I placed a rather largish order today (by phone) and while in the midst
queried if Penzeys was following the other dot.coms with free shipping
on substantial orders... "Oh no, we don't do that." I was haughtily
informed. Needless to say I was not pleased and so clipped my order
short, otherwise I would have ordered more than twice as much as I had
a half dozen gift boxes picked out. I don't think Penzeys would be
losing money by offering free shipping on orders over say $100... and
especially tis the SEASON if yoose get my drift. And since shipping
costs are primarilly based on weight, compared to most other items I
already ordered from other companys with free shipping, Penzeys
products are probably the lightest weight ratio to price. In fact I
consider their shipping price list a major rip off... I think they
should be charging less for costlier orders, not more... in effect
Penzeys is screwing their best customers. I think Penzeys has grown
way too big for their britches... it's time I shopped elsewhere, their
products ain't so good I'm willing to be penalized for being a
dedicated customer. Penzeys, stop taking your customers for granted.

Sheldon Bah Humbug

Sheldon wrote:
> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone) and while in the
> midst queried if Penzeys was following the other dot.coms with free
> shipping on substantial orders... "Oh no, we don't do that." I was
> haughtily informed. Needless to say I was not pleased and so clipped
> my order short, otherwise I would have ordered more than twice as
> much as I had a half dozen gift boxes picked out. I don't think
> Penzeys would be losing money by offering free shipping on orders
> over say $100... and especially tis the SEASON if yoose get my drift.
> And since shipping costs are primarilly based on weight, compared to
> most other items I already ordered from other companys with free
> shipping, Penzeys products are probably the lightest weight ratio to
> price. In fact I consider their shipping price list a major rip
> off... I think they should be charging less for costlier orders, not
> more... in effect Penzeys is screwing their best customers. I think
> Penzeys has grown way too big for their britches... it's time I
> shopped elsewhere, their products ain't so good I'm willing to be
> penalized for being a dedicated customer. Penzeys, stop taking your
> customers for granted.
>
> Sheldon Bah Humbug

Did you check the offshoot by one of the relatives - The Spice House? You
might send them an email and tell them they'll get *all* your business when
you buy gift boxes like that or place a large order for bulk herbs/spices,
if they cut back on the shipping charges. (No, I haven't checked their
shipping charges.) I ordered some Zassenhaus peppermills as gifts from The
Spice House a few years back and they sold them for less than Penzey's.

Jill

Most online and catalog companies have frequent offers of discounts,
free shipping, etc. Try callng their 800 number. Say, "I will spend
X amount if you will ship for free, or Y amount (less) (or nothing) if
I have to pay for shipping.. I am a regular repeat customer. What
will you do for me?"
..
Like all, they want business, and want repeat customers. Be nice, not
demanding. Whoever is on the 800 phone after midnight is usually most
happy to offer deals, since the operator is often working on commision.


Jut be nice, and don't mention the name Sheldon.

Sheldon wrote:

> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone) and while in the midst
> queried if Penzeys was following the other dot.coms with free shipping
> on substantial orders... "Oh no, we don't do that." I was haughtily
> informed. Needless to say I was not pleased and so clipped my order
> short, otherwise I would have ordered more than twice as much as I had
> a half dozen gift boxes picked out. I don't think Penzeys would be
> losing money by offering free shipping on orders over say $100... and
> especially tis the SEASON if yoose get my drift. And since shipping
> costs are primarilly based on weight, compared to most other items I
> already ordered from other companys with free shipping, Penzeys
> products are probably the lightest weight ratio to price. In fact I
> consider their shipping price list a major rip off... I think they
> should be charging less for costlier orders, not more... in effect
> Penzeys is screwing their best customers. I think Penzeys has grown
> way too big for their britches... it's time I shopped elsewhere, their
> products ain't so good I'm willing to be penalized for being a
> dedicated customer. Penzeys, stop taking your customers for granted.

Sheldon, stop thinking you're special. You've gotten way too big for your
britches. Penzey's doesn't need your business. If you want to protest
their shipping policies, here's what you should do: Get yourself a
sledgehammer and a big pile of sand, then pound that pile right up your ass.

