10 May
2010
10 May
'10
12:14 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Leonard" <trixter at oldskool.org>
To: <General at mail.mobygames.com>; "Discussion at mail.mobygames.com
:On-Topic
and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 6:44 PM
Subject: Reasonable shipping method for personal computer?
I would like to start selling, trading, and donating
some of my collection
to get it out of the house and into the hands of people who could use them;
they range from small classic macs to amigas to 5150s to large pentium-era
towers. However, I've been hamstrung by my choices of shipping things that
are larger than a book. Choices for shipping in the USA are the USPS, UPS,
and FEDEX. The questions begin:
- Which one is best for PC-size boxes?
- Which one is best for PC-weight boxes?
- Which is the most convenient?
- Some services pick up from your residential location rather than you
having to lug a heavy box to a counter somewhere; does anyone use pickup?
If so, which one?
Any advice and best practices are appreciated. I am even willing to
donate some of this stuff not if it's going to cost $75 a box...
--
I tend to use USPS Parcel Post for larger items like computers because it
tends to be the cheapest but not the fastest.
USPS will pickup packages you know:
http://www.usps.com/pickup/welcome.htm?from=home_shipstartfinish&page=r…
You need to Apply postage so you need to have a decent scale for weight
measurement and either a bunch of stamps or a prepaid shipping label using
the internet. Read the fine print.
Some people like using drop of services that will make your life easy but
add a bunch of cost making some items not worth buying.
What you are doing is what most ebay sellers have to worry about, and it
seems (from all the junk I get) USPS is the most preferred method from
ebayers. Once in a while on a large item (or people who rip off their work
to ship something there) I get something in FEDEX. UPS is a rarity for some
reason, used mostly by large companies with major discounts. Too bad DHL bit
the dust, they had the cheapest shipping for large heavy computers by far.
For the smaller stuff USPS flat rate boxes work out well, and they will
deliver a bunch to your house for free, you can order online. I suggest you
look into finding cheap boxes and packing material before you worry too much
about actual shipping. Anything you come up with will be time consuming
since I think you have a very large collection?