BRS Shipping price is nuts

[sweeper7]

whats up with their $13 shipping rate on a simple 1lb. GFO?

Is anyone else paying this rate? thats insane man.

the cost of shipping is almost 3/4th the price of the item.

[Egkid]

They were charging I think $37.99 to ship an RO unit! Luckily free shipping on orders over $175 so I just had to add another $5 of food. I'll go elsewhere for smaller purchases, luckily I have an awesome LFS not too far from me.

[disc1]

I don't pay for shipping from BRS. I always just wait until I need $175 worth of stuff or I buy extra to get ahead on something and get me over the $175 mark.

[mgrmax]

I buy very few items from them because of their shipping prices. It irks me.

[Jetlinkin]

I agree, their shipping is outrageous!!!! :blown:

Thankfully, I only live 20 minutes away, and local pick-up is free. :bounce3:

[phillrodrigo]

Me too. I wanted to order the sponges for the gfo reactors. They weigh almost nothing. Shipping was I think $10. I never ordered it. The crazy part I paid $9 to ship back a broken dosing pump to them and that included buying a box from the post office and was there in 2 days.

[phillrodrigo]

Actually it was 2 packs of sponges and 1 canister for the reactor.

[AntiSatan]

Yeah think its thier way of getting you to spend more for the free shipping. I do order from but not until I need $175 worth of stuff.

[ReefCowboy]

I bought a piece of clear 1/4" netting for a top cover for$11 and shipping was $13! Weight was almost nothing...

[reelredfish]

Placed an order today and glad I was able to take advantage of the free shipping. As for its was going to cost me over $100 for shipping my 5 stage water saver the booster pump and 100' of line for the rodi unti.

So here is my hunch since I have both a commercial UPS and FedEx account. I think the folks who do not buy enough for free shipping are paying a small add on to make up for the ones that get free shipping.

Call me crazy but that's my guess.

[Amatuer21]

Funny, i just added things to my shopping cart and went to checkout, and stopped when i seen shipping was $12. My items didn't add up to $20, craziness!!!

[Amatuer21]

Cool thing is though, if you let the items sit and your cart long enough they send you a discount via email lol. But I'm sure you guys already know that

[JWags911SC]

Cool thing is though, if you let the items sit and your cart long enough they send you a discount via email lol. But I'm sure you guys already know that

Yes, that has "encouraged" me to place an order more than once when I have been on the fence. Not that I need that much encouragement. Honestly, I would probably order more often if they offered free shipping on $125 dry goods orders, but they still need to keep the lights on, right?

I do wonder about the accuracy of the shipping cost sometimes. When in doubt, I just hold off until I approach that magic shipping number.

[AcroporAddict]

I recently needed more magnesium chloride. The 30 lb. (5 gallon)bucket from BRS at their Preferred Reefer discount with shipping was $102 shipped ($24 shipping). I ended up buying from BigAlsOnline, and bought three 8.8 lb. Magnesium chloride packs (26.4 lbs.), a Mag 7 impeller, Mag 7 impeller cover, and an Eheim 1262 impeller cover, shipped to my house for $93. The BigAls Magnesium Chloride is pharmaceutical grade magnesium chloride hexahydrate, same as the BRS product. Shipping from BigAls was only $16 vs $24 from BRS. I am located at Atlanta.

What you don't want to do is get in a rut, always ordering from the same place, without checking prices and shipping rates once in a while.

[avandss]

BE HAPPY YOU DONT LIVE IN CANADA

seriously. you think 12$ is bad.. i wish lol

[callsign4223]

I agree, their shipping is outrageous!!!! :blown:

Thankfully, I only live 20 minutes away, and local pick-up is free. :bounce3:

That's it, I'm gonna order from them and have you pick it up for me and ship it. I'll give ya 10% of the shipping for your trouble. That has to come out cheaper anyway.

[rcflyer1388]

I just wish that some of these online sites had lower purchase prices to qualify for free shipping. For example Drfostersmith.com has a reasonable requirement of $49 to qualify for free shipping. And marinedepot and brs have this crazy amount that you need to buy to qualify for free shipping. Most of the time when you buy stuff from them it doesn't add up to more than 40-50 bucks. It's not like every month you will buy a light fixture or hundred's of pounds of salt.

[christopherjudd]

have they ever heard of 5.99 flat rate shipping from usps? i want to order a ro/di filter kit but im hesitating cuz of the shipping

[TheGodParticle]

You guys need to discover AmazonPrime. I get basically all of my reefing stuff there. It's typically always cheaper (salt too) and I always get FREE 2 day shipping. Order on a Monday and its at my door Wednesday for free. No more paying overpriced shipping at BRS. They lost my business long ago.

Yes it cost money per year, but after the hundreds of other things I buy and save on, it more than pays for itself. Not to mention it basically comes out to the same price as Netflix per year, which almost everyone has, but I get way better movies and shopping benefits .

[D-Nak]

Guys... there's a reason the place is called Bulk Reef Supply... the expectation is that you buy in bulk. If you want one-off products then shop elsewhere. I don't think they're making money off shipping. UPS ground shipping on a one pound package for me using my corporate account is $11.72 (and this doesn't include shipping supplies).

That said, here's a trick. Place some things in your shopping cart. Then wait a couple of days. You'll receive a coupon typically for about $5 which you can use to offset shipping if you don't make the $175 free shipping. Although they say that they expire, I've tried old coupon codes and they always work.

One more trick. BRS has a Group and Club Buys program. Reef Central qualifies. Once you're part of the program you get reduced prices. Here's the link on how to participate:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/customer-center/group-buys

If you price shop for single items, you will find prices cheaper elsewhere (especially for plumbing parts). I agree that Amazon is a great place to look. But for me, time is money and I oftentimes just buy a lot via BRS and hit the $175. I have calcium and magnesium to last me for years. :-)

[kurt_n]

...I don't think they're making money off shipping. UPS ground shipping on a one pound package for me using my corporate account is $11.72 (and this doesn't include shipping supplies)....

Yup.

BRS prices are great. Shipping is pricy compared to others, but others are padding their prices to cover their "free" shipping. In addition, those other places jack around their minimum amount for free shipping and their prices to try and sucker you in to always buy from them. DrFosterSmith is good right now at $49 for free shipping, but it always hasn't been that way. BRS prices (including shipping) have been pretty stable.

Sure... USPS has flat rate shipping (for whatever you can fit in their box), but try and stuff a RO/DI setup in one of the little boxes!

[radobahn]

Been using them for years and I really like their products, but yeah shipping can be spendy.. few times in the past during checkout I just couldn't do it and had to go elsewhere.

Another thing that made it difficult were their limited shipping options. UPS is ok, but they can be unbelievably slow sometimes. I can't remember if it was my moonlights or breakout box for the Apex.. but it took around 8 days for an order to get to WA state once. That's way too long imo..

It's been awhile since I sent them a nice message asking about USPS and UPS. Because there have been times when USPS wasn't an option during checkout, and when it was it was more expensive than UPS which didn't make any sense to me. Maybe it was a simple glitch on the website, but ever since then USPS has been available, and also for the right price. I pick USPS every time because I'll have my order in three days compared to a week with UPS. I really haven't had any problems since then..

[EllisJuan]

I will not do business with them unless it is a product only they have because of the shipping rates.

It is outrageous.

[dartier]

I am with avandss on this, just be thankful you do not live in Canada and want to buy from BRS. Then the free shipping does not apply no matter what you buy, they only offer shipping by UPS, add 16% on top to cover the UPS brokerage/import duty/GST and only ship on Fridays.

