GuitarPartsDepot Shipping Scam

[Trussrod]

I put together a small order--a wrench holder and two switches--over the phone today and was told I couldn't have free shipping. If you check their site "free shipping" is advertised in several places and there is a page dedicated to it. Here's a quote, "Free Shipping on Almost Everything!"

Here's the link: http://www.gpdusa.com/Guitar_Parts_D..._SHIPPING.html

The guy I spoke to told me free shipping was “only for pickups.” I ordered from GPDUSA before without issue. I’m not sure what makes the person who owns this business think he can get away with this sort of thing. If you plan on charging $4.95 shipping per order than don’t advertise free shipping.

You might want to think twice before ordering anything from GPDUSA.

[toejam]

Here's a quote, "Free Shipping on Almost Everything!"

From my reading comprehension, free shipping on almost everything means just that; free shipping on ALMOST everything.

[RobRR]

I had the same issue with a $200+ order. I couldnt get it to work online, so I called up and asked about it... said it was for select items. Told him ok, but you shouldnt advertise free shipping then. About an hour later, he called me back and did offer me free shipping, although I was kinda put off so I never actually placed the order. I had ordered there MANY times before, probably spent close to $1000 in parts and what not. Ill order from them again because honestly, their prices are still decent and they have A LOT of stuff in one place.

[guitarsjb]

From my reading comprehension, free shipping on almost everything means just that; free shipping on ALMOST everything.

[Grandturk]

Never had a problem with them - but yeah - I got thrown by the free shipping thing for a bit - but I managed to figure it out without getting a migraine.

They have a lot of good stuff, but their website layout it shit and their search function is ass. I prefer guitarpartsresource, bestguitarparts and prorockgear (for Floyd parts).

guitar parts resource especially if you need flat blade mini switches-

[lerxstcat]

Costs on everything, including shipping, are only going up. "Almost" introduces an element of vagueness that may be a bit misleading, but I think calling it a scam is a bit of an overreaction. Personally if I were ordering a wrench holder and 2 switches I wouldn't expect that to qualify for free shipping. A $200+ order, definitely another story - but a scam would be if they charged your card after the fact for the shipping. This doesn't rise to that level.

[Trussrod]

...guitar parts resource especially if you need flat blade mini switches-

Lol--that's what I need. GPD might be a one person business operated out of somebody's basement--or their parent's basement.

[Larz]

You should ship them a box of dog shit

[RacerX]

You should ship them a box of dog shit

and, if you don't want to do the work yourself, I believe there are companies that will do this for you(!)

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I have used them. A few things I wasn't happy about but it wasn't worth it to send it back. I could say the same about everywhere else I've bought stuff.

They don't really have much of anything on anyone else so they need to realize it really only takes one fuck-up to get someone to say "I'll just get it from Allparts."

[lerxstcat]

Lol--that's what I need. GPD might be a one person business operated out of somebody's basement--or their parent's basement.

That's what fretsonthenet is - a one-man business, though he has a workshop for fabricating parts. Maybe that's in his basement, so what if it is? You gonna bag on Budman68 for that? How much was the shipping that you're so incensed about going to be? Just curious.

[Rich#6]

Their customer service guy is a member here maybe he'll chime in.

[lerxstcat]

I sent an email to their info address advising them there's a thread here about it. Haven't gotten a reply but if they read their emails they are aware now.

[DonP]

I thought you might have been talking about this place:

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_index.htm

I was going to make an order here. I can't stand their website. Slow as mud.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I ordered some stuff from them and everything turned out fine, Don.

[lerxstcat]

I got a reply to my email yeaterday and sent them a link to this thread. I also told him someone here said his CSR was a member of this board. Kinda surprised we haven't seen a post here.

[Newc]

If a hex-wrench holder that you mount to a headstock and 2 wrenches to go in it cost more than one First Class stamp and a $3 padded envelope to ship it, and the Post Orifice is doing commercials saying small packages ship for a low flat rate, I can imagine that "low flat rate" is $5 each PLUS the cost of materials (said $3 padded mailer).

Then again, that's why they came up with this "retail markup" concept - you buy it cheap, add a percentage, sell it at cost+markup to make a profit. If you advertise "free shipping", you figure what your flat-rate shipping through the USPS is and add that to your markup. You're still charging for shipping, but you don't have a separate shipping charge on your invoice.

[Trussrod]

Then again, that's why they came up with this "retail markup" concept - you buy it cheap, add a percentage, sell it at cost+markup to make a profit. If you advertise "free shipping", you figure what your flat-rate shipping through the USPS is and add that to your markup. You're still charging for shipping, but you don't have a separate shipping charge on your invoice.

Right, just be upfront with the actual price of an order and don't add unexpected charges after a person puts an order together...

[lerxstcat]

If a hex-wrench holder that you mount to a headstock and 2 wrenches to go in it cost more than one First Class stamp and a $3 padded envelope to ship it, and the Post Orifice is doing commercials saying small packages ship for a low flat rate, I can imagine that "low flat rate" is $5 each PLUS the cost of materials (said $3 padded mailer).

Then again, that's why they came up with this "retail markup" concept - you buy it cheap, add a percentage, sell it at cost+markup to make a profit. If you advertise "free shipping", you figure what your flat-rate shipping through the USPS is and add that to your markup. You're still charging for shipping, but you don't have a separate shipping charge on your invoice.

That's one way to look at it. You can also look at it that "Free shipping on ALMOST everything" tells you upfront that your order may NOT qualify for free shipping, So a hex wrench holder and 2 switches under that scenario I would assume would NOT qualify for the free shipping, it being a really small order and all. The guy is in business to make some money, not as a non-profit. We can't expect these guys to do this as a public service, and if you can't it locally and are also crying about shipping charges, well it's not completely misrepresented. If I buy from zzounds, most stuff is free shipping, but if I buy a 20' cable or something small, I know I'm paying shipping. This situation is sort of misleading, but not so much as to call it a scam. If he said free shipping on EVERYTHING and then tried to charge shipping, you;d have a case. With "almost" everything, not so much,

I wish that the seller had posted to this thread since he knows about it, but I can also understand why he doesn't want to get pulled into an argument. The thread itself has made everyone adequately aware of the fact that he DOES charge shipping.

[Trussrod]

That's one way to look at it. You can also look at it that "Free shipping on ALMOST everything" tells you upfront that your order may NOT qualify for free shipping, So a hex wrench holder and 2 switches under that scenario I would assume would NOT qualify for the free shipping, it being a really small order and all. The guy is in business to make some money, not as a non-profit. We can't expect these guys to do this as a public service, and if you can't it locally and are also crying about shipping charges, well it's not completely misrepresented. If I buy from zzounds, most stuff is free shipping, but if I buy a 20' cable or something small, I know I'm paying shipping. This situation is sort of misleading, but not so much as to call it a scam. If he said free shipping on EVERYTHING and then tried to charge shipping, you;d have a case. With "almost" everything, not so much,

I wish that the seller had posted to this thread since he knows about it, but I can also understand why he doesn't want to get pulled into an argument. The thread itself has made everyone adequately aware of the fact that he DOES charge shipping.

I'm not surprised that no one from GuitarPartsDepot has posted in this thread. What they're doing is deceptive and indefensible--there's no doubt about it and they still haven't changed the information on their website. Can anyone take your statements seriously when you use absurd phrases like, "not completely misrepresented," and "sort of misleading"--lol? If you're still interested in what the shipping charges were for the items I ordered you should read my op.