I ordered the RS Rolling Carry-on. A good bag, but not what I am looking for. I returned it and paid the shipping costs as I knew I would have to do from reading the RS return policy when I ordered the bag, so no surprise. Shipped back via USPS parcel post insured, the best lower-cost option. $45 from North Carolina to Washington State. That $ did surprise me. FWIW.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23296 posts
Ya -- prices are way up. We discovered that recently when we sent some things to our SF son. Two or three years ago it was about half of what we paid today for Fed Ex.
Posted by
Massachusetts
855 posts
Thanks for the information about the shipping costs. I am still flabbergasted that Priority Mail flat rate envelope costs nearly $10 to ship a short distance. For the price of the bag you purchased ($179.99), Rick Steves charges a flat shipping rate of $14. I am sure, as you have discovered, it costs RS a lot more than $14 to ship the item to you. So you got a good deal on shipping when purchasing the item. This is in no way a criticism of your post -- just pointing it for reference for anyone else reading this post and does not know the shipping fee charged by RS.
Posted by
Los Angeles
4412 posts
We've all gotten used to "free shipping" which means the merchant partly eats it and partly builds it into the cost. When it's time to actually ship something, it's pretty staggering what it costs. Always go to a shipping store that offers all the different carriers and they will show you a screen of all the various costs, boy do they vary.
Posted by
1856 posts
My solution is just keep the bag and buy another. Shipping - not an issue.
Posted by
Freedonia
15090 posts
. I am sure, as you have discovered, it costs RS a lot more than $14 to ship the item to you
Not necessarily. Businesses that ship like RS usually make deals with shipping companies for bulk rates.
It's the mere mortals that get hit with the big charges.
Posted by
Washington DC
27176 posts
As far as I know (haven't checked since I retired in 2006), the US Postal Service has 8 zones for parcel post. Maybe also for Priority Mail, but I typically use parcel post. There is a huge difference between the cost of mailing the same box to a destination in Zone 1 or 2 and to a destination in Zone 8. If the RS fulfillment center is in Washington State, that would make a great deal of the country Zone 8.
In addition, in the 20th century the only variables were the weight of a package and the distance it was traveling. Now size matters as well. Shipping a large, empty container (which a suitcase is) can be shockingly expensive if you just think about the weight.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
6408 posts
There is a huge difference between the cost of mailing the same box to a destination in Zone 1 or 2 and to a destination in Zone 8.
That is so true. I used to hate sending packages to my sister in California from Cincinnati. It was at least twice as expensive as sending it anywhere else.