Shipping cost! $$$$

Bill Alexander · Post by **Bill Alexander** » 12 Feb 2023 6:26 am

Just passing info probably already realized. Check your shipping cost before you commit to a price. Inflation has hit the carriers big time.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 12 Feb 2023 8:04 am

Bill; it is the Packaging/Shipping companies that have gone double up in pricing. When you take your steel to a freakin "Kinkos"(insert any package/shipping store) and have them pack/box/invoice and ship it is Double what it cost me to Pack/box/invoice and drop off at Fedex to put on Truck. I'm a Fedex Member and that is how I ship a Steel; and yes since inflation; I would say before that hit I would average 80.00 to ship fedex(after I do all packing/boxing/invoicing; and now during inflation that has gone up 20 to 30 dollars more; so in the 100.00 dollar range. Just to prove the point. I had a customer have packaging/shipping store Ship a steel to me and it cost him 250.00 and when I shipped it back with "ME" doing it; it cost 118.00....
Ricky

Bill Alexander · Post by **Bill Alexander** » 12 Feb 2023 8:14 am

For sure. Even with the pice of gas it pays to drive from place to place to check the cost.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Feb 2023 8:52 am

Shipping costs have gone up the last couple of years. I have a discounted paypal UPS account and even with discounted rates its still high. I recently did a 100 CD project (just CD's no jewel cases) it was $20.16 to ship from Tampa to Panama City.
I also have a Fedex account but its not discounted so I rarely use it.

I sold a lot of stuff, downsizing and retiring from playing in bands, the last couple of years. I still have some small items but shipping costs have prevented selling. I sold two steels but stipulated no shipping, didn't have any problems selling them.

Mike DiAlesandro · Post by **Mike DiAlesandro** » 12 Feb 2023 10:19 am

Ricky Davis wrote:Bill; it is the Packaging/Shipping companies that have gone double up in pricing. When you take your steel to a freakin "Kinkos"(insert any package/shipping store) and have them pack/box/invoice and ship it is Double what it cost me to Pack/box/invoice and drop off at Fedex to put on Truck. I'm a Fedex Member and that is how I ship a Steel; and yes since inflation; I would say before that hit I would average 80.00 to ship fedex(after I do all packing/boxing/invoicing; and now during inflation that has gone up 20 to 30 dollars more; so in the 100.00 dollar range. Just to prove the point. I had a customer have packaging/shipping store Ship a steel to me and it cost him 250.00 and when I shipped it back with "ME" doing it; it cost 118.00....
Ricky

Exactly!

Nicholas Scott · Post by **Nicholas Scott** » 12 Feb 2023 1:04 pm

Figured I’d add this to the thread. I’ve shipped guitars using https://www.pirateship.com/ and always gotten a decent deal especially with the latest shipping increases. Figured I’d suggest it just in case anyone is looking for shipping discounts.

Al Meyers · Post by **Al Meyers** » 12 Feb 2023 3:19 pm

I bought an inexpensive postal scale and opened a UPS account on-line. You can save a lot of money by printing the shipping label at home. The store front UPS, Staples, etc., add an upcharge.

You can also use USPS priority boxes and print a priority label from the website. Not as cheap as it was a few years ago, but cheaper than letting the postal worker at the post office figure it for you.

Mike Polansky · Post by **Mike Polansky** » 13 Feb 2023 7:02 am

Nicholas Scott wrote:Figured I’d add this to the thread. I’ve shipped guitars using https://www.pirateship.com/ and always gotten a decent deal especially with the latest shipping increases. Figured I’d suggest it just in case anyone is looking for shipping discounts.

I use pirate ship for everything now. It's so much cheaper than buying labels straight from the shippers and a lot easier to use.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 13 Feb 2023 7:35 am

So how does Pirate Ship discount shipping rates and they don't charge a fee to the user?

Jameson Koweek · Post by **Jameson Koweek** » 13 Feb 2023 9:44 am

Bill Ferguson wrote:So how does Pirate Ship discount shipping rates and they don't charge a fee to the user?

Same way Walmart can charge less, by accessing a higher volume of traffic and guaranteeing a higher volume of sales to the provider, at a lower margin. The site is mostly utilized by other e commerce websites, but is accessible to individuals as well.

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 13 Feb 2023 7:42 pm

Had to ship a small 1940's Amp and two lap steels to Australia from Oregon.
FedEx wanted $2,900 and I could have got on a round trip flight for $1,800 and taken the amp in baggage with one suitcase and the lap steels on as carry on.