Bob

"Kike is still used to this day by Jews to describe other Jews who they feel
are low in character. www.jtf.org/why.use.term.kike.htm"

"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote in message
...
> Sheldon wrote:
> > > Penzeys is screwing their best customers. I think Penzeys has grown
> > way too big for their britches... it's time I shopped elsewhere, their
> > products ain't so good I'm willing to be penalized for being a
> > dedicated customer. Penzeys, stop taking your customers for granted.
>
> Sheldon, stop thinking you're special. You've gotten way too big for your
> britches. Penzey's doesn't need your business. If you want to protest
> their shipping policies, here's what you should do: Get yourself a
> sledgehammer and a big pile of sand, then pound that pile right up your
ass.

I'm trying to picture this and I just can't.

Anyway, a lot of companies do consider their shipping charges a profit
center. Well I had a friend who sold products on eBay and that was his take
anyway. I'm surpised that line of thinking doesn't follow suit other places
though. I usually just grin and bear it with the shipping and I'm sure Im
not the only one.

cheers

Bob Terwilliger wrote:


> Sheldon, stop thinking you're special. You've gotten way too big for your
> britches. Penzey's doesn't need your business. If you want to protest
> their shipping policies, here's what you should do: Get yourself a
> sledgehammer and a big pile of sand, then pound that pile right up your ass.

Since you write solely to criticize Shel, and yet had nothing productive
to add to the discussion, I'm going to have to assume you're just
another one of his cyber stalkers?

Penzey's needs everyone's business it gets. The minute a company loses
site of that they go downhill. LLBean, surely far bigger than Penzey's,
does offer free shipping this holiday season. It was one reason I
specifically chose their products over LandsEnd, in fact.
Goomba

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
. ..
> Did you check the offshoot by one of the relatives - The Spice House? You
> might send them an email and tell them they'll get *all* your business
> when
> you buy gift boxes like that or place a large order for bulk herbs/spices,
> if they cut back on the shipping charges. (No, I haven't checked their
> shipping charges.) I ordered some Zassenhaus peppermills as gifts from
> The
> Spice House a few years back and they sold them for less than Penzey's.
>
> Jill
>
Thanks, Jill. I'd been hoping for a recommendation for another spice house.
I no longer shop at Penzey's.
Dee Dee

"rox formerly rmg" > wrote:
> Anyway, a lot of companies do consider their shipping charges a profit
> center. Well I had a friend who sold products on eBay and that was his
> take
> anyway. I'm surpised that line of thinking doesn't follow suit other
> places
> though. I usually just grin and bear it with the shipping and I'm sure Im
> not the only one.

I know what you mean by eBay sellers using shipping as their profit center.
I've almost gotten burned by this more than once, so now I know to get a
quote if the shipping is not listed. Luckily in those almost burned cases
the auction price was so low that it was still a good deal after the steep
shipping. I had one occassion where a listing stated actually shipping, plus
$10 packaging (which could be reasonable considering the item). I asked for
a quote, and got what seemed to be a high figure. I did my own pricing for
the same weight between the same zip codes using the same shippers (UPS and
DHL) and got a figure between $15 and $23 lower. I asked the seller to
recheck his quote and he said, yup, his initial figure was correct. I didn't
bid. On this heavy item, he made more on the inflated shipping than the
auction price itself.

Personally I'm not real fond of the free shipping offers as they encourage
buying things you really didn't want to buy in the first place. Interesting
at places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble how many single item prices are
just below the cutoff for free shipping. More often than not I can't find
anything else I really wanted, so the whole free shipping thing just ****es
me off rather than makes me a happy customer. But I realize their marketing
is effective and most people tend to take the bait.

King Arthur Flour has a different model for pricing their shipping. They are
weight based rather than price based on calculating the shipping charges. On
more than one occassion I've compared them to Penzeys for an order of the
same basic stuff to see which gives me the lower total cost.

