I've read this thread with interest.  I ship mainly small items, such as
door handles and other locks, and can generally ship in one small carton.  I
am usually able to recycle packaging, and do use plastic peanuts, newspaper,
and other filler items rather than throwing them out.  Simple key orders are
double-enveloped and sent first class mail.  My policy has been to include
first class mail with key dupes and pass on only actual shipping charges on
parcels.  If you order 1 key duplicate at $3.75, it costs me 57 cents to get
it and your original back to you.  That's quite a chunk out of the sale.  I
charge the same for a key dupe by mail as I do at a car show or if someone
local picked it up.  Packing and shipping is a money loser for me, as I
frequently spend as much time packing and mailing as I do performing a lot
of the work.  For the mean time, I'll continue to do this, but I forsee a
time when I will have to go to a shipping and handling fee.  It's not a way
most of us choose to make a dollar, but we also can't afford to lose money
getting our items to you, when we operate on minimal margins as it is. There
are so many costs of doing business that the public doesn't realize and that
additional handling time is just one more item that cuts into the bottom
line.  I do my lock work as much for love of the cars as I do for the money,
but if it begins to be a money loser due to the time spent shipping and
mailing, I'm afraid I'll have to charge for it.  I hope you understand our
position as vendors.
Best Regards, and we vendors DO appreciate your business and support.
Steve Sandlin
Steve's Lock Shoppe
'84 Wolfsburg Westy
'79 Kombi
'00 New Beetle

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