Using USPS Parcel Post vs. UPS/FedEx

[synterx]

Did a search, didn't find anything specific.

I had a guy who wants to buy a bass cab from me, NeoX-212T to be precise, and he knows UPS can cost a ton now. So he asked if I could send it USPS Parcel Post.

I looked into it, and this 60+ pound cab would be less than $30 to ship a few states away, and that's with $500 insurance and delivery confirmation.

UPS says $128.00!

So, I'm just looking for anyone who might have shipped via Parcel Post specifically and if it was a nightmare or a no brainer.

[macribas]

I am trying to sell the same cab!

Well, a cab is a lot more sturdy than a bass, but here's my experience:

The only two times people shipped me basses through USPS (out of 30+), the cases were smashed in transit. The first time it did not affect the bass, so I let it slide. The second one it chipped the headstock so I am filing a claim. They are giving me a hard time so far. If the receiver is willing to deal with insurance in case it's necessary, go for it. But it's a pain.

I'd say it's worth the shot, since a cab is very sturdy, and the difference in shipping price is worth it. But I would pack it real good and say some prayers.

[Spencer!]

Parcel post is a nightmare. If you must ship USPS, use priority mail. Personally, I'd never ship something more than a couple pounds through USPS. One bad experience shipping an amp was enough for me.

That UPS price seems wrong....I've shipped plenty of cabs via FedEx and never paid more than about a dollar per pound. Hell, I shipped my 110 pound B-15 across the country for less than 100 bucks.

[Selta]

All I have to say regarding shipping anything big/heavy through USPS is: eff that. I trust FedEx. I haven't had an issue sending or receiving from them yet, and I've done a LOT of shipping through them (in order of five digits in $ for years now).

[K2000]

I've found that the service quality of different carriers can vary widely from region to region, and even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Where I live, Fed Ex ground deliveries are all done by private contractors, and it's a different guy every time. Double boxing (floating the inner box) is probably a good idea no matter which carrier you choose. I have only good experiences with USPS in my current location. If your buyer requested USPS, he may have good service in his area. In any case, it's his idea. As long as you can get tracking and delivery confirmation, I don't see any reason to not agree to his choice. It will probably be slower than UPS or Fed Ex. They're probably not going to drag it behind the truck, or anything like that.

[DukeLeJeune]

UPS lets everything tumble off the ends of conveyer belts. They also have huge sorting warehouses with conveyer belts as much as 25 feet off the ground; if something gets hung up, packages cascade off until someone hits the panic button. I have been told that UPS routinely denies every claim, and that has been my experience. Their default position seems to be, "if it was damaged, the packing was inadequate". In shipping home audio speakers, UPS has damaged at least one speaker in most of the pairs I've sent (two out of three pairs). I only have personal experience with UPS honoring a claim one time, and I had to go through multiple appeals and write a seventeen page book to prove that their analysis of what happened was wrong. In my opinion if you ship via UPS, any insurance you purchase is for loss, not damage. And I think the odds are against you.

In contrast, I've shipped via Fed Ex many many times, and only had one speaker damaged that was their fault (I'm not holding cracked plastic in the dead of winter against them). That one time they damaged a speaker, they conducted an inspection and honored my claim.

The only shipper to have actually lost something I've shipped is the US Postal Service. I hadn't adequately insured it, so my bad.

Fed Ex gets my vote for shipping in the continental US; beyond that, the Postal Service if possible.

If you want to save money on shipping, you might consider Greyhound. Yeah, the bus company. I've never used them because they're a lot less convenient, but if someone had a major problem with the shipping cost that's what I'd use.

[AwkwardLoudness]

FedEX is my primary choice. The prices are lower if you have an account set up with them.

Freight shipping (FedEx or otherwise) is good for HEAVY stuff, but a commercial receiving address is necessary.

I don't trust USPS with anything larger than a pedal.

UPS denies claims unless the packaging was done by a UPS store, at least my experience. Their packaging costs are quite high, of course, especially for large items. Duke is correct about their conveyor belt issues. I've seen very significant damage done to a couple items gone through the UPS treatment.

[Mo_Fonk]

I have used parcel post 8 times in the last year shipping guitars and cabinets. Even one to Sweeden. No problems. All arrived safe and sound

[pacojas]

i sent a small package from the central coast of Cali to the northern coast of Cali via the USPS and it got lost for three months. i finally get a tag in the mail telling me to claim a package and pay $2.93(postage due).

i find out on arrival that it was my lost item. turns out my package which was suppose to travel 200miles north,... ended up 3000miles east of me in Atlanta, GA!!!

to top it off, they demanded i pay the return postage before i could claim it! it was worth 10X that amount, so after a brief arguement i paid and left.

the one silver-lining,....

the box was in perfect condition after 3months of traveling cross-country & back.
AMAZING!!!