A good example was a ceramic block I wanted to buy, but the manufacturer did not ship to Canada, so I checked BRS. The block was $58.00 online (with free shipping in the US) from manufacturer and BRS (for the same product) was $156.00 to my door.

Now I only buy my RO filters from them once a year and everything else comes from elsewhere.

Dennis

[Big E]

BRS has become a joke.............they're just another reef retailer now. You can go anywhere on the web and beat their prices from other on line retailers that don't specialize in reef equipment and most of the other reef retailer's prices are the same as theirs.

I haven't looked at their pricing but Dr. Foster is now offering their own line of chemicals.

[Molly1414]

Yes shipping from BRS is a problem but so is their website. Today I wanted to place an order but forgot my password. Asked their system to reset it. Three times I received the new password email without the new password. Had to call customer service. 6 calls ahead of me it took 12 minutes on hold to reach customer service for a new password. Then when I tried to place the order I kept getting an error message. Gave up and placed the order with Marine Depot.

[Mark426]

I will not do business with them unless it is a product only they have because of the shipping rates.

It is outrageous.

Same here, which is too bad since they do offer a great line of products and I enjoy their videos.

[michika]

I am with avandss on this, just be thankful you do not live in Canada and want to buy from BRS. Then the free shipping does not apply no matter what you buy, they only offer shipping by UPS, add 16% on top to cover the UPS brokerage/import duty/GST and only ship on Fridays.



A good example was a ceramic block I wanted to buy, but the manufacturer did not ship to Canada, so I checked BRS. The block was $58.00 online (with free shipping in the US) from manufacturer and BRS (for the same product) was $156.00 to my door.



Now I only buy my RO filters from them once a year and everything else comes from elsewhere.



Dennis


Agreed! Getting anything here in bulk is so expensive for shipping.

It's a nightmare trying to find equipment and steady supplies for an XL sized tank.

[downbeach]

I don't pay for shipping from BRS. I always just wait until I need $175 worth of stuff or I buy extra to get ahead on something and get me over the $175 mark.

+1

If I need something in a hurry, and it doesn't exceed the minimum free shipping requirement, I will contact some of the local reefers who live near me and put together a quasi group buy to get enough to meet the minimum purchase requirement.

[Spiffy]

I ended up having to buy my skimmer from them because the other places were out of stock. I was happy about the price, then I saw the shipping cost and it made me cringe... But I needed the skimmer, so I ended up having to spend the extra money... Don't think I will be getting anything from them anytime soon because of the shipping prices.

[PaleHorse]

BRS has become a joke.............they're just another reef retailer now. You can go anywhere on the web and beat their prices from other on line retailers that don't specialize in reef equipment and most of the other reef retailer's prices are the same as theirs.

I haven't looked at their pricing but Dr. Foster is now offering their own line of chemicals.

+1 thats why i go to dr fosters..... 49$ free shipping

BRS is setting there self up for failure...

[d0ughb0y]

I don't think they're making money off shipping. UPS ground shipping on a one pound package for me using my corporate account is $11.72 (and this doesn't include shipping supplies).



commercial rate shipping is way less, not to mention, small items commercial usps rate is even way less.

brs is run by a genius businessman, I must say. They are by no means cheap but they are able to make you think you are getting a deal or that they are cheap. I found this out maybe 4 years ago so I don't buy anything there anymore. Anything you can find in BRS you can find cheaper elsewhere (sometimes, way less. they don't make anything you know, they just buy them elsewhere and repackage it), but they are there for convenience if you are willing to pay the price.

they associate their store name with "warehouse" club to give you the impression you are getting something cheap. Again, this goes along the line of genius businessman.

BTW, if you think you are getting a good deal on black friday from them, think again.
I found this out several years ago, I had a bunch of items in my cart, mostly regular priced items, before black friday. Then comes the day before black friday they emptied my cart, then I found out they jacked up their prices right before black friday, that even with the discount, price is higher than the previous regular price. They take advantage of black friday to make a killing, selling you the same item for a higher price. I complained and even showed them a screen shot of my cart with prices but they choose to ignore me. That's when I stopped buying from them. Again, genius businessman, they make unsuspecting reefer think he is getting a good deal when in fact he is not. I bet they can sell a freezer to an eskimo.

in contrast, drs foster and smith always honors the price of items in your cart. I know because I had it happen a couple times where I added an item to my cart and few days later the price went up, but the item price in my cart is still the lower price. if you have an older catalog that is still valid with a lower price, they will honor that price. DFS is an honest business.

[madadi]

they are not making 60million a year for nothing. they know what they are doing.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

they are not making 60million a year for nothing.

Where does that number come from?

Anything you can find in BRS you can find cheaper elsewhere

Were do you get less expensive GFO or magnesium chloride?

[shifty51008]

I ended up having to buy my skimmer from them because the other places were out of stock. I was happy about the price, then I saw the shipping cost and it made me cringe... But I needed the skimmer, so I ended up having to spend the extra money... Don't think I will be getting anything from them anytime soon because of the shipping prices.

can I ask what skimmer you bought that didn't qualify for free shipping? or at least wasn't close enough to add in 1 extra thing to get you free shipping?

[supra400hptt]

I thought it was just me with an FPO address. I even sent a comment a few months ago that I thought shipping was high. Every little thing I put in the cart seems to up the shipping a lot. Unfortunately I too look elsewhere unless BRS is the only place that has the item. I won't forget the time that I ordered an RODI for a friend telling him shipping would probably be around $20 and ended up $54. I ate the other $34 since I'm a nice guy. Or the time I spent $664 (a lot of plumbing parts) and shipping came to $64. I don't get any free shipping with the FPO address :(

[d0ughb0y]

they are not making 60million a year for nothing.

Where does that number come from?

Anything you can find in BRS you can find cheaper elsewhere

Were do you get less expensive GFO or magnesium chloride?

they don't make their own GFO and magnesium chloride from scratch. if you look hard enough, you will find it cheaper (price + shipping that is, lol). BTW, do you get free stuff, royalty, what not from BRS for using Randy's 2 part formula? I won't be surprised if you do (not saying you do), but that would be what a genius businessman would do. Anyway, I don't have anything against their business practice, as long as it is all legal. That is the whole point of capitalism, to try to get as much money out of consumers.

I had the same question with the 60million. I think that was just a conjecture.

[Mark9]

My last order of some loc-line cost me $4 bucks shipping.
Never had any issue with BRS.
Top notch site.

[D-Nak]

can I ask what skimmer you bought that didn't qualify for free shipping? or at least wasn't close enough to add in 1 extra thing to get you free shipping?

LOL.

I really do appreciate BRS for revolutionizing the way we buy chemicals. While not as cheap as sourcing our own or making our own (like cooking baking soda), BRS helps those people who aren't exactly sure what to buy, but don't want to buy brand name chemicals which are essentially the same.

I just don't understand why people on this thread are bashing them for shipping. Yes, they charge for shipping if under $175, but this offsets the free shipping they give to those who buy over $175. And chemicals alone are HEAVY. You guys make it seem like shipping is based on the cost of an item and not weight.

I guess it's different if you've never saved money from them, or if you never watch any of their instructional videos, or never learn anything on their website. Granted, they may no longer be the cheapest (it look a long time for others to start selling their own bulk chemicals) but the value they provide is not solely based on the money.

[d0ughb0y]

another concept they play on is the principle of greed.
in a buyer's desire (greed) to get free shipping, they will order more stuff than they need. either way, whether buyer gets free shipping or not, its win-win for brs, but not so for the buyer. again, genius. :)
to be fair, many sellers use this principle.