--
( #wff_ng_7# at #verizon# period #net# )

In article <dGFjf.1012$n84.354@trnddc06>,
"wff_ng_7" > wrote:

> "rox formerly rmg" > wrote:
> > Anyway, a lot of companies do consider their shipping charges a profit
> > center. Well I had a friend who sold products on eBay and that was his
> > take
> > anyway. I'm surpised that line of thinking doesn't follow suit other
> > places
> > though. I usually just grin and bear it with the shipping and I'm sure Im
> > not the only one.
>
> I know what you mean by eBay sellers using shipping as their profit center.
> I've almost gotten burned by this more than once, so now I know to get a
> quote if the shipping is not listed. Luckily in those almost burned cases
> the auction price was so low that it was still a good deal after the steep
> shipping. I had one occassion where a listing stated actually shipping, plus
> $10 packaging (which could be reasonable considering the item). I asked for
> a quote, and got what seemed to be a high figure. I did my own pricing for
> the same weight between the same zip codes using the same shippers (UPS and
> DHL) and got a figure between $15 and $23 lower. I asked the seller to
> recheck his quote and he said, yup, his initial figure was correct. I didn't
> bid. On this heavy item, he made more on the inflated shipping than the
> auction price itself.

I've not started gouging for S&H yet as an ebay seller as I know it
****es customers off, but PLEASE understand why they do it! eBay has
continued to raise listing and seller fees.

You see, you have to pay a listing fee to ebay REGARDLESS of whether or
not your item sells! Do enough auctions and that crap adds up.

Quickly. :-(

It's getting harder and harder to make a profit on ebay these days. Add
Paypal fees into that and you get screwed even more.

<sigh>

I look at prices and at the shipping, then try to get the item for the
cheapest over-all price, or if it looks like a regular item, I contact
the seller privately and go from there. Ebay frowns on that for obvious
reasons, but the greedy a-holes have brought that on themselves!

>
> Personally I'm not real fond of the free shipping offers as they encourage
> buying things you really didn't want to buy in the first place. Interesting
> at places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble how many single item prices are
> just below the cutoff for free shipping. More often than not I can't find
> anything else I really wanted, so the whole free shipping thing just ****es
> me off rather than makes me a happy customer. But I realize their marketing
> is effective and most people tend to take the bait.

I mostly get DVD's on Amazon so it's not been a problem. ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

Goomba38 wrote:
>
> Penzey's needs everyone's business it gets. The minute a company loses
> sight of that they go downhill. LLBean, surely far bigger than Penzey's,
> does offer free shipping this holiday season. It was one reason I
> specifically chose their products over LandsEnd, in fact.
> Goomba

I happen to be one of Penzeys earliest customers (If memory serves I
believe #54), discovered them in a small article in the food section of
LI Newsday. I was the one who introduced Penzeys to rfc, some 12 years
ago. Penzeys service was terrific early on, their personel
accomodating and polite.... and over the years I made great efforts to
tout their products.

Penzeys service has slid down hill and at an ever escalating rate...
the more stores they open the worse the company becomes, in every
respect. Their personal is now surly, abrupt, and really not very
knowledgeable. Penzeys no longer includes samples of their new
products with orders and their product has definitely declined in
quality, includes way too much debris and dust, and is not nearly as
fresh as before. And now with this shipping issue I find Penzeys
refuses to be competitive, in fact they are ripping off their customers
with what I feel is their unfair method for determining shipping
costs.... according to their fercocktah system they would ship me some
40 pounds of kosher "style" salt at a lower shipping cost than 1/4
ounce of saffron. Well DUH! HOW IS THAT FAIR??? The USPS will send
that 1/4 ounce of saffron by First Class Mail for 37¢... Penzeys wants
$9.50 and you may not receive your saffron for ten business days.
Penzeys is definitely reaping a windfall on shipping, they are gouging
their customers, and saddly they are gouging their best customers the
deepest... the more you spend the deeper they gouge.

The more I think about it the more I detest those Scuzzy Penzeys
*******s!

This is not the first time Penzeys has treated me unfairly, but it will
be the last.

It is too late for them to satisfy me, I no longer trust them.

"The Penzeys Project" will be my endeaver for the new year.

Sheldon Boycott

Sheldon wrote:
> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
> Sheldon Bah Humbug

Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?

jmcquown wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> > I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
> > Sheldon Bah Humbug
>
> Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?

Um, this was Penzeys, not Victorias. hehe

Sheldon Spicy

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote:
> I've not started gouging for S&H yet as an ebay seller as I know it
> ****es customers off, but PLEASE understand why they do it! eBay has
> continued to raise listing and seller fees.
>
> You see, you have to pay a listing fee to ebay REGARDLESS of whether or
> not your item sells! Do enough auctions and that crap adds up.

