Shipping question

[smithe1811]

I'm going to be selling a bunch of stuff soon and i was wondering, since i've never done it before, what method is best to use for shipping larger objects, like a bench seat for example or a set of wheels. also where to get good shipping quotes, i figure if i know all this crud in advance it will make things alot smoother for myself and the buyers. thanks in advance.

 

Erik :beerhead:

[mfpdm]

For most of my shipping, I use Fedex. They are 9 times out of 10 cheaper than UPS. You can go to there web sites to get quotes. For large items that don't weigh alot, like your bench seat, you can use Greyhound. There a lot cheaper that Fedex or UPS. And for really heavy items, I use freightquote.com , they give you quotes from a variety of trucking and shipping companies.

 

I don't ever use USPS unless I absolutly have to. Trying to file a claim with them is like sawing your own leg off.

 

:cheers:

[MiNi Beast]

Smaller stuff I use post office and bigger stuff I go through DHL...http://www.dhl-usa.com/home/home.asp

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have been using USPS priority mail for years now and find it to be excellent. FREE packaging, FREE pickup and the delivery fee is very REASONABLE and its FAST to boot!! Overnight available at CHEAPER costs than Fed-Ex.

 

UPS is OK, but slower, more expensive and expect things to be broken. OH, NEVER NEVER, NEVER put the word FRAGILE on a box shipped with them!!! Package it better and just pay for the extra weight.

 

Fed-Ex is also OK, regular and fast shipping available but again at a higher cost.

 

I have shipped thousands upon thousands of packages. Over a thousand with USPS. Literally, no $#!&. I have had ONE person claim not received the item. I have had a cou0ple damaged, but nothing destroyed. It was later proved he was a simply a liar looking to scam the P.O. for the insurance money. In our conversations, he slipped up and claimed I was fraudulent because I did not use my real name on return address. (I abbreviate the last by half) I then asked him how he could know that unless he had received the package. :brows: Two down falls with them are the 50 or 60 lb limit on packages and the non handling of firearms. (With priority)

 

Conversely UPS has lost and destroyed over twenty packages sent thru them before we switched to USPS.

 

I choose USPS priority for the lions share of my shipments.

 

CW

[LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW]

I've used DHL before they were DHL (Airborne Express). In all the years I've ever used them I've only had an issue with them 1 time; and it was an international shippment.

 

Cheapest by far (almost 30% cheaper than FedEx or UPS), faster than any of them, and they don't complain about large packages (I shipped a BMW motor in a wooden box via ground shipment and never heard a word about it).

 

I do have an account with UPS, FedEx, as well as USPS; however 9 times out of 10 I use DHL.

[tkgibbs27]

priority comes in, is sorted and bagged or put in cbens, then sent out as soon as that locations truck is unloaded and ready to depart back to the city they came from. it doesn't stay in the post office very long, unless it's 3rd class mail, then they set it aside and ship it for another day. first class and second class letters are sent out that day or in my hours it was sent out on trucks through the night, and in the morning for delivery to the mail boxes. but the post office ships both packages and mail all together, unlike dhl, ups, and fedex. so the usps has to sort all this mail, which they usually will run through the machines more than once if they are letters and are hand sorted for priority packages and machine sorted for others. ups and fedex both run through the post office as well. not necessarily everyone, i don't remember, but i know they will run packages through the post office at times

[Pete M]

I go through a local business owner who lets me ship from his dock. I can send just about anything that I can fit on a pallet (engines, axles, etc) to most anywhere in the country for ~$100-150 (depending on the exact destination it could be a bit more).

[dragonrider477]

like stated in a previous post,usps is king.i sell a lot of stuff on ebay and have had great results with priority mail.all you need is tape for the boxes. the post office provides free high quality boxes in many sizes,free self adhesive shipping labels,and free priority self sealing envelopes.ship time is very fast. usually 3-5 days.they also provide flat rate boxes in a few different sizes that ship for a flat fee no matter where in the usa they go and no weight limit. whatever you can jam in the box at one set fee.way cool.i think its like 8-9 bucks.its also easy to calculate exact shipping to the penny with their online calculator.it is very accurate.bigger stuff is a pain and i usually won't sell stuff that is hard to pack/ship.greyhound is a great way to ship bulky stuff.i once shipped a car bumper from pa to upstate ny.it came in a matter of hours and cost 40.00 to ship.