[d2mini]

LOL.

I really do appreciate BRS for revolutionizing the way we buy chemicals. While not as cheap as sourcing our own or making our own (like cooking baking soda), BRS helps those people who aren't exactly sure what to buy, but don't want to buy brand name chemicals which are essentially the same.

I just don't understand why people on this thread are bashing them for shipping. Yes, they charge for shipping if under $175, but this offsets the free shipping they give to those who buy over $175. And chemicals alone are HEAVY. You guys make it seem like shipping is based on the cost of an item and not weight.

I guess it's different if you've never saved money from them, or if you never watch any of their instructional videos, or never learn anything on their website. Granted, they may no longer be the cheapest (it look a long time for others to start selling their own bulk chemicals) but the value they provide is not solely based on the money.

+1

The people complaining are probably the same people complaining if a mobile app costs more than 99 cents, or if it costs anything at all. :)

The internet has changed people's sense of reality and expectations in some interesting ways, that's for sure. I admit, I get caught up in it too, sometimes.

[shifty51008]

I guess I just don't understand why people are complaining about shipping, here was my last order, shipping was $7.15, sounds reasonable to me. plus where I live it is overnight shipping to me so I really can't complain lol

PRODUCT NAME SKU PRICE QTY SUBTOTAL
Subtotal $46.51
Shipping & Handling $7.15
179 Reward points -$1.79
Grand Total $51.87

and here is one for my order of BRS rock
Subtotal $120.47
Shipping & Handling $14.17
Grand Total $134.64

[Fallling]

I work in e-commerce and even though we have a business account with UPS and spend 50K a month on shipping, rates still start at about 11 bucks for even the smallest items going just across town. We ship a lot of liquids (sealers, cleaners, adhesives) that can't be shipped USPS so we don't offer that option to customers for the most part.

For UPS, there's an initial "box" charge and then it goes by weight and distance. Typically, adding several more of the same item will only incrementally increase the shipping... doesn't double or triple it. It's much more economical to order a few things and not a single item.

Nothing irks me more than people complaining about shipping or calling to ask for free shipping (I also hate when people ask for us to ship via other carriers... that's not how our shipping system or billing is setup). If you don't like the rates, then don't buy from there. It's that simple. There's plenty of options out there.

My .02

[kurt_n]

...in contrast, drs foster and smith always honors the price of items in your cart. I know because I had it happen a couple times where I added an item to my cart and few days later the price went up, but the item price in my cart is still the lower price. if you have an older catalog that is still valid with a lower price, they will honor that price. DFS is an honest business.

Let's not put DFS on tooooo high of a pedestal now.

Not bashing them, but it took me a while to catch on to what they were doing with their online prices versus the catalog prices. Not sure if they're still doing it, but... I would be glancing through the catalog looking at prices and dog earing pages to make my shopping list. Go online and add those items to my shopping cart from the website - but *not* using the item code# from the catalog. Voila... look at all that money I saved. Granted, my fault for being trusting, but turns out the prices of the items in my shopping cart did *not* reflect the lower prices in the catalog. Realized this after a couple orders, and did some investigating - if you searched online using the catalog item number, you got one price; if you searched online by the menu system or product name (and NOT specifically the catalog item #) you got a different price... which was always higher than the catalog. And yes... that was even for current catalogs.

Don't get me wrong, i use DFS for certain things and they have the good customer service... but all companies out there have their games. If they don't play the game, they'll get clobbered by the folks that do. None of them are saints.

[EllisJuan]

I just posted this in the vendor subsection...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2421843

[ca1ore]

guys... There's a reason the place is called bulk reef supply... The expectation is that you buy in bulk. If you want one-off products then shop elsewhere. I don't think they're making money off shipping. Ups ground shipping on a one pound package for me using my corporate account is $11.72 (and this doesn't include shipping supplies).

exactly!

[Spiffy]

I guess I just don't understand why people are complaining about shipping, here was my last order, shipping was $7.15, sounds reasonable to me. plus where I live it is overnight shipping to me so I really can't complain lol

PRODUCT NAME SKU PRICE QTY SUBTOTAL
Subtotal $46.51
Shipping & Handling $7.15
179 Reward points -$1.79
Grand Total $51.87

and here is one for my order of BRS rock
Subtotal $120.47
Shipping & Handling $14.17
Grand Total $134.64

Well, seeing that Iowa and Minnesota are right next door to one another, there is no wonder that shipping is better for you. Myself on the other hand, would need something to be shipped almost eight times the distance to New York State.

To go even further to support the argument that the shipping is over-priced, I did a side-by-side comparison by attempting to purchase a Reef Octopus BH-50 Multi-Mount Protein Skimmer from Marine Depot and BRS. The item is only 124.99 on both sites, so there is no free shipping.

Marine Depot only wants to charge me $8.99 for UPS Ground. From Anahiem, California to Bronx, New York.

On the other hand, BRS wanted $13.30 to ship the same product at less than half the distance via UPS Ground. From Golden Valley, Minnesota to Bronx, New York.

I don't know about you, but I definitely feel cheated on this one. Not all of us log onto a dealers' site with the intention of spending enough money to qualify for free shipping. That extra money could be out towards some new Chemi-pure. :D

[Av8bluewater]

I love BRS. I usually check prices between them and MD. They both price match so I'll usually go with the one that has most of the stuff I need. Some of the smaller places have a better deal every now and then but selection is usually poor so I try to wait til the free shipping mark.

Reef geek for bulbs. Cheap shipping.

[mgrmax]

I guess I just don't understand why people are complaining about shipping, here was my last order, shipping was $7.15, sounds reasonable to me. plus where I live it is overnight shipping to me so I really can't complain lol

PRODUCT NAME SKU PRICE QTY SUBTOTAL
Subtotal $46.51
Shipping & Handling $7.15
179 Reward points -$1.79
Grand Total $51.87

and here is one for my order of BRS rock
Subtotal $120.47
Shipping & Handling $14.17
Grand Total $134.64

I agree. Those shipping prices are reasonable. My rates were not. The last time I put a carbon filter in the shopping cart, the shipping was more than the filter. Around $13 if I recall correctly. Maybe it has something to do with where I live.

[Spiffy]

I agree. Those shipping prices are reasonable. My rates were not. The last time I put a carbon filter in the shopping cart, the shipping was more than the filter. Around $15 if I recall correctly. Maybe it has something to do with where I live.

Check my post above. It has everything to do with where you live. BRS is great. Don't get me wrong. I would prefer if they would find some other way to make their money than highway robbery.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

BTW, do you get free stuff, royalty, what not from BRS for using Randy's 2 part formula? I won't be surprised if you do (not saying you do), but that would be what a genius businessman would do.

I'm a genius scientist, not a genius businessman. :D

When they first set up the company, they asked if they could sell the ingredients and refer to it as my recipe. I had no objection and asked for nothing.

I don't make any money off of reef activities, and BRS never sends me free stuff. Occasionally other companies (e.g., Spectrapure, Pinpoint, etc.) give me products to check out, but I never promote them except to say to folks that I use them (or not) and like them (or not) when it comes up.

FWIW, I make my money inventing medicines. Much more lucrative as well as satisfying. :)

[igot2gats]

LOL.

I really do appreciate BRS for revolutionizing the way we buy chemicals. While not as cheap as sourcing our own or making our own (like cooking baking soda), BRS helps those people who aren't exactly sure what to buy, but don't want to buy brand name chemicals which are essentially the same.