I guess I'd like to see the minimum bid bet set to include the eBay fees.
And for the shipping to be specified directly or through the shipping
calculator. I really don't like having to ask for a shipping quote for an
item I might not even bid on, let alone actually win. It wastes both my time
and the sellers. But I guess a large percentage of the buyers don't even
consider the shipping aspect until they've already won the item.

I realize that by making the final cost more transparent, for a lot of items
it wouldn't make any kind of economic sense to list them on eBay. Maybe
that's as it should be, but then a lot of relatively cheap oddball things
would never be offered... and I buy a fair number of those! ;-)

Overall, I guess I've been treated fairly well by eBay sellers. Sometimes
they underestimate shipping charges, and end up essentially giving me the
item for free. It's not that hard to happen if the item is in the couple of
buck range and heavy. Take the listing fees into account, and the seller
definitely lost money on those auctions in addition to giving the item away
for free.

> It's getting harder and harder to make a profit on ebay these days. Add
> Paypal fees into that and you get screwed even more.

And don't get me started about PayPal! ;-)

--
( #wff_ng_7# at #verizon# period #net# )

Sheldon wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>> Sheldon wrote:
>>> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
>>> Sheldon Bah Humbug
>>
>> Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?
>
> Um, this was Penzeys, not Victorias. hehe
>
> Sheldon Spicy

Damn! Well if you decide to shop at Victoria's, I wear a size 6-8

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> > jmcquown wrote:
> >> Sheldon wrote:
> >>> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
> >>> Sheldon Bah Humbug
> >>
> >> Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?
> >
> > Um, this was Penzeys, not Victorias. hehe
> >
> > Sheldon Spicy
>
> Damn! Well if you decide to shop at Victoria's, I wear a size 68

That's an awfully large bra size.

ShelDon 38

Sheldon wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
> > Sheldon wrote:
> > > jmcquown wrote:
> > >> Sheldon wrote:
> > >>> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
> > >>> Sheldon Bah Humbug
> > >>
> > >> Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?
> > >
> > > Um, this was Penzeys, not Victorias. hehe
> > >
> > > Sheldon Spicy
> >
> > Damn! Well if you decide to shop at Victoria's, I wear a size 68
>
> That's an awfully large bra size.
>
> ShelDon 38

Oi! Get a room, you two....
Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

>
> I mostly get DVD's on Amazon so it's not been a problem. ;-)
> --
> Om.

I'm glad to hear that, as I sold all my used DVD's that I put for sale at
Amazon very quickly. Amazon reimbursed a portion of the S&H to the seller.
It was very welcome.
I buy lots of books from individual sellers at Amazon and I find they are
prompt and the charge of $3.49 (I think it is) is reasonable whether the
book be a tome (sp?) or a thinly-spinly one.

I was surprised that ebay and Amazon are competitors. I never go to ebay to
look for anything new at all. Ebay was just too complicated for me to sell
anything on, so it is all going slowly but surely to Salvation Army.
Dee Dee

cathyxyz wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> Sheldon wrote:
>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>> Sheldon wrote:
>>>>>> I placed a rather largish order today (by phone)
>>>>>> Sheldon Bah Humbug
>>>>>
>>>>> Am I on your shopping list, sweetie?
>>>>
>>>> Um, this was Penzeys, not Victorias. hehe
>>>>
>>>> Sheldon Spicy
>>>
>>> Damn! Well if you decide to shop at Victoria's, I wear a size 68
>>
>> That's an awfully large bra size.
>>
>> ShelDon 38
>
> Oi! Get a room, you two....
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)

No thanks, I'd rather have that $12,500 diamond and ruby bra I saw in the VS
Christmas catalog (How uncomfortable and *cold* must THAT be?!)

Jill

On Thu, 01 Dec 2005 10:53:22 -0600, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:

>
>I mostly get DVD's on Amazon so it's not been a problem. ;-)

Have you tried deepdiscountdvd (.com)? Their prices beat any I've
seen. And they do offer free shipping (though that's rather slow
snail-mail) as well as reasonably priced faster shipping.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge