Shipping

[Steve]

Uline.com has good prices on boxes. They have a place outside of Philly so next day shipping

[Theresa S.]

That Sam's club deal looks like a winner! Amazing what we learn when we start poking around a little!

When you quote them, make sure you reference prepaid or collect shipping terms.

I get a catalog from a company named U-line...looks like they have pretty good prices on packing materials...but check locally, too.

[Etched In Thread]

I've signed up with FedEx, DHL, UPS, and USPS. Get good discounts with FedEx, better than UPS so far. Of course no discount with USPS. I used to use UPS alot shipping sewing machines around the US, but after they damaged a machine so badly the outer casing was opened up at the top, I started using FedEx. At work, someone used UPS to ship a $7000 sewing machine to us, UPS dropped it, refused to pay the $4000 insurance or even a portion. USPS on the other hand: shipped a serger to Alaska; damaged so bad by the time it arrived that the needlebar was bent! They gave me a run around for 2.5 months before they paid and it was only $125. The creep that inspected it in Alaska even went as far as telling the customer that she had been taken for a ride. For $125? Excuse me, but I have sold and shipped machines worth $8000, why would I risk my 100% positive feedback for a measly $125? Reported that creep to his supervisor. FedEx: they broke a Lexan table in shipping. I faxed the claim to them and rec'd a check 2 days later. Granted it was only $125 but that was quick service and no questions asked! Have not tried DHL yet. With all, I print my own labels with regular paper, bought a $50 scale at Sam's, makes it worth it. JMO, Edna

[Theresa S.]

I know what you mean; I've had cases (at work) where we bought the carrier's insurance, then it was damaged. After the fact, they said they were going to give us our money back for the insurance. TRUE STORY! You just have to expect that shipping people are going to play tackle foot ball with your freight and package it accordingly. With those sewing machines, I'm sure they had the factory formed styrofoam or equivalent..and you can't do much better. I just bought a sewing machine off ebay, shipped from MS to CA and it was fine (I did buy insurance, though). The only thing I would have suggested is they slide it in a plain brown box. Seems like the more delicate it looks, the rougher it gets treated. Things need to be packed tightly so they don't move around in the box.

[Juli in Kona]

Did you know that if something really needs to be insured that you are shipping via UPS or Fed Ex that you can insure it with your own insurance agent?

And did you know that nobody can be less expensive than the US Post Office? Yes, it's true. The reason everybody gives for using UPS or FedEx is that they are capable of tracking. But now the US Postal service is starting to track also.

Ain"t life fun?

Juli in Kona

[Etched In Thread]

Yep, every machine packed in original box and packing that it came in from Sweden, Germany or whereever in. Everything goes insured for price it sold for, they won't pay over that amount and they require proof of sale/purchase. I require insurance on just about everything or include it in the shipping fee. Wouldn't insuring with my own agent require me to do each one individually? That would be a pain when shipping 5 or 6 machines monthly, though it's a great idea if I was shipping something really, really large and expensive, once! USPS only insures for up to $500 online, over that you have to go to the P.O. I only ship small packages with cd's, fabric, etc. through USPS. So I have to say, FedEx is my fave! Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii has to go USPS as any other way is ridiculously expensive. Edna

[signman]

UPS is very bad on damages and paying up for it...we just had a shipment of screenprinting inks damaged by UPS...THEY claimed it was faulty/inferior packaging...half the order of inks by quarts were 'popped open' and all over the place, and 20 someodd 'empty' quarts were 'damaged'...huh? they were empty! UPS delivered the remainder in a plastic bag inside a crushed box-with an explanation that THEY had to repackage it because of the shipper's faulty box! I have pictures I took of THEIR 'repackaging' to prove it was crushed, ripped open, etc. So when we went to claim damages-got told there was NO coverage because of faulty packaging. I got a 'supervisor' higher up in the foodchain and demanded an explanation-got the 'faulty packaging, we had to repack what was left' excuse, no insurance payment. SO I gladly told her that I had PICTURES of the driver standing next to a crushed box that THEY said was 'their' correct packaging. As soon as I said 'pictures'...it was like farting in an elevator...complete attitude change and we got FULL payment for the entire shipment.
The printer I use for screenprint 'vellum' (a Xantes commercial printer) was sent out for factory overhaul, came back destroyed...UPS had dropped it off a conveyor...when I called the factory to send it back, they said they no longer would even ACCEPT deliveries from UPS or ship on them-because the damage rate was so high!
Seems that every time shipping rates go up, quality of service drops another notch.

[Theresa S.]

You're right...they, like everyone else in corporate America, is forced to try and do more with less in the name of ever increasing profit demands by shareholders. Shippers have to try and mitigate this by better packaging. It's the only avenue open to us. UPS may be among the worst, but all the carriers are facing the same demands.
ts

[TinaK]

I actually got signed up for a discounted rate with UPS through Ebay when I sold through them using my PAYPAL account. It is quite a savings over UPS website accounts at least for me....

Also, you do get discounts through the postoffice for postage if you buy it online and don't forget that with the Priority Mail option being bought online you get free delivery confirmation included. This is not a huge savings but a saving is a saving now a days.

I cant remember who said it above but I know that with NNEP you do get a savings with Fedex, Yellow Transportation and Overnite Transportation. Haven't used this service as Fedex is terrible where I live...

Good Luck!

[Steve]

I use UPS insurance but never had a claim. The cost is free for the first $100 and $2 per hundred dollars after that and I do pay the extra insurance to protect myself. Luckily, clothing can't be damaged by dropping it but I do worry about weather if the box should sit outside for some reason. I also make people sign for the package if it is over the $100 which is a couple dollars. I just want to protect myself from someone saying they didn't receive the package, I can say "Mr John Doe signed for, contact him"

[signman]

Getting the signature required is ALWAYS checked off when we ship...had a big order to someone in California 'disappear'-client said it never arrived. UPS produced a 'facsimile' of the signature to us, the name matched their warehouse man...company had to pay up...he was also fired...had taken the goods for himself!
This was novelty printed goods or something we had done...without the signature we'ed be screwed. Also had shippers claiming WE owed money, we asked for proof of delivery...since there is only 2 of us here it was easy to point out WE never signed for it...UPS tracked it and it wasn't even in the right STATE...was delivered to some other company that was sitting on it because they didn't know what it was!
So for the extra bucks...go for proof of delivery/signature!