Voices Together shipping costs explained
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Several congregations have expressed concern over the shipping charges for Voices Together products. MennoMedia takes these concerns very seriously and wants congregations to know that great care was taken to keep distribution and shipping costs as low as possible.
Voices Together books were printed in the United States, and getting them to various locations, including across the border into Canada, posed some logistical challenges. After much research and consultation, it was determined to be the cheapest and most efficient method to have the books delivered via freight truck. MennoMedia obtained three separate bids for shipping and distribution and chose the lowest cost provider. “Delivering these heavy books via freight truck whenever possible is far less expensive than sending via regular mail,” says Amy Gingerich, MennoMedia publisher. “We examined a variety of options, all with the end user in mind. Shipping Voices Together is significantly more challenging and expensive than a congregation’s usual box of Sunday school curricula and periodicals.”
Due to the massive shipping volume during the COVID-19 pandemic, all the major freight companies announced increased rates for their peak periods in November and December. The Voices Together books began shipping in November, so unfortunately the slightly higher fees were applied.
“The bottom line is that these books are heavy, and therefore the freight costs are pricey regardless of where someone lives,” Gingerich explains. “Please know that MennoMedia is not making a dime on the shipping. We are simply passing along the costs to our customers. Truly we felt like this was the best available option for everyone.”