Who do you guys ship parts with?

[wayno]

I just got back from shipping a part, and basicly I am tired of dealing with it.

If I go to the post office and see 4 people in line, I basicly have an hour to wait, I just can't/won't stand there to ship a $15.00 part for an hour, most the time there is only one guy there, and it takes them that long to help a people.

So I always wait for 5 minutes or so to see if the line is going to move and then I leave and go to a shipping outlet, at them places they have the USPS flat rate boxes, but they add a fee and justify it by saying that USPS charges them to come pick the boxes up.

So I went there(shipping outlet) and told the person behind the counter that I wanted it shipped USPS the cheapest way possible, they made me fill out this paper with my name/address, and then finally told be it was going to be $11.something, I looked on the wall at the flat rate boxes that said $8.00 and something with their fee added on and told them $11.+ was to much, my box was 4"X3"X2"ish, smaller than the small flat rate box($8.00 something with their fee), so another guy came out from the back room, looked at the box, grabbed it and put it on another scale and told me $6.30 without tracking, ect; and the receipt said it was "first class mail".

Where do you guys go to ship parts to other Ratsun members?

Is my post office differant than everywhere else, or are they all this slow?

[Eagle_Adam]

i use UPS, i know it will make it, it always has tracking, i hate the USPS, and im a shipping manager at work so i have access to a full packing facility and they come to me mon - fri :D if its large stuff i ship greyhound

[Eagle_Adam]

im in portland, if you really want to bring it my way you can ;)

[flatcat19]

I just shipped a few packages last month...

And after comparing pricing between UPS, FedEx, and USPS, I shipped through USPS.

 

No complaints from any of the guys I had shipped to.

 

But-waiting at the post office does suck.

I got lucky with all my transactions this time around.

[jefe de jefes]

If your using a flat rate box, pay for the service online and print the label from home.

This is how I do it. I walk in the po ,drop off the package on their counter then walk out. Easy peezy.

[Tristin]

If your using a flat rate box, pay for the service online and print the label from home.

This is how I do it. I walk in the po ,drop off the package on their counter then walk out. Easy peezy.

 

Yep, this is the easiest way. If you use flat rate boxes then you just pick up a stack of boxes at the PO (I think there's even an option where they will send you some) or if you use your own boxes for Priority mailing then just buy a mail scale. Weight it, print off a label, and drop it off either at the PO counter or sometimes they will have a package drop box.

[Blitz]

I work in shipping, and if its a cheap part/cust wants the cheapest way, its post office. but yeah like jefe said, do it online, $5.20 or so for flat rate priority mail (small box and envelope), and hope that it gets there. anything else is ups, $11 but you get tracking/everything else.

[wayno]

i use UPS, i know it will make it, it always has tracking, i hate the USPS, and im a shipping manager at work so i have access to a full packing facility and they come to me mon - fri :D if its large stuff i ship greyhound

 

The customer wanted it shipped USPS because the UPS boxes get stolen off his porch, and packages sent USPS get put in his mailbox, which don't get stolen I assume.

[yenpit]

Shipping, USED car parts in this case, is actually quite a bit of work. Sounds like most Post Offices are slow......mine sure is! I've been shipping car parts for 28 yrs, so it comes relatively easy to me, BUT it does take time/labor. You have to be able to justify YOUR time & labor, ultimately into the value of the part, OR tell the buyer that you tack on a few bucks for handling. I generally won't sell anything for less than $10.........just not worth it. I custom cut boxes down smaller all the time, to suit the part being shipped, which really comes with experience. My favorite packing material for heavy parts is 3/4 extruded styrofoam sheeting from Lowes/Menards/Home Depot but it costs $12-13 a 4x8 sheet (I tack on that cost to the shipping cost).

 

Heavy parts that fit in the USPS Flat Rate boxes works great.

 

Larger heavy parts I ship Fed Ex Ground (I found it cheaper than UPS as a walk in, not a business. If you are a business, than UPS is cheaper)

 

Big parts (hoods, doors trunk lids, bare engine blocks transmissions) I ship Greyhound.

 

Small light parts I ship USPS First Class or Priority in my own box.

 

Larger light parts I ship USPS Parcel Post in my own box.

 

Biggest drawback to USPS as an individual, is no tracking # like Fed Ex or UPS. I prolly have a 99% success rate with USPS.

 

Hope some of that helps!

[wayno]

If your using a flat rate box, pay for the service online and print the label from home.

This is how I do it. I walk in the po ,drop off the package on their counter then walk out. Easy peezy.

 

 

You are right, this is likely the best way to go.

[Eagle_Adam]

The customer wanted it shipped USPS because the UPS boxes get stolen off his porch, and packages sent USPS get put in his mailbox, which don't get stolen I assume.

 

then ask for a work address, for 2 reasons.

 

a. UPS and FedEx both give discounts when you ship to a business address over a residential because they know there is a greater chance of someone being there to sign for it the first time. Hence no cost for re-delivery

 

b. chances of having something stolen at work is slim to none ( for me at least)

[Eagle_Adam]

and i dont have to wait till i get home to see my goodies ive ordered :D

[wayno]

then ask for a work address, for 2 reasons.

 

a. UPS and FedEx both give discounts when you ship to a business address over a residential because they know there is a greater chance of someone being there to sign for it the first time. Hence no cost for re-delivery

 

b. chances of having something stolen at work is slim to none ( for me at least)

 

 

This is a good idea also, I didn't think to ask about doing this.

I have shipped to an office before, and had the recipient say it didn't make it, and then I came back with, "are you sure it's not there", and it turned out it was there, mixed up with the office stuff. :lol: (another happy ending) :lol:

This shipping thing is new to me this year, I don't SELL :bye: datsun stuff, I BUY DATSUN STUFF!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[thisismatt]

Depends on the size/weight. Most small/lighter stuff I use USPS priority and if it's in state to where it doesn't get on a plane, then priority is fairly close in price to UPS ground even on heavy items. Heavier items, even if small, generally I go with UPS ground. But yes, I'm pretty sure USPS uses some kind of Special Olympics hiring scheme for their counter employees. Not to say they aren't nice, but most of the ones around here are as dumb as a stack of bricks and slower than a stock datsun on the autobahn.

[MikeRL411]

A caution on FedEX. Most routes have been designated as "independent contractor" deliveries. So what? My example, I ordered 100 rounds of ammunition. It was shipped FedEx with the appropriate shipping lable designating it hazardous cargo with the "Adult Signature Required" sticker prominently displayed. Care to guess what was dumped at my front door in full sight of the local "buyers" with no door bell ring or any attempt to see if an adult gave a shit what hazardous material was left for any casual ripoff artist to walk away with? The only saving grace was that it was .32 rim fire ammunition which wouldn't fit any favorite driveby weapons. I got to it in time, no thanks to the stupidity of the delivery van. Filed a complaint and got a nicely worded but nonsensical Indian [south East Asian as in Bangalore, not Native American] response.

[JoeCool]

UPS is WAY overpriced and they don't give a damn about your products. I have gotten more broken, leaking shit with them. It is ridiculous! Yet alone the UPS leaving things on the porch idea. I had them leave my pair of $700 speakers on my porch out in the open all day once. No one was home, just left them there. Luckily no one bothered the huge boxes with CERWIN VEGA all over them, I couldn't believe it! I have had them throw boxes on my porch when I was home. Don't even care if anyone is home, no knock, nothing. F**K UPS! My Post Office (USPS) has the APC machine in the lobby. No line, open 24hrs, and easy to use! And another option is DHL, they are cheaper and better than UPS or FEDEX.

[thisismatt]

...except the DHL employees will steal your items themselves if they know what's in them!

[yellowdatsun]

Shipping parts sucks. I hate doing it. At the same time I really appreciate others who ship parts to me. Especially appreciate it because I know what a pain it is.

 

UPS is *always* way more at the counter than what is calculated online, by things such as ebay. I get screwed every single time I use the quote thing on ebay. The only way to not get screwed is to add some handling charges or something to the auction.

 

USPS is usually much closer to the actual counter price if you calculate it online. USPS may be off by 5-10%, where-as UPS is usually off by 20-100%. There have been times where the counter price was double what the online quote was. I actually had a deal where I made nothing by the time UPS screwed me over.

 

UPS is far more convenient, since there's rarely anyone in line at the small mailbox places, and the post office usually has 2 slow people working the counter with 15 people ahead of you.

[wayno]

15 people ahead of you, that's hours at my local USPS!!!

:bye: I just wave bye-bye and leave, there is no way I will stand there that long. :no:

I like the flat rate boxes at the USPS, but it's the same issue, the line.

It was mentioned earlier that I could pay for the USPS service online and just drop the flat rate box off and leave, and if I get to the point where I am about to SNAP, I will likely go this route. :lol:

 

Definition of SNAP, to go postal, in need of professional psychological help.

 

Hmmm.........

[metalmonkey47]

USPS screws up pretty bad over here sometimes.

 

I had a harness dissapear for about 2 months. USPS refunded the cost, then the part showed up.

 

Then had a part that shipped from Oregon make it here, then USPS returned it back to the routing center in Oregon before sending it back over here. No clue why and they couldn't give me any answers.

 

Last issue was a block off plate I made someone that just flat out never made it. i made 2 others and shipped. Took a 4th try using UPS to get it there. USPS never located the missing 3.

[Dawa]

ive shipped over 6 sets of wheels (17-18") via ups & fedex. usually costs about $150 each time

to most places in the US.

 

was at fedex yesterday to get a quote for a bumper. its only 12lb but since its so bulky... $200 from CA to GA.

 

with fedex, you can open up an account for free and thatll save you money vs shipping without an account.

[Eagle_Adam]

dude, ship that bumper via greyhound for about $100!

[Juan Valdez]

dude, ship that bumper via greyhound for about $100!

 

How does that work? Box up your part, go down to the Greyhound station, pay fee, and they throw it on the bus?

[Eagle_Adam]

How does that work? Box up your part, go down to the Greyhound station, pay fee, and they throw it on the bus?

 

 

yup!

 

http://www.shipgreyhound.com/

 

i just sent a set of 620 doors from Oregon to Alabama for around $100 and complete 510 front suspension to Michigan for about $100

[jrock4224]

boxes and tape.....lol.....seriously though in the last year i dont think i have had more stuff lost or shipped wrong as i have recently...for like 6 months now.. ups , fed ex and even usps have been slacking and screwing up my stuff...