Shipping Cost Question??

[Dallas Marlow]

Hey All,

When I was selling my Diezel I had numerous questions on the cost of shipping and quite a few people tell me my estimated $100 for shipping was way to high to ship the amp, and they shipped amps across country for $40-60 and I don't know how this is at all possible. It doesn't matter whether it's UPS or Fedex for me to ship an amp from South Miami to anywhere up north, it costs $100+ not including the packing costs, today I shipped my Diezel which weighed in around 60lbs or so, and to go from here to the North us with $2500 in insurance was about $125, just for the actual fedex ground cost, and UPS is nearly the same.

Are the rates just extreme down here, or am I missing something, or are people that have asked me about shipping costs just trying to hose me???

Thanks!

Dallas

 

[mrp5150]

Use USPS. They're so much cheaper than UPS and FedEx.

 

[cyndicate]

Hey All,

When I was selling my Diezel I had numerous questions on the cost of shipping and quite a few people tell me my estimated $100 for shipping was way to high to ship the amp, and they shipped amps across country for $40-60 and I don't know how this is at all possible. It doesn't matter whether it's UPS or Fedex for me to ship an amp from South Miami to anywhere up north, it costs $100+ not including the packing costs, today I shipped my Diezel which weighed in around 60lbs or so, and to go from here to the North us with $2500 in insurance was about $125, just for the actual fedex ground cost, and UPS is nearly the same.

Are the rates just extreme down here, or am I missing something, or are people that have asked me about shipping costs just trying to hose me???

Thanks!

Dallas

I usually ship Fedex Ground, most amps were insured for $2000 to $3000 and it would cost me about $65 shipped / insured from here to east coast, west coast slightly lower. How much did your amp weigh? Mine on average is about 60lbs. UPS on the other hand gets close to $100+. Also did you go to a Fedex store or one of those mailing stores that do all?

 

[Motorpud]

Use USPS. They're so much cheaper than UPS and FedEx.

+1. Someone gave me this advice a couple years ago and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much cheaper it was to ship through USPS than FedEx, especially internationally.

 

[XSSIVE]

i just checked online via fed ex ( i have an account with them and use them all the time) and to ship a box that is 30x14x13 (rough guess on head box size) at 60lbs, insured for $2500 from me in NY to zip 33101 in Miami (first zip i found when looking up miami zip codes) would cost $54.22 by ground. $67.03 with no fed ex account and that's both with them picking it up from the house and delivering to a residential area.

so i have no idea why it cost you so much.


i just shipped a guitar to canada by air and it was $125. would have been $74 by ground.

-Mike

 

[Mailman1971]

Here you Go Dallas.
Just put in the weight and the dimensions of the box.
Pretty easy and pretty acurate as long as you have the destination zip code.

http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm


Dan

 

[nbarts]

Shipping an amp for $40-60 days are over. It usually costs 60-70 for the ground rate + signature, insurance, residential charges, so you end up around $80. $125 seems a little too much to me, are you shipping from a company store or from an authorized center? Non-company stores charge heck of a lot more in my experience, need to be avoided.

USPS is cheaper, however I doubt they would pay anything in case of a damage.

 

[Mailman1971]

USPS is cheaper, however I doubt they would pay anything in case of a damage.

I shipped an amp about 2 months back. Tubes were broken in it when arrived.
I had it fully insured but put a claim in just for the Tubes.
I was paid for them within 4 days. Pretty easy claim on line. Just have to have the original receipt and take pics of the broken items.

 

[nbarts]

That's good news!

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Hey all thanks for your fast replies!

I didn't go to a fedex store, but the last amp I shipped was at a UPS store, this was a pack and send shop that does multiples this time, but again last time the amp via UPS store the price was nearly identical as well. Slightly less but the distance was probably a little less as well, I wonder if I'm just missing something??? Or what the issue is...

And I shipped fedex ground, just regular, with $2500 of insurance, the amp was 60lbs, it was going to Wisconsin, does that make a big difference??? Just boggles my mind that the price is so much different??

