OUCH!!! $3.00 part/$9.00 s&h

Lionel has had the same $9 shipping fee for quite some time. I needed a small spring a couple years ago and got the same 'deal' on shipping. Went back and found some more items to add to the order to make it more worthwhile.

On the other side of the coin, I recently had a new Lionel item with a bad part and they sent me a new one right away with no charge and no questions asked. I just explained what the problem was and they agreed. Saved me from having to send the whole thing back, which I really appreciated not having to do.

As said above, I've been on both side of this coin also.

I always buy a bunch of stuff at once to make it worth it.

Wish I had the money I spent in shipping this year, but it's the cost of business for some of the great deals I've gotten.  Still money ahead!

I had a similar situation as yours, although in my case the shipping was not more than the cost of the part but almost equal to it. Shipping is really expensive now and your best bet is to try and order more items in the order to bring down the costs per unit. The only thing that made me feel better was that the cost of the item I wanted from the vendor I chose was that it cost much less than from other sources even with shipping added.

The shipping charge on small parts is the biggest issue with fixing your trains.

I've done a lot of shipping....and often these items can be shipped in a 25 cent padded envelope and $2 postage.......seller could charge $3 and make a profit on just the shipping!!! I understand there is more a cost than just envelope and postage....but I always considered that 'the cost of doing business'.

Contact one of the guys that do repairs and order in bulk. I'm sure they would help.

Doesn't that just burn your huevos!

Because of the S&H costs charged on part's, I have a box stuff waiting on a bunch of nickle, dime & dollar parts that I cant justify ordering until the parts pile costs more than the shipping.

Some time back, I ordered an N scale locomotive on sale for $16, from one of the major online & walk-in retailers, shipping by UPS only. The several ounce package cost $18. to ship.  Now, if a dealer doesn't ship by USPS, someone else get's my $.....

Dave

As stated you do have some options like get together a large enough order to justify the shipping OR find a train show parts seller and take your list. I am doing that more and more.  OR buy on ebay and try for free shipping.

It's moments like these that I order smoke fluid, light bulbs and traction tires; things I may not need but know I'll eventually use.

Well, at least it's across the board.  I remember once buying some needed item on the 'Bay for a couple of bucks and paying $14.95 for shipping.  I was very careful to do better searches for my stuff after that experience.

I had a similar issue recently.  The site separated shipping and handling.  The shipping was maybe $3.  The handling is what lost my business.  I think it was between $4-$6.  I ended up getting the part from a forum member and was much happier.

Drive there and get it yourself if you don't want to pay for the shipping & handling.REMEMBER a company is a business…they have to PAY an employee to pull your item from stock,prepare it for shipping,prepare the paperwork and make sure it is sent.In addition,I got news for you.They made zero money on that order.It is done as a service so you will continue to buy their products.Nick

I wait until I need more parts, then order in a batch.  That way shipping is pretty much a non-issue.

I have this problem with airplane parts.  A simple bakelite disc that could have gone for 44 cents cost $20 to ship.  Shipper said he wouldn't use USPS.  A very small outfit.

Next item was a seven dollar O ring - big supply house.  They put it in the above $2 envelope.  They will get my business from now on.

There's not a lot of room for "cost of doing business in a $3.00 order. I would wager Lionel lost money on this guy. 

Brad

I have experienced paying for S/H way in excess of not only the cost of the part but also just the postage to ship in the packaging it came in.  There is no reason to send a small spring or half dozen small LED lights that are already in an unbreakable small package in a larger 8x12"one full of bubble wrap, styrofoam popcorns, or air filled plastic bubbles making it hard to even find the part inside.  Sometimes things, like rubber tires for engines, can even be sent in an envelope.  I guess some businesses use standard practice instead of logic and economy when doing this.  Or else they employ automatons who simply and blindly do the same thing over and over again regardless of the absurdity of it.

Lionels new head of parts shipment, just in time for the holidays

  Customers buy your products in good faith and when you need a part they shove it to you? That's just not ethical. 

Have you visited your local "Pack,Wrap and Ship" store lately and priced FedEx, UPS, and USPS shipping rates?  Also please don't overlook the "employee" that has to "pin" your part/parts, the package them, and also don't forget the cost of the actual shipping materials.

I batch my parts orders too.

But that doesn't always work out. One time I put together an order for several hundred dollars worth of parts. Even with online ordering, they only had a single one dollar part, and they still charged ten dollars to ship. To add insult to injury, the part was worthless without a second, matching piece (which was one of the items out of stock).

Stuff happens

At least it is listed up front.  I ordered some trains from a dealer that had free shipping over $200.  The exception was items on sale.  Well, I had over $200 of non sale items, and one sale box car, and they charged me shipping for the entire package. 

I routinely order parts from Digikey, they ship the parts First Class Mail and the shipping charge is typically in the $2-3 range.  Yes, they're all packed and they even have packing material in the box to keep them from rattling around.  Yes, they have to pick the parts individually, they're all neatly packaged as well.  Most of my small parts are in the $1-2 range for each piece.  Many of my parts orders are for less than $10 total, and I don't expect to have to pay another $10 for them to ship them!

I'm not buying that you have to charge a ton for shipping and handling to make a profit, because that's one of many examples where the company makes profit and doesn't rip you on the shipping.

Try Boxcar Bill.  He sells Lionel Modern era parts.  He'll give a discount on the parts price and the shipping charge is more reasonable.