AES "handling charge".

[Frank Berry]

I have just sent an e-mail to AES in protest to their $2.50 per order handling charge.
Why are they now adding a "handling charge"?
I've done business with AES for many years and have enjoyed a good relationship with them.
Can someone tell me why they are now charging me for the privilege of doing business with them?

[planet10]

Are you a member? Was it a pdf download? Details?

I occasionally buy pre-prints, wouldn't want to get stung.

dave

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

Originally posted by Frank Berry
I have just sent an e-mail to AES in protest to their $2.50 per order handling charge.
Why are they now adding a "handling charge"?
I've done business with AES for many years and have enjoyed a good relationship with them.
Can someone tell me why they are now charging me for the privilege of doing business with them?

Because it's the only game in town and they know they can get away with it.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Frank Berry being a tube diyer I wonder if it's the Audio Engineering Society he means or rather Antique Electronic Supply,
a vendor located in Tempe AZ.

Cheers,

[planet10]

Good point Frank... all these TLAs (3 letter acronyms) flying around there are a lot with more than one meaning.

If he was referring to Antique Electronic Supply and not the Audio Engineering Society he's probably wondering what the H Bill & i are talkin' about

dave

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

I thought AES was "Association of Energetic Strippers."

[Variac]

I thought AES was "Association of Energetic Strippers."

In that case, the "Handling Charge" seems quite reasonable

[Frank Berry]

Sorry.
I should have written Antique Electronic Supply.
I received this response from them:

"The handling charge is to cover the cost of shipping materials.
We charge it as a way of keeping the cost of parts down.
It is charged per order so that we don't need to add an additional percentage to every part in our inventory.
This charge is shared by all customers so no one is carrying
the cost of someone else."

How the heck does this keep the cost of parts down?

[fdegrove]

Hi,

How the heck does this keep the cost of parts down?

It does....Provided you, the customer, buys in large quantities.

See it as another way of saying: we don't like to handle small orders, it costs us too much.

In Europe some online vendors impose a minimum order of, say 10 to 100 Euro which amounts more or less to the same.

Cheers,

[Frank Berry]

Thanks Frank.

I guess I'm just "venting." As I see it, AES deals mostly with DIYers. As such, they handle many, perhaps mostly small orders.

Their $2.50 handling charge is simply their way of charging we, their customers, a fee for which they deliver nothing.