Delivery

[skippydiesel]

I am sure you've noticed but the cost of having parts delivered can be a significant component of the overall cost.

 

This trend is such, that it behoves the customer (you) to compare not only advertised purchase price but also delivery charge, as this may swing the choice in favour of another supplier.

(Note:

To add insult to injury, some suppliers are advertising the non GST price for their product, to appear more competitive. This is against Consumer Law

Overseas delivery is now almost exclusively via very expensive courier service that can easily exceed the purchase price of the item )

 

Recently I ordered a new David Clark microphone, Model M-7A, for my headset.

 

The M-7A measures about 42 x 12 x 9 mm @ 4.5-6 gms.

 

Shipping: $10 Australian postal service.

 

The box, the part came in, measured about 200 x 140 x 200 mm. Inside that box was another 105 x 105 x 65 mm box. Both boxes had a significant quantity of "packing" material to take up the empty space.

 

The combined weight of the two boxes + packing, would have been many times the weight of the part and of course the volume of the outside box, could have contained a hundred or more microphones,

 

The M-7A is a robust plastic component, it could just have easily been sent in a small envelop (with or without padding) for as little as $2 Au.

 

Seems to me that we have two levels of charge "padding" going on;

• The supplier is adding handling & postage, to boost profits (above the advertised price). The supplier will likly have a cut/business rate.
• Australia Post has a $10 minimum charge on a "parcels"

 

Its a greedy World!

 

😈

[facthunter]

ALL that for just $10?    You  are unrealistic. Nev

[FlyBoy1960]

50 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

The supplier is adding handling & postage, to boost profits (above the advertised price). The supplier will likly have a cut/business rate.

you try sending someone to the post office where they have to stand in a long line  just to get served at the counter. We are 3 km from the post office but rarely can the trip be done in under one hour return. A typical staffer is getting $40 per hour. If they only have 1 or 2 parcels to post then you are doing it at a loss. There are great discounts through Australia Post. If you do around $20,000 a month (from memory) you will get a 5% discount.  BIG DEAL.

sorry but like fact onto said you are so unrealistic with the costs of doing business.

[tillmanr]

I don't like to admit to it but I have taken to using Amazon frequently when I have decided on a product that I want.

If you buy frequently on line, the  cost of prime membership gives you free delivery on most items including from the USA.

Good for small aircraft hardware which can delivery cost can at times be more than the cost of the parts 

[turboplanner]

19 hours ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

you try sending someone to the post office where they have to stand in a long line  just to get served at the counter. We are 3 km from the post office but rarely can the trip be done in under one hour return. A typical staffer is getting $40 per hour. If they only have 1 or 2 parcels to post then you are doing it at a loss. There are great discounts through Australia Post. If you do around $20,000 a month (from memory) you will get a 5% discount.  BIG DEAL.

sorry but like fact onto said you are so unrealistic with the costs of doing business.

AI?

[FlyBoy1960]

Not AI, voice to text on my phone without wearing glasses to really check what it wrote.

[skippydiesel]

To those that think its okay to charge $10 (or more) delivery, for an item that could have been posted for under $2 - This old  saying comes to mind:

 

"A fool & his money are easily parted"

 

I purchased my microphone from one of the largest aviation parts suppliers in Australia - do you imagine for a moment that they "stand in line" when dispatching parcels - most likly Australia Post  picks up from the warehouse.

 

Baaaaaaa

 

😈

 

 

[turboplanner]

5 hours ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

Not AI, voice to text on my phone without wearing glasses to really check what it wrote.

Asked because  "fact onto" is a classic type of  AI issue; it can only search x amount of servers, then if it doesn't find "Facthunter" it makes something up. It's a real nuisance on historical documents which haven't been scanned somewhere.

[facthunter]

facthunter ......Small 'F'. Nev

[FlyBoy1960]

8 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

most likly Australia Post  picks up from the warehouse.

This is not free, it costs money for collection unless you are posting about $5K a week.

