Shipping Fees = Prohibitive

[moon-bass]

Pirateship is a great resource. I'll use Reverb shipping when I really want to take advantage of the reverb Safe Shipping, otherwise I'll use Pirateship. Never had an issue. I had one claim and it was handled very quickly and professionally.

Reverb annoys me because they add mandatory fees like "signature required." I don't know about you, but USPS hasn't asked for a signature on most things since pre-pandemic. It's a $5 charge.

A trick for shipping pedals - most pedals (with packing materials) will fit in a USPS flat rate envelope. With $100 insurance, it's under $10 to ship. With Pirateship, even with a few hundred $$$ insurance, it's often under $10 to ship pedals and the like.

 

[Deleted member 394512]

I found myself in the same situation as the OP. I was used to shipping rates much lower than what I ended up paying when I sold my last bass. Shipped from Arkansas to Oregon via FedEx ground insured for 1000.00. Bass and gig bag was 250.00 ish to ship. That was using PostNet who came in lower than the 450 - 500 quotes from UPS store.

I will no longer sell again without a face to face. Also, to get a paid damage claim of 1000.00 it would require a crush rated box of some unbelievable poundage etc to get paid. They have a checklist to use for damage claims that is pretty insane. Better hope they lose your bass instead of breaking it.

Yes, I agree shipping costs are out of hand.

 

[covermego]

Also, the carriers utilize their "dimensional weight" calculations. I always pack a bass in the smallest-possible box. Once you go over the magical 48" length, things get pricey. I also usually double box my shipments and make durned sure the bass is 100% solid/stable, with zero chance of it moving around whatsoever. A lot of times, I will remove the lower strap button so when the carrier drops it, it doesn't get shoved up into the body (btdt with a ton of incoming basses).
If I don't have a box that suits my needs, dimension-wise, I fabricate one. Hot glue is my friend, but a few buyers have cursed me for how difficult it is to "free the bass". Waaaaaahhhhhhh.

 

[nozkcb]

That’s the overnight rate, not the ground rate. Says so right there in the screen capture.

For goodness sake how much of a screen capture do you need? I showed you the high price and I told you the low price $200+, do you really need to see that too? feel free to run the numbers yourself if you don't believe me. Why on earth would I come here posting fake numbers just to have people argue with me?

I'm genuinely trying to get some information, if I wanted an argument I would go to Twitter.

Geeze...

 

[moon-bass]

If I don't have a box that suits my needs, dimension-wise, I fabricate one. Hot glue is my friend, but a few buyers have cursed me for how difficult it is to "free the bass".

I spent some time working in logistics "back in the day." I didn't realize how common it was to make your own boxes. I always double box if the bass doesn't have a hardshell case, and I've put a number of furniture and large Amazon boxes to work as internal boxes - after modification of course

 

[nozkcb]

I'm beginning to think that even here on a platform dedicated to bass guitars people find every imaginable excuse to turn everything into an argument

It just blows my mind how hostile snarky and aggressive people are on such an innocuous topic.

 

[KenD]

Shipping and handling has always been a scam for some online retailers. Remember this one?

"But wait! There's more! Get another item absolutely free! Just pay separate shipping handling."

 

[covermego]

I spent some time working in logistics "back in the day." I didn't realize how common it was to make your own boxes. I always double box if the bass doesn't have a hardshell case, and I've put a number of furniture and large Amazon boxes to work as internal boxes - after modification of course

Yeah, I am a retired window covering installer that still does a little on the side. I always have humongous pieces of cardboard from shutter panels and other boxes, so it's not a problem.

 

[Alkali Ike]

That’s the overnight rate, not the ground rate. Says so right there in the screen capture.

And Saturday delivery.

 

[Killing Floor]

Perspective: Last round of delivery driver strikes/union negotiations resulted in an announcement from one of them (UPS I beleive) that they now are averaging $125,000 and up for total annual salary and benefits outlay per employee.
Need we say more?

Suggesting they deserve less? $125K was a lot of money in the 1990s.

 

[Clark W]

FedEx. . .

