While free shipping—offered under certain conditions—has long been an effective incentive for online shoppers, rising transportation costs are forcing many retailers to rethink their shipping policies to maintain profitability. Décors Véronneau is no exception. Here’s an overview of the situation to explain why free shipping is no longer available for online orders.
Special Handling
Shipping decorative items—especially large ones like artificial trees or heavy ones like terracotta pots and outdoor arrangements with rock bases—presents significant logistical challenges.
That being said, it’s when these packages leave our warehouse that costs truly go up. Every carrier has its own surcharge policy for “special handling,” which can result in fees that often amount to 50% of the product’s retail price—or even 100% in some cases! Now, imagine these expenses when products are already discounted during promotions!
Why Do Some Items Have Additional Shipping Fees?
Although we always seek the best rates through a broker who compares costs across different carriers, we have no choice but to apply additional shipping fees to certain heavy or bulky products. This helps prevent these higher costs from affecting the shipping rates of all items. We strive to remain as fair as possible by factoring in delivery addresses. It’s important to note that shipping to remote or hard-to-access areas naturally incurs higher costs, which is reflected in these additional charges.
Why Can Some Companies Offer Free Shipping?
Some companies can afford to offer free shipping thanks to specific strategies that help offset the associated costs. For instance, some adopt different pricing structures, meaning that the same product may have a different price when purchased online versus in-store.
Additionally, large retail chains benefit from greater purchasing power, allowing them to negotiate better terms with shipping carriers and achieve economies of scale. With generally higher profit margins, they can also absorb shipping costs within their product prices—something that smaller businesses like ours simply cannot always do.
How to Save on Shipping Fees?
While we do not offer free shipping, here are some ways to reduce shipping costs:
- Bundle your purchases to maximize your order into a single shipment.
- Take advantage of seasonal promotions that lower your overall order cost through product discounts.
- Ship to family or friends who live closer to our store to reduce delivery distances.
- Choose in-store pickup whenever possible to eliminate shipping fees altogether.
Quality Service First
Above all, our priority is to provide you with a smooth and hassle-free shopping experience while ensuring your products arrive in perfect condition. We understand that shipping fees may seem inconvenient, but they reflect our commitment to offering quality service with reliable logistics partners. Additionally, shipping costs are always clearly displayed in your cart before you complete your purchase.
Thank you for your understanding and for trusting Décors Véronneau—your local decor expert!
