Shipping Question

[knpc]

I'm getting ready to sell a couple of boats and wanted some advise on shipping. What company to use and how to calculate shipping cost to be able to include it in the price. I have bought plenty of stuff but never shipped anything.
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks
Kevin

[Steven Vaccaro]

The most important thing is a well packed box. Make sure any pointed parts have extra padding to stop them from being forced out of the box. As far as pricing goes. All the major carriers have online pricing calculators. I would stay away from USPS. They are very expensive now for large boxes.

[longballlumber]

I would stay away from USPS. They are very
expensive now for large boxes.

I would also concur with Steven's above statment. USPS has gone out of there mind regarding pricing and boxed item shipping.

[Flying Scotsman]

Do not use UPS for a foreign destination. You will have one very upset customer when he receives his brokerage bill.

Douggie

[Apples1]

Lol...

[egneg]

I have always used USPS Priority Mail - granted I have only sent props but I have never had a problem or a complaint. I have shipped to every one from the canucks in the great white north to mates down under. I feel that any added expense on my part has saved a lot of headaches on their part.

[knpc]

Thanks for the help. I'll try fedex or ups, I think I have both stores in my town.

[RandyatBBY]

Steve who are you using for big boxes? I have never used any one but USPS the shipping prices on the big stuff sucks.

[RandyatBBY]

Ttt

[old guy]

Every boat I have had shipped with UPS was F%ck up when it got here. I would use USPS. If you want to ship it to Canada a 32 cat cost me 28.50 and UPS would have been about 75.00 with all there hidden fees
Old Guy

[highndry]

Everyone has a different experience. My personal experience has been positive with ups and the usps. I have had very negative results with dhl..the key is in the packing. Make it bullet-proof an do not use dhl.......my 2 pennies.

[RandyatBBY]

I agree on the shipping with UPS I think it is called "Drop Kicking" they have destroyed everthing I shipped. USPS has never lost or broken a thing. So Who is as good but cheaper?

[sailr]

First, let me say I am in the model boat business and do a lot of shipping. Here are my experiences and recommendations:

Last year, USPS went to a volumetric formula for large boxes. They have priced themselves out of business and they wonder why they're losing money and now want to cut our mail service back.

UPS is outrageously overpriced.

FedEx ground is great! I ship with them a lot. Pack the boat well. Don't try to just CRAM it in a box. I wrap the boat in a few layers of bubble wrap and then let the wrapped boat "float" in a sea of foam peanuts. If the boat is really heavy, provide a styrofoam 'bulkhead' on each end of the box. Another thing about FedEx ground. They are really pretty fast believe it or not. I have had large boxes go from Tampa, FL to Wisconsin in as little as three days. I have never had Fedex break anything. Can't say the same for USPS. UPS deems it a requirement to break everything I think. UPS is horrible!!

Gather up all of your packing materials and the boat. Weigh everything. Measure the box L x W x H.

Go to www.fedex.com and enter your data. Don't forget to add insurance if you want it insured. You will need to enter a zip code. I always use 90210 (Los Angeles) because that is pretty much all the way across the country from Tampa. You will get a price. I then add about $5 as a buffer in case the boat ends up going further, like Seattle or even Hawaii. Sometimes you make a tiny bit on the shipping and sometimes you lose. It all seems to even out in the end.

As for overseas shipping, I use USPS. They seem to allow larger packages in EMS (express mail service) than domestic priority mail.

DHL doesn't do domestic shipping anymore. There are other trucking/freight lines out there but a lot of them don't deliver to home addresses.

Good Luck! Hope this helps!

Jim

https://www.minicatracingusa.com

[sailr]

Randy.

TTT?

Ttt

[sailr]

For anything 12" x 12" x 12" or LESS, USPS priority mail is the choice but for anything larger than one cubic foot, forget priority mail. For outside the USA they have larger limits using EMS and it can be done through USPS.

I have always used USPS Priority Mail - granted I have only sent props but I have never had a problem or a complaint. I have shipped to every one from the canucks in the great white north to mates down under. I feel that any added expense on my part has saved a lot of headaches on their part.