Buyer Beware

[markg]

I know companies are using tactics to save money, but they also hide the information from their customers.  Example:

Bought an idler pulley from Rock Auto last year.  Had to pay $5 shipping on the small pulley.  Took 8 days to receive the pulley from Richmond Virginia and I also live in Virginia.  A little research indicated they had boxed the pulley, made a label and must have put the item in a pickup location.  It set there 5 days before tracking indicated it was moving.  Contacted Rock Auto but they just acted like they didn't know what was going on, but USPS stated they had not received the pickup.  8 days to travel maybe 500 miles.  Needless to say, won't be giving the anymore of my business.
  
Bought a scope from Tequipment in NJ.  They offered free shipping with all order over $99 sounded good.  Well, anyway the according to their website the scope was in NJ, so I was figuring on 3–4-day, ground shipping, wrong.  When I enquired to Tequipment they stated the item had shipped but was not willing to disclose more information.  Checked the tracking number and all it states was "on the way", from where?  Two days later I got a notification the scope was still on the way, now that was using the tracking link they had sent me.  Decided to copy and past the tracking number and exit their site and go directly to UPS and found part of my answer, the scope was in California, deception at the least.  Not at all satisfied with their tactics, will never buy from them again.  Should have bought the scope from the Rigol store at Amazon, using Prime I would have already received the scope. 
Another guy that is involved with shipping cost stated that these companies will receive orders for several days and hold for pickup when there are many packages. This saves the shipping cost but at the customer's cost.

[NASA-Tom]

Mark. Yes........ marketing is becoming more automated. Zero-inventory....... directly into: Drop Ship. , . , . , . , . , . is now the new 'Norm'.
A couple of months ago...... I too....ordered a optic (6x42) from a U.S. company. It took 17-days to receive.......... as it ended up coming directly from China. Fortunately....... all is perfect. If err occured......,,,,,,, I can't imagine the time/delay for recourse/resolve.