Free Shipping Isn't Free

November 25, 2020

Free shipping is appealing, especially when you're comparing products online. But while shipping may be listed as “free,” the cost of getting the product to you still has to be covered somehow. In many cases, that cost is built into the price of the product itself.

With so many retailers offering free shipping, it's helpful to understand how this pricing model can affect what you pay overall.

When a company offers free shipping, the expected shipping cost may be incorporated into the item's listed price. For example, if a product normally costs $20 and costs $10 to ship on its own, a retailer offering free shipping might list that product for $30 instead.

This can become especially noticeable when purchasing multiple products. Suppose you need two of those $20 products. With the shipping cost built into each item's price, you could pay $60 total. With separate product pricing, you might instead pay $40 for the products and an actual shipping charge based on the combined package. If shipping the two products together costs $14, your total would be $54 - a $6 difference.

This is particularly relevant when purchasing casters, since customers often purchase four or more at a time.

Why We Don't Offer Free Shipping

At Mapp Caster & Supply, we choose not to offer blanket free shipping because we believe customers are better served by seeing the actual shipping cost separately from the product price.

Casters can be heavy, and shipping costs can vary considerably depending on the size and weight of an order. While seeing a shipping charge at checkout may be less appealing than seeing “free shipping,” keeping the product and shipping costs separate allows us to price the products based on the products themselves rather than building an estimated shipping cost into every item.

Our goal is to keep the overall cost as reasonable as possible and avoid adding shipping costs to product prices when they don't necessarily apply equally to every order.

Tips for Saving on Shipping

Shipping costs aren't always straightforward, but a few things can help you get more value from your order.

Purchase items together when possible.

Shipping a single small package can be relatively expensive compared with adding additional items to the same shipment. If you already know you'll need several products, purchasing them together may reduce the shipping cost per item.

Keep package weight in mind.

For many shipments, the initial portion of a package's weight accounts for a significant part of the shipping cost. As additional weight is added, the cost per pound can decrease.

Be aware of package weight limits.

Many common carriers have package weight limits around 50 pounds. Packages exceeding those limits may incur additional fees, so splitting an order or choosing freight shipping can sometimes make more sense depending on the products and quantities involved.

Consider freight for larger orders.

When you're purchasing a larger quantity of heavy products, freight shipping can sometimes provide more weight for your shipping dollar than sending multiple smaller packages.

Shipping Costs Are Part of the Total Price

There is no way around the fact that shipping costs money. Whether you see a separate shipping charge or see “free shipping” at checkout, someone ultimately has to cover the cost of transporting the product.

It's also worth remembering that online marketplaces may charge sellers additional fees. Those costs can be incorporated into product pricing just like shipping costs can be.

Understanding how these costs are handled can make it easier to compare products and determine the actual value of an order. A shipping charge isn't necessarily a sign that you're paying more - and “free shipping” doesn't necessarily mean you're paying less.

When comparing prices, it helps to look at the total cost of the order, including both the products and the shipping required to get them to you.

Final Thoughts

Shipping is part of every order, whether it appears as a separate charge or is included in the product price. When comparing products, looking at the total cost - including shipping - can give you a better idea of what you're actually paying.

For caster orders in particular, purchasing multiple casters together can sometimes make shipping more economical, especially when the products can be shipped in the same package. If you're not sure which shipping option or caster is right for your application, we're happy to help.

Need help finding casters? Contact us or give us a call at 800-345-0425 (Mon-Fri 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM). Our team can help you compare caster options, capacities, sizes, and other specifications to find a solution that fits your application.

Share:

---

Also in Caster Knowledge