TDLR: At DREMC, we prefer to keep our pricing clear and honest. Instead of inflating product prices to cover shipping, we charge shipping separately based on your location and parcel size. This way, you only pay for what you need. No hidden charges or built-in fees.
By doing this, we can:
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Offer better value for customers ordering multiple/bulk items
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Provide accurate shipping information, so you always know which courier is used for your order
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Avoid marking up product prices just to say "shipping included"
- Avoid the need to feel like you have to meet a minimum spend per order, for "free shipping threshold.
Free shipping might sound like a great deal, but many people don’t realise the hidden implications behind it. The reality is, someone has to cover that cost, whether it’s you, the seller, or spread across all customers. We display transparent shipping rates via multiple carrier and services to allow you pick and choose based on your delivery preference, so you're never surprised by courier your item is arriving by. This won't be possible through blanketed "free shipping program" as each courier service have different cost. So instead we usually offer bulk discount for filament to still allow you save and opt for faster service when its required.
In 2022 FY alone, DREMC customers paid enough in shipping fees to hire at least two full-time workers at minimum wage. For a small business or a small team operation, absorbing these shipping costs is simply not feasible or sustainable by raising cost for everyone if we opted in "free shipping".
Big companies or new companies that offer "free shipping" often build those costs into the prices of their products or rely on massive volume to offset the expense. They might even lose money on many items just to gain market share. But for small businesses, this approach isn’t sustainable for us as small local family business.
We’ve also noticed that competitors, both in our sector and others, are gradually increasing free shipping thresholds, raising product prices, or scaling back service levels. For sustainable growth, we’ve chosen to provide live shipping quotes at checkout, based on real-time rates charged by the courier and service selected.
