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Shocked by UPS shipping charge

#81
I've found FedEx Home Delivery to be the most affordable ground shipping, when possible. Even from California to the east coast it's rarely more than $35-50 max, fully insured, when I ship a bass, guitar or large tube amp. I do all my own packaging though, so if someone is paying a store to box it up I'm sure it would be considerably more.
 
#82
I've found that shipping UPS is best for me and the key is to ship it from the actual UPS Customer Center, where all shipments come in and out. Shipping it from UPS Stores and affiliated drop off stores are really pricey. The usual shipping cost for very well packed bass in it's hard case in factory box usually runs me anywhere from $50 - $65 insured. I've had very few problems. Anything under a few lbs. goes thru USPS.
 
#83
I have the most horror stories from FedEx. I avoid them like the plague. I don't think they ever delivered a "box-shaped box" to me but a handful of times. I've had to refuse a large handful of packages because the damage was bad enough.

The worst:
FedEx lost $1800 worth of computer parts that was being shipped to me. They called the day after the status changed to "out for delivery" to see if I got it (it already was a day late, spending an extra day en route. It had spent the entire day out for delivery and never showed up and I got a call after it spent the previous day out for delivery). I said "no, but thanks for saving me a call to you to find out why it wasn't delivered" and the lady was nice, but not apologetic at all. If it was a label issue that couldn't be solved they would never had the information to call me. I have bought from this place two times prior without issue.

I called the company i bought the stuff from and they sent out another package via UPS and it arrived safe, not a dent.

About a week before that tracking number went "dead" it said something about "claim processed", so I'm guessing FedEx lost it or it was stolen en route. If someone were to ship a bass by FedEx I hope they don't skimp on insurance to save a few bucks...


As I'm thinking about all this, I think I've been let down more times by poor packers than the actual carriers. How hard is it to pack an item well? It's not. It's also not expensive to do, if you've got half a brain cell. On the bottom flaps of most boxes (worth shipping in) it tells you the maximum weight and PSI load of the box. It's pretty simple math to figure out if the box will work for the item you're shipping with those numbers. It's also not that hard to give a box a quick shake to see if anything moves around, then go back and fix it so it doesn't do that anymore. It's also pretty common sense that if a box shows corner/edge damage, don't reuse it.

I think some people use/view the insurance as "I don't have to be as careful packing this now, I can make it someone else's problem".
 
#84
All my horror stories are UPS. Broken instruments, not knocking and leaving a notice I wasn't there. Just shipped a mesa 1x12 to California via FedEx and it was a whopping 73 bucks/ insured for 500.00 bucks. Most i've ever paid, wondering if it was timing related (shipped right after holidays).
 
#85
I've shipped many basses and guitars. With a package the size of a bass, UPS charges by dimensional weight and they usually run me between $40-60. If you can ship with the neck removed you will pay a lot less. Many buyers don't realize what it actually costs to send a large item and think you are trying to rip them off with shipping charges. I won't ship a complete bass or guitar through USPS because the tracking and verification that it arrived is sorely lacking.
 
#86
Metalbasspro said:
And that is why you can't always use the smallest box possible. With an item that has to get there with no damage you need a big enough box so that enough packaging or even a box within a box can be sent. You want the item to not move around inside the box and have a few inches on all side should someone gash or stab the box.
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Agree. When I moved from Chicago to here (Phoenix area) I needed to ship my desktop PC and monitor. I double boxed both boxes with tons of cushioning in between the boxes, it cost $250 via UPS. Basically, if you want it to be delivered without damage, it's gonna cost you.
 
#87
Never had an issue with FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail that wasn't resolved to my satisfaction in a timely manner. Then again I always ship things insured (and insist they be shipped insured to me, even if I have to cover the extra cost). I know some people have horror stories, but I've been using all 3 of these carriers for 15+ years professionally and personally and the only time I've had a major issue that I ever got hung out to dry on was by independent freight companies. Even then I've only had a handful of negative experiences. Individual results may vary I guess. I have no idea how everyone else uses these services or what they're expecting out of it.
 
#90
Thornton Davis said:
You would think that with the huge decline in gas and diesel over the past 8 months that courier/shipping costs would be moving downwards instead of upwards. I can't help but see this as anything more than corporate greed.

TD
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Because of exploding volume, we are having razor blades, bottled water and paper towels delivered to our doors by letter carriers and UPS drivers these days, along with the traditional stuff that was once only the SEARS and Montgomery Ward mail order customers but now from every retailer including Wal Mart and Target trying to keep their market share, the man power needs and cost are well beyond want they traditionally were.

No matter what technology you throw into the logistic chain in the end it is one or two guys in a UPS or FedEX Ground truck at one location with one package at one moment in time. And now many more of them are needed and have to be paid for by somebody.
 
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#92
About $90 from Virginia to California FedEx or UPS either one. About the same each time in the past couple years.

I prefer FedEx if for no other reason than they are much more friendly and courteous at the hub. The local Home Delivery guy is a guitar player too, so he tends to be a little more sensitive with boxes that are marked as such.

UPS is okay, if a little bit hard to deal with at the counter. They only ever broke one thing of mine. Stuff happens, I get it... at least it was an easy fix.
 
#93
DWBass said:
I've never paid more than $50 to ship a bass using Fedex Ground. It's a little cheaper if you have your own account, pack your own box and print your own labels.
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This is exactly my experience as well. I use Fedex because UPS is always more expensive, and I don't trust USPS. I have my own account, pack myself and print my own labels. I've noticed that UPS is sometimes double the cost with Fedex.
 
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#94
hernameisrio said:
Yeah...that's how they get ya...I shipped my Music Man from New York to California in its hardshell case and it was over $100. And they dropped it. So that was fun.
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UPS did? That's pretty much what they do to everything, as far as I can tell. My latest Thunderbird was shipped UPS, and although they didn't damage it, they clearly banged it around a bit. The guy I got it from knew what was coming and packed it to survive armageddon, but UPS is only a little short of armageddon.
 
#95
I've shipped over 100 instruments, there are no more issues with one than the other in my experience. Internationally with USPS for sure.

I would not use a box that was way bigger than the case, that will definitely jack the price. But nothing can move. ESPECIALLY in the case itself. Secure that headstock. It should live in a suspended cocoon. I do all my own packing as well, and regularly take a utility knife to make it the right size.

That said, my company switched from ups to fedex last year. I think they are pricier by less than 10% but it makes a difference.
 
#96
Thornton Davis said:
You would think that with the huge decline in gas and diesel over the past 8 months that courier/shipping costs would be moving downwards instead of upwards. I can't help but see this as anything more than corporate greed.

TD
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Fuel goes down, labor and benefits go up...
 

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