs with other direct sales companies? Are prices are very reasonable - even the direct shipping when compared other online companies, etc.

 

[kspry]

It is sooo frustrating. If they ask me to do it, I tell them at their own risk! Then I go into a schpeil (sp?) about why it's not a great idea. It is also frustrating for them to pay that much for a small item. We are much better than most DS companies though! PH charges $3.50 PER ITEM!

Err.... what is PH?
It's spelled, shpiel, I think.

 

[kspry]

I agree! I warn, and then tell my host to use MY receipts not the ones that are sent from HO. Just remind the order is technically under whomever's name so there won't be a record of her individual order with HO, Don't address the issue about a return or possible problem...if there is she will call you rest assured!

On a side note, have you ever compared our shipping costs with other direct sales companies? Are prices are very reasonable - even the direct shipping when compared other online companies, etc.

Yes, the jewelry companies are around $2 - Silpada, Premier Designs, Lia Sophia - they are not shipping pizza stones, though.
Some of this Pampered Chef stuff is much heavier than a bracelet or earring pair.

 

[jenniferp417]

FYI, because we're discussing it, dictionary.com says it's spiel.I've combined shipping when it's something like a $4 item and that's all they want. I can understand that. But bigger stuff... yeah. They get the lecture on why it's not a good idea.

 

[KellyTheChef]

If I hear them doing that, I tell them it's at their own risk. I will NOT seperate and print out different receipts for each person. I will, however, print out a second copy of the receipt if they ask me to. I tell them it's up to them to figure out who gets what when the order comes in. (When I first started, I would have taken the time to print out seperate receipts with the CORRECT listed items on it for each person...then changed the order into one order before sending it to HO. Not anymore! That's not my job...please don't take that wrong...but if they are doing it for THEIR benefit, why should I have to take time to "fix it" for them?) Aside from the fact that I tell my hostesses on their Show Planner that one of their goals is to get 25 orders and I will give them a free QSP!! If people are combining orders, how will they ever get that?!?! Then, hopefully, her friends will get the idea and NOT combine orders!!

Thankfully, I don't have it even come up very often...and if I did, I would discourage it even further.

 

[Christ Follower]

Err.... what is PH?It's spelled, shpiel, I think.

PH is Princess House (It's a crystal company).

Yes, PC is reasonable compared with a lot of other companies. I know Party Lite is 10% flat. I guess that's good if you have a little order, not so great if it's larger though.

 

[chefann]

I agree! I warn, and then tell my host to use MY receipts not the ones that are sent from HO. Just remind the order is technically under whomever's name so there won't be a record of her individual order with HO, Don't address the issue about a return or possible problem...if there is she will call you rest assured!

The slips that come in the packages from HO are not receipts, they are packing slips for the bags. They are not proof of purchase should a customer need to return something.

 

[cathyskitchen]

Ugh - I hate when people do this. I just had 2 ladies do this at a show last week, and it was SO obvious. Two other guests bad-mouthed them after they left (they are good customers and would never DREAM of doing that). Someone asked at another party how much the shipping cost was and why they had to pay shipping if it was getting shipped to the host. I told them, $4 was what you pay if the host gets it shipped to her, since it's an average cost of shipping 10-15 orders to a host ($4 per guest). If they want it shipped to themselves, they can pay $6 - 14 (or more) for shipping (they always go "WHOA"!. If I catch them trying to do it, I definitely advise against it, unless they're getting a $2 item (and then I try to either sell them more or get them to book a show or recruit them!) If they're that hard up for cash that all they can buy are a pair of bamboo tongs and have to put it on someone's order, maybe they need to be a CONSULTANT, too! I used to do what Kelly did (make separate receipts first, then submit the way they wanted), but not anymore. I don't have time for that nonsense. Yes, I pay less for the jewelry companies to send me stuff, but that stuff weighs 5 ounces, not 50 lbs!! HELLO, people?! I just find telling them the way it works is best, and not really promoting much wiggle room (unless it's my mom, then all of this above is out the window, right?!)

 

[BethCooks4U]

When someone says they want to do this I tell them why it is not a good idea and that I can't do it for them but what they do before they come to me with their order is up to them.

