tdaaj Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 be wary when getting shipping quotes ffrom shippers sites, usps, ups, dhl, fed-ex. i provided a quote to a fellow ratsuner to ship a fender going off of ups' website, quote was $51, went to ship the fender today and the lady at the counter of the ups store said that it was going to be $156:eek:, she said i need to contact them in person the ups site doesn't calculate it right. lesson here, don't rely on a stupid website. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 US Postal Service has been right on every time for me. You can even purchase the postage stamp online at a discount, glue it to the package and drop off at any post office. For packages it is much cheaper than Fedex/UPS. Quote Link to comment
72 327 Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Get a UPS account. Every easy to get one just sign up. Then when they quote you that price pay for it online and print out the label. I have done that allot. If they ever come back and say well that price was not correct you did it from there website. I have never had UPS question anything I have dropped off when I print a label online. I have UPS, Fedex and USPS accounts by far USPS is the cheapest. Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Their rates are pretty clear and accurate in my experience. I'd guess you didn't take into account their dimensional weight variable(s)...? Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) US Postal Service has been right on every time for me. You can even purchase the postage stamp online at a discount, glue it to the package and drop off at any post office. For packages it is much cheaper than Fedex/UPS. They must be nicer on the west coast. I ship daily and I have to say upsp are the nazis of the shipping world. Ya you can prepay but you get there and they size up and weight the package anyway completely negating any reason for doing prepaid in the 1st place. God forbid your scale doesn't match their crazy digital piece too. They have "lost" FIVE of my packages over the years. They are only cheaper if you don't purchase insurance, tracking or certified and if the buyer doesn't mind receiving the package up to 2 weeks later. Say nothing for the constant 'could give a fuck' attitude they give like they are doing you a favor for taking your money. I hate usps lol, like I say though maybe its a coastal thing. I have had ups account for years now and ONLY do prepaid. So long as the dimensions and weight are CORRECT there is never a problem. You get a substantial discount for having an account and doing prepaid. Insurance, tracking and confirmation is also included. Service vs service I take ups hands down, I don't even have to think about it. The attitude bit is just one more reason. The only time use them is when I am forced i.e. international. Usps is 1/2 what anyone can offer on international shipping. I deal with the dicketry for that price cut. Fedex/dhl is for w/e reason always the most expensive, I don't even bother checking anymore. Edited July 22, 2009 by 72240z Quote Link to comment
herculesinwyoming Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 my fender shipped ground with fed ex and it was 20 bucks or so Quote Link to comment
71DIMER Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 No it's actually a pretty easy system. I went to ship a set of tail lights a while ago, had them all boxed up so I got a UPS online quote of $35, so I went to the UPS store to ship it and the lady said it'll be $78, I asked her about it and she gave me some lame excuse, so I asked if I get the preprinted label on the box can I drop it off here? She said yes so I went back to my desk, paid for it online (yes you have to set up an account, only takes a few minutes though), paid $35, printed out the UPS label, took the box and label to the UPS store, they handed me a bag that you slip the label into, seal it and stick onto the box...and that was it. UPS stores, FedEx Kinkos (soon to be Fed Ex Office), or any kind of store that isn't a UPS/FedEx location that has thier huge delivery trucks are basically chain/franchise locations which are all independantly owned and operated, so they have overhead costs for thier locations etc so they have a markup in thier pricing. That's why you're getting a totally different price at the store than the online quote. Quote Link to comment
tdaaj Posted July 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 well i didn't ship it yet, so i may end up doing the account route, i just don't want to get screwed this way and i don't want the buyer to get screwed either. Quote Link to comment
cody Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thats funny... about a month or so ago i went to ship something.. and i went to the ups store and they said i need to go online and get a quote. oh well.. i never shipped it.. Quote Link to comment
toyotajeep Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Just my experience here. USPS is far cheaper for smaller stuff, and some international stuff. They are also a pain in the butt with all the 30 options available etc. Definately cheaper though on smaller stuff..... I prefer UPS. I walk in, drop it on the counter with the addy. 2 minutes later I walk out with a tracking number and $100 in coverage. They do cost more for smaller stuff, but for me living out here in the middle of nowhere they work the best. Never had a problem with UPS either. ROB Quote Link to comment
toyotajeep Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 I learned on one of my first transactions about the size things with UPS. I had told the guy that it would cost $60 to ship. I found out it was $140.....oversize. If it is big at all, I pack it and then take it in for an estimate first. Thank you, ROB Quote Link to comment
Bleach Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 I also hate USPS. I have found FedEx Ground to be far cheaper than UPS for ground service. You get a tracking number and insurance on one easy form. (I hate USPS forms!!!) FedEx has fewer locations. I recently decided to try UPS because they were so close to my house. $88 to ship some wheels. I went to FedEx the next day and sent them for $47. Same box. Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 So long as the dimensions and weight are CORRECT there is never a problem. ^thats the key right there! i went through the same thing. once i had the weight, i took it to a different UPS location and was charged w/o the oversize fee of $65. :P :fu: Quote Link to comment
exit64 Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Cheapest way to move big stuff under 100 lbs is Greyhound. If it will fit under the bus, they will pretty much take anything. Good way to move fenders, tail gates and snowmobile hoods.:D Quote Link to comment
Capital15 Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 I have almost 98% of the time use USPS for when I am shipping items to buyers. Cheap and fast. Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks for the heads up Ted. I too use USPS. Cheap and easy......most of the time. Quote Link to comment
67411sss Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 As a business shipping stuff everyday i hate usps, sure they are cheap but you can't track your package, the service is shit and if you print a label at home it has to ship on the date the label has on it. Quote Link to comment
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