DIYbanter - Did I miss it? Whither HF's free shipping?

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 12:42:21 -0500, the inscrutable "Bob Chilcoat"
spake:

I just sent off an order to HF for some odds and ends. Couldn't find the
"free shipping for orders over $50" tag anywhere, on three different recent
flyers. Looks like they now charge a sliding scale, with a maximum of $8.99
for anything over $35. When did this happen?

Is is just me, or does this seem like a mistake. I always seemed to plump
up every order to get the free shipping, whether I needed the extras or not.
I always thought that was a very smart marketing tool. Too bad.

Except for shipping mills and compressors free ($5.95 handling), it
probably was. I believe the change happened this month. Someone
recently posted about it, so google back a month on RCM. It appears
that they just expanded their handling fee and started charging $20
per for heavy items. It still beats every other firm's shipping policy
AFAIK.

This is their posted shipping fee chart from the website right now:

INTERNET SHIPPING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

INTERNET ORDER SHIPPING INFORMATION

1. Shipping Chart

* up to $14.99........$5.95
* $15.00 to $34.99....$7.99
* $35.00 and up..$8.99
* Items marked "§Truck Item", subject to a $20.00 additional
Freight Charge, per Truck Item.

*ALASKA, HAWAII, PUERTO RICO, GUAM AND VIRGIN ISLANDS ORDERS SEE 3.(c)
BELOW.
2. ORDERS WILL BE PROCESSED WITHIN 48 HOURS and shipped via U.P.S.,
Parcel Post or truckline.
3. (a) Please calculate shipping charges from the table above.
(b) All Truck Freight Items are subject to an additional $20.00
Freight Charge, per Truck Item.
(c) All orders shipped to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam & Virgin
Islands, will be charged actual 4th class Parcel Post charges. If
paying by check please add 25% of the sub-total to cover Parcel Post
charges and add to line 4 of the order form. We will refund or bill
you for any difference between the 25% and actual Parcel Post charges.
We have arranged special discounted rates with the freight companies
at savings to you of up to 65% from normal shipping charges. Call
Customer Satisfaction at 800-444-3353 for approximate shipping
charges. We must have a daytime phone number on your order for the
freight company to arrange delivery. Customers may use freight
forwarders with normal shipping charges from Harbor Freight to freight
forwarder.
4. On this sale: We will accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card or
American Express/Optima (with card number, expiration date and
signature). We will accept by mail personal checks, company checks. NO
BILLING -- NO C.O.D.'s.
5. References: (a) Union Bank, Century City Office, Century City,
California; (b) Dun & Bradstreet
6. Members of: United States Chamber of Commerce; California Chamber
of Commerce; Camarillo Chamber of Commerce
7. Freight Charges subject to change without Notice.

Harbor Freight Tools
3491 Mission Oaks Blvd.
Camarillo, CA 93011

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