Date:         Fri, 10 Oct 2003 08:58:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Conrad Klahn <conradk@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Conrad Klahn <conradk@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Shipping
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Hi,

(Being Friday) This is my experience with shipping.

It is easier for a West Coast company to get something out "that day"
than it is for an East Coast company. This may be more or less true
depending on whether you are near a hub or not (for the carrier you are
using). Many times, the big mail order outfits have two warehouses, one
East and one West. For example, one in Memphis and one in Las Vegas if
they ship Airborne. It is difficult for a small company to compete with
distribution such as this. You are at a greater disadvantage if you are
on the East Coast and you are not near a hub for your carrier. That's
why smaller companies focus on quality, service and pricing - that is
the only way they can compete.

When you drop a box off at UPS, it goes into a holding bin. Much later
that night, after all the trucks have come back, they begin to process
the box. It may not start its journey until early the next morning. UPS
is actually very fast in between warehouses. But then once the package
reaches the distribution center it waits again until the truck that
services your area returns. That truck is unloaded, and then loaded.
You've lost almost a day on the receiving end. So, you've lost two days
just at UPS warehouses. If you chose a higher priority method of
shipping, this is as quick as you are going to get it. UPS has this
system in place because it is the most cost efficient method of doing
business.

I use this information to determine when/where to order parts. If I
need something fast, and don't mind paying more, I'll go with a West
Coast company (with the exception of Bus Boys). If it isn't urgent,
then I go with whoever has the best quality part at the lowest price. I
am lately trying to order critical parts ahead of when the other part
will break. It is a lot less stressful to look in my box of parts to
find something I need, than to order and wait.

Conrad