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The Pilot Card from Aircraft Spruce

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Aircraft Spruce Info

Member
We saw the postings on the VAF forums regarding the $250 minimum order requirement on orders using the new Pilot Card that was posted on our website last Friday. This message was placed on our website in error by our marketing department and has been removed. I apologize for this error and any inconvenience it caused. All qualified orders placed with Aircraft Spruce using the Pilot Card have been shipped prepaid . If a minimum order requirement is necessary in the future, we will inform card holders well in advance, and it would certainly be much lower than the $250 we posted by mistake.

Jim Irwin
President
Aircraft Spruce
 
Thanks Jim, always great to hear things directly from the source.

Appreciate your involvement with VAF, and responsiveness to your customers.
 
It appears Spruce has implemented a minimum order requirement for free shipping on Pilot Card orders. However, it applies only to cardholders joining after April 1, 2012.

From Spruce's website: "Free shipping is limited to ground service to the 48 contiguous United States. Cardholders joining after April 1, 2012 will require a minimum purchase of $99 USD to qualify for free shipping."
 
Very well done....

That's exactly how they should handle it!! Just my opinion....

Thanks!
 
Totally agree. Didn't point it out to say that it seemed unfair or anything. Just noticed a change. Glad I got mine in January.
 
Dang, I was about to get one as I just bought an -8. A little heads up of changing the policy would have been nice for us procrastinators! Oh well. Great deal for all those who got it...
 
$99 min - I didn't get one on time either

FlyArmy said:
Dang, I was about to get one as I just bought an -8. A little heads up of changing the policy would have been nice for us procrastinators! Oh well. Great deal for all those who got it...
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Well FlyArmy, I haven't had an order yet that was under that $99, so if you are anything like me, it doesn't make a difference!! I get on the websites and it is worse than going to Costco!

They have great stuff - all of the tool and supply people I have done business with have been great and helpful when I had questions or didn't know what I was even looking for.
 
Free shipping

I have used the pilot card and it defiantly increased my productivity due to just ordering anything I needed at anytime instead of waiting till I had a $500 order.

I now consider acs a local hardware store:D

Also it is great when they ship by FedEx. If I order sometimes as late as 4:30-5 my time which is 5:30-6 Atlanta time. The items will ship the same day and be at my house by 10:00-12:00 the next day with ground fed ex. However with the pilot card I don't have control over the free ground shipping courier.

I have purchased a lot of $1000s from acs.:rolleyes: Good company.
 
ccrawford said:
Too bad you have to phone your order in to get the free shipping.
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You don't have too. Just place the order online and select one of the standard ground shipment methods. When they process the order it showes an estimated shipping charge on the order but when you get the invoice from them it will show free shipping.

Now be advised you may select FedEx ground and it will actually come br USPS or ups or FedEx but it will have free shipping.
 
I just placed on order on Monday via the online system and received free shipping with my Pilot Card. I made note of it in the comments section of the order and selected the cheapest form of ground shipping (assuming this is what they'd do anyway).

Really good deal. I'm glad I applied for the card before the deal ran out.
 
Be careful about just choosing the cheapest shipping method. The last two orders I placed I chose USPS Priority, because it doesn't go by air to my house in KS and because it was the least expensive option at checkout (USPS first class isn't always an option, apparently). The shipping fees were charged despite my using the Pilot Card. I found out through subsequent conversations with customer service that had I chosen UPS or FedEx Ground, even though they were more expensive, the shipping charges would have been waived automatically.

ACS customer service did work out an agreeable solution with me, even though it was I who chose an unsupported shipping method.
 
I had two big orders I didn't get free shipping on, when I used my Pilot card. When I asked customer service about it, they said:

The system does not know to give you free shipping on online orders. We do this manually when you call the orders in.
Click to expand...

So, your mileage may vary. Putting in a comment about expecting free shipping with the Pilot card may solve this problem (I didn't).
 
Ordering anything anytime, using ACS like a local hardware store is going to kill the deal. I was considering this notion today and dismissed the idea. I'm still going to group buys as much as possible, plan ahead, and not punish ACS for something I forgot. I appreciate the offer, and hope others act responsibly. ACS giveth, ACS can taketh away. We've already got two classes of citizens: pre- and post-April 1.

