Personal Creations Very High Shipping and Handling Charges not disclosed on Web Site Nationwide

Personal Creations is a web based gift store offering engraved gifts, of all types-- clothing, nicknacks, etc. They run a promotion on Group On for a $30 voucher for $15 (which equates to a $15 discount on a $30 or more purchase).

My complaint is that before buying the $30 voucher, I went to their website, I looked under the shipping and returns link, and there was no published shipping charges. I also selected an item, a set of two mason jars, and put it in the website's cart. The only screen that indicated anything about shipping, indicated that there was NOT a charge for standard shipping. There was only an upcharge for priority mail or express mail. I left the item in the cart, and proceeded to buy the voucher to pay for my merchandise.

For this merchant, shipping charges do not show up until after a form of payment is actually put in. For this order I would have been charged an additional $17 of shipping and handling charges. Which make the total purchase about 50% more expensive. 

We joined free shipping.com, because it offers free shipping or free shipping rebates. For Personal Creations free shipping would be offered for orders of $50 or more. I added two more items to my cart, so that the total purchase would be over $50, but the website would not let me take advantage of free shipping because we were using the Group On Voucher. 

This site has one of the highest shipping and handling charges of any company I have ordered from, which makes it a rip-off. However, most concerning and why I am writing this report, is the company hides all this information. It is not disclosed anywhere on their website, so no one going to their website can access it or be informed of the costs, until they put in payment information (such as a credit card).  The only information that is available before then, shows no charge for standard shipping.

I would have not bought the Groupon Voucher if I would have know the additional costs of $17. These addtional costs outweigh the value of the promotion. I would have come out better not buying the promotion, and used the free shipping offer. 

It is disceptive of on-line business to not disclose additional costs such as shipping/handling up front.