# Travers Free Shipping Caution



## Doubleeboy (Apr 17, 2017)

Since Enco is now gone I have been shopping some at Travers.  Every once in a while they do a free shipping and a gift if you spend $49 or more.  I have used this 3 times since January.  Twice now they have sent me the email confirmation showing free shipping and then low and behold they charge me very high shipping charge.  I have gotten it straightened out both times but it takes multiple phone calls or emails and at least a week for them to credit my card for the shipping.

I pass this along so that others watch the email invoice when item actually ships, not just the order acknowledgement email.


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## Randall Marx (Apr 18, 2017)

I've been considering an order from Travers, so I appreciate this info.Thank you.


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## NCjeeper (Apr 18, 2017)

Thanks for the heads up. I recently ordered from them using the free shipping so I will check my credit card statement when it comes in.


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## aliva (Apr 18, 2017)

I recently bought a Kurt DX6 vise. The price was from their Canadian catalog but shipped from New York.
They charged me US $ so I called, they credited my card but at a different exchange rate. Second phone called cleared everything up.
A minor inconvenience, so to our Canadian members, watch your CC statement and check for any exchange rate errors


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## EmilioG (Apr 18, 2017)

Travers sells tools on Amazon.com and the shipping is a bit lower. I've never seen Travers offer free shipping.
How? Where? Do you sign up for email offers?


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## Ken from ontario (Apr 19, 2017)

aliva said:


> I recently bought a Kurt DX6 vise. The price was from their Canadian catalog but shipped from New York.
> They charged me US $ so I called, they credited my card but at a different exchange rate. Second phone called cleared everything up.
> A minor inconvenience, so to our Canadian members, watch your CC statement and check for any exchange rate errors



As far as I remember, Travers prices in their Canadian catalogue are in Canadian dollar, it says so right on the top left corner of the front page, charging you in USD  could have been a computer glitch but at any rate, thanks for the heads up,I'll double check my cc statement..


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## Doubleeboy (Apr 19, 2017)

EmilioG said:


> Travers sells tools on Amazon.com and the shipping is a bit lower. I've never seen Travers offer free shipping.
> How? Where? Do you sign up for email offers?



I get their monthly sale flyer, it was in there that they allude to free gift and free shipping on orders over $49.  If they do this to me a third time I will come to conclusion that its intentional and not a mistake.


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## NCjeeper (Apr 19, 2017)

EmilioG said:


> I've never seen Travers offer free shipping.
> How? Where? Do you sign up for email offers?


Their website lets you sign up for emails and you will get email deals all the time.


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## woodchucker (Apr 19, 2017)

Doubleeboy said:


> I get their monthly sale flyer, it was in there that they allude to free gift and free shipping on orders over $49.  If they do this to me a third time I will come to conclusion that its intentional and not a mistake.


do you need to enter a promotional code, or just order over $49?


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## Doubleeboy (Apr 19, 2017)

woochucker said:


> do you need to enter a promotional code, or just order over $49?



you enter the code when placing order, its not a secret , I believe its on their website if you click on sale flyer, its page 2 I believe


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## darkzero (Apr 19, 2017)

I've always got free shipping from Travers, but that's cause I have a local Travers outlet, I just walk in to place my order. 

I haven't purchased from them in a while though. Personally I am not a fan of them but to be fair it's just my experiences with the local Travers as well as their prices.

I had a local Rutland & I prefered going there instead. The Rutland turned into MSC & I still much rather go to MSC, much better prices.


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## darkzero (Apr 19, 2017)

I still get their monthy flyers. This month's free shipping & free gift code is SHIPSET49. Expires 4/30. The free gift is a set of Bondhus SAE/metric stubby ball end L hex wrench set.

Hmm, maybe I'm going to have to find something to buy now!


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## EmilioG (Apr 20, 2017)

Nevermind the shipping, beware of high prices.   Travers has some good tools and their own TTC brand, Import quality for USA prices.
I threw the Travers catalog in the garbage.  They wanted to charge me $12.00 to ship a drill bit., and I'm only 19 miles away.


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## darkzero (Apr 20, 2017)

EmilioG said:


> Nevermind the shipping, beware of high prices.   Travers has some good tools and their own TTC brand, Import quality for USA prices.
> I threw the Travers catalog in the garbage.  They wanted to charge me $12.00 to ship a drill bit., and I'm only 19 miles away.



I often used to hear people say that Enco cared about the smaller hobby guys & the rest didn't. MSC has been trying to do just that IMHO. Travers could care less like the others. And I rather buy from the others.

BTW, if you have an Enco merged account with MSC. Shipping is always free over $50, no code needed.


