Amazed at Zoro free shipping practice

[zktk01]

I recently used the 20% code at zoro made a purchase from them, the total ended up being around $80 with free shipping with discount. They split the order up, shipped 4 different UPS packages. I am surprised how they stay in business doing that. I guess all these items are coming from different warehouses.
The prices were lower than Amazon.

I guess they are trying to take the long term approach make customer happy and keep them coming back.

 

[jallyn]

Probably Zoro is a drop ship company. They are a middle-man website making money on the transaction but ordering from their suppliers which ship directly to the consumer.

 

[alex71]

Zoro is grainger. Lots of warehouses. No drop shipping unless it is a very large or high ticket item.

Most likely they lost on that transaction. Grainger probably figures win some, lose some. The vast majority win.

 

[IUEC Medic]

Zoro is owned by Grainger. The industrial supply company that has hundreds of warehouses and retail locations throughout the country. Zoro is their consumer-retail brand that often has lower prices... I'm sure they're doing just fine.

 

[Strouty]

Zoro is grainger. Lots of warehouses. No drop shipping unless it is a very large or high ticket item.

They will show items that are drop shipped, I have had several that were, it usually takes much longer to receive them, but I only buy when prices are the best, so I can wait a bit to get the deal.

 

[yaidunno]

I just received a new caliper and hold down set from them yesterday. Same as you describe, in separate boxes. Thought it was strange as well. The 20% off helped nicely with the Mitutoyo caliper!

 

[L.Cheapo]

I placed an order with them a few months ago. They shipped a nail polish sized bottle of LocTite in a basketball sized box from one warehouse, another same size bottle in same size box from another warehouse, and the rest of the order in a third box. Faster and cheaper than Amazon for those things, and I didn't even have to pay them $100/yr to be my friend.

 

[Mr_B]

yep they will have a shipping contract so no real issue send individual packages .

 

[md21722]

Zoro is pretty proud of their deal with UPS too. Customer service has joked about it on the phone, the UPS drivers have joked about it, ...

 

[chipdog4]

On one of my orders, I was sent 2 boxes from the same location.
They get here and one has all the items I ordered and the other (like 12"x8"x6") was the pick list they include with the items.
A sheet of paper in a box...

 

[md21722]

On one of my orders, I was sent 2 boxes from the same location.
They get here and one has all the items I ordered and the other (like 12"x8"x6") was the pick list they include with the items.
A sheet of paper in a box...

They probably forgot to put the packing list in the first box.



But that's really funny anyway.

 

[LXCam]

Back when gear wrench was posting smoking deals almost every month I can't tell you how many times an order of multiple items would come in their own individual boxes and from the same address no less. It was a running joke here for better than a year.

But, I never had just the packing slip shipped in its own box, that's a new low.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Shipping is fast and furious at a place like Zoro. The Shipping Manager probably has his bonus tied to on time shipping or days an invoice is open or inventory turns.

A lot of different hands receiving product while somebody else ships. As soon as the computer shows inventory available, out it goes.

They get a smokin hot UPS deal.