"Affordable Shipping for All Act"

[HiloJulie]

"U.S. Rep. Ed Case, a Hawai‘i Democrat, recently reintroduced legislation to end what he calls “discriminatory and exclusionary” shipping practices faced by residents and businesses in non-contiguous states and U.S. territories."

I for one, hope this introduced legislation gets traction and can be implemented!

Affordable Shipping for All Act takes on unfair shipping practices : Big Island Now

[KPHawaii]

I completely agree with you. I frequently buy items from the mainland and have spent thousands of dollars at online stores. Many companies either refuse to ship to Hawaii or charge full shipping costs, even though they offer free shipping to the contiguous 48 states.

It's great to see Case finally acknowledging this issue and taking action. Like you, I'm hopeful that this Bill gains some momentum.

[MyManao]

"U.S. Rep. Ed Case, a Hawai‘i Democrat, recently reintroduced legislation to end..

Nothing will happen. It's a dead fish before it ever was hatched. The Jones Act takes precedent and it ain't going anywhere. For good reason.

And besides.. edited due to national political content

[Obie]

Your TDS is showing again.

The real question is whether we have to listen to unhinged rants for 4 years or will a moderator show you the door ?

It's Punaweb, remember.

[knieft]

Companies should be able to charge whatever they desire for shipping to Hawaii, just as they should be able to chose the price of an item. Or to say no shipping to Hawaii. Shipping to Hawaii from the mainland costs more: it’s halfway across the Pacific with no ground shipping possible, unless you consider the barge “ground”. (FFS…trying to revive that phrase

USPS flat rate Priority shipping has no surcharge and many ebay sellers have figured this out. Consumers in Hawaii obviously gravitate to the sellers with lessor Hawai’i shipping costs, like Amazon in many cases (who to my mind would be perfectly justified in surcharges or a surcharge on Prime for Hawaii shipping).

The idea that Case, or any politician wants to legislate shipping prices for some sort of equity when a plane or boat ride is the only way for a package to get here is ludicrous to me. I have had stuff like generators, furniture, and even large appliances shipped to me from Amazon, Walmart, Cabellas, and even eBay, where they surely must have lost money on the transaction (2 day FedEx for packages well over 50 lbs?). Still frustrated with Ground Advantage, and Amazon not shipping stuff with lithium batteries, and eBay sellers who won’t ship to Hawaii, and other “inequities”, but the idea that there should be Law to have sellers lose money when shipping to Hawaii would likely have the opposite unintended consequences.

Case should spend his efforts eliminating the Jones Act, which is caused by legislation and thus reversible. Shipping in a free market (sic) is not something the government should have anything to do with. YMMV.

What a tale of woe. Hawaii is in the middle of a big drink of water. Let’s make a law and pretend it is Wisconsin! Sheesh.

Cheers,
Kirt

[HiloJulie]

I really wish people would fully understand the ENTIRE reasons the Jones Act exists and the OVERALL benefits it brings not only to Hawaii, but the rest of the USA.

Now, admittedly, the Jones Act WOULD have a huge financial impact to Hawaii if it was required to only use crude oil from either Alaska or the continental United States, so it does import its crude oil from foreign countries versus from the US.

That being said, check out these FACTS about the Jones Act from the American Maritime Partnership about the impacts and benefits the Jones Act brings to Hawaii.

Further, did you know that decades ago, the automobile industry shifted the "destination charge" for new vehicles shipped from the factory to a dealer from a "per mile" basis to "equalized delivery" charge. In other words, let's say you want to buy a Ford that happens to be built at the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant. Regardless, if you live in Chicago or here in Hilo the "destination charge" for that Ford is exactly the same. 

Now that does not mean you will get the same "deal" from Orchid Isle Ford as you would get in Chicago, it's just that the cost you are paying (and what Ford charges the Dealer) to get it from the Chicago Plant to the Chicago Dealer or Orchid Isle Ford is exactly the same.

Ed Case's bill is more or less seeking the same "equalized delivery" system be applied.

[Punatang]

Ed Case's bill is more or less seeking the same "equalized delivery" system be applied.

One is a private business decision. The other is government meddling in private business.  Not even remotely comparable.  Respectfully.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Hawaii is in the middle of a big drink of water. Let’s make a law and pretend it is Wisconsin!

Door County Wisconsin is in the middle of a big drink of bay (Green) & lake (Michigan), so it’s a good comparison! If you ignore the okole biting frost in Egg Harbor.

That being said, I shipped and received a lot of product back in the day, costs based on distance and even fuel surcharges. I can’t imagine there is a way to get every shipper to go flat rate. You are in effect telling independent private companies how to run their business. Don’t get me started on foreign shippers flying or sailing into the US.

[HiloJulie]

"One is a private business decision. The other is government meddling in private business.  Not even remotely comparable.  Respectfully."

Well, respectfully, I have to disagree.

Let me introduce you to the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958

The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958 required manufacturers to average the cost of delivering new vehicles to all buyers, which equalized the destination charge. This meant that buyers of the same make and model would pay the same destination charge, regardless of where they lived.

So, I'd say Case is onto something here.

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Hawaii is in the middle of a big drink of water. Let’s make a law and pretend it is Wisconsin!

Door County Wisconsin is in the middle of a big drink of bay (Green) & lake (Michigan), so it’s a good comparison! If you ignore the okole biting frost in Egg Harbor.

That being said, I shipped and received a lot of product back in the day, costs based on distance and even fuel surcharges. I can’t imagine there is a way to get every shipper to go flat rate.  You are in effect telling independent private companies how to run their business.  Don’t get me started on foreign shippers flying or sailing into the US.

HOTPE, have you heard the joke about the difference between a cheese head and a shit head?

ETA: I forgot to add the punchline! (It's the Illinois State Line!)

[Punatang]

The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958 required manufacturers to average the cost of delivering new vehicles to all buyers, which equalized the destination charge.

Can you help us find that in the 1958 document you provided?  It seems to address the labeling but I do not see where it dictates the computation of the charges.  3-F-3 seems to be the relevant section and there is nothing about "averaging" or "equalizing".  I don't see those words anywhere in the document.

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I always heard the joke as being about the difference between a brown nose and a shit head.  Depth perception.