You cant get anything thats not a letter posted for $2 ?

[facthunter]

Nor should you expect to. if you Live in the real World. Nev

[skippydiesel]

1 hour ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

This is not free, it costs money for collection unless you are posting about $5K a week.

You cant get anything thats not a letter posted for $2 ?

Charges

• Small letter (up to 250g): Requires 1 concession stamp ($0.60)

• Large letter (up to 125g): Requires 2 concession stamps ($1.20) My DC microphone would fit easily into this catagory

• Large letter (125g to 250g): Requires 3 concession stamps ($1.80)

 

Small Letter Limits

• Maximum dimensions: 130mm x 240mm

• Maximum thickness: 5mm

• Maximum weight: 250g

Large Letter Limits

• Maximum dimensions: 260mm x 360mm

• Maximum thickness: 20mm

• Weight ranges: 125g up to 500g

😈

[FlyBoy1960]

how is a microphone in plastic wrap or a box going to fit in a 20mm thickness ?   You also need insurance or signature on delivery if you are a REAL business.

How much would YOU charge for an hour of your time and driving 6 kms to the post office usually in peak hour.

 

[skippydiesel]

I started this thread by giving the dimension, estimated weight of the microphone - look back friend.

 

While you are looking back read my speculation about how big companies are served by Australia Post.

 

Lambs the Slaughter is pretty much what you are advocating and pretty typical of so many - just shut up, don't question & pay up. Wonderful philosophy. Thankfully not mine.

 

😈

[Moneybox]

I ordered a fuel tank sender from Isuzu in Perth a couple of weeks back. The delivery fee for about 200g parcel was $88.00. I cancelled the order so she ended up putting it on Australia Post for $29.00 but then it took a little over a week to get here from Perth. Now I need another so I'll pick it up in Perth. 

 

How come I can order something for a few dollars from Aliexpress and get free delivery? I'd much rather buy local but sometimes the prices just blow you away. I can buy belts or bearings from the UK or Europe at greatly reduced component and freight prices and receive them quicker than something coming from an Australian supplier. Australia Post fell apart when they sacked their very highly paid CEO a few years back. It's level of service has never recovered.

 

You can get badly burned buying from Canada or the US.

[Blueadventures]

Got my new operating range markers today from Aircraft Spruce delivery just over $11 and very fair.  I added some of the reusable grip cable ties to try. Very easy to deal with and the postage rates are displayed and makes easy to decide if you want fast delivery or the cheaper longer time.

[jackc]

Mike, do you have physical catalog or just order via WEB page? 

[Blueadventures]

4 minutes ago, jackc said:

Mike, do you have physical catalog or just order via WEB page? 

From webb, I do have a 2024 book I got at Oshkosh.   I prefer the book at times.  This is the first time I have ordered from Melbourne.  I did phone first and then placed order online.  They were very helpful over the phone.

[Garfly]

On 05/10/2026 at 9:39 AM, skippydiesel said:

"A fool & his money are easily parted"

Skippy, that saying would apply less to buyers who see a fair price and willingly pay it than to those who, in dread fear of being dudded, end up dudding themselves.

 

"No names; no pack-drill."      ;- )

[facthunter]

Or drive people out of business so they do something else. People have to eat, and Pay  their workers.  Nev

[skippydiesel]

3 hours ago, Garfly said:

Skippy, that saying would apply less to buyers who see a fair price and willingly pay it than to those who, in dread fear of being dudded, end up dudding themselves.

 

"No names; no pack-drill."      ;- )

So you instinctively know what a "fair price" is for every item you wish to purchase.

 

 I do my research. Know what I want, to what standard, for the application. Usually a minimum of 3 quotes/estimates. This is how I get a feel for a fair price. Settle on one provider and do the deal.

 

What has any of his got to do with the cost of delivery? Other than delivery can be a significant proportion of the item cost and I don't usually get to choose the method - hence my whing.

 

An example of how delivery can impact on the final cost.

