Travers Free Shipping Caution

So far, I don't see any difference in their pricing from last year. In fact, the prices on some items have gone up; i.e. Thin parallel sets).
I just received my quote from Msc for a replacement part after contacting the tool company. Tool Company X has the part listed for $87.50,
Msc is their distributor, Msc quotes me $159.00 for an item that Lists for $87. I'm waiting to hear back from other distributors. I understand the profit
motive, bu double list is, IMHO, outrageous.
 
Double is normal for any retail, that's why its amazing when they say they are unprofitable. It means that they are mis-managing those very profits. Too much fat at the top. Yea, there are other reasons too.

What stinks about that part from MSC, is they are no different than Amazon, they both drop ship it to you. MSC doesn't stock it..
 
I don't understand the reasoning for marking up above MSRP. It's not just MSC that does this though but I do see it more commonly in machining & industrial supply. But in these markets they don't use MSRP, the state list price. It's bad for business IMO, it's like they want to deter one time or low volume buyers. Knives is one of my hobbies, some manufacturers won't let dealers sell their knives for higher than MSRP or they'll drop them.

There was a time where my logged in price with MSC was the same as their list price on their website which as you know are very high. Then later I started seeing discounts and this was before they closed Enco. But after they closed Enco my logged in prices got way better. I brought this up before here, there are others that get the same pricing as I do & some even better.

I asked my salesman at the local MSC why that was cause sometimes he said the system showed my prices (on certain items) as being the lowest they were allowed to sell for & a discount code would not further reduce the price. He thought it might have to do with how much I buy & how often. Sometimes I go their weekly.

Back in 2008 I purchased a set of replacement top jaws for my Bison 5" 6-jaw. Called Toolmex, they gave me all the details & pricing, when I said I would like to order they told me I had to go through a dealer. I went through MSC. When I called MSC they asked me what I was quoted from TMX. I told them, they gave a me a slightly better price with free shipping, drop shipped from TMX.

Recently I purchased a bunch of Pferd files that everyone on the net sold for full list price. MSC's price was cheaper, I used a coupon code that gave me a little bit more of a discount. Not in stock, to be drop shipped by the MFG, no shipping fee. Should be here today as a matter of fact.

I also bought an OSCA hammer that they did not stock. Same, thing, my price was a bit cheaper than everyone else on the net, coupon code again for a slight discount, no shipping charge, also should be here today.

A month or 2 ago I purchased a Skoda live center from MSC, way cheaper than anyone else without a discount code (didn't work anyway). Dropped shipped by Sowa tools, free shipping.

MSC has treated me so good I can't help but to shop with them. Again, I just don't understand why others don't get the same experience.
 
I often used to hear people say that Enco cared about the smaller hobby guys & the rest didn't. MSC has been trying to do just that IMHO. Travers could care less like the others. And I rather buy from the others.

BTW, if you have an Enco merged account with MSC. Shipping is always free over $50, no code needed.

Damn, I wish MSC would get this message, they never give me free shipping unless its got a code from sale flyer. I had been an Enco customer since 1984. Everthing I do with either MSC or Travers becomes an ordeal, I never had Enco screw up and order or overcharge. The few things I bought from them that were bad they took back with no problems and paid the shipping. MSC is a pain in the butt, if its not in sale flyer at deep discount I don't even consider them. I never thought I would look back and say the 1980s were the good old days, but for buying machine tools and accessories it sure was compared to today.
 
Since Enco is now gone I have been shopping some at Travers. Every once in a while they do a free shipping and a gift if you spend $49 or more. I have used this 3 times since January. Twice now they have sent me the email confirmation showing free shipping and then low and behold they charge me very high shipping charge. I have gotten it straightened out both times but it takes multiple phone calls or emails and at least a week for them to credit my card for the shipping.

I pass this along so that others watch the email invoice when item actually ships, not just the order acknowledgement email.


I recently purchased a dial caliper on sale for $44 and change. It was defective on arrival. Travers gave me a return authorization. Told me they would send a new one out if I allowed them to charge my card again and then give me a refund once the original was received at their sight. They charged me the original price of $54 and change. When they got the defective one back they only refunded my first order price of $44 and change. I am still trying to get back my $10.
 
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As far as I remember, Travers prices in their Canadian catalogue are in Canadian dollar, it says so right on the top left corner of the front page, charging you in USD could have been a computer glitch but at any rate, thanks for the heads up,I'll double check my cc statement..
I've just been dealing with this, I ordered several items from thier April flyer (in Cdn $) and the invoice came with different prices for all but one of 4 items (all higher by the way). These guys when I point it out bend over backward to help but I get the sense that they couldn't organize a drunk in a Brewery!
Alex
 
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