I just don't understand why people on this thread are bashing them for shipping. Yes, they charge for shipping if under $175, but this offsets the free shipping they give to those who buy over $175. And chemicals alone are HEAVY. You guys make it seem like shipping is based on the cost of an item and not weight.

I guess it's different if you've never saved money from them, or if you never watch any of their instructional videos, or never learn anything on their website. Granted, they may no longer be the cheapest (it look a long time for others to start selling their own bulk chemicals) but the value they provide is not solely based on the money.

+1 to this as well.

They provide value for the money you spend.

They even have a video series on how to set up a tank.

BRS will always get my money. Great site.

[Fallling]

Check my post above. It has everything to do with where you live. BRS is great. Don't get me wrong. I would prefer if they would find some other way to make their money than highway robbery.


You should also refer to my post from above about how UPS shipping works. If you want to be mad at shipping rates, be upset with UPS. I've ordered from BRS many times, and their rates are about on par for a small business. They even give you the option for USPS and UPS.

Most places really aren't trying to screw customers over on shipping. It really is that expensive to ship things unless you're a big time company. Also, you should take into account packing materials and labor to pull from the warehouse and then pack the items up.

No one is forcing you to order from them. There are dozens of options... look around find what the cheapest bottom line price is and order from there. Calling it "highway robbery" is a little over the top.

[anbosu]

Check my post above. It has everything to do with where you live. BRS is great. Don't get me wrong. I would prefer if they would find some other way to make their money than highway robbery.

You do realize this "highway robbery" is a difference of about 3% of your order, right?

Some companies get better shipping rates. Some companies choose to subsidize shipping more than others. BRS probably just charges what it costs them to ship something. Like others have said, if you don't like it, don't order from them.

[DavidinGA]

I will not do business with them unless it is a product only they have because of the shipping rates.

It is outrageous.


Pretty much this for me too. They have lost $1000's of dollars I would possibly have spent with them if they were even in the game price wise (out the door shipped to me price)...

[christopherjudd]

reefcleaners include free shipping on their rocks 30lb rocks which is 63 bucks
that's florida to cali

dry rock from brs with the same amount of weight is 74 plus shipping of 32.

that's minnesota to cali.

????

[BSchlecht]

Hey Guys,
I don't usually post outside of our own forum but a customer pointed this out to us and I wanted to make sure you know we are aware of your feedback. Feedback, and in particular feedback on shipping, is something that we are constantly looking at. As is clear from the wide range of conversation in this thread, shipping is a pretty complicated issue. :)

Just so people have a bit of an understanding as to how shipping works behind the scenes, when it comes to the actual shipping prices for orders below $175 we don't add anything to the cost over UPS's shipping. When you go to check out on the website it adds up the weights of everything in your order. It then takes the total weight of your order (not including packing materials, boxes, etc.) and quickly sends that weight + your zip code to UPS. UPS calculates the shipping cost, sends it back to the website, and that is the number you see. You can actually go to UPS's website to directly compare against UPS standard rates. I just did a quick example with 25lbs of rock shipping to a residential address in 90210 from our zip code (55427) and the UPS standard rate is $40.80, the website would only charge $28.67.

As many people were saying earlier today, shipping is pretty expensive for a business and no doubt it is a much better value to combine orders or put together a larger order. The price per pound shipping companies charge goes down dramatically after the first pound. UPS rounds every package up to the nearest pound, so a package that weighs 1oz, gets shipped as 1lb. A 1lb package to 90210 UPS charges $13.44, but a 2lb package is only $14.74. Don't get me wrong, that is still $15 but the first pound cost $13.44 and the second pound only $1.30. We don't have many items that only weigh a pound (or less) but most of them are really inexpensive things (like a $3 sediment filter). No doubt the eyes get bigger when the shipping cost is 3x the cost of the item.

I can tell you that our shipping methods are something we continually evaluate around here. We have spent time looking into things like flat rate shipping and at the moment it proves difficult given the nature of the items we ship (rock, 5g buckets of salt, etc.). Honestly offering flat-rate shipping with a bunch of confusing asterisks and exceptions just isn’t something we’re a fan of. Hopefully in the future we really will be a $60 million dollar a year company and have the buying power to make it all free. :)

As always, if you have any feedback you want to share personally you can always shoot me a PM or email me directly at Brandon@BulkReefSupply.com.

[DSMpunk]

Anyone remember trying to find CaCl (dow flakes) at the hardware store? Or having to mix epsom salts with magnesium chloride so it was ionically balanced with the Mg sulfate?

I guess Im defensive when it comes to BRS as they totally changed the game. Made it so much easier to dose 2 part.

Shipping is expensive, but most of my orders are between 175-190$ ;)

[Mael]

Had similar issues with my homebrew supplier, northern brewer went from a flat rate shipping scheme to "actual" charge as well and it has caused me to not order from them for the small things that shipping cost make prohibitive financially. That said when I need bulk, or multiple items I still go through them.

I have yet to shop BRS(although I have watched most of their videos) but it is not because of cost, I just have been lucky to source most of my stuff locally. I certainly dont blame BRS for their shipping rules, would I like to see it be more like $99 and up gets free shipping, sure, but its up to BRs to protect their bottom line and stay profitable so they can stay around in the long run to provide reefers what we need.

[BSchlecht]

Had similar issues with my homebrew supplier, northern brewer went from a flat rate shipping scheme to "actual" charge as well and it has caused me to not order from them for the small things that shipping cost make prohibitive financially. That said when I need bulk, or multiple items I still go through them.


Another homebrewer! :) Interestingly enough, my local homebrew shops are Northern Brewer and Midwest. Both happen to be just a few minutes drive.

[DivingTheWorld]

to a residential address in 90210

Ok, you just dated yourself. LOL

I've spent a couple thousand at BRS setting up my current tank (still not set up...) and I don't regret a penny. Packing was excellent, shipping is quick and customer service is top rate. And I haven't found another dealer with the same selection of reef products.

[BSchlecht]

Haha. The funny part is that it is actually before my time. :) Using that zip code is a habit I picked up from Ryan!

Thank you for the kind words as well. It's the community that makes us who we are.

[Barracuda68]

I think you need to go back and sit down with ups for a better rate. I can ship stuff from staples cheaper than you can ship an order to me.

[Mael]

I wish I was that close to NB and Midwest, I actually started getting a few hop varieties from Midwest that NB wasnt carrying...love me some autralian hops. Actually gonna do a 10-12gallon batch of IPA this weekend, luckily I have a good little homebrew store about 20min from my house who has good pricing on ingredients. Super jealous being near those business though.

To the above: Staples is a Massive company, and therefor gets massively discounted rates from UPS/Fedex etc, The company I work for is the same, when I ship a package it shows me the UPS price(say $14) and my company price which is like $7. But you are really comparing apples to oranges with the shipping rates a retail chain like staples gets and an individual storefront/online retailer like BRS.

I mean if you were UPS would you not give better rates to a 13billion dollar a year company who ships tens of thousands of packages compared to a smaller business who maybe ships a few thousand packages per year. (these numbers are just for reference and are basd on nothing)

[Terefel]

The shipping can be pricey for sure given the distance between BRS and me (just went through this debate myself a few days ago when I needed a $40 item and the shipping cost was 12 bucks or so). I do really appreciate BRS's awesome customer service. The one time I had a shipping issue (the frame to my tank lid kit i bought from them got bent at a 90 degree angle) they were right on it and made everything right in a flash.

Some things vendors just can't control (base shipping prices, minimum MSRPs, distributor requirements, etc.) I prefer to judge a business on what they can control.