View attachment 5378499

Overnight and with a Saturday Delivery, that's a double whammy right there. Try pricing it ground.

 

[Nightsprinter]

Arrrrrrgh maties, sail the high seas like others mentioned.

 

[FRoss6788]

For goodness sake how much of a screen capture do you need? I showed you the high price and I told you the low price $200+, do you really need to see that too? feel free to run the numbers yourself if you don't believe me. Why on earth would I come here posting fake numbers just to have people argue with me?

I'm genuinely trying to get some information, if I wanted an argument I would go to Twitter.

Geeze...

No...

You said the price was over $900 for GROUND.

Your screenshot example of that price was for overnight and Saturday delivery with $1500 insurance, of course that is going to be waaay more money than ground.

You clearly made a mistake here.

Calm down, dude.

 

[FRoss6788]

Suggesting they deserve less? $125K was a lot of money in the 1990s.

Thank you.

I love when folks start bitching about hard working people actually making a basic living.

 

[logdrum]

I shipped something recently to me from Illinois to New Mexico (the state not the country) via Fedex 2 day for 14.10. 2.50 was the residential fee. This was 9 lbs/500 declared value. This may piss people off but the discount that I get as a company employee is about 85%. This is a benefit from my work I am not a power shipper (5 to 10 a year) and don't intend to be because I do not want to lose this benefit. I use the post office for anything less than 15. I wonder what pirateship discount is. I sent a bass to Ohio also 2 day last year and cost me around 35.

 

[Grinderman]

Perspective: Last round of delivery driver strikes/union negotiations resulted in an announcement from one of them (UPS I beleive) that they now are averaging $125,000 and up for total annual salary and benefits outlay per employee.
Need we say more?

Who is we?

 

[wiscoaster]

We all know shipping costs have gone through the roof, and I think sometimes sellers take advantage to build a little extra "hidden" profit margin into their asking price for an item that seems to be a good deal, until you add in the shipping.

 

[Matt-J2]

Guys, if you go to FedEx and put in the dimensions, it lists all the delivery options starting with overnight. It's not a trick by OP, just a shortened screenshot.

At any rate, I used the same dimensions/weight from Appleton, WI to Austin, TX and got a range from $797 for overnight to $159 ground. The ground option would arrive the 13th, overnight the 9th.

Shipping to a residence on the FedEx sit made it go weird, as delivery for the $159 got faster.

I did also check PirateShip, and it was cheaper. So learning about that was cool. Assuming it's not real pirates that will stab me and steal my stuff.

 

[FRoss6788]

It's not a trick by OP, just a shortened screenshot.

Except he quoted that price ($932) as an example of ground pricing, which it is not, then got snippy when the mistake was pointed out.

 

[40Hz]

Perspective: Last round of delivery driver strikes/union negotiations resulted in an announcement from one of them (UPS I beleive) that they now are averaging $125,000 and up for total annual salary and benefits outlay per employee.
Need we say more?

Yes we do. The air freight charges on airlines have skyrocketed in recent years because of carriers dealing with aging fleets of planes requiring more frequent maintenance. Aviation fuel costs have also risen dramatically over the last few years.

Driver salaries may have added a few dollars to the average cost of local deliveries. But that doesn’t account for the huge increase in shipping costs all by itself.

Sometimes we need to get beyond political rhetoric and talking points about hourly wages that we’re constantly being bombarded with and examine all the relevant factors innthe equation.

I always find it telling just how many people in this country feel everybody is being grossly overpaid - except for themselves.

Question…does that $125K figure also include overtime wages being averaged into the total. It would be interesting to know what the standard 40 hour week average wage was. Because it’s a common ploy during labor negotiations to include OT in “average salary” numbers to create the false impression that the standard hourly rate being paid is already too high.

And paying someone overtime is still a lot cheaper for most busy companies than hiring an additional employee would be. Because that way the company can avoid the additional 30%-36% of an average salary most employee benefit packages cost. After the first 40 hours the company just pays for time and a half when they need the extra help rather than being saddled with paying a full time employee.