About 2 years ago a mate & I decided to purchase a box of AeroShell Sport Plus 4, together, thereby savinga few dollars.

I did the research - Found a very attractive advertisement. Phoned the supplier to check stock availability etc- all good. Started to place the order on line.  The + DELIVERY brought the advertises price well up into the  higher range of other suppliers. As far as I am concern that supplier is a shonk!. I did the deal with another supplier at a higher initial purchase price & a lower delivery cost, for an all up saving of quite a few dollars/L.

 

Go with whatever purchase practise/policy you want  - I am just trying to alert my fellow Forum members, to some very questionable marketing practises.

 

😈

 

 

[FlyBoy1960]

Let's look at the box of oil in question.

 

Typically anything flammable/combustible needs to be shipped as dangerous goods this will incur a flat $60 charge with companies like team global express (what used to be told Ipec) This fee is payable before you even start to pay for the shipping.

 

You are just living in fairyland with your $2 shipping expectations.

It is nothing to do with questionable marketing practice by any particular business, it is due to the fact that in Australia we are captive to the courier market and the postal network. We get fees levies and surcharge added to shipping for any reason whatsoever.

 

I am sure you could have picked up the items from the business for the same price if you didn't want to pay the delivery fee. With diesel at $3 per litre you would probably find you couldn't afford to do that either. Get with the program, when not living in the 1800's where the only cost was horse food!

[skippydiesel]

27 minutes ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

Let's look at the box of oil in question.

 

Typically anything flammable/combustible needs to be shipped as dangerous goods this will incur a flat $60 charge with companies like team global express (what used to be told Ipec) This fee is payable before you even start to pay for the shipping.

 

You are just living in fairyland with your $2 shipping expectations.

It is nothing to do with questionable marketing practice by any particular business, it is due to the fact that in Australia we are captive to the courier market and the postal network. We get fees levies and surcharge added to shipping for any reason whatsoever.

 

I am sure you could have picked up the items from the business for the same price if you didn't want to pay the delivery fee. With diesel at $3 per litre you would probably find you couldn't afford to do that either. Get with the program, when not living in the 1800's where the only cost was horse food!

Maate! I am "gobsmacked" that you would somehow combine my AeroShell purchase example with my DC microphone.

• The microphone was a massive over-packing resulting in a  high than necessary shipping cost.
• The oil went from, by far the cheapest advertised quote, to near the top researched cost, when combined with a crazy delivery cost.

The first, stupidity by the supplier, that I the customer wear the cost for.

 

The second a deliberate/planed attempt to "suck in" the unwary (cheap up front quote) followed by a "fleecing". Deliberate "shonky" practise, that you appear to be defending. You seem to be ignoring the fact, all the suppliers are subject to the same conditions. That some are being deceitful, in inflating the delivery cost, to increase their profit margin, is without question. I wonder how many poor buggers have been sucked in.

 

"You are just living in fairyland with your $2 shipping expectations."

 

Are you able to read ?- Check out the physical dimensions of the DC microphone and then the Australia Post requirements for sending a Large Letter for $1.20

😈

Edited October 6 by skippydiesel

[BurnieM]

Not really sure what this thread is about.

 

I always shop around and look at the total cost (including delivery).

Sometimes some costs are hidden either deliberately or naively. 

Sometimes I am more interested in availability and delivery time (or pickup close to home).

I also look at the convenience versus cost saying (I will not spend a week looking around to save $5).

 

If it is not worth it to you then do not buy it.

 

[kgwilson]

Shop around if you can. With automotive and aircraft parts that limits the number of potential suppliers. I wanted a couple of new bar stools for my new kitchen island counter. There are plenty of on line suppliers and most have identical items with different names. One had the stools I wanted on special but were only $10.00 less than another site. Price range for the same item varied by nearly $100.00 over 5 sites. The cheaper one had a $103.00 delivery charge & the next best was free. The most expensive also had a delivery fee. Guess which ones I bought.