John Siebold
 
krw5927 said:
From Spruce's website: "Free shipping is limited to ground service to the 48 contiguous United States. Cardholders joining after April 1, 2012 will require a minimum purchase of $99 USD to qualify for free shipping."
Click to expand...

Now there's something for the mothership to consider (including international of course)! ;)

Erik
 
Anyone else having problems with free shipping? I joined prior to April 1 and have had problems lately getting free shipping. Everything worked fine until the last month or so. Usually an email to customer service clears it up but on subsequent orders their instructions to put prepaid shipping in the order instructions has not helped. Its getting to be a pain to have to request a credit on each order.
 
Don't Trust On-line

I've learned to place orders through a live person and emphasize I'm paying with a Pilot Card, expecting 2% and free shipping. The on-line ordering gizmo didn't work right the first couple months, so I don't walk down that side of the street anymore. You just convinced me it's the right move.

John Siebold
 
Last edited:
rocketbob said:
Anyone else having problems with free shipping? I joined prior to April 1 and have had problems lately getting free shipping. Everything worked fine until the last month or so. Usually an email to customer service clears it up but on subsequent orders their instructions to put prepaid shipping in the order instructions has not helped. Its getting to be a pain to have to request a credit on each order.
Click to expand...

As I'm getting close to completion, I've been ordering about once a week. I haven't had any problems. Although, I always place a comment in the order that states, if this isn't shipping free, please call before processing order. This also gets around my mistakes. I click 2-day once and got charged a hefty shipping fee. The ironic part is that UPS ground gets here in two days anyways.

bob
 
Same problem until.......

I finally called to see why sometimes Iwas charged and others not. The customer rep told me to insure you get free shipping always select ups as the type of shipping. I sometimes picked USPS as it was cheaper but she said that did not matter. You always need to select UPS and even then if it is a small item they might ship it USPS. I like others try to put a note in the comments but after always picking UPS as shipper I have not had an issue. It may list shipping on the original invoice you see but minutes later I receive an email stating this order qualifies for free shipping.
 
Update

krw5927 said:
It appears Spruce has implemented a minimum order requirement for free shipping on Pilot Card orders. However, it applies only to cardholders joining after April 1, 2012.

From Spruce's website: "Free shipping is limited to ground service to the 48 contiguous United States. Cardholders joining after April 1, 2012 will require a minimum purchase of $99 USD to qualify for free shipping."
Click to expand...

For all of you out there with the Pilot Card and currently receiving free shipping from ACS:

My card expired this month, and I received a new card in the mail with the same number and a new expiration date.

My most recent order from Aircraft Spruce was charged for shipping. When I called to inquire, I was told that since my card expired and I was issued a new one, a new rule applied: the minimum order for free shipping is now $99, even for those who joined before 4/1/12. (My order was barely under $99.)

I'm not complaining that the free shipping went away. What really bugs me is that there was no communication to customers that this was going to happen. I would've happily added another item for just a few dollars more and saved money.

Just wanted to keep others from being surprised as much as possible. Informed customers are happy customers.
 
krw5927 said:
For all of you out there with the Pilot Card and currently receiving free shipping from ACS:

My card expired this month, and I received a new card in the mail with the same number and a new expiration date.

My most recent order from Aircraft Spruce was charged for shipping. When I called to inquire, I was told that since my card expired and I was issued a new one, a new rule applied: the minimum order for free shipping is now $99, even for those who joined before 4/1/12. (My order was barely under $99.)

I'm not complaining that the free shipping went away. What really bugs me is that there was no communication to customers that this was going to happen. I would've happily added another item for just a few dollars more and saved money.

Just wanted to keep others from being surprised as much as possible. Informed customers are happy customers.
Click to expand...

Yep, same deal with me...although, when I inquired they asked me if I still wanted to proceed with my order...so I had a choice. Its unfortunate that they changed the deal, but I can see why and don't blame them...I have saved hundreds of dollars on shipping costs since I got that card. And free shipping on $100+ orders isn't too shabby either.
 
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