I want to buy an implement for my tractor online. It's just a box blade. Anyhow, they offer free shipping, but it didn't say on their website that it was to commerical addresses only. I found out by calling them. They say that it's $80 for residential shipping (for what!?). So say if I bought it online, and when I went through the checkout process, it asks if my address is residential or commercial, and chose commercial, but I'm sending to my house. How would they know if that particular address is commerical or not?

They also said that the truck driver would only open the door, and it would be my responsibility to get the pallet off... which obviously isn't a problem because I got a loader and the pallet don't wouldn't weigh too much for me to slide it onto the loader and take it away.

Heck, I can have it shipped to where I work where I've got access to a pallet fork and a regular loading dock if they want to play that game. But I'd prefer it be at my house because it's one less step because I got means to take it off the truck.

It's not that big of a deal... but it's not like my place isn't tractor trailer friendly. I've got a ton of room for them to back in and let me take it off. It's not like a regular house in a city or what not... heck they can turn around in my yard all day long of they wanted to. Plus I'm on a truck route anyways. It just irritates me.

 

They are most likely dinging you because commercial delivery locations have known hours that they accept deliveries whereas residential delivery locations usually don't have someone always on hand to accept the delivery (i.e. sign for it; they will not just drop it off like UPS, FedEx, etc.). If their definition of commercial delivery location includes facilities for unloading and someone to do the unloading (usually, the drivers are only obligated to get the merchandise to the back of the truck unless it is too heavy to do so), then they would have to make special arrangements to deliver using a truck with a lift gate and the driver would be the one unloading. Usually, this gets contracted out to a smaller, local carrier. Often they are also nervous about allowing people not affiliated with the industry assisting with unloading since they usually have no clue what they are doing (although there are driver's who are clueless; I wish I had a dollar for every driver I ordered out of their truck while I was unloading it because they kept getting in the way) so your offer to unload the truck using your loader would probably be declined.

 

I get what you are talking about... but I'm still going to be the one either at my house or at a loading dock to accept the delivery, sign for it, and to do the unloading. So what's the difference between a loading dock and my house?

I can't see how hours or a concrete loading dock vs my pallet forks on my loader at my house makes much of a difference. There's no issues with safety or room.... etc. I'd say it would be much easier to do it at my house.

 

Try telling them what you are telling us. If nothing else, you may get the reason why.

 

In all honesty,

I'd make a sign that had a business name and your address on it and put it out by the road. How would they know if you have an at home business?

"Manual's House of Pain, LLC"

 

call it handshaker150

 

I think Lady Fitzerald offered plenty of good explanations why it is harder to deliver to the average house than the average business.

Could be driven by insurance, too. Truck drops it on your foot at work, you are covered by your employer's insurance and workman's comp. Truck drops it on your foot at home = you sue.

FWIW, I'm astounded anyplace would ship tractor parts anywhere for free.

 

Nothing is free. It's factored into the price of the product.

 

I might mention I worked in warehousing (including running warehouses and opening up a new one) for 30 years out of the 32 years I worked at a large electric/irrigation utility here in AZ. Much of the time I was in warehousing was working Shipping and Receiving. I've heard plenty of tales from drivers in addition to my own tales.