# SEMO's Shipping is killing me...



## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

First of all I would like to say that I love the quality of the transfers from SEMO, and their customer service is phenomenal but man their shipping charges are getting crazy high. 

I just placed an order for a 50 count(7x12) print job and the total shipping charge was almost half the price of the prints. The print job was $37.50 and the shipping charges were $15.55. This is crazy  

I'm not sure what to do. I really like SEMO but these type of charges really get me upset cause I ship stuff all the time and I have never paid this much for anything this size/weight. 

Sorry for the rant... I was just extremely surprised by these charges.
Again, love SEMO quality but man these charges are insane


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

It's pretty much that way for everyone. F&M does it too as does Howard who I used lately. For a company that ships a LOT of things out... their UPS charges should be much less than I could walk into UPS and ship stuff for. I realize it costs for packaging, but not an extra $7. Semo and F&M are cheap on their transfers so I understand (but don't like it) that they try and recoup any costs they can and make a little more. Howard on the other hand, isn't cheap, but their shipping was very high too. I've started adding $15 for shipping on EVERYTHING when quoting just because It's what we end up paying. After that, I haven't really looked or let it bother me since I know that I'm not actually paying for it. Stahl's even adds another $2.50 just for fun on their orders. Just plan in advance so that your customer pays it and chalk it up to Cost of goods sold. If you find someone realistic on shipping prices AND good quality please share.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I find Silver Mountain to be the most reasonable.....Last order was 75 12 x 14 sheets shipped from KY to WA and the charge was 12.14.....


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

Yeah it's just a small slap in the face cause you know it only costs them about $6-7 to ship a small package like that. I know because I that's what I pay. 

I plan on adding the $15 from now on to every order as a "handling fee". It's just irritating that's all.

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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

So you think the are overcharging you 8.00?.....I do not think an extra .16 per shirt will break you.....


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

I'll add that I don't think it's exactly ethical to double charge for shipping. It doesn't matter what I can afford, they could just as well afford to NOT do it as I can to do it. But I don't do all the hidden charge junk either because I personally hate it. I've just resigned myself that this is the way it is when dealing with transfers. I've switched suppliers over .16 an item so yeah... it adds up.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

drdoct said:


> Stahl's even adds another $2.50 just for fun on their orders.


I noticed that extra charge also last week when I ordered from Stahls. I don't recall if it is something new or I just never noticed it. Going to be checking out some other suppliers to see there are extra charges applied.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

drdoct said:


> I'll add that I don't think it's exactly ethical to double charge for shipping. It doesn't matter what I can afford, they could just as well afford to NOT do it as I can to do it. But I don't do all the hidden charge junk either because I personally hate it. I've just resigned myself that this is the way it is when dealing with transfers. I've switched suppliers over .16 an item so yeah... it adds up.


I markup my shipping costs 30% so you must think I am a "bandit".....I am sure that "pisses" some of my clients off, however, they are free to do business elsewhere if they do not like my terms.....

On the order I am working on this morning, I was able to fit the chest logo on the same sheet as the back logo and I charged an extra 1.08 per shirt.....The extra imprint cost me nothing.....I charged what I could charge based on what my client was willing to pay....


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

royster13 said:


> I find Silver Mountain to be the most reasonable.....Last order was 75 12 x 14 sheets shipped from KY to WA and the charge was 12.14.....








royster13 said:


> So you think the are overcharging you 8.00?.....I do not think an extra .16 per shirt will break you.....


So let's say you were to order from Silver Mountain again, the same order, and it was now $20.14 as opposed to $12.14, would that not upset you?



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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

This just reminds me of eBay sellers that have an item on sale for $1 and charge $35 for shipping. 

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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

joey1320 said:


> So let's say you were to order from Silver Mountain again, the same order, and it was now $20.14 as opposed to $12.14, would that not upset you?
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


I generally do not worry too much about "small stuff" like that....It is what it is....So long as the supplier does good work and it reliable, a few $$s will not hurt me too much....


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## jamerican352005 (Nov 1, 2008)

Are you residential or commercial shipping?


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

jamerican352005 said:


> Are you residential or commercial shipping?


Residential

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## franktheprinter (Oct 5, 2008)

joey1320 said:


> First of all I would like to say that I love the quality of the transfers from SEMO, and their customer service is phenomenal but man their shipping charges are getting crazy high.
> 
> I just placed an order for a 50 count(7x12) print job and the total shipping charge was almost half the price of the prints. The print job was $37.50 and the shipping charges were $15.55. This is crazy
> 
> ...


Hi Joey. I definitely cant speak for all vendors, but as for us...we always charge the rate we pay for shipping that our shipper charges us as I feel that's 
only fair...I believe that if a vendor is gonna charge more than they are paying that they owe it to you to tell you what you are paying the xtra money for..like
processing fees ( which may or may not include shipping supplies like boxes, tape,labels, etc...)


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Shipping charges have sky rocketed. That doesn't seem that bad. I know shipping films cost me around $10 when shipping to members and sometimes more depending on location . A handling fee covers your shipping materials. I buy tubes and boxes, tape gas to drop off if needed.


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## macman29681 (May 24, 2013)

joey1320 said:


> First of all I would like to say that I love the quality of the transfers from SEMO, and their customer service is phenomenal but man their shipping charges are getting crazy high.
> 
> I just placed an order for a 50 count(7x12) print job and the total shipping charge was almost half the price of the prints. The print job was $37.50 and the shipping charges were $15.55. This is crazy
> 
> ...


What about if they ship from your UPS account number. Maybe you will have better pricing options. I used to work in a small business that had a fedex account and it was only like $8.00 to ship overnight through our account.


