Free delivery or lower price?

[#1]

Actually the question is not that simple.
Suppose you want to buy item A and find it for £100 + free (standard 3-5 days) delivery but further searches show another company selling it for £95 + £5 (standard 3-5 days) delivery. Assuming both companies have similar reviews regarding liability which would you go for?
I would settle for the free delivery as I like the idea of getting something for nothing
Just wondered what others' thoughts on this are?

[#2]

One thing which could swing it for me is the courier they use.
Typically (and this is a gross over simplification) I would assume that the one where you pay would use a courier with a decent tracking system. Either way the courier used would be a major factor

[#3]

Price every time, however if as you say they are the same, then the faster option. Places like ebuyer who offer free delivery (5 day) I have seen leave it in the warehouse till the day before delivery then do an overnight on it  :crazy:
Mind you I just ordered something from ebay. 1p with £1.28 for delivery but it is coming from China so will probably be a month.

[#4]

Many of the free delivery items I have had are delivered by the Post  Office  compared to paid for delivery items that come by various private carriers.
I Exclude Amazon from that as they  usually use private carriers but some of the feedback from customers using private carriers is not always positive, I recall one comment from a disgruntled customer who could not get a PVR to work adding that  he saw the carrier throw it over his six foot garden wall which might have had something to do with it not working properly.

[#5]

If I had seen the carrier throw it over the wall I would not have even opened it. I would have organised a return and refund pretty sharp.

[#6]

I remember getting an ebook reader delivered by a courier, it came FLYING though the letter box and ended up at the other end of the hall, luckily it was well packed.

[#7]

Years ago a friend of ours who lived in a terraced house (no front garden) had ordered a jacket by mail order and when she got home from work the jacket was on a coat hanger hanging from her front door knocker, it's a fairly busy area and she could hardly believe that someone walking past had not stolen it, wonder if that would be the case if it happened today.

[#8]

I'm always reluctant to pay extra for postage if there is a free postage option.
However when post extra means delivery within 3 days and free postage means with 30 days I might take the paid postage option.
The problem with that is that I have had free postage items delivered before post paid items.....depending on the carrier.

[#9]

WRT delivery
There are plus and minus points on both sides assuming you can select the carrier by the delivery option
The Royal Mail is delivered by a trusted member of the local community (Christmas box etc. ) and often the delivery is quicker than the worst case given on the eBay or Amazon order confirmation although any tracking is a joke. This is often the free option!
I have found other couriers to be often contractors who have to supply their own vehicle and suffer from being controlled by their electronic pad with times programmed in and requiring my signature. They have no time for pleasantries and if I don't hear the bell they will probably leave the parcel on the step.  Usually quicker though and the tracking works
 

[#10]

Occasionally I have had parcels delivered by the postman while I have been out.
The difference recently has been that the postman (a new one to the area) has left my parcels with neighbours instead of taking them back to the depot
I'm very pleased about this as I don't have to wait 2 extra days to collect my parcel.

[#11]

I ordered two small items this week from two different suppliers both with free 3-5 day delivery. Both items arrived by Royal Mail within two days

[#12]

Personally I'd go with the company who sold cheaper and added on the postage. I prefer honesty rather than blatant lies about the postage. You the customer are going to be paying it regardless of them saying its free - they'll just pay for it out of the purchase price. To me this is not an honest policy.
If the product was known to be sold at £100 for the last year and then suddenly they throw in free delivery out of the profit they'd normally make on it then yes I would purchase it as that is genuinely a good gesture from the company but this is different to pricing it up to pay for the 'free' delivery.

[#13]

Strat it's not the new postman, it's now Royal Mails preferred option to leave it with a neibour, it's an opt out system so if you don't want parcels left with a neibour you need to contact your delivery office.

[#14]

I thought you had to nominate a neighbour and inform RM where to leave any parcels.

[#15]

Dont forget to factor in Section 75 of credit card act,if paying by credit card.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases