Last month made an order to RA for a smaller items shipping started at $6.99. Last night small light weight items (paper gasket small in size ) shipping started at $14.99 costing more than the gasket by 200% for envelope sized order! increasing number on gaskets increased price by approx $4 for each gasket. Has anyone else noted RA going big on postage?
Rockauto Shipping cost
- Thread starter RWDVOLVO
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I've noticed an increase but nothing extreme like you are describing.
Shipping is up across the board, though, so I suspect RA is just passing along costs and your example is an outlier.
Shipping is up across the board, though, so I suspect RA is just passing along costs and your example is an outlier.
Yes, placed an order last week. Shipping was double what I would have paid last year. Less business for RA is what I see happening.
It's gotten so Amazon is often cheaper.
Rock auto used to have really good prices shipping into Canada by courier such as Fedex. Now the minimum courier cost is $25 USD.
I recall a posting I did prior to 2020 when I ordered a single Fram air filter. It came from a warehouse in Sugarland, was driven to the airport in Houston, flown to Memphis, then Calgary, then overland the Cranbrook , BC. It was still cheaper than a parts store filter. Not anymore.
More expensive but bigger parts still are cheaper all in than the local stores.
I recall a posting I did prior to 2020 when I ordered a single Fram air filter. It came from a warehouse in Sugarland, was driven to the airport in Houston, flown to Memphis, then Calgary, then overland the Cranbrook , BC. It was still cheaper than a parts store filter. Not anymore.
More expensive but bigger parts still are cheaper all in than the local stores.
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I ordered front and rear brake rotors and pads for our daughter's CR-V two weeks ago, and FedEx groung shipping, the least expensive option, was $58.98. The front and rear sets shipped from two different locations.
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Canadian shipping has become ridiculous as well as everywhere else. The future of mail order is in question. I deal with it every day and i haven't raised my rates in years because I don't want to suffer the crying....
So I cry in solitude.....it's really that bad.
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Here is an example of shipping from Maryland to Canada straight up north...
Just one seal shown here costs $18 to $22 to ship depending on the carrier.... ( cheapest options ) of course I can send several for that but the first one is that much.
Add in paper cost, tape, and an envelope if one isn't provided plus paper ink and it's a wake up call and yes this using commercial based rates....
Just one seal shown here costs $18 to $22 to ship depending on the carrier.... ( cheapest options ) of course I can send several for that but the first one is that much.
Add in paper cost, tape, and an envelope if one isn't provided plus paper ink and it's a wake up call and yes this using commercial based rates....
I just loaded up a cart to see, 4 brake pads and 4 rotors for an 04 Expedition came to $28. That is also shipping out of 2 locations. Checked a separate gas cap and that shipping was $7, I guess it depends on location.
Nope. Same as always.
I ordered 2 brake rotors, brake pads, and a couple small items and it was $10.99. Was 40 lbs or so.
I ordered 3 smaller items on a different order - like 5 lbs total - also $10.99.
Tried to order a radiator support bracket - was going to be $130.00
Same RA freight games that make no sense as always. Now we have another thread about it.
I ordered 2 brake rotors, brake pads, and a couple small items and it was $10.99. Was 40 lbs or so.
I ordered 3 smaller items on a different order - like 5 lbs total - also $10.99.
Tried to order a radiator support bracket - was going to be $130.00
Same RA freight games that make no sense as always. Now we have another thread about it.
Often a single item is 1/3 the price of the parts store, but of course sometimes its not? I can order a single coil from RA cheaper than the parts store including freight. If I need 6 the savings is massive - for example.
Obviosly you need to pay attention. You can't blindly load your cart and hit place order. Its no different than anywhere else, Sometimes Walmart is cheaper than Target is cheaper than Amazon. And sometimes its the other way.
I once did a brake job that I ordered parts from 4 places. It depends on how much effort you want to put into the savings.
For Euro cars I rarely shop RA, The occasional Elring gasket set Made in Germany can be had for a good price but a lot of stuff is just cheap junk parts even brand name parts like Litens are basically the same as OE but with one big difference, the OE has a high quality bearing in the business end and the one from RA has a no name with just China stamped on it.
Swapping the bearing for a good one takes care of the issue but it adds labor and a few bucks.
Swapping the bearing for a good one takes care of the issue but it adds labor and a few bucks.
RA shipping algorithm = Caveat Emptor. Nuff said.
Shipping prices? Why I gave up on RA years ago.
Even with shipping I have found they almost always beat the local parts stores. Plus their selection of parts is way better. Haven’t noticed any major shipping cost differences though.
Yep.
You have to comp shop on price and shipping. Something else to consider is the return hassle. I’ve never had RA rip me off, but it’s much easier to drive around the corner to Kohls and return something with Prime than it is to drive all the way across town and deal with FedEx or the UPS store and their miserable employees. If the difference in price is small, I will choose Amazon every time.
This is a brand issue not a RA issue is it not? I mean the same part number Hitachi from RA vs the local store is the same ? If your comparing the cheapest part at the local store vs RA then its not apples to apples anymore.
Obviously if you want OEM RA nor the local parts store is not your best source.
One of my biggest concerns when shopping for auto parts online is the possibility of counterfeit parts. Amazon can have great prices at times, but unless the item is sold and shipped by Amazon, you're at the mercy of the third party vendor.
Researching Rock Auto, I've seen reports where others have received counterfeit parts, but they were not shipped by RA themselves, but a third party. Other reports hint that some of their super-low-priced oil filters may be counterfeit... allegedly.
Researching Rock Auto, I've seen reports where others have received counterfeit parts, but they were not shipped by RA themselves, but a third party. Other reports hint that some of their super-low-priced oil filters may be counterfeit... allegedly.
They need to run trucks amongst their warehouses to get their prices in line. Maybe ask Bezos how that works. Everytime I look at RA for stuff:
1) All the transmission filters will be at one warehouse but pan gaskets at another.
2) All the cheap air filters at another.
3) Front suspension parts at another.
4) Rear suspension parts at another.
$10 shipping for each item, no thanks. I wind up splitting out the small parts orders on amazon, ebay, local stores, etc. Some items I don't care if it's one brand or another. It would be nice if they'd better distribute their inventory so I could manage combined shipping of noncritical items with the critical preferred items.
1) All the transmission filters will be at one warehouse but pan gaskets at another.
2) All the cheap air filters at another.
3) Front suspension parts at another.
4) Rear suspension parts at another.
$10 shipping for each item, no thanks. I wind up splitting out the small parts orders on amazon, ebay, local stores, etc. Some items I don't care if it's one brand or another. It would be nice if they'd better distribute their inventory so I could manage combined shipping of noncritical items with the critical preferred items.
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