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## jamerican352005 (Nov 1, 2008)

joey1320 said:


> Residential
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


Residental prices are more expensive than commercial. Do you have a commerical address we could ship to?


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## jamerican352005 (Nov 1, 2008)

franktheprinter said:


> Hi Joey. I definitely cant speak for all vendors, but as for us...we always charge the rate we pay for shipping that our shipper charges us as I feel that's
> only fair...I believe that if a vendor is gonna charge more than they are paying that they owe it to you to tell you what you are paying the xtra money for..like
> processing fees ( which may or may not include shipping supplies like boxes, tape,labels, etc...)


I can speak for us. Our online ordering system will calculate the freight 
1. The weight of your package.
2. The size of the box. (oversize boxes are more expensive than the boxes used with 7x12 & 10x12 orders)
3. If you are residential the cost is more than a commerical address.
4. The daily rate of UPS. 

If you have a UPS shipper number contact us and we can ship out your package on your UPS number.

If you feel your freight amount is unfair never hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to discuss the issues with you and work something out.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

USPS Flat Rate Boxes????


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## jamerican352005 (Nov 1, 2008)

royster13 said:


> USPS Flat Rate Boxes????


That is actually something we are looking into adding to the website. The only issue is the oversize prints will not fit into the USPS Flat Rate boxes...we tried.


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## kingwoo (Mar 22, 2013)

I think, it is not the shipping fee that is going high.
It is a kind of pricing strategy. 
As for old customers, you feel it's the shipping fee gets higher. But for new customers, it may be the product prices get more attractive. It could be these suppliers are trying to expand for more new customers with lower product prices and get it back from other service charges. In this case, the shipping charges. 

But it could work with new customers. The low prices drive new customers and they don't know the other old rules like "shipping charge" here, so they will be happy about it. But I suppose the overall cost is fair. If not, maybe is that as this SEMO supplier you mentioned is getting bigger, they are just facing some financial things with not enough profit or overstaffing. Need add those fees to balance their cost.

I'm just saying.


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## Stefano (Aug 5, 2013)

drdoct said:


> It's pretty much that way for everyone. F&M does it too as does Howard who I used lately. For a company that ships a LOT of things out... their UPS charges should be much less than I could walk into UPS and ship stuff for. I realize it costs for packaging, but not an extra $7. Semo and F&M are cheap on their transfers so I understand (but don't like it) that they try and recoup any costs they can and make a little more. Howard on the other hand, isn't cheap, but their shipping was very high too. I've started adding $15 for shipping on EVERYTHING when quoting just because It's what we end up paying. After that, I haven't really looked or let it bother me since I know that I'm not actually paying for it. Stahl's even adds another $2.50 just for fun on their orders. Just plan in advance so that your customer pays it and chalk it up to Cost of goods sold. If you find someone realistic on shipping prices AND good quality please share.


I agree that a lot of companies are playing "monkey see monkey do" game by inflating their shipping charges and acting like it's no big deal. And from the comments defending these practices, many people don't seem to mind at all. The worst abuse of this trend I had was a distributor that I ordered 10 sample T shirts from (less than 4 lbs) and the rep quoted the UPS charge as $30. The warehouse was about 60 miles from my house. I cancelled the order then he backed the charge down to $4. Heck, I can send a few lead ingots anywhere in the country in a medium flat rate USPS box for about $11.

Stahl's only adds that $2.50 "surcharge" to small orders from one of their warehouses. I just ordered $300 worth of vinyl from them. There was no surcharge and the shipment came in 3 large boxes. The UPS charge was less than $9. Unless they made a mistake in their math, I found my new vinyl supplier.


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## keithhon (Apr 9, 2009)

If you have a UPS account we can ship to your UPS account number. Just call us and we can process your order in house. PLEASE do not think we are trying to price gouge our customers with inflating shipping prices. That could no be further from the truth. I value every order from every customer as you guys feed my family and I never forget that!!!! I treat all my customers like I expect to be treated.


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

Stahls is here in Michigan, so I can just pick my Vinyl up from them. Unfortunately I deal with Specialty Graphics because of Easyweed. Easyweed pretty much shut it down when I first tried it. ......Easyweed


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

This tells me one thing. The company's are not moving as many transfers or software....or whatever the case maybe. They make up for it buy charging outrageous shipping or outrageous prices on software. Don't think a penny is much double it every day for 30 days. See what u come up with. Making a profit is one thing... raking someone over the coals is another. Im going through this..... on the software side. Signwharehouse. I cant even describe how angry I was about the situation.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

I ordered 60 anvil shirts from SnS Activewear. Think they shipped from NJ. Cost me 25 bucks ti a residential addy. 
I pressed them and added maybe 10 shirts and boxed back up in the same box and shipped to my Dad, was for a family reunion. Cost me 50 BUCKS to ship it to him in Wisconsin. **** my pants when he told me the cost. Double of what it was to get to me.

I have ordered a couple sample shirts for customers. Shipping was more than the cost of the shirts. Turn around and order 50 of the shirts and the shipping is about the same cost of the few samples. 

If anything it can drive you crazy figuring it out.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Shipping is expensive. If you do enough volume, you can negotiate significant discounts with UPS or FedEx (I've found UPS easier to deal with, FedEx was kinda snobby). My wife used to work for a shipping company that got an 80% discount from FedEx, when we moved it was cheaper to ship our belongings through FedEx than send them any normal means. After that I worked for a company that got a 50% discount from UPS and it was nice, as UPS extended the discount to my personal account since I signed up under the company. I have no idea what volume is needed for a discount as I never negotiated on my own behalf.


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