Plus I love the videos.

[BSchlecht]

Appreciate the understanding. Can you imagine the type of discounted rates a company like Amazon gets! Someday perhaps :)

Being that this is a regular forum I should probably head back to the BRS forum. If anyone wants to chat aquariums or homebrew (or anything, those just happen to be two topics I know something about :)), you know where to find me!

[bigreefnutt]

Another thought is talk to your LFS to see if they are willing to carry BRS products I know the LFS by me dose

[Spiffy]

You should also refer to my post from above about how UPS shipping works. If you want to be mad at shipping rates, be upset with UPS. I've ordered from BRS many times, and their rates are about on par for a small business. They even give you the option for USPS and UPS.

Most places really aren't trying to screw customers over on shipping. It really is that expensive to ship things unless you're a big time company. Also, you should take into account packing materials and labor to pull from the warehouse and then pack the items up.

No one is forcing you to order from them. There are dozens of options... look around find what the cheapest bottom line price is and order from there. Calling it "highway robbery" is a little over the top.

Why would I be mad at UPS because someone else gets a better deal? Nah. And no one is saying that they are screwing people. Not everyone is there to buy in bulk. We just don't like having the costs of shipping to individuals passed on to us.

You do realize this "highway robbery" is a difference of about 3% of your order, right?

Nowadays, a "3%" difference in take-away price could mean the difference in someone making a sale, or losing business to someone else. In other words, budget constraint and opportunity costs associated with the buyer.

In layman's terms, I don't buy from BRS because they are outside of my budget constraint, and the opportunity costs are lower elsewhere. Like the difference between Wal-Mart and Target.

[Da Maui life]

I think you need to go back and sit down with ups for a better rate. I can ship stuff from staples cheaper than you can ship an order to me.

I would like to see business that offer free shipping over a set amount not to exclude us, non-mainlanders, I know it’s wishful thinking.
Don’t get me wrong I have purchase both small and big ticket items from BRS in the past, it’s not an issues of disliking them, just the outrageous UPS shipping cost. Sorry to say I now shop elsewhere.

[Spiffy]

I would like to see business that offer free shipping over a set amount not to exclude us, non-mainlanders, I know it’s wishful thinking.
Don’t get me wrong I have purchase both small and big ticket items from BRS in the past, it’s not an issues of disliking them, just the outrageous UPS shipping cost. Sorry to say I now shop elsewhere.

My thoughts exactly. But on the other hand, I don't even want to think of your shipping costs... :eek2:

[whosurcaddie]

You can get anything you need from Amazon and prime is only 75 dollars a year. If you make a lot of purchases like me prime is worth it. 2 Day free shipping on almost every item.... hell yes!

[ChrisKirkland]

I dont mind paying there shipping rates, they carry lots of great quality products. I worked at amazon for yrs, although on the IT side I can tell you when I would use UPS WorldShip the rate were outrageous for us and we are AMAZON. Truly the rates are controlled by the shipping companies not by the shipper.

[Da Maui life]

You can get anything you need from Amazon and prime is only 75 dollars a year. If you make a lot of purchases like me prime is worth it. 2 Day free shipping on almost every item.... hell yes!

Yes you can that’s my 2-go place for all my aquatic needs. BRS has a few items on Amazon.

I dont mind paying there shipping rates, they carry lots of great quality products. I worked at amazon for yrs, although on the IT side I can tell you when I would use UPS WorldShip the rate were outrageous for us and we are AMAZON. Truly the rates are controlled by the shipping companies not by the shipper.

I'm sure of that.

[Rutrag]

I think you need to go back and sit down with ups for a better rate. I can ship stuff from staples cheaper than you can ship an order to me.


That's an unfair comparison. As the poster below stated, Staples is a bigger company with a bigger distribution network. It's very likely when you order something from Staples that it's shipping from a distribution center only a state or two away. BRS to my knowledge has only one location.

Staples also doesn't sell the Cobalt MJ 1200. They do have printer ink, however.

[aleithol]

That's an unfair comparison. As the poster below stated, Staples is a bigger company with a bigger distribution network. It's very likely when you order something from Staples that it's shipping from a distribution center only a state or two away. BRS to my knowledge has only one location.

Staples also doesn't sell the Cobalt MJ 1200. They do have printer ink, however.

+1. Well said.

[Da Maui life]

BE HAPPY YOU DONT LIVE IN CANADA

seriously. you think 12$ is bad.. i wish lol




I'm very happy I don't live in Canada. BTW what's up with you guys not tipping, much or at all restaurant waiters and hospitality workers? Seriously shipping cant be that bad.:lol:

[Sammykonga]

I use a combination of Marine Depot (usually $8 or so, and get it real,quik as I live just 1 state away), BRS, or Amazon Prime. For me, it's about price of shipping and time. You would be amazed at what reef supplies can be purchased through Prime. All that being said I have placed more than my fair share of orders with BRS and have never been disappointed.

[kurt_n]

I'm really amazed at the comparisons being thrown out here. Staples vs BRS? Really? Even comparing Marine Depot and BRS is a joke as far as volume. You do realize Marine Depot is basically a distributor that's also selling to the general public, right? It's not even apples and oranges... it's apples and 9V batteries - not even in the same category.

I've had a small internet based business, which is really what BRS is. You don't get jack from shipping companies for discounts.

The fact that BRS can match the price of Marine Depot on a skimmer (to pick one example out of the last few pages of bashing) is pretty amazing. I guarantee you that they are *not* making the margin on it that Marine Depot is. So Marine Depot is making more money on the skimmer itself but eating more of the shipping cost. BRS is *not* making as much money on the skimmer but not eating any of the shipping cost. In the end, Marine Depot is making *more* money off you than BRS for that same skimmer... so why is BRS the bad company?

Sorry... just not seeing the "highway robbery" thing here to basically a mom-n-pop store on the internet. They're really not even in the same category as the stocking distributors that also sell to the general public.

[matty0206]

I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who has a huge issue with their shipping prices. The only benefit they have at this point is their bulk products which end up being more than most others when shipping is included. It's all a ploy to get every customer to order $175 worth of stuff.
I actually called one day because the item I needed the shipping was 3/4 of the price of the item, the guy told me sorry I see the same thing and there's nothing I can do about it.

[matty0206]

Aquacave is the best from my experience, $4.99 shipping is great!

[AcroporAddict]

Once again, check out the competition from time to time. I buy a lot of merchandise from BRS, but always buying from the sample company without knowing what the competition is doing is not being a sensible Consumer. I needed mag chloride, but I could not get the Mag 7 impeller, Mag 7 impeller cover, or the Eheim 1262 impeller cover from BRS. Big Als had all of it.

Sorry, but loyalty in buying the mag chloride from BRS is not worth the extra $50 it would have cost me to do two separate orders.

[rjallen]

I cannot believe I have read through this entire thread and that it "blew up" so quick. Shipping is tough these days- look at fuel prices for those trucks. As said before, their rates are the same small business rates everyone pays. They make NOTHING on them.
That said I do buy some things from F&S, primarily salt and things BRS does not carry. But the bulk of my purchases [pun intended] come from BRS.

Tip: for small things, simply CALL, their customer support- especially the old hands are great. They can REDUCE the costs by using other shipping options like USPS. Lui at BRS has volunteered several times to check shipping options on small things for the best price.....that's service. On several occasions, I have decided to add another item or two to a larger order on the same day of the original order. Even if the shipping department has already packed up the first order, and they end up shipping in different shipments, they always do the second order with free shipping. Customer service.

