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Best cost effective method to ship heavy speakers

arcorob

arcorob

Addicted Member
Hello,

I want to sell a pair of HPM-100 speakers 200 watt version but before i do, I want to know the best way to ship. At 63 points apiece (I am guessing 70 with packing), I dont know a process to do this. I think Ebay has a shipping tool, but not familiar with it. I was lucky when they shipped to me, seller put them on a pallet rapped very well, and shipped LTL for a flat price. Would live to do it same but this is out of my realm.

Any advice ? I think the are too heavy for UPS and indivudal boxes...YIKES the cost
 
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Weight: 26.7kg/ 58.86342 lbs.
placed on some sort of wooden skeleton case/ crate, weigh it, add it to the spkr weight, take pics, measurements n show them to several shipping co's. get estimates. insure them. sell them locally.
 
I suggest that you investigate Greyhound Package Express. It's been a few years since I've used this service. IIRC, the limit per package is 100 lbs., and the buyer would have to pick up the package at their local Greyhound terminal (vs. home delivery). (FWIW/IMO, this is OK as long as you disclose it to the buyer.) I think it's worth investigating.

I've also used LTL trucking - but it's been several years. IIRC, this works best if you can haul the package(s) to the truck terminal, and the buyer can pick up at their local terminal.

Please keep us posted regarding what you earn about current shipping options for large/heavy items.

Good luck!
 
I've had excellent experience using Uship with both speakers, and with very heavy equipment.

I've also had experience with using greyhound package express, it was more hassle than it was worth, took much longer than Uship, and cost damn near the same.

I've also had plenty of experience with the usual gorilla handlers, UPS, FedEx, USPS.

For shipping oddball size stuff, heavy stuff, or fragile oddball heavy stuff, I would take bids from Uship and make sure they will white glove deliver to the destination. For you and your customer's peace of mind, well worth having someone who will personally handle and deliver the merchandise.
 
I see Greyhound and uship already mentioned.
There was one other company that was sometimes mentioned that I don't associate with shipping in the conventional sense. Fastenal maybe. Or Grainger?
 
arcorob said:
Any advice ? I think the are too heavy for UPS and indivudal boxes...YIKES the cost
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Buy insurance unless you're willing to accept a complete loss if the speakers fall off the truck. Both UPS and Fedex will accept up to 150 lbs per package, but yes, they'll be expensive. And these were originally packed in cartons when they were new, so if you can find something the right size and strong enough (you'll want a double wall box at the least) that's a good start. But don't depend on bubble wrap or foam peanuts; you'll need something stiff but pliable to protect the corners. Foam sheet insulation can do the job, maybe also corner protectors that are used when shipping furniture. Typical advice is to allow for at least 2" of space (that 2" will include the packing materials) between every side/end of the box and the contents to protect against any intrusion. If you follow this advice you should be covered in case they are damaged in shipping.
 
arcorob said:
Any advice ? I think the are too heavy for UPS and indivudal boxes...YIKES the cost
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swechsler said:
Buy insurance unless you're willing to accept a complete loss if the speakers fall off the truck. Both UPS and Fedex will accept up to 150 lbs per package, but yes, they'll be expensive.
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Another option is for the buyer to make shipping arrangements with your local UPS store or similar pack and ship service. You can list the speakers as "local pickup only" but add a note that if the buyer wants to have them shipped they will have to make all arrangements themselves and pay the UPS Store directly. Include the size and weight of each speaker in the listing. Once you've been paid and you can confirm that the UPS Store has been paid, you can just deliver the speakers to them and they're responsible for packing them safely. Any potential damage claim is between the buyer and UPS since it's the buyer who hired them directly. Your only involvement is to drop them off at the UPS Store.

Obviously, your listing would need to be very specific about the details of such an arrangement.

I also recall reading that Fastenal will ship speakers on their trucks from one of their locations to another. As I recall . . . You must take the speakers to Fastenal and secure them to a pallet. Not sure if you need to supply the pallet or if they have them available. I don't believe they deliver directly to the seller, though. They must be picked up at a Fastenal location. Give them a call for details as my recollection, or what I read, may not be totally accurate.

Shipping costs for speakers are very high. Out of curiosity I once asked an eBay seller who quoted a relatively low shipping price for a pair of Large Advents how he was able to ship them so cheaply. I made it clear that I wasn't a buyer, I was just asking for advice in case I wanted to sell some speakers. He admitted that the shipping cost was actually much higher and that he quoted a lower cost so buyers weren't discouraged from bidding. He simply started the bidding at a higher price to make up for the difference.
 
goodolpg said:
There was one other company that was sometimes mentioned that I don't associate with shipping in the conventional sense. Fastenal maybe.
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They were shipping 3 years ago, I'm assume they still do.
If using Fastenal make sure the speakers are protected.
 
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When A friend of mine wanted to trade his ML-2s in on some XRT 28 and I wanted to put some items up for sale, we loaded my 2018 Ram 2500 diesel and drove to Audio Classics and did the deals, had a great three days of fun, and came home. Yes we spent about $500.00 more than if we had shipped everything both directions, but we had a great time and met a lot of great people who not only work for Audio classics but others that consult with AC and help where special attention is needed to restore products. We learned so much and as I had been there before making renewed friendships was a great plus, too. I believe we traveled a total of 4800 miles in 6 days and it was fun all the way. Having owned RV's for over 30 years and sold them it was great to hit the road again remembering half the fun is getting there. We had great weather and averaged over 70.8 mph and 22 miles per gallon. I guess no one obeys speed limits anymore.

If I were selling my Concert Grands and Symphonys I would do the same thing all over again. But I would probably need an additional trailer to transport every thing. If win the lottery I will be loaded and gone as soon as I could. Austin first, Home second. Coburg, Oregon next, Hayward, California, and LA, next. Then back Home. Then after a rest off to Vestal New York.. Then to see family. I could be gone a year with out any difficulties at all. Then I would fly some AC guys to lift stuff and install everything for me.
 
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ups throws the merch into the trailer....worked there. mgrs. want it that way. they'll cuss your mother if u don't. insure them high.
 
My buddy used to work for DHL, $200/pallet anywhere in the country. I'm sure it's more these days.

I miss the old UPS, back in the 80's-90's they used to take pride in not even denting the boxes.
 
I once shipped a large pair of speakers across the continent, crated and on a pallet long-haul -- shipping cost was just under the agreed price of the speakers at the time. There's no cheap way to do this, particularly for large models. I won't ship speakers any more, collecting them would be the buyer's responsibility.
 
Audio Fan said:
https://www.uship.com/ship/household-goods

Fill out some basic info and you will receive back quotes. Pretty straightforward. I have used them many times to ship big/heavy items. You still need to pack them well. Sometimes not having a shipping dock can cause an issue for some providers.
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I used uShip for 2 sets of KEF 103/4's a while back. Was cheap compared to any other option and was easy for the guy to meet and pick them up from a seller and bring them to me. I would recommend it
 
Shipping costs are 4x what they were five or six years ago. There is no cost effective way to ship.
Probably be cheaper to drive them yourself.
 
rwartner said:
Why ship them? There should be buyers locally. You can do pickup only on eBay.
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Exactly. Those are wildly popular speakers. And in Seattle? Ultra expensive. CL, FBM, Ebay for Local Pickup.
And I have sold two pairs ten years ago both on CL, and Ebay Local Pick Up.
With Vintage Audio Fever at peak the OP should get good coin especially in that market.
 
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