Shipping

[geespot]

Check out this email I got from a guy I purchased a Mcintosh pre from. I asked for it to be wrapped in at least 2" of bubble-wrap and the outside box to be lined with sheets of styrofoam. Keep in mind this is from Florida to Minnesota. Here is his repsonse.

Here are the rates you requested to have the C-26 professionally packed the way you want.

Fedex (overnight) - $185
Fedex (two day) - $168
Fedex saver - $154

If you go UPS, take 10% off these rates.

Let me know what you want to do.


Is he on crack?

g

 

[Kamakiri]

He's on crack. If you want, I can call-tag it from his house on my UPS business account, and have it dropped to your door for no more than $15.

 

[geespot]

Tim-

Thanks a lot for the offer, I wanna see what he says. I told him that even if he bought supplies -$10 for 2 boxes, $10 for bubblewrap and styrofoam and $30 for shipping, that doesn't equal what he says.

I'll get in touch with you once I hear from him. He only accepts Postal Money orders so it may be a week or 2

G

 

[eargo]

Hello GeeSpot,

It sounds like the seller just wants to have someone else handle the packaging/shipping.

I have a suggestion I've been thinking about for awhile now.

It seems that common sense dictates how to package something for shipment but maybe we (I) forget that others just aren't going to pay as close attention to things as we (I) do.

The next time I have something shipped that I want packaged especially adequately, I am going to send the materials (cut/sized/packaged) to the seller and ask them to package the item. This way, I can minimize the 'what a pain in the a$$ buyer' feeling that the seller might have and I'll be assured that the product will arrive safely.

It might sound like a pain and extra expense but it is something I can do actively and not remain passive in request.

Get the measurements,
prototype the unit (cardboard or whatever)
wrap the prototype
box the wrap
wrap the box
box the wrap
ship with instructions/thanks to remove prototype and re-assembl

just a thought

eargo

 

[Wardsweb]

it's tough to control the other end. I just make sure what I ship will survive a tank or UPS which ever comes first. For instance- for the 120 pound soda fountain I just sold, I will pick up the custom 275# double wall box tomorrow. It is cut 3" over on all sides to accomodate the 3" styrofoam sheets that will surround the unit on all sides.

Audio is even better packed

 

[ProAc_Fan]

That is excessive to put it mildly. The last item I had professionally packaged ( Sansui CA 3000 pre) cost about $40 U.S. This included all the materials, a 25"X25"X25" box and the labour of course. Plus I shipped it( about 32lbs) from N.Falls, CAN to SanJose, CA for about $50 U.S. I do know that the rates within the U.S. are a lot cheaper and I couldn't fathom shipping to be more than $25 or $30. I think the seller is looking to make some easy money off you. If you can afford the Mac maybe you'll overpay for the shipping too.



Mike

 

[ProAc_Fan]

Hey ward that's good to hear!!



Mike

 

[geespot]

Update

I just received an email back. Apparently he took it to Mailboxes,etc to have it professionally packed. They told him that they don't usually use FedEx for shipping and that there would be a surcharge. $100 surcharge, you have to be kidding! I verified this with the Mailboxes by my house in Minneapolis.

After going back and forth with him, I got the feeling he has shipped other equipment out. I told him to pack it like I said and then take it to the Post Office for an estimate. He came back with $25 to ship US Priority, far cry from what he originally said.

Lesson learned - dont take your packages to Mailboxes Etc with the intent of shipping FedEx.

g

 

[grumpy]

I think the lesson should be dont ever use MB Ect !

 

[Wardsweb]

Mailbox Etc uses peanuts and I HATE PEANUTS. Heavy amps and receivers will shift to one side or the other in the stuff. My last Yamaha had a corner banged from it moving to the bottom and being dropped. You can't keep stuff in the center of peanuts.

 

[grumpy]

Then you will prolly love that 2230 I shipped ward I use peanuts but only cause Foam is very very exspensive !

