Inquiring Minds Want to Know – Core Charges? Delivery Charges? Deliver in a Prius V?

Pallet of cores (used batteries returned in exchange for new batteries).
PGH Batteries usually does not charge core fees on lead acid batteries. We trust our customers to return cores to us. Thank you customers!

Inquiring minds want to know:

  • Why doesn’t PGH Batteries charge core charges like many other battery sellers?
  • Why doesn’t PGH Batteries charge delivery charges?
  • What’s up delivering batteries in a Prius V?

First, as a disclaimer, PGH Batteries reserves the right to charge core fees and delivery charges – we just mostly don’t.

What is a core charge? The lead in a battery has value. Getting old batteries in exchange for new batteries is part of the profit on the sale. If customers do not return the old lead-acid batteries (“cores”), then the battery seller loses much of their profit on the sale. Batteries are commodities, and and battery supply is a narrow margin business. Battery companies use core charges the way pop/soda companies used to use bottle deposits – to encourage customers to return the item to get the deposit returned.

Why Doesn’t PGH Batteries Charge Core Charges Most of the Time?

It’s a combination of all of (a) We trust our customers, (b) We know our customers, (c) The bookkeeping on core charges is a hassle for everyone, and (d) karma. As a small business we know our customers by name, and they know us. And we let our customers know we trust them. Most customers are good on cores. We generally aren’t hard-asses on cores, because karma helps keep the ledger balanced, and on occasion we get some serendipitous cores that smooths over the times we don’t get them.

Why Doesn’t PGH Batteries Charge Delivery Charges?

Good question. We are asking ourselves that one too, since one our major suppliers just upped their delivery charge. Mostly we keep this from bothering us with the mind-fake on delivering lead-acid batteries that the cores receive help contribute to gas money. That is double dipping in the karmic balance sheet, but it works for us.

Why Does PGH Batteries Deliver Using a Prius V?

A Prius V is an awesome battery delivery vehicle
The Prius V is an awesome delivery vehicle for most our our deliveries. For other view deliveries, we rent a U-Haul 2 ton cargo van. For bigger orders, we have batteries dropped shipped to your loading dock.

Most battery companies deliver in big honk’n trucks, or at least a 2 ton delivery van. But a 2 ton delivery van gets perhaps 10 miles to the gallon. On the other hand, a Prius V gets up to 40 miles to the gallon. The Prius V carries 800 lbs without complaint, and with care can carry 1000 lb. That is 200 lb more than the Dodge minivan we also used in the past. The deck on the Prius V is a little lower than that of a 2 ton delivery van, so batteries are easier to load and unload. The Prius V is just awesome! If we didn’t use a Prius V, we would have to charge delivery charges.

Jim Logan
PGH Batteries
724-741-6200
[email protected]
PGHBatteries.comhttps://pghbatteries.com

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