Jacob Runyan on thu 12 jan 06
I do not ship from a UPS store...unless I am running
late. The UPS store has a pickup at 6:30 PM whereas
all the UPS terminals close at 6 around here.
The reason that shipping a package to ANYWHERE outside
of the US is expensive is what UPS calls a brokerage
charge. It just means they do the paperwork to get
the package over the border...ya know, customs, etc.
I can UPS a package to Winsor (45 minute drive) and it
will cost me close to 75 dollars. It's just due to
customs.
For all other continental US shipments, you can't beat
them...well, you can, but you dont get package
tracking. Once in a while they lose something...or
damage something. I have never had anything damaged.
I buy all of my boxes from a local guy in Ann Arbor.
He charges a little more than ULine or the other big
suppliers, but when I need a custom box the next day,
he is there for me...plus he knows UPS. If I ever
have a damage claim, I will give it to him, give him
20 bucks and let him deal with UPS....and he'll get my
money back. He knows how to word the
conversation...he's been in the game for a long time.
This is the trick...find a local packaging guy that
does shipping. Buy your peanuts and boxes from him,
make a friend, support a local business. They'll help
you out...they are the experts in shipping, not you or
the UPS store. Like you said, the uPS store hires
high school kids...this guy does it for a living. He
not only knows the rules of the game, but he's really
good at playing it. It'll probably cost you more in
the short term, but in the long run, you'll make out.
-Jacob
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dalecochoy on sat 14 jan 06
From: "Jacob Runyan"
To:
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 12:56 AM
Subject: UPS and international shipping
> The reason that shipping a package to ANYWHERE outside
> of the US is expensive is what UPS calls a brokerage
> charge. It just means they do the paperwork to get
> the package over the border...ya know, customs, etc.
>
> I can UPS a package to Winsor (45 minute drive) and it
> will cost me close to 75 dollars. It's just due to
> customs.
Yes, Customs!!!! The laziest ,most rude and untrained US employees!
I import wood carving tools from Europe for retail. I find that if they send
them by a carrier like UPS or FedEx that the packages usually get caught by
customs and sometimes opened . plus, i often get a seperate bill from a
customs brokerage company ( a real racket!) that handles packages from these
carriers. It SEEMS they bill you if over some unknown value, slow, or bored
or something!? . But, when the same items are sent through mail, I rarely
have had customs open them, and never got a tariff bill or customs broker
dealer handling charge.
Basically it was cheaper by mail, but, my SENDER seems to like to use
another carrier on his end. Not sure why. He DID have a major tussle at last
shipment that was coming to me. It was held at broker for over a week and
almost didn't make it to my biggest show of the year. I got it the night
before I left at like 6 pm. He personally called NYC customs broker and got
into a battle with them and the shipper as he felt, and I agree, that if I
pay to ship something somewhere via "X" carrier that they should be figuring
in and handling that broker.Thats one of the things that you are paying for.
They finally dropped the fees! It's kind of a double-billing game with these
brokers that sit there at customs.
>
> For all other continental US shipments, you can't beat
> them...well, you can, but you dont get package
> tracking. Once in a while they lose something...or
> damage something. I have never had anything damaged.
I haven't, luckily, by either UPS or USPO whether I packed or they did.
or lost. I did, ONCE, have something returned in mail with incomplete
address comments, from PUERTO RICO. I had to phone the guy about the address
he gave me. He sais "Oh yes, there are some local info I should have added!"
idiot! Why would someone not give a complete shipping address for an obvious
out-of-country shipment. I recharged him to ship it again!!
>
>
> I buy all of my boxes from a local guy in Ann Arbor.
> He charges a little more than ULine or the other big
> suppliers, but when I need a custom box the next day,
> he is there for me...plus he knows UPS. If I ever
> have a damage claim, I will give it to him, give him
> 20 bucks and let him deal with UPS....and he'll get my
> money back. He knows how to word the
> conversation...he's been in the game for a long time.
Thats a handy connection :>)
>
> This is the trick...find a local packaging guy that
> does shipping. Buy your peanuts and boxes from him,
> make a friend, support a local business. They'll help
> you out...they are the experts in shipping, not you or
> the UPS store. Like you said, the uPS store hires
> high school kids...this guy does it for a living. He
> not only knows the rules of the game, but he's really
> good at playing it. It'll probably cost you more in
> the short term, but in the long run, you'll make out.
We had a shipping connection local, right next door to PO. They went out of
business. Charged too much!
Dale
>
> -Jacob
>
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