Shipping fees

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Apr 2020 8:42 am

Has anyone else encountered exorbitant shipping charges lately? UPS wanted $180 to ship a Boss Katana amp from NY to CA. I had to cancel the sale and now Iâ€™m looking for a seller on Reverb that is a little closer to home.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 12 Apr 2020 9:14 am

Ridiculous charges. I guess thats the new coronavirus stick it to you fees.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 12 Apr 2020 9:33 am

i know that some of the shippers added a hefty surcharge for items over like 50 pounds. it was something like $50 more than usual.

Barry Coker · Post by **Barry Coker** » 12 Apr 2020 9:42 am

I got a shipment in Fedex and they had 2 people in a Ford Transit when the guy opened the door there wasn't a box in there of any size.

Barry

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Apr 2020 10:37 am

Shipping fees are through the roof.
UPS even up charges to a higher weight just for box size.

I sold a Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb and shipping was $51+change. Shipped from Tampa Fl area to St Louis. Boxed it was 40 Lbs but it was charge 75lb rate.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 12 Apr 2020 12:12 pm

At least you're not a piano dealer!

I can tell you from recent experience it's worse for commercial shippers getting them to schedule pickups and actually show up but if you're using fedex Ground/Home it depends a lot on the company that's contracted do pickup and deliver those

From December

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=352928

The links to their base rates and surcharges are in there, if you want your head to explode (with info or with rage or maybe both)

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 12 Apr 2020 2:22 pm

"UPS has been on a mission to eradicate undesirable freight. Specifically targeting larger, heavier and oversized packages that do not align with their shipping network. As you can imagine, these large and heavier packages consume more of their time, space and most importantly, their profits. To make up for the additional work and overhead needed to handle these unwanted shipments, UPS has significantly increased the fees associated with handling them. The fees most affected include Additional Handling, Large Package and Over Maximum Limits. If you ship large and heavy packages, be prepared to see your shipping costs rise significantly in 2018 and beyond."

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 12 Apr 2020 2:37 pm

I just shipped the Telonics amplifer that was won at the Texas show (the winner was flying).

UPS wanted $270 to box, insure and ship.

FedEx did it for $175 and even did the expandable foam to protect the amp.

Either one of these is rediculous.

However I can buy a product for $8 and get it shipped free.

I think the shippers are giving the large companies rediculously LOW rates and making it up with us.

I shipped a ShoBud SuperPro a couple of months ago and it cost $290 to pack and ship.

WHEW!

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 12 Apr 2020 9:00 pm

I think Greyhound Bus is the way to go where possible. It is put on the bus and taken off at destination terminal. Less handling and usually one or two day trip.
Jerry

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Apr 2020 9:07 pm

Thanks Jerry, thatâ€™s a great tip for something that I had not known about.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Apr 2020 2:09 am

In 81 when I got the Franklin it was shipped from Nashville to Kansas City, MO via Greyhound. Paul said that was the best way back then. It worked for me as the Greyhound bus depot was across the street from where I worked. The Greyhound bus depot in Kansas City is now a small location in a less desirable area of the city.

Its not a viable option in my area in Florida. The closest Greyhound bus stop "Terminal" used to be a gas/convenience station 25 miles away. That bus route has been discontinued. I don't know where the closest is now. Even if that was still there I wouldn't use it.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 13 Apr 2020 6:21 am

Jack, according to the website, Greyhound will now do door to door with local couriers. My nearest terminal is 75 miles away, so that option would be convenient.
https://www.greyhound.com/en/about/medi ... 08-28-2013

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Apr 2020 6:23 am

The last items I've shipped went via USPS.
They will handle items up to 75 lbs. and seem to be the most reasonable at present.
Everything has arrived unscathed.

Erv

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 13 Apr 2020 6:44 am

I have 3 sheets of 1" gray case lining foam I don't need. I had a forum member willing to buy them but UPS wanted $160.00 and FedEx ground over $200.00. So it was a no sale. This was from TN to LA. It was about $2.00 USPS to ship my Knob Guards. Now it is $5.46. I'm glad I'm retired and not in business any more. The shipping costs of my products would prohibit anybody placing orders. I know large companies that ship a lot are getting a hugh discount. It looks like shipping companies just don't want to mess with an individual that is shipping only one package

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 13 Apr 2020 7:10 am

You can keep the price down by:
1. Open a FedEx, UPs or USPS account.
2. Do your own packaging (save big $$$ doing this)
3. Print your shipping labels on-line.
4. Drop package off at shippers location.

By performing the above steps the shipper never has to spend time handling your package other than transporting it from point A to point B.

I've been doing the above for years...have also seen rates go up...but nothing like what y'all are experiencing.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 13 Apr 2020 7:11 am

Jack Stoner wrote:Shipping fees are through the roof.
UPS even up charges to a higher weight just for box size.

I sold a Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb and shipping was $51+change. Shipped from Tampa Fl area to St Louis. Boxed it was 40 Lbs but it was charge 75lb rate.

