beyondthebasicblackdress
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posted on November 22, 2007 06:03:06 AM new
Is anyone having problems with their shipping calculators. I just had to cancel some auctions because the calculator was giving unreasonable shipping quotes. A lady this morning just told me that my cake plate was going to be 128.00 to ship to CA.
I've had a couple of questions this week on other crystal asking why the shipping was so stinking so high.
Anybody else having that problem?
I'm wondering if it has anything to do with having to put the diemensions of the boxes into the listing form.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
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pmelcher
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posted on November 22, 2007 10:13:04 AM new
Are you choosing oversize package 1 or 2? It makes a difference, I think, and yes, the dimensions make a difference more than 4 'zones' away from your zipcode.
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roadsmith
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posted on November 22, 2007 12:04:08 PM new
This zone business is making me very happy that I don't have large breakables to sell any longer. Shipping more than 4 zones away is astronomical.
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pmelcher
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posted on November 22, 2007 03:09:34 PM new
Any more I do my buying by what will fit into Priority Mail boxes or smaller! It is so much easier. Hubby still sells larger things but not me.
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max40
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posted on November 22, 2007 04:52:48 PM new
Had problems with the last 3 Parcel Post shipments. 1 arrived after 12 days, 1 arrived broken 13 days and the third took 22 days to arrive. I had 3 customers emailing me regularly.
No more Parcel Post, I'll use UPS thank you.
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beyondthebasicblackdress
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posted on November 23, 2007 06:54:53 AM new
Thanks for your replies. You would think that I wouldn't pick up anymore big fragil items.
I'm sure though that it can't be $128.00 to ship one cake plate to CA from NC.
Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving.
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birgittaw
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posted on November 23, 2007 09:10:54 AM new
Well, it COULD be quite accurate actually. What were the dimensions of the box? Another really good reason never to use parcel post for anything large going across country.
And perhaps it was a good thing that it showed up WITH the dimensions or you might have had a really nasty surprise at shipping time.
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niel35
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posted on November 23, 2007 10:07:17 AM new
In your listing, and I may be wrong - under Calculated Shipping Options I check Package/Thick Envelope Parcel
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roadsmith
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posted on November 23, 2007 10:51:33 AM new
I don't see how shipping a cake plate coast to coast could possible cost more than $100! I just went to the P.O. site, typed in 10 pounds (an estimate for your cake plate at the very highest with packaging), estimated a package 20 x 20 x 10, had it go from California to New York, and it came in at parcel post about $25. Handling costs would add something--but we're nowhere near the $100+ that showed up for your item.
Edited to add: I also checked the "large package" option when I did this.
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[ edited by roadsmith on Nov 23, 2007 10:52 AM ]
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birgittaw
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posted on November 23, 2007 11:29:21 AM new
Do the same with dimensions of 22x22x22 (covered cake stand I think this was) and you get $127 something. Reduce it by an inch, and you get $56. That's why I was curious about dimensions.
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niel35
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posted on November 23, 2007 12:02:25 PM new
Yes, lets have the dimensions so we can figure it
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beyondthebasicblackdress
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posted on November 23, 2007 07:33:01 PM new
Hi, Sorry I haven't responded. I have been gone all day. I will get back to you with the dimensions that I used on this one.
It has happened on a couple of auctions also. I hate having to figure out how to pack fragil items so that they don't get broken. I maybe over packing, by using too big a box and too many penuts.
I will get back to you with the dimensions that I did use in just a bit. I do appreciate you guys trying to help me figure this out.
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beyondthebasicblackdress
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posted on November 23, 2007 07:44:12 PM new
Ok this is the information entered for the shipping calculator.
13 pounds
22 x 22 x 24 box size.
This is the message that was sent to my ebay.
The shipping calculator says you are going to charge $128 to ship this to San Diego, California. I guess I won't be bidding on your plate.
I just can't figure out why it is giving her that huge amount for shipping.
Would anybody trust DHL with shipping fragil items?
I know that their charges are way below USPS.
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on November 23, 2007 08:29:35 PM new
The reason for the high charge is probably tied to the May 14 USPS increase for anything larger than 1 cu foot - going more than 3-4 zones away from you.
I'd use FedEx Ground if I were you. We just shipped two 12x12x16 boxes about 5 states away and the cost was $25.50.
Once you start bumping up the size above 12x12x12, the weight automatically increases when we ship via Priority Mail (we never use Parcel Post because fragile items in the mailstream for a long time are exposed to more opportunities for damage). We found out the significance of the price increase based on size when we were shipping a 3 lb box that was 1 inch larger than allowed cubic foot - and it bumped it up to something like 13 lbs instead of the 3 lbs actual weight. While not the difference you probably see in your circumstance - it's still a lot more than FedEx charged.
If you haven't already gone over to www.USPS.com and clicked on the "Calculate Postage" button -- why not?
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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niel35
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posted on November 23, 2007 10:33:33 PM new
I use DHL for anything bigger than a Priority Mail box 12 X 12 X 10. I ship china and switched to DHL after the rates went up at the USPS. No problems at all - no breakage or loss. What is the size of this cake plate? The measurements you give for the box seem awfully big for a regular cake plate which is usually around 14" in diameter.
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roadsmith
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posted on November 23, 2007 10:33:52 PM new
I didn't realize earlier that you're going to ship a cake plate with a cover. I can see why that would add lots of bulk to the package.
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birgittaw
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posted on November 24, 2007 04:15:30 AM new
So nothing wrong with vendio calculators. It is indeed the size of the box. Like I said, better find out before auction ends than later!!
I ship everything FedEx including glass lamp shades and chandeliers -- some shades are as large as 14x14x10 and thin. So far, FedEx has proven the best for me, although I've had good experience with DHL as well for some really huge packages.
Parcel post is generally not an option for me, unless it's very close by and big and heavy and FedEx charges too much for rural delivery. PP to NC for example takes two days and is much less than FedEx in many cases.
As for your cake plate, you may be better off shipping in two packages. Or find a box that is taller than wider -- say 18-20" and then box each piece individually (I recycle #7 priority mail boxes for this purpose -- the PO does make good boxes!). If you bubble and double box properly, you won't need an awful lot of space between the boxes and the wall of the outer box. Styrofoam sheets work even better than bubbles as the last layer (I find these at my furniture store's back door).
There are probably as many schools of packing as there are posters here. Find what works for you, but forget the post office for anything heavier than 3 lbs. and bigger than a #7 box (12x12x8) unless it's going up the east coast.
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beyondthebasicblackdress
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posted on November 24, 2007 06:01:42 AM new
Thank you everybody for the great information. It looks like I'm either going to figure out how to get it safely in smaller packaging or keep it for myself.
I had checked the price at the usps site but forgot to click the oversize box so thats why there was such a difference between vendio's calc and the usps site. That made the two spot on in cost. So it isn't the calculator as some have pointed out.
I just went back and took a closer look at the same item up for auction and also completed. The shipping price is all over the place. Some want 15.00 and others want 40.00.
So back to the packing table and see if I can reduce the size of the box.
I think I best stay away from really fragile items.....they scare me.
Thank you once again for all of your great advice.
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toybuyer
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posted on November 24, 2007 02:26:04 PM new
By the way, USPS does do some shipping for UPS and DHL. First hand information from my postal carrier.
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