9 May
2010
9 May
'10
6:44 p.m.
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...
--
Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/
Help our electronic games project: http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/
A child borne of the home computer wars: http://trixter.wordpress.com/
9 May
9 May
8:16 p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org]
On Behalf Of Jim Leonard
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 3:45 PM
To: General at mail.mobygames.com; Discussion at mail.mobygames.com :On-Topic and
Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Reasonable shipping method for personal computer?
- 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?
---->
I tend to use FedEx for most domestic shipments and USPS for most
international stuff.
That's just how the pricing works out.
FedEx will pick up, but there is a charge.
FedEx is also the least likely to use your package like a football and the
most reasonable to deal with if there is damage in transit.
On that front UPS wears brown for a reason. .-)
Erik Klein
www.vintage-computer.com
www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum - The Vintage Computer Forums
marketplace.vintage-computer.com - The Vintage Computer and Gaming
Marketplace
10 May
10 May
3:14 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?
3:22 a.m.
On 5/10/10 3:14 AM, Teo Zenios wrote:
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.
I do an awful, awful lot of shipping and receiving.
For outbound packages, I only ship via FedEx ground. Accounts are
cheap and the service is fantastic. I use them exclusively because I
like stuff to actually reach its destination intact. USPS has lost
several high-dollar packages for me and refused to honor the insurance,
while UPS tends to destroy things.
For inbound packages, I rarely see items shipped via USPS, though I
suppose a lot of the stuff I buy doesn't come from individuals. When I
buy stuff on eBay, I usually specifically request (or INSIST if it's
something rare) that USPS not be used. USPS is the Wal*Mart of shipping
services: Rock-bottom prices, but shitty products, you always end up
paying a lot more in the long run, and you always see lots of "those
people" in the checkout lines.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
5168
days inactive
5169
days old
3 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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