After spending an enjoyable half an hour filling up an online shopping basket at Cheapsmells.com, I went to check out and was stunned to learn that I would have to pay an additional £17.10 in delivery charges on top of my £65 order. And that's if I want ordinary bog-standard UK Royal Mail - Special Delivery would be £26.40!
Most online shopping companies offer a flat rate, and many have free shipping above a certain threshold, usually around £50-£60, so I wasn't expecting this at all.
I clicked to find out how on earth this charge had been calculated. It turns out that Cheap Smells charge £0.95 per item for delivery. So the more you spend with them, the more extra charges you pay. I understand how this works for them if you're buying heavy things like shampoo or body lotion, but come on - my items were eyeshadow pans, lipsticks and concealers. (The picture above is cropped to show just the total - there were lots of things in the basket besides the Stila blush.) There is just no way it could (or should) cost that much.
Needless to say I have abandoned my shopping basket and gone elsewhere for my online retail fix. No wonder everything is in stock at Cheap Smells despite their low prices! What a disappointment.
Feelunique.com offers free worldwide delivery:-) I am always put off by high P&P charges - that's why I don't shop at Cult Beauty or Zuneta, I shop at Feelunique or Boots.com instead.
ReplyDeleteI noticed this the other day on cheapsmells, I had a basket full of things that came to around £15 and the shipping charge was £10 so I bought my stuff elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI guess its good if you only want one thing but otherwise its a real letdown!
I think that is really bad! I don't see why they charge so much for shipping! I was going to order some NYX from their site but I doubt it I will bother.
ReplyDeleteI have ordered from cheapsmells and the shipping wasn't crazy for me. But i am overseas, maybe that makes a difference? Because the heavier the products i choose, the more shipping i pay. I mean: if i order 1 big size shampoo the shipping is much higher then if i order 1 lipstick.
ReplyDeleteStrange company...
Thanks for heading that up, I do shop at cheap smells but often 1 item at a time. The worse shopping charges are QVC - £2.45 for a lipstick which will get to you within 5-7 working days, unacceptable methinks.....I still shop there though!
ReplyDeleteI was buying, I think, a fridge magnet? From an American retailer. The magnet cost £3. Shipping? £30. It's absurd!
ReplyDeleteHow expensive is that!? At the moment I'm ordering loads from Boots and having it delivered to the teeny little Boots next to my office...for free!
ReplyDelete@Anna Maria I haven't tried feelunique. Free worldwide P&P is pretty impressive!
ReplyDelete@Zoe letdown is right. You get all excited and start imagining using the things in your basket... then you see the shipping and suddenly your excitement vanishes! ;)
@Danielle we get our NYX from Cherry Culture. Even shipping from the USA is more reasonable than Cheapsmells' charges.
@Chiara so weird to have one rule for overseas and one rule for domestic! Glad it's better for you.
@Jan you're welcome. I've bought from them before and I think I must have only had 2 or 3 things because I don't remember this being a problem. QVC are pricey on delivery it's true, but they have some great deals to make up for it.
@Ruth that's ridiculous. I hope you didn't pay that!
That is ridiculous!! Thanks for the warning I will not be placing an order there! x
ReplyDeleteOh god that's just ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteThat's ridiculous. I've never noticed that before as I only get one or two things at a time. I know it comes from Jersey (or it it Guernsey) but surely it shouldn't be that much! I've had a couple of online shopping baskets dumped for this reason. SpaceNK was the most memorable which is £5 standard delivery. Bonkers!
ReplyDeleteI've ordered from there ages ago (BeDelicious) - I didn't even notice the charges. That is INSANE. For that price it should get delivered by a dwarf on horseback.
ReplyDelete