John Leonardelli, a Mac Tools distributor in New Berlin, WI, learned the ins and outs of utilizing discounted shipping options offered by Mac Tools as a result of attending the Mac Tools Tool Fair.
Even though Leonardelli had heard about discounted shipping options before arriving at the show, sitting next to a fellow distributor who had experience and was willing to teach him has been an opportunity for him to save money.
With this system, a distributor utilizes a provided website to enter the size and weight of the tool online, and prints a shipping label from his printer. When purchasing tools, if distributors spend over a certain amount, Mac Tools pays for shipping. If a tool needs to be warrantied or repaired, or if it arrives defective, the distributor is responsible for those incurred costs to ship back the tool.
Leonardelli says, “I hadn’t previously had experience with discounted shipping options, but now I save up to 50 cents on the dollar. Where I once spent 20 dollars to ship something, I now spend six or seven."
Over the course of the year, Leonardelli expects to save over $10,000 from the knowledge he's gained at this year's tool show. In addition to monetary gains, Leonardelli has also been able to take advantage of some perks of being a distributor for his friends and customers. “We sponsor a few NASCAR drivers, so I had some pictures autographed for neighbors or customers,” he says. “They really appreciate that, it helps in the relationship that they saw that you thought of them. They get like little kids, it’s really good PR for me, and it’s basically free."