[G4] Liteon's New Dual Layer 16x DVD +/- R and +/- RW Drive

[Ronald Steinke]

On 18 Nov, 2005, at 5:46, Aaron wrote:

Underneath the list of shipping charges for various methods of 
shipping, there's the sentence:

"Handling fees of $5.95 will be applied."

So, they're really charging $48 with the cheapest shipping, not $42!

Maybe it's still a good deal, but I don't think I want to do business 
with a company that's that sneaky!

What's your reasoning here for not doing business with a company that 
was honest enough to tell the full cost of shipping and handling? Their 
advertisement told the exact truth; the cost of the item, the amount of 
shipping charge, and the separate fee for handling which includes 
getting the item from the shelf, packing it in a container, sealing it, 
etc.

The cost of shipping is always considered to be a separate issue from 
the handling expenses. The shipping fee is what is paid to the company 
actually doing the transportation of the item. This may be the US Post 
Office, FedEx, UPS, or any other shipment purveyor. You might notice 
this at an automobile dealership, too. It's called a "Transportation 
Fee" which is separate from the "Dealer Setup Fee".

Many times, the handling fees are not stated as separate costs, and 
THAT should be considered as the sneaky part of an advertisement. When 
the handling fee isn't stated, almost any fee can be charged and the 
customer never gets the true cost of shipping. On eBay, many sellers 
make an extra profit by stating a total fee for their shipping cost 
instead of breaking it down to the true cost of packing materials, cost 
of postage, and cost of labor. It may only be a few cents or it might 
be a dollar or more for each item, but it all adds up in the end and 
the customer is the person who pays for it.

Now, that is what I call "sneaky"!