Or order direct from the manufacturer. We’d love that!
1. Make it not cost more to me. I don’t care what your costs are, but I do care what mine are. If I find my way to your shop and have my wallet open, that’s the time to be cost-competitive, not to tack on a $7.95 shipping and processing fee (unless your product price is $8 less).
2. Give reasonable assurance that customer care, if needed, will be about as accommodating as A2Z.
3. Give reasonable payment options. Some people want PayPal. Others hate them. Personally, in part because of #2, I often use them.
In this case, I am in the market for copper speaker wire but can’t find your company name in a quick read of your comment history or a google of toasterlovin.
Would you mind sharing it? ;)
Seriously. I just ordered an item from Amazon because white the manufacturer's price was $6 less, they wanted $45 for shipping, while Amazon's was free.
I have to wait nine days, but it isn't that urgent, and I'll wait nine days to save $39 (the item itself is only $119, so $39 is quite a lot extra).
(Comparison is that I can ship a mountain bike across the US for $50, no big deal.)
Small businesses are stuck with what the big shippers charge for international shipping (and shipping in general). You basically don't qualify for negotiated rates with the shippers until you are spending five figures minimum per month for shipping, and you don't qualify for good shipping rates until you're spending six figures minimum per month. We ship enough with FedEx to have a dedicated rep, and even then are international discounts are minimal (although our domestic discounts are sizable).
I wouldn't mind using the Post Office option and waiting a couple of weeks. But paying 40-60$ just for shipping is often the deal killer.
Amazon doesn’t magically have power to ship things for free.
You’ve been paying more for items on Amazon because of “free shipping”.
The seller can split it up however they want, but I’m going to look at the final total, especially when I’m comparison shopping buying “this one thing from vendor A” vs “that same thing from vendor Z”.
Amazon has enchanted the world with their “prime” badge. Enchantments rarely end in the enchantee’s best interest.
I’d say it was more the 24 hour delivery, immense selection and outstanding no fuss returns policy. That has enchanted people.
None of us are happy Amazon has such a monopoly but it was won fair and square.