Yeah, they call that dimensional weight. Just a way to charge more for the space it takes, I guess. I haven't shipped any really large or heavy pkgs. recently, but all the stuff I'm sending out is through USPS.

Gary Kaye · Post by **Gary Kaye** » 13 Apr 2020 10:34 am

Try Federal Express Home Delivery service for better rates, I find this is typically less costly.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 13 Apr 2020 7:25 pm

Yes, Shipping is outta sight. Two or three years ago I shipped fifty pound SD-10 steel guitars or fifty pound LTD 400 Amps for like $50 all across the country. Today it runs over a hundred dollars. And I am in reference to UPS, Fed-X and I even shipped one Greyhound but it was as much as the others, just got their the same day.
Maybe not as big a chance to get damaged. What I have seen going on is the carrier company's are hiring more ladies to be courier drivers, small, little drivers. Nothing against a lady driver but they cannot pickup a 50 lb box and carry it. You can only imagine the results, I have seen it. So the shippers are trying to discourages us from shipping anything heavy so they do not have to here from the ladies about weight. So when a shipping company wants to charge a extra $50 if it weighs 75 lbs. what does that mean, special handling, by who. I just went thru that with a D-10 guitar. But they are a freight company and what is a freight company? Someone who hauls freight. It should arrive as good as it was when it left. We all know that does not happen. So I would suggest to the carrier company's to hire people who can handle the weight. J.R.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 13 Apr 2020 8:48 pm

few months ago some people on here were accusing me of ripping them off when I asked $150 for packing, shipping (UPS) and insurance... last ZUM I shipped costed me $300 to ship ...

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Apr 2020 12:32 am

Its been downhill ever since deals were made for "free shipping " be it USPS , UPS or FED EX etc with the on line services.

We may very well buy an $8 item and have it shipped for free ( as Bill says above) from an online service but when we go to ship something locally "NOW WE ARE PAYING" for that free shipping.

I personally would like to know who made the deal with Amazon for FREE USPS shipping as now that $5 Priority Mail package costs near $10. Because thats when it all began. Its seems everyone else was forced to follow suit, they literally had no choice.

"Pin The Tail On The Donkey"

Just as a point of reference, my wifes business, we used to be able to ship a 15x15x15 package , under 20 pounds, for around $10, now its closer to $30. That business is now dried up , shipping costs are over the top . Here's the other dirty little secret, now because that "over the phone" business is dried up, our yearly shipping costs are under $1000 , where it used to be well over $3000 a year ! Guess who isn't getting paid for any shipping business and we are just very small potatoes. Now guess who's shipping costs have gone up !

Free shipping , what a deal.

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 14 Apr 2020 10:33 am

I have used FedEx only in the US and Canada. An employee of UPS insisted I use his UPS account a few years ago and it did not make it to the Chicago area. He ordered a second steelseat and had me ship it to his sisters house and he got the second one FedEx in a couple days. 14 months later a co-worker of his happened to be in their warehouse in St. Louis and happened to find a dusty box in the corner. Yep he now has two seats.

In addition to that I had a couple damaged seats and only think I used them less than 10 times and they never covered any damage costs.

On the other hand after shipping thousands of steelseats FedEx all over the US and Canada I have had two damaged and they paid the claim within 30 days. On top of that they gave me credit to my account for more than the four times the freight of those seats.

U S Post Office has all my international business. Just shipped a seat to Denmark and it got there the same day one got to Florida shipped the same day.

Joe Naylor
steelseat.com

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 14 Apr 2020 2:52 pm

Exactly what Tom Campbell and Joe Naylor says.....That's IT and there is NO OTHER WAY....PERIOD!!! and I've been shipping hundreds of Steel Guitars all over the world(only USA now) for 25 years.(been Fedex Member now for 13 years)
Ricky

Greg Youngman · Post by **Greg Youngman** » 15 Apr 2020 8:00 am

I purchased a Roland RD-2000 digital piano with a price tag of around $2500. It came from the dealer shipped via FEDEX. The box was destroyed. The keyboard miraculously survived. I wanted a box in good condition. Wouldn't you? The dealer could not just send me a replacement box - Roland does not offer empty product boxes. Understandable. The dealer had me return the keyboard and sent me another one via UPS on their dime. Received box and product in perfect condition. I've had items destroyed by both carriers. You just have to get lucky.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 15 Apr 2020 4:49 pm

My shipping nightmare story ended happily today. The Katana arrived this afternoon, 3 days after ordering from a Reverb.com dealer in Portlandia. Base price was $40 more than the one in NY, but itâ€™s brand new (as opposed to â€œused mintâ€), and shipping was $25 UPS. All in all, I spent about $100 less than the cancelled order. So how many lessons are in this story anyway?

BTW, my initial reaction to the amp - it sounds wonderful and looks like itâ€™s going to be a great combo for my Carter S12.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 15 Apr 2020 10:26 pm

there is no difference between UPS and FedEx when it comes to handling packages , I worked for FedEx Ground as a contractor for several years, and the same high school kids loading our trucks , would go to UPS and load theirs, and vice versa ... rules, and policies may be different tho , that I donâ€™t know ...

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