We are sometimes asked why we ship only via Priority Mail and Express Mail? Costs a little more.... Better... Less Damage.... Faster
First, our customers are impatient... and so are we impatient. You would not have ordered something if you did not want it promptly.
Second, in years past, we had orders bounce around on the back of a truck for a week.... sometimes it got banged up in transit.... we do not want to put your uke on the back of a truck.
Third, we require Delivery Confirmation of your order. We gotta know that you order arrived... and when. In years past, a few, but far too many orders just went POOF... disappeared, and customer said WE NEVER GOT IT... we replaced it all at our cost. When that happens is takes a lot of new orders to cover the loss.
We are asked why we do not just stick a stamp on little stuff and let it go loose in the mail? You say you are in no hurry anyway.... well....
All small orders less than $15 in merchandise cost us more to handle and process than the margin on the merchandise. So very small orders cost money out of our pocket to handle.
Shipping and Handling is far more than the cost of stamps.... We are a small family company (and like it that way). Producing and providing the web site itself is not cheap, handling questions, and e-mails takes a lot of time. Preparing, picking, packing daily order is not free. All of these costs must be covered with added margin on the merchandise or an addition to the Post Office charges.
Yes, when you go to the post office with a little Priority Mail letter they charge you about $5.95 ... and we ding you two bucks more for order processing. That is a necessary cost that you pay.
Maybe we should have a minimum order accepted of 15 or 20 bucks.... that would stop the tiny orders, but it would also choke out some customers where money was really important for them..
No, you do not like little orders where sometimes the shipping and handling costs exceeds the cost of the merchandise.... and we admit those little orders are not very attractive to us either.
Please do not forget about your local music store. If they have what you need give them every opportunity to help you. Our only rightful place is only with the domestic and international customers where they do not have a local music store within miles and miles.
Keep Strumming.... Keep Smiling...
Roy T. Cone