America is still free [for the time being anyway] you have many choices. Good companies will compete for your dollar and prosper...... not so good ones will go under.

Bulk Reef will continue to be my first choice.

RJ

[KSU_WILDCAT]

I guess I look at the whole picture....shipping, quality of products, customer service and things like that. For example I placed an order for a Radion G2 (about the time they were phasing them out) to match the other G2 I had. A day after placing the order I got a phone call from Ryan (I believe) and said they over sold them and they were sending me a new G3 for no extra cost AND it has already been shipped. It's really tough to find customer service like that these days. Everytime I call them I talk to a real person and are very friendly. Everybody watches their videos and learns from them. They dont have to do that. If you notice Marine Depot caught on and is making their own now. As for shipping cost, I always have to chuckle when people cry about spending 6 or 7 extra bucks but have no problem spending 2200 dollars to light up their tank. I truely believe that these guys are there to help you enjoy your tank and for these reasons I'll continue to pay a couple extra for shipping.

[Big E]

I could care less about their videos as I've been in the hobby for a long time and the videos are nothing but info-mmercials hawking what they sell.

I'm all about price when it comes to dry goods.....it's a simple as that. I've bought from numerous sites and very seldom from BRS because their out the door pricing is usually more than other places.

I'm sure they are a fine e-tailer like plenty of the sponsors here, but the whole "bulk" idea and pricing is a misnomer as their prices on chemicals aren't any better & often more than other places.

[matty0206]

I cannot believe I have read through this entire thread and that it "blew up" so quick. Shipping is tough these days- look at fuel prices for those trucks. As said before, their rates are the same small business rates everyone pays. They make NOTHING on them.
That said I do buy some things from F&S, primarily salt and things BRS does not carry. But the bulk of my purchases [pun intended] come from BRS.

Tip: for small things, simply CALL, their customer support- especially the old hands are great. They can REDUCE the costs by using other shipping options like USPS. Lui at BRS has volunteered several times to check shipping options on small things for the best price.....that's service. On several occasions, I have decided to add another item or two to a larger order on the same day of the original order. Even if the shipping department has already packed up the first order, and they end up shipping in different shipments, they always do the second order with free shipping. Customer service.

America is still free [for the time being anyway] you have many choices. Good companies will compete for your dollar and prosper...... not so good ones will go under.

Bulk Reef will continue to be my first choice.

RJ

I have called twice and was told sorry nothing we can do the first time. The last time was for the Kalk package, $54 for the product and $30 for the shipping, the rep said "I guess I could send a coupon to your email to help" I said that would be cool and hung up, no coupon ever came.

[Mrramsey]

Its the shipping on the little things that gets me. The store and service are fine, prices are pretty much full retail. I really want some of the 1/4" mesh they sell to fabricate some tops for my 120 but the shipping is more than the product. I wish the would offer some additional shipping option for small stuffs. I dont need a cardboard box full of green packing peanuts for stuff like this. A large envelope and a $1.50 is all it takes.

[matty0206]

I have called twice and was told sorry nothing we can do the first time. The last time was for the Kalk package, $54 for the product and $30 for the shipping, the rep said "I guess I could send a coupon to your email to help" I said that would be cool and hung up, no coupon ever came.

I would like to add that he agreed fully the price was ridiculous and even double checked because he thought there was a mistake.

[DavidinGA]

Wow BRS need to do something different, maybe use FedEx for better rates?

I work for a tiny company (leds than $5mil in total sales) and we regularly ship 55 lb boxes (12x12x16) from GA to the Midwest (NE or CO or KS) for about $35 via FedEx. Yet BRS wants half of that to ship a little 3# box what gives? No way they're just passing on the cost or else they need to ditch UPS...

[dkeller_nc]

Folks, one thing that hasn't been mentioned on this thread is why BRS will give you the shipping if you order $175 or more.

For a small business (like the one that I'm currently employed at), labor is a quite large part of expenditures. And even with modern e-commerce tools handling order processing and payment, it still requires a good bit of labor to package and ship goods. And it costs about the same amount of labor to ship $700 worth of goods as it does $15.

Now consider that BRS and other reeftailers don't exactly make huge margins on the products that they sell, particularly if they're branded, manufactured products.

The labor costs and overhead for processing $15 orders means that companies make virtually no money on the order. So expecting them to throw the shipping in as well, or heavily discount the shipping, is absurd. And I can guarantee you that the price per pound/package that UPS or FedEx charges companies is wildly different based on the size/amount of business that the company does with the shipping companies. That's why DRS offers free shipping on orders of +$49, while BRS requires +$175, and why the shipping rates for a package from Marine Depot can be substantially less than BRS - they get a much bigger discount from UPS/Fed-Ex.

To me, this is simply a matter of "plan ahead" - I don't want to order only $30 worth of stuff from anyone, whether it be DRS, Marine Depot, BRS or Amazon. If I have to, it means I've made a mistake.

Add to this that BRS's customer service is stellar; they made a mistake on an order a while back and left out a couple of items on one of their kits (in this case, it was the Chloramines package, I think). I called them back, and they sent me replacements at their expense, with expedited shipping, and that was with no documentation asked for - their response of "I'm so sorry, we'll fix this immediately" was instant. And on the occasion that I've called them to ask about product info, shipping, or anything else, I get a real person that knows their stuff within 3 rings.

There aren't many companies like that out there any more; kind of wish they'd get into the livestock business!

[matty0206]

Explain to me then how companies equally as small like Aquacave and Salty Supply can afford to offer $4.99/$5.99 flat rate shipping in addition to free shipping over $175?

[dkeller_nc]

Simple - they use USPS priority mail flat-rate and they choose to break even on small orders (or possibly lose money). And at least with AquaCave, they attach asterisks to large/bulky items and add extra shipping on to those.

It's essentially a business choice. Were I in this business, I wouldn't want a lot of $15 orders either - it's simply unprofitable and hurts the bottom line.

[ajcanale]

Explain to me then how companies equally as small like Aquacave and Salty Supply can afford to offer $4.99/$5.99 flat rate shipping in addition to free shipping over $175?


Pretty simple actually, four letters. USPS.

I applaud BRS for not offering this garbage service. I will always pay an extra five to ten to have items shipped via UPS or FedEx as I generally like to receive the items that I pay for.

This isn't a hobby for nickle and dimers.

[matty0206]

Pretty simple actually, four letters. USPS.

I applaud BRS for not offering this garbage service. I will always pay an extra five to ten to have items shipped via UPS or FedEx as I generally like to receive the items that I pay for.

This isn't a hobby for nickle and dimers.

What are you talking about? BRS offers USPS as a shipping option and the flat rate shippers on those other sites is ups most times.

[Spiffy]

I'm really amazed at the comparisons being thrown out here. Staples vs BRS? Really? Even comparing Marine Depot and BRS is a joke as far as volume. You do realize Marine Depot is basically a distributor that's also selling to the general public, right? It's not even apples and oranges... it's apples and 9V batteries - not even in the same category.

I've had a small internet based business, which is really what BRS is. You don't get jack from shipping companies for discounts.

The fact that BRS can match the price of Marine Depot on a skimmer (to pick one example out of the last few pages of bashing) is pretty amazing. I guarantee you that they are *not* making the margin on it that Marine Depot is. So Marine Depot is making more money on the skimmer itself but eating more of the shipping cost. BRS is *not* making as much money on the skimmer but not eating any of the shipping cost. In the end, Marine Depot is making *more* money off you than BRS for that same skimmer... so why is BRS the bad company?