Ended up shipping via USPS for $600.00 so that kept the deal going.
The FedEx would have made the sale impossible.

Keith Bolog · Post by **Keith Bolog** » 14 Feb 2023 9:06 am

.......The packing services dont understand the mass of a steel. They way overpack and that really ups the ship cost significantly since all freight rates have gone dimensional - size, less so than weight, determines the cost.

Worse, their method of packing often allows the mass of the guitar to fight its way out of all that padding or peanuts, it ends up right against the edge of the box unprotected. I rec'd a push pull with case hinges bent thus misaligned, and a carter with all the cross shafts dislocated....in big giant boxes full of packing material. Ugh Never again.

Please pad the guitar/legs inside the case to avoid movement, and double wrap right against the case with heavy duty cardboard then if you can cut a hole where the handle is it suggests a method of handling it. Keeps the USA cost nearer to $100. So far Im claiming 100% success with this method.

If you are shipping within heart of Midwest, spee-dee courier hand carries door to door for about 40 bucks but you have to find your own insurance. You dont even have to box it up (tho I recommend).

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 22 Feb 2023 9:59 am

Yeah, I just went in the hole again on shipping an item. Freight quotes do not include acquiring proper packing materials, cartons, drop off mileage etc. unless you're hiring them to do all that.

Some of that is on me as the carriers will usually pick up an item or can be dropped off at an agent for them. I like to mitigate damage risks with another handling event as each time the odds go up for mistakes, so I take it to the depot myself.

I think my sales prices are fair for the most part and I try to just charge actual costs for shipping using the freight calculators but it's never enough for the entire ride, considering all the incidentals.

It gets pretty thin, but I don't see how I can ask more. I have hard enough time just selling buyers on the quotes.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 22 Feb 2023 4:43 pm

The companies that ship do tend to take advantage,
A lady friend sent me a five string Steinberger bass via FedEx.
They packed it a box atleast three times bigger than what was needed
Total cost was $157.00 which was atleast two and a half time what it should have been. It pays to pack it yourself.
I just shipped a Zum Encore to Kentucky for $60.00.
Why the reluctance to ship when the buyer pays the shipping ?

Harry Johansen · Post by **Harry Johansen** » 22 Feb 2023 9:43 pm

And shipping to Europe..200 and up.

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 24 Feb 2023 5:54 pm

Just shipped a Telecaster from AR to OR Tele, case, boxed up weighed 26 lbs. UPS store was gonna charge me $247 ground.

Outrageous!!
I got on UPS website got a shipping label shipped for $117 . Few years ago I could ship
a steel guitar for around that amount.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 24 Feb 2023 7:45 pm

remember , if you pack it yourself and there is a damage , there is no guarantee you’ll get reimbursed, even if you insure it , if they pack it, it’s on them , and you will get reimbursed… at least that’s how UPS works … all that “DIY” stuff is fine until your $6000 ZUM gets trashed

Bill Alexander · Post by **Bill Alexander** » 25 Feb 2023 4:56 am

I would never ship anything with such a value.

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 25 Feb 2023 5:34 am

Damir Besic wrote:if they pack it, it’s on them , and you will get reimbursed… at least that’s how UPS works …

I’ve heard of claims denied even when THEY pack it. If it’s packed properly, which, UPS might not do, chances of damage in transit go way down. The steel has to be properly secured IN THE CASE first and foremost. Ricky Davis explained it best at top of this post.

Mike DiAlesandro · Post by **Mike DiAlesandro** » 25 Feb 2023 6:13 am

K Maul wrote:
Damir Besic wrote:if they pack it, it’s on them , and you will get reimbursed… at least that’s how UPS works …
I’ve heard of claims denied even when THEY pack it. If it’s packed properly, which, UPS might not do, chances of damage in transit go way down. The steel has to be properly secured IN THE CASE first and foremost. Ricky Davis explained it best at top of this post.

The other issue is if it gets lost in transit, and the party shipping doesn't purchase the proper amount of insurance, the shipping co. is only responsible for the declared value... Had that happen on a split case for a Super Pro, lost in Troutdale, Oregon Fedex depot.

I insured the main case for the primary amount and only $300 for the split case w/ pedal bar, legs, pedal rods and the case itself. I was outta luck on this one...

Here is a Williams in a recessed wheeled case I packed yesterday. As far as I am concerned, the packing job is MY insurance, and I still need to purchase the declared value amount from the shipping company in addition to this.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Shipping cost! $$$$

Shipping cost! $$$$

Shipping cost! $$$$

FedEx is through the roof!

What they said, AND

Ship

Shipping cost! $$$$