Curious Discovery While Ordering From Shars

[Charles Spencer]

I wanted to get a couple more tool holders for my import QCTP. I had considered making them, but the cost of materials and time vs. the low price of imports decided against that. I've got plenty of other stuff to do.

And yes, I can see it now, "making it is the fun part... you should buy Aloris, Dorian, etc..."

Nope.


Anyway, I went to the Shars web site and saw an AXA tool holder marked "XL" that would hold a 5/8" bit. That sounded good, but they were out of stock:

http://www.shars.com/boring-turning-and-facing-holder-2-type-102-xl-axa





So I decided to check "Discount Machine" on ebay, which is Shars as far as I know. I found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351293554705




More than 10 available.


Now why would they be available for the same price on their web page and ebay yet only one of them have it? That's kind of odd. Especially when you consider that the profit will be at least slightly less selling it through ebay.

 

[CraigB1960]

The only thing I can think of is when they list on eBay, they are listing multiple available units, so they have to put aside those units in reserve.

 

[Dan_S]

The only thing I can think of is when they list on eBay, they are listing multiple available units, so they have to put aside those units in reserve.

This is almost guaranteed to be the case!

 

[intjonmiller]

Precisely. You get dinged by eBay/Amazon/etc. if they sell an item then have to cancel it because stock is not available. A certain number of those is considered reasonable, because they know that most people are operating through multiple sales channels, but after enough of them it affects your performance scores. Amazon is particularly strict about it.

 

[dlane]

I checked Shars a year ago for one of those and they were out of stock then too

 

[royesses]

I've been told while they are both the same stores the ebay store is in California and the Shars store is in Illinois. Different inventories.

 

[intjonmiller]

I've ordered from both and they have always shipped from St Charles, Illinois. And the order confirmation specifically says, "Discount Machine Shop, a division of Shars." Brian handles all the eBay orders.

 

[intjonmiller]

It wouldn't surprise me if they also ship out of a California warehouse. Lots of Chinese-sourced goods are warehoused and shipped from west coast locations so they don't have to pay to ship them to another warehouse somewhere else, only to ship them back to a buyer in California, for instance. But I've only ever seen tracking and labels from St Charles when ordering from Shars or Discount Machine.

 

[4GSR]

When a container full stuff comes in port from China, rather its in California, Texas, New Jersey, etc. Believe it or not, you pay the same in shipping fees to get it from port to your warehouse. So it doesn't matter if it is shipped from California or Illinois to your house, the product is the same price. Yeah, it don't make sense, thanks to global manufacturing!

 

[kd4gij]

There web site isn't updated near as often as there eBay store. If you call they usually will have it.