Sorry... just not seeing the "highway robbery" thing here to basically a mom-n-pop store on the internet. They're really not even in the same category as the stocking distributors that also sell to the general public.

Seeing that orders over $XX.XX ship for free, the volume argument is mostly irrelevant in terms of large-scale. Really, how many of us buy in bulk on a regular basis? Comparing two companies that sell the same products at different shipping rates is like comparing apples and 9V batteries? What?

Both companies are selling to the general public as well as distributors, hence the free shipping set-up. A "small internet business" is the same as a "mom-n-pops store". Both companies are selling the skimmer for THE SAME PRICE, which is probably MSRP. There is no price-matching. How would I be paying *more* money out the door by paying the same price for a product, but paying a lower shipping cost, and quintessentially a lower overall cost? Your argument contradicts itself. And no one said that BRS is a bad company, it's just that people aren't happy with the shipping costs associated with small orders.

Wow BRS need to do something different, maybe use FedEx for better rates?

I work for a tiny company (leds than $5mil in total sales) and we regularly ship 55 lb boxes (12x12x16) from GA to the Midwest (NE or CO or KS) for about $35 via FedEx. Yet BRS wants half of that to ship a little 3# box what gives? No way they're just passing on the cost or else they need to ditch UPS...

My point exactly. The majority of the people that I talk to don't buy from BRS because of the shipping costs. Not because they are bad company. If I needed enough product from them to meet the minimum requirement to qualify for free shipping, then guess what, BRS it is because they are closer to me and I don't have to pay to have it shipped, but for odds and ends, like plumbing parts and pumps, it's Marine Depot because they have lower shipping costs.

Once again, check out the competition from time to time. I buy a lot of merchandise from BRS, but always buying from the sample company without knowing what the competition is doing is not being a sensible Consumer. I needed mag chloride, but I could not get the Mag 7 impeller, Mag 7 impeller cover, or the Eheim 1262 impeller cover from BRS. Big Als had all of it.

Sorry, but loyalty in buying the mag chloride from BRS is not worth the extra $50 it would have cost me to do two separate orders.

The only defense that I am seeing to this whole debacle is "brand loyalty" based on customer service. At the end of the day, I would rather pay less to get what I want, and use the difference to get more stuff, instead of paying more to have someone smile in my face and coddle me over the phone.

Aquacave is the best from my experience, $4.99 shipping is great!

Good to know. I will check them out.

[ajcanale]

What are you talking about? BRS offers USPS as a shipping option and the flat rate shippers on those other sites is ups most times.

They offer usps priority mail, wasn't aware of this. I think priority mail is based on weight/size similar to other services, compared to flat rate which is likely what your first post was referring to.

[matty0206]

My first post was referring to flat rate as in no matter how little or how much I buy from them, the shipping is $4.99 until I get to $175 and then it's free.
I would also like to add that I am far from nickel and dime, my tank uses all Ecotech products for flow and light, and all Neptune products for control. I am very loyal to those companies because of customer service despite their cost but if they charged half of what their products cost in shipping I would have an issue with them also.

I am in no way saying BRS is a bad company and I have placed my share of orders with them but I don't always need large amounts of items, their business practice of going for the larger order alienates me as a customer sometimes. I also don't dose so I have no use for their major selling point which is their bulk chemicals and additives.
The one time I tried to start using Kalk I was forced to go a different route because I wasn't going to pay $85 to give it a try.

[D-Nak]

Can you guys tell me where you're getting your dry chemicals from that's cheaper than BRS? I'm not talking about Dow Flake and baking soda, I'm talking about pharmaceutical grade chemicals that can be purchased in bulk.

[Av8bluewater]

It's too hard to get everything from one store. Even the big ones like MD and BRS simply don't stock everything. I think BRS got a huge boost with lower cost bulk items like Calcium Chloride, ROx carbon Mag, dual reactor ect. Now MD jumped on that bandwagon and have their own HC GFO, dual reactor and stuff like that. I can't get Prodibio at BRS and couldn't get my Reef octopus reactor at MD. Tbaquatics has low free shipping threshold but have small inventory.
After seeing this thread though I will take note and check out some of the others for small orders and total shipped price.

Still .. can't beat Reefgeek for bulbs shipping. No special fees for shipping bulbs.
Also I recently ordered a Buildmyled strip from aquarium specialty. Couldn't get it at the others.
If I had to choose one to be stuck with for the rest of my life it would be Marine Depot. They simply stock more stuff than anyone. Shipping and service is always top notch.

[rjallen]

I have called twice and was told sorry nothing we can do the first time. The last time was for the Kalk package, $54 for the product and $30 for the shipping, the rep said "I guess I could send a coupon to your email to help" I said that would be cool and hung up, no coupon ever came.

Matty

Unless they have recently changed policies they can offer USPS. I agree that's a lot of postage to pay. Something is wrong here as they ALWAYS follow for me.

It does seem BRS is going through some "growing pains" as there are new customer service reps working and they seem not quite up to speed on everything yet. I would call and ask to speak with Brandon- he the same guy who answered in this thread earlier. You can also reach him in the sponsor section on RC. He is a supervisor and can get things done. I do know very heavy objects cannot get shipped by USPS under their system. I cannot buy salt from them as its way too expensive to ship w/o free shipping. I go the F&S route.

BTW, this week I needed to place a large order and their website was down for most of the day. The reps could not take orders either. I finally got through around 3:25p [cutoff for same day shipping is 3:30p]. Questions and order took a few minutes and we were after the cut off time. Dakota, a newer rep, quickly volunteered to take the order back to shipping personally and make sure it would go out the same day. I asked him to email me if he was successful or not. Not only did he follow-up that it would go out it did get shipped. I got everything I ordered 2 days later. So I am happy.

RJ

[matty0206]

Matty

Unless they have recently changed policies they can offer USPS. I agree that's a lot of postage to pay. Something is wrong here as they ALWAYS follow for me.

It does seem BRS is going through some "growing pains" as there are new customer service reps working and they seem not quite up to speed on everything yet. I would call and ask to speak with Brandon- he the same guy who answered in this thread earlier. You can also reach him in the sponsor section on RC. He is a supervisor and can get things done. I do know very heavy objects cannot get shipped by USPS under their system. I cannot buy salt from them as its way too expensive to ship w/o free shipping. I go the F&S route.

BTW, this week I needed to place a large order and their website was down for most of the day. The reps could not take orders either. I finally got through around 3:25p [cutoff for same day shipping is 3:30p]. Questions and order took a few minutes and we were after the cut off time. Dakota, a newer rep, quickly volunteered to take the order back to shipping personally and make sure it would go out the same day. I asked him to email me if he was successful or not. Not only did he follow-up that it would go out it did get shipped. I got everything I ordered 2 days later. So I am happy.

RJ

The USPS price on the Kalk is $60! More than the product.

[kurt_n]

Seeing that orders over $XX.XX ship for free, the volume argument is mostly irrelevant in terms of large-scale. Really, how many of us buy in bulk on a regular basis? Comparing two companies that sell the same products at different shipping rates is like comparing apples and 9V batteries? What?

No... the volume argument is not irrelevant, and that why it's like comparing two things that are totally different. BRS compared to Marine Depot is not the same order of magnitude when looking at sales, and I'm sure BRS' overhead costs are considerably more than basically a stocking distributor selling to the general public.

Both companies are selling to the general public as well as distributors, hence the free shipping set-up. A "small internet business" is the same as a "mom-n-pops store". Both companies are selling the skimmer for THE SAME PRICE, which is probably MSRP. There is no price-matching. How would I be paying *more* money out the door by paying the same price for a product, but paying a lower shipping cost, and quintessentially a lower overall cost? Your argument contradicts itself. And no one said that BRS is a bad company, it's just that people aren't happy with the shipping costs associated with small orders.

