[DeTomaso] ridiculous shipping prices

[dyogi at hawaii.rr.com]

All non Pantera vendors that I have done business with lately use USPS as an 
option and offer very fair shipping prices.  They all use 'Click and ship", do 
it all online and the mailman picks up the packages.  I was told be more than one vendor that they didn't use USPS because of the hassle of having to make a special run to the post office, the vendors no longer have that excuse.
 
If they say that they don't make money, they are either getting shafted from the 
shipping company or are lying.  My sister has a business in AZ and says that the 
shipping companies all offer them "middleman" discounts to get their business.  
Check out some mail order catalog companies.  Their prices are so cheap but 
shipping kills you like the Pantera vendors.  They make up the low catalog 
prices with the boosted shipping. 
 
When I started in the Pantera world, I believed that the Pantera vendors should 
be able to turn a profit for their efforts and bought everything through them.  
I still believe that they are entitled to profit but as I said, the shipping is 
ridiculous and if at all possible, I will buy outside of them from companies who 
offer fair shipping.  The practice of high shipping rates will end up hurting 
their business in the long run.  From the email's that I have received since 
this posting, a large number of owners share my sentiments.  I have heard many 
similar shipping nightmare stories from others located even in the continental 
U.S. , so the problem doesn't lie with my geographical location.  Owners are fed 
up with this situation as I am and are all looking for alternative parts 
suppliers and are sharing their finds.  I have had no less than five people 
email me with suppliers for the part that I needed, all from outside of Pantera 
vendors. Money is getting tight with this slumping economy and everyone is trying to get the most for their buck.
 
I was told by Bayani and Howard that Wilkinson Pantera will ship to us via USPS at low cost as they have ordered recently from him.  

I'm not asking for the vendors to "give" us the parts, just to be fair. 
 
Aloha, 
 
Dennis