I did a lot of price comparison before purchasing my wheels and tires. The 4 Wheel Parts website has “Free shipping” all over every page, so I assumed that the price they gave me was the price I'd pay. I was wrong.
I had to call to place my order because they sell wheel/tire packages in sets of 4 on the website, but I needed 5 (an extra for a full-size spare). When I called I expected the total to be about $875, but the salesperson on the phone said that the total would be $911. I asked about the difference in price and was told that there was a $36 “handling” charge. When I protested he quoted the shipping charge for the wheels and tires and explained that I was only being asked to pay for a fraction of that. So what happened to “free shipping”?
I placed the order (they were still the cheapest), but felt a little scammed. I wondered if I would have paid the “handling” charge if I ordered off the website, so I went through the order process for 4 tires (I purchased 5, but that's not an option on the website). At the end of the ordering process a $50 “handling” charge was applied for the order of 4 wheels/tires (same package, just one less). So, it's $36 handling for 5 wheels/tires, and $50 handling for 4!?!
I think the practice of adding “handling” fees is deceptive. I understand that “Free shipping” means that the shipping charge is included in the price, I'm not nieve -I always compare prices that include S&H, but this “handling” charge is not anticipated. I would avoid doing business with this company again.
The wheels/tires were shipped freight and arrived quickly and in good condition. If you choose to do business with this company just beware of unexpected “handling” charges and check whether the handling charge is less over the phone versus online.