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OT: Lesson in shipping via UPS


skatalite

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I recently sold an electric guitar and I shipped it out today. I charged $45 shipping, thinking it would actually be too much. I ended up paying $57 shipping. Here's why:

 

Box was $6

Peanuts were $10

 

Ten bucks for peanuts! Bah!

 

So, can anyone recommend how to better prepare for shipping, as in a good place to buy supplies beforehand? Assuming this buyer pays for this bass he bought from me, I'll be spending more than $57 for shipping due to weight. Any help is appreciated. I've never shipped a guitar before until now. Haha.

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I hear those airbags work nice for shipping basses. Probably cheaper too.

 

 

Luckily I still have the SX box my SX came in. So I'd likely just put the bass in a gig bag, then stick it in the box. The gig bag is rather thick and would be better than peanuts.

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I hear those airbags work nice for shipping basses. Probably cheaper too.

 

+1

 

Ishibashi music uses those, I haven't had any problems with basses packed using them. :)

 

 

oh yeah, UPS suck monkey balls! They wouldn't deliver my package for like a week because they didn't want to go to my area or something. :mad: I ended up getting them to deliver it to my office.

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Find your own boxes and packing material. Then get married to a chick that has access to corporate shipping discounts. That G&L I shipped ya? $14 UPS Ground insured.
:thu:

 

We gotta work out an agreement for some of that!

 

The discounts, not your wife.

 

Actually, I might have access here soon. The guy who's helped me out the last two times is going to bring his guitar by my place and I'm going to do a set-up on it for him. So, if I get in good with him, I get in good with UPS! :blah:

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Never pay for styrofoam peanuts for filler, scrounge around and find something that will work. Plenty of places throw them out. I've got enough stockpiled from ebay purchases to survive Armegeddon. If you can't find peanuts, just use shredded or crumpled newspaper or cardboard or even busted up shipping styrofoam.

 

The envelopes do work well, and they're usually recyclable, but honestly, free is cheaper, and the free alternatives are usually just as environmentally responsible.

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If the bass is in a case I ship it with a little padding on the top and bottom, but that is what a case is for. If it's not, I keep boxes and materials from things I buy so I don't really have to worry about it. I also have a DHL account which gives me good discounts on shipping.

 

 

 

Dan

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A roll of bubble wrap at Office Max is dirt cheap. Boxes too. Especially when compared to Mailboxes R Us. I always pack with my own supplies, greatly reduces the cost right there. And I ship direct from the FedEx station nearby, not a boutique mail house, which is about a 40% savings right there.

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