[jnewmark]

One thing that has'nt been mentioned, at least for UPS, is that they go by the size of the box, and then figure out what the BILLABLE weight WOULD be. For instance, I got a quote from them on a 51 lb package ( bass cab ) that was in a box that was 34x24x20. The billable weight was 99LBS ! The rationale behind this, as I was told, is that they still have to deal with the size of the box, no matter what the actual weight is. The cost to send it to the west coast from Ohio was $103, with insurance and fuel surcharge. Don't know if Fedx or USPS does this.

[beans-on-toast]

I send and receive packages pretty much every week. With all couriers, you have to look at all their plans as prices can vary, especially on international shipments.

My best experiences have been with FedEx.

UPS service is ok but the boxes tend to arrive really beat up and torn. You've got to pack well with them. I've had packages delivered to the wrong address a couple of times.

USPS, service is slower but no problems.

There are a lot of other smaller couriers that offer good service. If you shop around, you can get great prices. I avoid DHL like the plague.

I've used Grayhound courier service once. Dropped the package off and picked it up at the bus terminal. This was one bus with no transfers. Most cost effective and no problems.

Airline air freight. Great service, cost effective. Commercial customers only.

[stflbn]

They all use conveyors.
They all use automated equipment.
They all have some bozo who doesn't give a rats ass working somewhere on the line handling your package.

USPS has virtually NO tracking that's worth anything. Often there is no update at all until after the package is delivered.

It's shipping russian roulette with any of them. Ship enough and you'll have problems with each.

IMHO.


.

[wcriley]

Recent experiences:
1. Fed-Ex took it upon themselves to "correct" the address on a package and delivered it to a business several miles from my office. Luckily that business called my office instead of just keeping the package.
2. Fed-Ex called me to say they couldn't find my office (out in the country) so I faxed them a map. The package arrived 3 weeks later...with the map taped to the front.
3. When UPS didn't deliver a package to my home (a city address) I checked their tracking website which said something to the effect that the address didn't exist and I'd need to pick it up. When I went to pick it up, they had no explanation.

I have no experience with parcel post, but my neighbors and I routinely deliver each others mail to the proper addressee.

[4-stringB]

As a USPS employee, PACK IT..PACK IT..PACK IT. I have seen people bring in amps and guitarsfor shipping, not even in a box, much less a crate. If shipping anything, build a wooden crate, line it with at least 6" of firm foam. Screw or nail it shut. Imagine it will be subjected to the rigors described in the above posts. The worst I've seen was the headstock of a Les Paul sticking out of a single thickness cardboard box. It was somewhat dinged. Pack Pack Pack.

[Bassamatic]

I use Fed Ex GROUND nearly exclusively. Seems to offer the best price / best care / best tracking.

[coreyfyfe]

Originally Posted by stflbn

It's shipping russian roulette with any of them. Ship enough and you'll have problems with each.

+1 to this. Shipping is just a pain in the back side no matter how you slice it.

My experiences:

Shipped my V4 to cali, in an ATA flight case, via UPS. They dropped it hard enough to cause the pre-amp tubes to come loose and shatter in the bottom of the amp (power tubes were pulled and shipped separately).

My SVT was shipped to me from cali via fedex. Fedex changed the tracking number without informing either the shipper or myself, so I spent a week nervously hoping I didn't get scammed on TB (traded the V4 from above + cash for the SVT). I finally got the right tracking number the day it was due to arrive. I had taken the afternoon off to be home to sign for the amp, but the tracking never showed it leaving the truck at my local (20 miles away) distribution center. I called and asked them to hold the amp and I would come get it, since I had already taken the afternoon off. Just as I walk out the door to make the drive, there is a 5 foot tall, at best 130 lbs guy dragging around a huge box (my amp) in the driveway. Poor guy could barely get the thing onto his dolly. I ended up just grabbing it instead. Despite all this, the amp was in pretty good shape when it arrived. Packaging was slightly torn up, but it was double boxed, bubble wrapped, and plastic wrapped.

USPS I've only used for small items, but our mail delivery is spotty at best. Some days we get everyone in the building's mail (5 apartments, divided between two separate entrances), other days there is just no delivery, it's a guessing game whether or not packages will arrive when they're supposed to, but eventually everything shows up.

I use UPS fairly frequently because there is a UPS store very close to my home and a UPS processing center close to my work. I've sent basses, in bags or cases though them and always had them packed by UPS to make sure the insurance actually covers damage. Other than the amp issue, I haven't had major problems but there really is no way to win.

[HertzWhenIPlay]

I received a bass via USPS and it arrived just fine.
I do a LOT of shipping with my job and Fedex is my Numero Uno choice, especially fir International shipments.
UPS has let me down several times Internationally.

[jnewmark]

See my post above. Same shipment by Fedex is $93. Guess I might try them next time.

[JimmyM]

All shipping companies are alternately great when they work and crappy when they don't.

[Caca de Kick]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

All shipping companies are alternately great when they work and crappy when they don't.

Right. My work uses all three mentioned; They all have damaged boxes, they all have mainly delivered undamaged boxes, they all have lost something, they all have been early, they all have been late, they all have reimbursed us (in the corporate sense), they all have worked great, and they all have some clowns for delivery drivers working for them.

None have been better than the other!