Tuning Shipping Charges for Warranty Repair

[Jim81]

I just returned a rifle to one of the forum sponsors that is under warranty. Something broke inside as I was cocking the rifle. It cost me $80 to ship it UPS. Fed Ex was $15 more. Perhaps the person who sold the rifle shouldn't have to pay all of the shipping for a return. Like if it was a 3 year warranty and something broke inside the rifle and it happened one month before the warranty expired that's a long time for a seller to have to eat the shipping costs.

I just got a rifle, from a forum sponsor, and inside the box at the bottom of the box was a receipt. That receipt listed the shipping charge a $21.16. I was charged $25 for shipping so no arguement there. However, "X" number of months from now something inside goes astray and the rifle no longer is useable would it be unreasonable that the distributor provide me with a shipping label and charge my account for the same amount they pay for shipping?? When I sell a rifle via the forum that's on me. But when I return a defective item to the distributor under warranty why should I pay full boat retail? After all, I would have to package the product and get it to a freight picjup location.Yeah! Their would be other cost considerations but that slight amount could be added to cover those costs and I might get a shipping label that didn't cause the distributor to lose money but would save me upwards of $50.

Sometimes the distributor does cover shipping costs on a returned item and that is probably some way factored into the original purchase price as overhead. The distributor does have to make a living and isn't a non-profit providing a service for free. But just maybe, there might be a less expensive way to return bulky warranty items where it's a win-win process for both parties. Maybe if there was $10 service charge for a shipping lablel the distirbutor might even make a profit or at least a method to break even.

 

[bd2021]

Good point. I am wondering, for those vendors who ship enough to get a discounted shipping rate, if they could print a shipping label and charge you their cost. That should be a win win, other than the small amount of time the vendor has to take to email a label to you.

 

[hawkeye69]

To my way of thinking it's the manufacturer who should bear the cost of shipping for legitimate in-warranty repairs.

 

[Jim81]

One more experience. I returned a rifle to a manufacturer that was 4 months old. Same problem as I had originally. I couldn't get a 100yd shot anywhere onto a 12X18 splatterburst target. Tried numerous pellets. Even the ones the distributor 'tested' it with. Checked chrono and other things first as suggested. No improvement. Provided a shipping label to me. Did fast service but the tech at the factory could find nothing wrong with the rifle. This rifle has a reputation as a sub MOA at 100 yrds. Received a call from the manufacturer that said they found nothing wrong with the rifle therefore I was asked to pay return shipping.

So, if the manufcturer doesn't want to pay return shipping all they have to do is say they found nothing wrong with the rifle. Anyone know any PCP gunner who would purposely send in a fully functional rifle and be without it for a few weeks/months just for fun? I had that experience. No trashing intended. Just pointing out it is an issue with no easy solution.

 

[bd2021]

..No trashing intended. Just pointing out it is an issue with no easy solution.

Telling the truth about this is not trashing. I'd like to know who it is...also, did you ever figure out what was wrong with it? Scope problem?

 

[TMH]

In my experience when I have had to return a gun for warranty service, if it was done within 30 days of the purchase date (and some have allowed that to slide a bit) it was paid for by the selling shop. Beyond 30 days I'm generally on my own for return shipping cost.

I do like the idea of a shop electronically sending a pre-paid label, charging the customer their shipping cost (with maybe a $5-$10 surcharge -it isn't free for a shop to use an employee's time to create and send a shipping label). I think that their customers would still benefit as the shops definitely seem to have better shipping rates available to them.

 

[Jim81]

I don't want to reveal who it was but it did happen. I even bought a different scope for it thinking that was the problem. $500 Bushnell which, by the way is a really good value in a solid scope. Have to buy it from Bushnell. Not sold by dealers.

Here's the dinger!! It was suppsed to be returned by UPS or FedEx, don't recall right now and dont want to go back and look at the email for the tracking number and all that, but...the carrier says it was delivered a week ago with signature. That is absolutely not accurate or true. It's been a long time since I've had to sign for anything and that was for a particular coin I bought on line.

Anyone have any experiece with the item not showing up and the carrier saying it was delivered with signature? Scares the heck out of me. The distibutor says I shipped it and the carrier says they delivered it. That's your problem buyer. Deal with the carrier. When the manufactuare said I should pay for return shipping because there was nothing wrong with the rifle it doesn't bode well for a reasonable solution. Even if I don't end up loosing $2K all the hassles and frustration ensures i'll never go there again. There is some gallows humore that at least I didn't get dinged for the $70 shipping fee. lol

 

[Jim81]

The thread is going a little sideways. Not my fault but the intent at the beginning was hoping that some dealers will offer a return shipping label to a warranty customer at the dealers shipping price for a small surcharge as suggested above.

 

[elh0102]

I had a warranty return, and the dealer emailed to me a UPS label. I was charged for return shipping. Policies vary. I think the dealer should cover the customer on a warranty repair, and the dealer should charge it back to the maker. Having a distributor between the two can make it messy.