Don't really understand these big store's shipping~

[minmin001]

In Austin, try to order a TV mount from Bestbuy and only 1 left at a store that's 30min away from me. So I asked instead of picking it up can they ship it to me? The great news is they are shipping to me for free so no complains there. But as I was tracking the shipments. It went from Austin to Houston then to San Antonio and will be back to Austin. I just don't understand, is that cheaper for them than just ship from Austin to Austin?

 

[yssie]

In Austin, try to order a TV mount from Bestbuy and only 1 left at a store that's 30min away from me. So I asked instead of picking it up can they ship it to me? The great news is they are shipping to me for free so no complains there. But as I was tracking the shipments. It went from Austin to Houston then to San Antonio and will be back to Austin. I just don't understand, is that cheaper for them than just ship from Austin to Austin?

This made me laugh out loud. I'm sure there's a logical - if complicated - explanation in there somewhere but goodness knows I've wondered the same thing sometimes

Hope your mount gets in okay!

 

[minousbijoux]

Yeah, I don't know what to say, as sometimes their systems defy logic completely - at least to the layperson like me.

 

[lovebug1031]

In Austin, try to order a TV mount from Bestbuy and only 1 left at a store that's 30min away from me. So I asked instead of picking it up can they ship it to me? The great news is they are shipping to me for free so no complains there. But as I was tracking the shipments. It went from Austin to Houston then to San Antonio and will be back to Austin. I just don't understand, is that cheaper for them than just ship from Austin to Austin?

lol in that case, NO it's not cheaper - sounds like it was misrouted!

 

[ChristineRose]

I know that if I mail something across town it goes to Detroit and then comes back again, adding about 100 miles. But according to the Post Office it saves time.

It has to do with sorting and with not driving trucks on every possible route. A bunch of things going from Austin to who knows where went onto a truck, the truck went to Houston and was unloaded, then everything ultimately destined for Austin was put onto a local truck that drove around until it reached your neighborhood.

I left out San Antonio. I don't know why it also went to San Antonio but it is probably related to the process above. Maybe it was just on the way. Maybe they didn't have enough stuff to fill a whole truck.

 

[lovebug1031]

I know that if I mail something across town it goes to Detroit and then comes back again, adding about 100 miles. But according to the Post Office it saves time.

It has to do with sorting and with not driving trucks on every possible route. A bunch of things going from Austin to who knows where went onto a truck, the truck went to Houston and was unloaded, then everything ultimately destined for Austin was put onto a local truck that drove around until it reached your neighborhood.

I left out San Antonio. I don't know why it also went to San Antonio but it is probably related to the process above. Maybe it was just on the way. Maybe they didn't have enough stuff to fill a whole truck.

the post office does work that way - but not UPS and the like. They have one sorting facility/town so ALL the trucks go back to unload/load packages...

 

[ame]

In Austin, try to order a TV mount from Bestbuy and only 1 left at a store that's 30min away from me. So I asked instead of picking it up can they ship it to me? The great news is they are shipping to me for free so no complains there. But as I was tracking the shipments. It went from Austin to Houston then to San Antonio and will be back to Austin. I just don't understand, is that cheaper for them than just ship from Austin to Austin?

OMG. Head. Desk. And they question their financial distress.

 

[amc80]

I am in nevada and had something shipped from Seattle. It was routed through Kentucky. I know there's a UPS hub there but it just seems so out of the way. Logistics is a fascinating industry.