No... that's not what I'm saying. Yes... *you* pay the same amount, but don't even start to think that BRS and MD are offered that skimmer at the same *cost*. I'm pretty darn sure MD is paying the manufacturer of that skimmer far less than BRS.... and that's assuming that BRS can even buy direct from the manufacturer! So yes... you're getting the skimmer for the same price, but the two companies are making very different margins/profits on that same sale... MD is making more money on the same price and can therefore subsidize the shipping. I have a hunch that folks that aren't getting this haven't ever had to make a balance sheet work.

I don't know... when someone accuses a company of "highway robbery", that doesn't sound like folks are saying it's a good company. And I was trying to explain why some of the arguments tossed out there aren't correct. But haters will hate!

[shifty51008]

The USPS price on the Kalk is $60! More than the product.

5 gal of kalk for 49.99

Select Shipping Method:
UPS
Ground $18.18
3 Day Select $33.54
2nd Day Air $43.04
Next Day Air Saver $61.60
USPS
Priority Mail $28.00
ORDER COMMENTS

[shifty51008]

and here is the shipping to vancouver

Select Shipping Method:
UPS
Ground $28.67
3 Day Select $82.38
2nd Day Air $131.83
Next Day Air Saver $189.62
USPS
Priority Mail $59.60
ORDER COMMENTS


yes the usps is spendy thats why you would use ups ground, you don't have to use the most expensive method they have.

[matty0206]

Try the Kalk beginner pack that is $54 like I posted twice. That is the one I was trying to buy.

[d2mini]

Holy moly, 5 pages of people complaining about something BRS can't do anything about!
If you don't like it, shop elsewhere and leave more for the rest of us.
Somebody close this thread. It doesn't even belong in reef discussion. :hammer:

[planedoc]

Holy moly, 5 pages of people complaining about something BRS can't do anything about!
If you don't like it, shop elsewhere and leave more for the rest of us.
Somebody close this thread. It doesn't even belong in reef discussion. :hammer:
Thats what im thinking..... Someone said they live 20 minutes from the store. At 60 MPH that's 40 miles, or 2 gallons of gas in my truck($7). City driving could be better or worse oh and you have pay sales tax. I will gladly pay $10 shipping for a $30 item and sit and wait for it it. It's cheaper without adding my time spent driving and shopping which also has value. Search for any product online and you will find many different prices from different stores. Buy from the cheapest one. That's what is great about America. Freedom. If someone is selling something for more you should not complain but compliment them for making more money. I price compare everything.
I think the real reason people are upset is the cost of the items from BRS is super cheap. When fair (not lower subsidized from higher product prices) shipping charges are applied people wish they could have the best of both worlds, cheap prices and free shipping. (if you buy in bulk you get both, hence the name). I buy some things from BRS because the total cost is the cheapest. I buy reef crystals salt from DFS because it is the cheapest shipped I can find. BRS is good for filters and DI media in my opinion. Maybe at what it cost to pick your item from a shelf package it and get it ups they would rather not mess around with $20 orders. What profit is there on a 20 order? Maybe $4, add double the actual $5 shipping to ten and now it's $9. What's really left after credit card fees and payroll. Even minimum wage cost employers around $10 an hour after payroll taxes unemployment and social security payments not to mention an hr department. Bla bla bla. If you don't like the price don't buy the product.

[matty0206]

and here is the shipping to vancouver

Select Shipping Method:
UPS
Ground $28.67
3 Day Select $82.38
2nd Day Air $131.83
Next Day Air Saver $189.62
USPS
Priority Mail $59.60
ORDER COMMENTS


yes the usps is spendy thats why you would use ups ground, you don't have to use the most expensive method they have.

Both times I mentioned the price I quoted the ground price of $30 the usps cost was twice that at $61. I guess I'm crazy but $30 shipping UPS Ground on a $54 item that weighs about 3 pounds is ridiculous, even the BRS rep thought so.

[whosurcaddie]

Both times I mentioned the price I quoted the ground price of $30 the usps cost was twice that at $61. I guess I'm crazy but $30 shipping UPS Ground on a $54 item that weighs about 3 pounds is ridiculous, even the BRS rep thought so.

Sounds more like overnight pricing.

[christopherjudd]

Holy moly, 5 pages of people complaining about something BRS can't do anything about!
If you don't like it, shop elsewhere and leave more for the rest of us.
Somebody close this thread. It doesn't even belong in reef discussion. :hammer:

I think brs can and must improve on this. if they want to become a bigger, better company then they should look into it.

like what Brandon from brs said on his original post, they are not a fan of having a flat rate shipping with a bunch of asterisks on.

maybe this issue is what is holding them back from being a small successful internet based company to a big successful company.

as a company they cannot have the attitude of "don't like it, shop somewhere else". (I am sure that's not their company's mission, vision statement)

[DavidinGA]

Holy moly, 5 pages of people complaining about something BRS can't do anything about!
If you don't like it, shop elsewhere and leave more for the rest of us.
Somebody close this thread. It doesn't even belong in reef discussion. :hammer:
Holy moly they can do something about it but choose not to...

I don't like it and have spent thousands else where and yes that's more you can waste on overpriced shipping yourself (enjoy).

Somebody close your mouth...

[Sugar Magnolia]

Hey Guys,
I don't usually post outside of our own forum but a customer pointed this out to us and I wanted to make sure you know we are aware of your feedback. Feedback, and in particular feedback on shipping, is something that we are constantly looking at. As is clear from the wide range of conversation in this thread, shipping is a pretty complicated issue. :)

Just so people have a bit of an understanding as to how shipping works behind the scenes, when it comes to the actual shipping prices for orders below $175 we don't add anything to the cost over UPS's shipping. When you go to check out on the website it adds up the weights of everything in your order. It then takes the total weight of your order (not including packing materials, boxes, etc.) and quickly sends that weight + your zip code to UPS. UPS calculates the shipping cost, sends it back to the website, and that is the number you see. You can actually go to UPS's website to directly compare against UPS standard rates. I just did a quick example with 25lbs of rock shipping to a residential address in 90210 from our zip code (55427) and the UPS standard rate is $40.80, the website would only charge $28.67.

As many people were saying earlier today, shipping is pretty expensive for a business and no doubt it is a much better value to combine orders or put together a larger order. The price per pound shipping companies charge goes down dramatically after the first pound. UPS rounds every package up to the nearest pound, so a package that weighs 1oz, gets shipped as 1lb. A 1lb package to 90210 UPS charges $13.44, but a 2lb package is only $14.74. Don't get me wrong, that is still $15 but the first pound cost $13.44 and the second pound only $1.30. We don't have many items that only weigh a pound (or less) but most of them are really inexpensive things (like a $3 sediment filter). No doubt the eyes get bigger when the shipping cost is 3x the cost of the item.

I can tell you that our shipping methods are something we continually evaluate around here. We have spent time looking into things like flat rate shipping and at the moment it proves difficult given the nature of the items we ship (rock, 5g buckets of salt, etc.). Honestly offering flat-rate shipping with a bunch of confusing asterisks and exceptions just isn’t something we’re a fan of. Hopefully in the future we really will be a $60 million dollar a year company and have the buying power to make it all free. :)

As always, if you have any feedback you want to share personally you can always shoot me a PM or email me directly at Brandon@BulkReefSupply.com.

Thank you Brandon.