As far as the host distributing the order is concerned - she just gives it to the person whose name is on the receipt and it's up to them to remember who ordered what. Warranty? Haven't had that come back to me but I would say: Did you put it on someone else's order at the show? That would jog their memory I would think.

I have had people come up with just a Season's Best or something like that on their order. I will not let anyone pay $4 shipping for a $1 item. In that case I ask the host who I can add it to and then I write a note on the show tally reminding her who gets that item and I also write her name on the receipt I leave with the host.

 

[Carissidy]

I don't do that, but I am glad however that I haven't because customers can be very demanding and you don't want some one like that sour your excitement towards PC... and come on its $4!

 

[Christ Follower]

I don't do that, but I am glad however that I haven't because customers can be very demanding and you don't want some one like that sour your excitement towards PC... and come on its $4!

Tell me about it! I had a mother of the host get mad at me for the $4 shipping when she was buying a $100 griddle! I mean, has she ever thought about how much it costs to ship a griddle normally!? Especially with something with a lifetime guarantee.....shell out the $4 lady!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Tell them if they are the host, their shipping is FREE!

 

[PCGINA]

Shipping always amazes me....

If I order ANYTHING online - I know I will pay S&H - I have to admit - I do buy more from sites that have FREE shipping....

But - come on!! It's only $4.00

 

[katie0128]

It might be "free shipping" on the receipt, but you are paying for that shipping in the product price or lack of product quality... like just about everything else, "free" isn't really "free".

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Cheap!!Unfortunately some people are cheap! It's sad they feel they need to make such a fuss about a $4 item, I wish they wouldn't have ordered anything at all!! But when it does happen I simply have them add it to a friend or relative at the party who is also placing an order. I tell them that they will not get a receipt and if they should ever need to return the $4 item (which I doubt), they will have to contact their buddy or relative who they combined orders with. I cut the S & H in half for each person and only add tax to the entire order. I let them know that and the cheap person usually gets embarrassed about it because I really stress that there is nothing in this world we can buy without shipping costs!! Especially when the post office keeps raising their rates!! I really stress that $4 for shipping is not that much, especially if they consider they could order one of everything in the catalog for that amount!! Of course when you only have a small item it may seem like a lot but overall it is not!

Debbie

 

[Christ Follower]

I agree Debbie, but usually the person arguing the $4 shipping is the same person who says they could get the same item from the store cheaper and not have to pay shipping at all! I don't know why people like that even bother coming to shows!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Explain

I agree Debbie, but usually the person arguing the $4 shipping is the same person who says they could get the same item from the store cheaper and not have to pay shipping at all! I don't know why people like that even bother coming to shows!

I have had people tell me the exact same thing while they hand me their $10 order.

"Oh this looks just like that scraper I saw at Walmart."

"I bought a peeler just like this at Walmart last week but I could always use another one."

I just explain that in life we get what we pay for. I tell them that if they depended on Walmart products in the kitchen, they must make frequent trips to Walmart to purchase the same items over and over again. I tell them that PC tools are of the highest quality and being in business for over 25 years proves it. I also mention that everyone pays shipping costs at the store, sure it's not $4 added to the bottom of the receipt as they check out but they are paying for shipping of the products, overhead and employees with each purchase. It's just that lower quality tools can be made really cheap and sold in bulk to Walmart, so paying $2-4 for a scraper seems like a great deal but in the end it's not.
I also like to take a jab at them and say that I know of caterers and chefs in town that love the quality tools I sell with PC because they understand the need for such tools in the kitchen. They make a living cooking and those who love to cook and bake appreciate the good quality. LOL And I really do know these people, I would never lie!! :angel:

Debbie

 

[Christ Follower]

I know them too! My brother the chef LOVES our Santoku knife! He has a ton of high end knives but likes ours the best!

 

[katie0128]

I like the line about chefs and caterers. We have a professional chef in our cluster and when she teaches cooking classes, she uses her PC stuff. Since she is teaching at a cooking-stuff store, she isn't allowed to actually promote PC, but if someone asks her about the products she is using, she tells them to talk with her after the class. Don't know why I never thought of actually using this story at my shows... duhhhhhhhhhh!