Thanks guys,

Dallas

 

[King Guitar]

Hey all thanks for your fast replies!

I didn't go to a fedex store, but the last amp I shipped was at a UPS store, this was a pack and send shop that does multiples this time, but again last time the amp via UPS store the price was nearly identical as well. Slightly less but the distance was probably a little less as well, I wonder if I'm just missing something??? Or what the issue is...

And I shipped fedex ground, just regular, with $2500 of insurance, the amp was 60lbs, it was going to Wisconsin, does that make a big difference??? Just boggles my mind that the price is so much different??

Thanks guys,

Dallas

Bro,

You cant go the UPS Store, they are individually owned and a rip off usually. Go to the actual UPS Service center or FedEx service center to ship. No extra mark up. USPS is good as well.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Hey all thanks for your fast replies!

I didn't go to a fedex store, but the last amp I shipped was at a UPS store, this was a pack and send shop that does multiples this time, but again last time the amp via UPS store the price was nearly identical as well. Slightly less but the distance was probably a little less as well, I wonder if I'm just missing something??? Or what the issue is...

And I shipped fedex ground, just regular, with $2500 of insurance, the amp was 60lbs, it was going to Wisconsin, does that make a big difference??? Just boggles my mind that the price is so much different??

Thanks guys,

Dallas

Bro,

You cant go the UPS Store, they are individually owned and a rip off usually. Go to the actual UPS Service center or FedEx service center to ship. No extra mark up. USPS is good as well.

Jeeze I had NO idea there was even such a thing or a difference??? Ok so by the way, check this out, I figured out what the real difference in cost is guys...

When getting a cost estimate adjust the box size to what it actually is when you DOUBLE box an amp, when the footprint goes up by a few inches the price goes up dramatically! I added 10 inches to each side from the average head dimensions, assuming for double boxing, price jumped from $65 to $165, so even if you say add 6" or so that would explain the huge price differential. Again most people don't know the absurd standards to what Fedex and UPS require for shipping stuff to get insurance claims!

Dallas

 

[nbarts]

Dallas,

Just go to UPS or FedEx website, select the detail cost option & make sure you put all the measurements & everything in. What you get should be a couple dollars more or less than what you should pay in their location. Once I wanted to ship from FedEx certified store or whatever the hell they call it and they wanted to charge me $70 for what should cost $40. I went to my regular Kinkos location & $40 it was.

 

[zewango]

You are right once you get to a certain size, the price goes insane.

 

[nbarts]

You are right once you get to a certain size, the price goes insane.

I'm sorry, but something's gotta be wrong, I doubt this is the case. He was shipping an Einstein. I've shipped double boxed VH4s, bigger box & heavier.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

You are right once you get to a certain size, the price goes insane.

I'm sorry, but something's gotta be wrong, I doubt this is the case. He was shipping an Einstein. I've shipped double boxed VH4s, bigger box & heavier.

Seriously man, go here http://fedex.com/ratefinder/home and put it in now, I don't know if something has changed or if they just changed their formula but make sure to get to the part where it asks not only for the weight, but select self pack and put in dimensions that are whatever inches you think bigger than a VH4, I kid you not I entered 30x15x30 and it was $65 to ship, then I entered 40x20x40 and it jumped up... here


1. Ship From / To
Help Edit
From: Miami, 33143, United States | To: XXXXX (hiding personal info of where I shipped it), United States on March 1, 2010.

2. Package and Shipment Details
Help Edit
Package Details: 1 package, 60.0 lbs, Your Packaging, 30 in x 15 in x 30 in, 2500.00 USD.


3. Special Services Options
Help Edit
Special services: Direct signature required



4. Rates and Transit Times
Help
Amounts are shown in USD
Select Delivery Date/Time Service Rates
Same day in shortest time possible. Call 1·800·Go·FedEx for availability and rate. FedEx Same Day®
Tue Mar 2, 2010 8:00 AM FedEx First Overnight® 390.10
Tue Mar 2, 2010 10:30 AM FedEx Priority Overnight® 356.77
Tue Mar 2, 2010 3:00 PM FedEx Standard Overnight® 352.85
Wed Mar 3, 2010 7:00 PM FedEx 2Day® 288.24
Thu Mar 4, 2010 7:00 PM FedEx Express Saver® 174.13
End of day(3 Business Days) FedEx Home Delivery® 67.06

Here is after I changed the size to 40x20x40 and that is ALL I changed!!!

