AVOID FEDEX "OFFICE" STORES, dispite what they tell you...rant Options

[Dr Evil]

I only ship FedEx for many reasons and experiences. The main reason is the cost for coast to coast with Ground is under $100 for a transmission. The nearest depot for both UPS and FedEx are far and via traffic laden, construction seized routes. I go to Office Max and the price is either the same as the depot, or very close. They are not thrilled when I come in and heft my 90# box onto their counter top scale, though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[rhodyguy]

mike, is that rate as a biz or what? when was the last time you shipped a trans?

[Dr Evil]

Not as a biz, and last one I shipped was last month.

[Cap'n Krusty]

I have a usps 2 miles away. They give me all the pricing options and no hassles. The employees get paid the same no matter what I ship. I used to ship from the bike shop that I worked at years ago but they dropped ups daily pick up because the costs had gotten out of sight.

2 caliper cores to Shea cost ~15 from the east coast - priority mail. Can't beat it.

The Post Office (Flat Rate Priority Mail) is, by far, the least expensive way to ship calipers. You can get 4 or 5 in a large box and pay under 15 bucks. You can set up an account and save a little more, too. They'll even send you bundles of boxes for free. I also set up a UPS account through Paypal, and the rates dropped significantly there, too.

[stugray]

I looked at the driver and said can any of you MF's read.

I was once driving behind a business as a UPS driver was unloading a box from the back of his truck.

He literally pulled it off the back and just let it fall to the ground. Then he looked around like "Oh did anyone see that??". He noticed that I saw him and just shrugged and went on about his business.

It also seems that the more "fragile" or "Handle with care" stickers you put on something, the more dents & tears you will have at the destination.

Stu

[rhodyguy]

weird..a 43x15x10 @ 26# ran an incredible $58.61! sounded way high to me. called to confirm and that's what it cost. do you box the trans or just roll it up in plastic?

[Dr Evil]

I box it. There is a sweet spot where the price does jump quite a bit. I noticed this when I used to ship seats. A difference of one inch was $50 ($38 vs $88). Make sure the agent measures correctly.

[76-914]

I looked at the driver and said can any of you MF's read.

I was once driving behind a business as a UPS driver was unloading a box from the back of his truck.

He literally pulled it off the back and just let it fall to the ground. Then he looked around like "Oh did anyone see that??". He noticed that I saw him and just shrugged and went on about his business.

It also seems that the more "fragile" or "Handle with care" stickers you put on something, the more dents & tears you will have at the destination.

Stu

It gets worse. A few years back I had a crew at one of their main terminal. e.g. behind the scenes. They later said it reminded them of the old Samsonite commercials when the Gorillas or Chimps were throwing the suit cases about, trying to destroy them. In March I received a radiator for my conversion that was shipped UPS. Guess what? BF'g footprint on the box. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) (ups=useless p s)

[euro911]

What cracks me up is the "fuel surcharge". A barrel of crude is over such and such a price for 30 straight days blah, blah, blah. This is the world, get control of your costs instead of y'all colluding to raise rates through surcharge. Pay senior management 100 million in bonuses then float a bond for 150million for capital improvements??? You ever notice that when the price of gas goes down the surcharges do not. My fricking garbageman adds fuel surcharge to the bill. I'm waiting for the "stuck in heavy traffic, thunderstorm and other acts of God surcharges" beyond our control. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Same thing happens at the gas pump. Prices immediately go up with speculation, but it takes months for the prices to drop when crude goes back down. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[patssle]

Buy the postage online and you can drop it off at the UPS Store without paying the store's rates. Just need to be able to weigh it at home and measure the box.

[euro911]

Sign up for a [free] FedEx account (IMG:style_emoticons/default/type.gif)

Pack as small as possible, weigh and measure, go on line to get the rates, fill out the form.

Print the label(s) and drop the package(s) off at any local FedEx facility. Cheap and easy.

Ground shipping (excluding 'Home Delivery') is less expensive if you have an account. Also, shipping to a business address is even cheaper. Ask your buyers if they have a business address.

I typically set up the shipping when I buy too. I get the weight and dimensions from the seller, go through the same on line process, but email the shipping label(s) to the seller. The seller drops the package(s) off and walks away . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[aircooledtechguy]

While I understand the shock when people see the price differences between the depot (the "wholesale" price) and like at the UPS Store (the "retail" price), but jeez, it's how ALL business works. The only difference is the % of mark-up that varies.

FYI: Clothing has SERIOUS mark-ups like 2-300%. Ever looked at Apples mark-ups?? That new car you bought cost you $3.5K-$6K+ OVER it's cost. The food you buy, the house you live in and my personal favorite GASOLINE (BTW the federal and state governments make more than the oil companies, but that's for another discussion)

Shipping is just one of the few items/services that you can buy at wholesale directly from the source. You all have talked about how you have to drive a distance to go to a FedEx or UPS depot to get the better prices and that the other places are more convenient, but more expensive. . . That's what you're paying for; convenience. That building the franchises work out of are not free, so that's factored into the cost they HAVE to charge in order to stay in business. The lights, phones, packaging materials, etc all have to be paid for. I mean really; do you think these places are here as charities?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I would encourage any of you to open up a franchise and show those greedy bastards haw to git-R-done, but I hope you do it with a good plan "B", 'cause you will be out of business by the end of your first week.