 

[car67]

We have a chain here called Pack 'n' Send which I used once for my speakers with great results. I was able to tell them exactly what I wanted (triple bubble, 3mm MDF etc) and were very fast.
I mention it because I thought they were an American franchise in the first place.

MBE seems to be expensive for everything.

Jack

 

[thoots]

Folks,

Hehehe. Let me give you guys a clue. Mailboxes, Etc. is a division of...

United Parcel Service.

Totally true! In so many words, it's NOT a good idea to ask an MBE shop to ship FedEx!

Now, I trust MBE less than any "pack and ship" shop on the planet. I have seen one near me staffed with part-time high school girls who didn't have a single clue about what they were doing. SCARY!

Now, here's some of the best advice I can give you. You want to avoid the "chain franchises," for reasons such as the above. The independent owner type of shop will usually do a better job for far less. So, how do you get your seller to use one, or even find one? Head on over to the "Neighborhood Postal Centers" web site:

http://www.neighborhoodpostal.com/

You can find a shop in the seller's area, and ask him or her to use it. Give it a shot! :

 

[angela]

I hate MB's, too. WHAT A RIP OFF for no real value added.
I received a suggestion from someone to go by your car dealership when you are looking for boxes. They go through a ton and all shapes and sizes.

angela

 

[Robh3606]

Hello I have good story dealing with those guys. A friend got a single JBL L65 Jubal that a guy basically just gave him. He asked me if I wanted it so I jumped at it. We shipped the drivers seperately to cut the weight. They came through just fine because he packed them. He goes to mailboxes and they say sure they can do the pack and ship. So I send him the cash and pay extra for packaging. I get it at home and I am really worried about the glass top so I open the box and the glass is fine. I take out the grill and its fine to so I am thinking great!!!! Well I go to lift out the cabinet and 2 of the sides fall off!!!. They took a single sheet of heavy red packing paper and crumpled it up to protect the bottom of the cabinetuke:

The base got crushed somewhere in transit

I will never ever use them again

Luckily I am handy and got it back together again

Rob2

 

[angela]

just goes to show ya, it's HARD to chew gum and pack at the same time:lmao:

 

[Don]

I have a story about dealing with MBE too! I HATE THEM!


I auctioned off a nice ab machine. Gym quality ...$600 new. The guy that won it asked me to drop it off at MBE so they could pack it & ship it to him. I did just that. I gave them his number and told them to call him for payment over the phone. This was a friday right before a long holiday weekend.

They didn't call him until the following tuesday (4 days later). The price of their packing and shipping was around $300 as I remember. He only paid me $75 for the used machine!!! He told them to forget it. They then called me a couple days later and said I needed to come pick it up.

I went but was informed that they were charging me a storage fee of like $10 a day starting from the day I dropped it off!

To pick it back up was over $100!!! Bastards!!! I told them to just keep it. Although I did complain to the top brass it did no good since each MBE is privately owned and run by the owner.

NEVER AGAIN ...

 

[Thatch_Ear]

I am very careful about reading the shipping charges when doing Ebay. I was taught to pack by a pro and know that it does not cost that much or take that much time to do it right. I go to a styrofoam wholesale warehouse and get them to cut me 1" thick boards of what ever length and width I want. They use a hot wire and push huge blocks through and cut it for you. I sell things every once in a while and though I do not eat the shipping I never charge for the packing or the packaging materials. I figure that part is just the price of doing business.

 

[Wardsweb]

I'm shipping a Coke soda fountain dispenser tomorrow fed ex ground. It's wrapped in two layers of 1" bubble and then set in a 275# double wall box that is lined on all sides with 2" sheet styrofoam.

 

[steamshooter]

I did not know MBE was a division of USPS. Maybe that explains why they can charge an extra few cents for each stamp? I paid 35 cents for a 32 cent stamp some time ago. That was my last visit to MBE!! Brad