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## Alan H. (Apr 20, 2017)

Will, my experience with MSC is horrible.  I have bought from them several times, shipping is expensive and their discount codes are almost worthless.  Guess I am buying the wrong things and I am not a grandfathered Enco person.  I now don't even bother with them now.

Ref. Travers - give All Industrial a look see.  Their website is evolving warp speed.  Huge improvements since January.  Look up what you want on Travers and use the travers stock number on the All Industrial website and you will find it immediately.   Free shipping for orders more than 49 bucks and the pricing is very good.  They sell on ebay and Amazon but they are higher on these stores vs. their website.  

I just bought 3 variations of Aloris BXA tool holders from them and the pricing was attractive.


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## darkzero (Apr 20, 2017)

Alan, I have heard of bad MSC experiences but I personally have never had any. When Enco was around I still used to by from MSC from time to time but only on sale days. They were expensive like everyone knows them to be.

But after they closed Enco things changed. Their logged in pricing became much better. Often but not always MSC is cheaper than anywhere else I can find & they carry everything like Enco, not just machining related. Places like All Industrial are great & I buy from them too but they don't carry everything.

As I mentioned I have a local MSC outlet so I can walk in & order something that is not in stock at that location & they bring it in for free. And my sales guy always checks to see if he can give me more discount. But even though I placed 2 orders online this month. Fast & free shipping, no problems whatsoever.

Sometimes the discount codes won't apply anything cause my logged in price is already marked down. Keep in mind their discount codes don't always work dependi g on the item & tbeir profit margin, their discounts are "up to x%", it's always been like that since I've been shopping with them. One reason why they probably closed Enco, with Enco I'm sure they lost money on certain products on sale days.

One thing I do not like about MSC is if you pay cash in the store & return something. You have to wait for a check in the mail to get your refund. 2 times now that I had to return something & I always had to call to follow up on the refund.


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## woodchucker (Apr 20, 2017)

If you pay cash, you should get cash back immediately. That would keep me from doing cash with them.
I have not bought anything from MSC since they closed ENCO. They sent me a questionaire on why not. I still find their prices higher.


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## darkzero (Apr 20, 2017)

woochucker said:


> If you pay cash, you should get cash back immediately. That would keep me from doing cash with them.
> I have not bought anything from MSC since they closed ENCO. They sent me a questionaire on why not. I still find their prices higher.



Exactly, they can't even do store credit. Seems like MSC did not think though their outlet stores policies. I hate that & it's stupid. Cash returns have to go through their accounting dept in NV. I pay cash cause I need to & I don't mess with plastic anymore.

For me it's been opposite. I started buy much more from MSC after they closed Enco, not cause I don't have a choice but because they give me good pricing & it's convenient for me being local.

I just don't understand why they don't give everyone the same service & pricing. But then again places like Grainger & Fastenal do the same.


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## EmilioG (Apr 21, 2017)

Msc is a mixed bag.  They have a great selection but pricing isn't the best on a lot of items.  Forget special orders.
If Msc doesn't list something but a brand says they are the distributor, expect to pay a hefty price. Let's say that you want a Noga part or
something not in the general catalog, they double the price!  I recently got a letter from the CEO of sales at Msc saying they will now have
super instant savings, discounts and free shipping.  Free shipping..cool, but super savings and discounts? Yes, certain tools and supplies are sold at
a great price, I buy from Msc, but when you show list prices then discount from that, it's not really a discount or a super savings deal. It's an illusion.
So, bottom line for me, keep shopping around.  You can usually find what you want at a good price somewhere...unless of course, you have money to burn. 
(Msc caters to big shops and industry)., so I'm glad they have a nice full catalog and a pretty good website for finding tools.


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## woodchucker (Apr 21, 2017)

darkzero said:


> Exactly, they can't even do store credit. Seems like MSC did not think though their outlet stores policies. I hate that & it's stupid. Cash returns have to go through their accounting dept in NV. I pay cash cause I need to & I don't mess with plastic anymore.
> 
> For me it's been opposite. I started buy much more from MSC after they closed Enco, not cause I don't have a choice but because they give me good pricing & it's convenient for me being local.
> 
> I just don't understand why they don't give everyone the same service & pricing. But then again places like Grainger & Fastenal do the same.



Received in the mail yesterday an offer to get better pricing from MSC by signing up on their website. I guess the fact that I was purchasing elsewhere yanked their chain a little.
I might give it a try. But I have a feeling they will be yanking my chain.


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## EmilioG (Apr 21, 2017)

So far, I don't see any difference in their pricing from last year. In fact, the prices on some items have gone up; i.e. Thin parallel sets).
I just received my quote from Msc for a replacement part after contacting the tool company. Tool Company X has the part listed for $87.50,
Msc is their distributor, Msc quotes me $159.00 for an item that Lists for $87.  I'm waiting to hear back from other distributors. I understand the profit
motive, bu double list is, IMHO, outrageous.


