Why is Kleen-Rite Shipping so much?

[Greg Pack]

When I call I always specify ship from Pa. They have me assigned to Texas and they don't seem to have as complete a selection as the Pa. store. It is the same transit time from each place for me. If I don't specify Pa shipping then some items will come from Tx. and the things they don't have have will come from Pa., with higher shipping charges to reflect that.

I have a similar issue with online orders, IIRC it will notify you if your order has to be shipped from multiple locations.

Overall, still very pleased with KR pricing and their business as a whole. I place some decent sized orders with lots of small parts and they almost never get it wrong.

 

[Randy]

I never order anything from KR online. I like to talk to an order taker. After placing the order I always ask if everything is in stock, if anything isn’t in stock I have them remove that item from the order, most of the time everything is in stock. I always try to anticipate what I’m going to need for the year during the ICA convention and place a large order at that time, most of the time I don’t have to buy anything until the next convention. I bought some parts from a company in Houston Texas a couple of weeks ago, they could have been shipped in a small $7.90 USPS flat rate box, they sent it UPS and the shipping was $18.90. I consider shipping to be the cost of doing business. Some things I use at the car wash I source locally, hose, fittings, small parts etc.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

Overall I'm happy with the service and prices but like we all know there is always room for improvement.

 

[MEP001]

I placed an online order for a few things from Kleen rite. I knew I was going to pay Shipping but I couldn't believe it when I got an invoice for four 3/4" brass nipples from the 20 items that I ordered figuring they would send them all at once. For some reason they sent a second shipping for the nipples only. Total cost of nipples was $9.88 plus tax. The shipping cost was $15.12 and that was more than the cost of the nipples. I don't know why someone did not called me and say you might want to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and purchased the nipples cheaper. When you place an order for a few things you would think that it would all be shipped in one order but no. I will never order online again. Right now all I can see is red. Purchase was 10-8-2019

That's not them overcharging you, that's just them not trying to do the best for you. They don't have standing rules in-house to take note of such an issue, they just ship what they have. I found out recently that there are only 2-3 full-time employees at each of their huge and busy warehouses, and all the rest are hired from a temp agency so they don't have to provide any benefits. These temps have almost no training short of "Throw the parts in a box, throw the box on the scale and slap a shipping label on it." If you specify in your order to ship complete, they will comply. If you order one nipple, they won't call you and tell you to go to a hardware store, they will just ship it.

 

[sparkey]

I always write ship complete on my orders. Can't tell you how many times they ship partial order anyways they try to charge me for the second shipment. They have always given me credit for the second shipment when I call and tell them what happened though. I just wish they would pay more attention to what the order says. It would be nice if they had a check box for ship complete. Maybe it would stand out a little more.

 

[copperglobe]

Resurrect this post: Purchased 5 high pressure hoses for my self serve bays from Kleen-Rite (the hoses that go from the boom to the gun). Shipping was $37.00. Unreal.

 

[Greg Pack]

I just think that is part of the days of cheap shipping being over. I placed an order for a few items from Etowah Valley (which is just a couple States away) that weighed less than a pound, and IIRC shipping was almost $15. Make you orders strategically and keep plenty of spare parts on hand. Be prepared to pay a shipping premium when an emergency arises and you have to order something.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I think many have a skewed sense of shipping costs due to the Amazon Prime model. Just my $.02

 

[water guy]

I think Amazon has Screwed it Up for Everybody.

 

[Mchas]

Resurrect this post: Purchased 5 high pressure hoses for my self serve bays from Kleen-Rite (the hoses that go from the boom to the gun). Shipping was $37.00. Unreal.

Just curious - did you place the order online? If so, is that what the shipping estimate said before you placed the order? I just ordered quite a bit of items and the shipping estimate was around $20, and that was for one large box weighing 32lbs (certainly more than your 5 hoses). Also how far are you from their closest distribution center? I am fairly close (a few hundred miles away) so maybe that helps?

 

[MEP001]

Having stuff shipped to a residence via UPS will increase the cost around 20%, more if it's rural (They add a fuel surcharge).

I'll keep saying it, Kleen-Rite isn't screwing you on freight, but if you think they are, just call them. If they made a mistake they will adjust it.

 

[Mchas]

Update to my original post: the shipping estimate when I placed the online order was $20.xx. Just got the invoice and it ended up being $24.xx. Still reasonable for a 32lb box. And this is going to a commercial address (my mailbox store)

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I paid $19.55 for them to ship this from PA to KY. I even told them that I wasn't in a huge hurry and to ship it the cheapest way. And no, they didn't send me 5 bucks.

 

[copperglobe]

Just curious - did you place the order online? If so, is that what the shipping estimate said before you placed the order? I just ordered quite a bit of items and the shipping estimate was around $20, and that was for one large box weighing 32lbs (certainly more than your 5 hoses). Also how far are you from their closest distribution center? I am fairly close (a few hundred miles away) so maybe that helps?

I got my freight amount from the invoice from the Kleen-Rite website. Update: I just ordered 2,000 tokens shipped from Kentucky to Utah for a freight cost of $38. The Kleen-Rite shipping of $37 was from Las Vegas to Utah for the five hoses. Slightly larger box for the hoses and a much heavier box for the 2,000 tokens.

 

[wyatt]

I'm still impressed with the car wash superstore free shipping deal. It has easily paid for itself already (not sure about next year when it jumps to $250/year) as I can now order things the day I run out of spares. Makes my business more efficient compared to waiting and ordering once a month.

Also, has anyone noticed that superstores prices on some things have gotten better? I've actually come across a few things that are cheaper at the superstore than they are at Kleen Rite.

And yes, I still do make an occasional order to kleen rite because they still have a lot larger selection. I'm just happy there's some healthy competition now.

 

[Randy]

Resurrect this post: Purchased 5 high pressure hoses for my self serve bays from Kleen-Rite (the hoses that go from the boom to the gun). Shipping was $37.00. Unreal.

I don’t think shipping 5 high pressure hoses for $37.00 is too much, that’s only $7.40 a hose. How much did the box weigh? How big was the box? Was it delivered to a residential or a commercial address? Sometimes FedEx is less expensive than UPS. I think you got a pretty decent deal. We bought a high pressure hose press and make my own hoses.

 

[wyatt]

I think they are listening, look at my latest package from KR. Needed two coils and this is how they sent them! Much better.

 

[OurTown]

Wyatt, what did KR charge you on the invoice?

 

[wyatt]

OurTown, it was a weird situation. In the notes I put "only ship as complete order, call if shipping is over estimate". They sent the first part of my order and charged $17 (never got a call saying some was b/o). This USPS package was the remaining parts that were back ordered. I wasn't charged shipping for the USPS package.

 

[Greg Pack]

Also, has anyone noticed that superstores prices on some things have gotten better? I've actually come across a few things that are cheaper at the superstore than they are at Kleen Rite.

Yes, I just ordered some medeco plug locks and CWS was about a buck cheaper each, and free shipping just sealed the deal.

Although I like Kleen Rite the CWS shipping deal has been nice. Instead of having to make lists and go home to place a big order, I now place smaller site specific orders on site using my Ipad and don't have to worry about the shipping tearing me a new one.