1. Ship From / To
Help Edit
From: Miami, 33143, United States | To: XXXXX, United States on March 1, 2010.

2. Package and Shipment Details
Help Edit
Package Details: 1 package, 60.0 lbs, Your Packaging, 40 in x 20 in x 40 in, 2500.00 USD.


3. Special Services Options
Help Edit
Special services: Direct signature required



4. Rates and Transit Times
Help
Amounts are shown in USD
Select Delivery Date/Time Service Rates
Same day in shortest time possible. Call 1·800·Go·FedEx for availability and rate. FedEx Same Day®
Tue Mar 2, 2010 8:00 AM FedEx First Overnight® 935.98
Tue Mar 2, 2010 10:30 AM FedEx Priority Overnight® 880.99
Tue Mar 2, 2010 3:00 PM FedEx Standard Overnight® 849.07
Wed Mar 3, 2010 7:00 PM FedEx 2Day® 691.20
Thu Mar 4, 2010 7:00 PM FedEx Express Saver® 432.24
End of day(3 Business Days) FedEx Home Delivery® 178.39

Notice the price difference $67 vs $178!!!! Footprint is the deal dude!

Dallas

 

[nbarts]

How the hell did your package become 40 in x 20 in x 40? Blame yourself for the way you pack.

I've just shipped an OS Bogner 2x12 for $70 using fedex.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

How the hell did your package become 40 in x 20 in x 40? Blame yourself for the way you pack.

I've just shipped an OS Bogner 2x12 for $70 using fedex.

I just threw in a random number that was bigger to show the difference. I actually paid about $125 in shipping/insurance so obviously it wasn't quite THAT big, but point being is the footprint of the amp + weight must reach some certain point of no return... and boom price goes up!

 

[nbarts]

40 in x 20 in x 40 wouldn't be easy to carry, I guess that would require 2 people, so it totally makes sense to me, that should be in oversized category. I still think that $125 is $30-40 higher than you should have paid for shipping an Einstein. Do you know what the actual size was?

 

[Dallas Marlow]

40 in x 20 in x 40 wouldn't be easy to carry, I guess that would require 2 people, so it totally makes sense to me, that should be in oversized category. I still think that $125 is $30-40 higher than you should have paid for shipping an Einstein. Do you know what the actual size was?

No I don't but I know they pack the piss out of it, so when she measured the amp head it self she probably adds "X" Inches to each side in anticipation of double boxing, their business has been there 20 years and she's the only person who finally explained to me how the Fedex/UPS packing requirements are made. They are obscene compared to what most of us would think is good packing, simply because these things have to survive up to a 8 foot drop off of conveyor belts.

I kid you not when I actually took an amp to the UPS store and asked to sit there for an hour while they packed it to their specifications it was almost silly, UPS didn't double box it but this place will. However the UPS box was I kid you not probably 200-300% BIGGER than the amp it self, and they bubble wrapped the amp about 5-6x or so in that really big bubble wrap, then taped it all up, then put in popcorn, laid the amp down, then filled it so full the box could barely close, it was easily big enough to take two people to lift.

Now the reason I let them pack the boxes now is because of the fact that the first thing that comes into question when you ship and there is a damage claim is the packing, if it does not meet their specifications, and I mean these complete what to us would be over kill... then you get NOTHING, right away, it's a joke. But that's how it works.

You figure the on the Einstein which is something like 23.2Wx10.4Hx12D with out any packing around it, so add probably a good 10 inches at least on every side for double boxing the way they do it... if not more, 10 inches is conservative compared to what I saw on the last amp packed! Adds up quick.

Dallas