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## woodchucker (Apr 21, 2017)

Double is normal for any retail, that's why its amazing when they say they are unprofitable. It means that they are mis-managing those very profits. Too much fat at the top.  Yea, there are other reasons too.

What stinks about that part from MSC, is they are no different than Amazon, they both drop ship it to you. MSC doesn't stock it..


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## darkzero (Apr 21, 2017)

I don't understand the reasoning for marking up above MSRP. It's not just MSC that does this though but I do see it more commonly in machining & industrial supply. But in these markets they don't use MSRP, the state list price. It's bad for business IMO, it's like they want to deter one time or low volume buyers. Knives is one of my hobbies, some manufacturers won't let dealers sell their knives for higher than MSRP or they'll drop them.

There was a time where my logged in price with MSC was the same as their list price on their website which as you know are very high. Then later I started seeing discounts and this was before they closed Enco. But after they closed Enco my logged in prices got way better. I brought this up before here, there are others that get the same pricing as I do & some even better.

I asked my salesman at the local MSC why that was cause sometimes he said the system showed my prices (on certain items) as being the lowest they were allowed to sell for & a discount code would not further reduce the price. He thought it might have to do with how much I buy & how often. Sometimes I go their weekly.

Back in 2008 I purchased a set of replacement top jaws for my Bison 5" 6-jaw. Called Toolmex, they gave me all the details & pricing, when I said I would like to order they told me I had to go through a dealer. I went through MSC. When I called MSC they asked me what I was quoted from TMX. I told them, they gave a me a slightly better price with free shipping, drop shipped from TMX.

Recently I purchased a bunch of Pferd files that everyone on the net sold for full list price. MSC's price was cheaper, I used a coupon code that gave me a little bit more of a discount. Not in stock, to be drop shipped by the MFG, no shipping fee. Should be here today as a matter of fact.

I also bought an OSCA hammer that they did not stock. Same, thing, my price was a bit cheaper than everyone else on the net, coupon code again for a slight discount, no shipping charge, also should be here today.

A month or 2 ago I purchased a Skoda live center from MSC, way cheaper than anyone else without a discount code (didn't work anyway). Dropped shipped by Sowa tools, free shipping.

MSC has treated me so good I can't help but to shop with them. Again, I just don't understand why others don't get the same experience.


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## Doubleeboy (Apr 22, 2017)

darkzero said:


> I often used to hear people say that Enco cared about the smaller hobby guys & the rest didn't. MSC has been trying to do just that IMHO. Travers could care less like the others. And I rather buy from the others.
> 
> BTW, if you have an Enco merged account with MSC. Shipping is always free over $50, no code needed.



Damn, I wish MSC would get this message, they never give me free shipping unless its got a code from sale flyer.  I had been an Enco customer since 1984.   Everthing I do with either MSC or Travers becomes an ordeal, I never had Enco screw up and order or overcharge.  The few things I bought from them that were bad they took back with no problems and paid the shipping.  MSC is a pain in the butt, if its not in sale flyer at deep discount I don't even consider them.  I never thought I would look back and say the 1980s were the good old days, but for buying machine tools and accessories it sure was compared to today.


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## Deacon1945 (Apr 22, 2017)

Doubleeboy said:


> Since Enco is now gone I have been shopping some at Travers.  Every once in a while they do a free shipping and a gift if you spend $49 or more.  I have used this 3 times since January.  Twice now they have sent me the email confirmation showing free shipping and then low and behold they charge me very high shipping charge.  I have gotten it straightened out both times but it takes multiple phone calls or emails and at least a week for them to credit my card for the shipping.
> 
> I pass this along so that others watch the email invoice when item actually ships, not just the order acknowledgement email.




I recently purchased a dial caliper on sale for $44 and change. It was defective on arrival. Travers gave me a return authorization. Told me they would send a new one out if I allowed them to charge my card again and then give me a refund once the original was received at  their sight. They charged me the original price of $54 and change. When they got the defective one back they only refunded my first order price of $44 and change. I am still trying to get back my $10.


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## Kamloopsendo (Apr 22, 2017)

Ken from ontario said:


> As far as I remember, Travers prices in their Canadian catalogue are in Canadian dollar, it says so right on the top left corner of the front page, charging you in USD  could have been a computer glitch but at any rate, thanks for the heads up,I'll double check my cc statement..


I've just been dealing with this, I ordered several items from thier April flyer (in Cdn $) and the invoice came with different prices for all but one of 4 items (all higher by the way).  These guys when I point it out bend over backward to help but I get the sense that they couldn't organize a drunk in a Brewery!
Alex


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