The $13.00 cardboard box

[R-WEST]

The missus and I were shipping some stuff home to the kids last week for Easter, so, we went to the local UPS shipping center.  We had a bunch of bags that had the goodies inside, so we needed to get a 22" x 22" x 22" box from the UPS guys.  The guy stuck everything on the scale, hit a few buttons, then said, "that'll be $52.50 for ground shipment".  I said "good grief, how much does all that weigh?" - it weighed 24# +/-, so I mentioned the price seemed a tad high.  The guy just shrugged and said "well, do you want to ship it or not?".  Didn't have much choice, had to get 'em shipped, so I forked over the greenbacks.  When I checked the itemized bill, the cardboard box was listed as $13.00!!    They should keep those things in a vault!!

[MRadke]

With the USPS you could have probably shipped it for half of that and they would have given you the box.  I don't ship much UPS anymore.

[cammerfe]

UPS is arrogant, indifferent, and sometimes downright hostile. As said, check with USPS.

KS

[garyv]

I built a really nice wooden crate to ship my top loader tail shaft housing to David Kee to have it
bored for a big output shaft.
Took it to my UPS terminal and was told it had to be in a cardboard box. They would not ship a wooden box.
Fortunately I know the lady that works there and she put the wooden crate in a cardboard box for
me and didn't charge me.  Would have been about 15 bucks more.
I have had things shipped to me in a wooden box before but it was through Fed Ex.
Next time I will go with USPS.  Lord knows they need the business.
I have heard nothing but horror stories about using one of those UPS Stores to ship things.
That was discussed at length on the FE Forum about a year or so ago.
Don't use them !
garyv

[427Fastback]

I live in BC Canada and most of my stuff comes from the USA...I avoid UPS at all cost...I happily pay for USPS unless I have no choice then I check my options....I despise UPS and there made up charges...JMO....Cory

[Drew Pojedinec]

When dealing with a UPS store....
Go online, get a UPS account, package your shipment, weight it, pay online with a credit card.
Take package to ups store with the label already printed out and send it.
They will have to weight it anyway, but this way you avoid the retail fees of the UPS store.

I recently shipped a third member for $60 this way.  Was 88lbs

[MeanGene]

We are lucky enough to have a UPS terminal right here in town, and service is great. I shipped a toploader up to Oregon a while back in a wooden crate, no problem. I also use Priority Mail boxes and strapping tape, given to my neighbor by a salesman trying to convert him, but his shop is a block from UPS. UPS guys crack up when I bring one in 

[rockhouse66]

We are lucky enough to have a UPS terminal right here in town, and service is great. I shipped a toploader up to Oregon a while back in a wooden crate, no problem.

Your wooden crate may have been "no problem" but when I did this they delivered the box but then charged me extra after the fact for the non-standard packaging.  You can literally staple cardboard to your wooden crate and they are OK with it, but otherwise expect either refusal or an extra charge.

I live in the boonies and much prefer the service provided by UPS, but I have now signed up with a FedEx account which I think provides a small discount and the prices are much lower than UPS.  I recently shipped a Lakewood bell via FedEx for $50 that was $88 to ship UPS.  And this is based on shipping online and prepaying from my computer.

[JamesonRacing]

I use Fedex to manage all my outbound (and even some inbound) shipping.  Built a wooden box and shipped a toploader a while back....140#s total weight.  Just dropped it off at the Fedex counter.  I use my account to send return shipping labels to people that I buy things from so I pay the actual cost rather than the usual high markup that some people will charge for shipping.

[MeanGene]

Nope, no refusal or extra charges, and I went down and talked to the counterman (at the "real" UPS terminal, not a "Store") about it first. One tip he gave me is to have any auto parts clean and free from oil, as they have "sniffers" that red flag if they detect oil. This is the plywood box on L'il Forker", went to a forum member in Oregon with zero problems, and weighed well over 100lbs in the crate. A real UPS terminal is way different from  "Store" that makes it's money on packaging and convenience

[cjshaker]

I must be lucky. I live near a small town that has a local hardware store that will process and ship UPS for no charge except what UPS charges. I also know the local UPS delivery guys personally (from shipping and receiving so much stuff over the years ) and they are great. They will stop by and deliver to me at work if I'm there or to my house and put it in my enclosed porch if I'm not.

I just recently shipped an extra toploader I had to David Kee for the big shaft and heavy bearing conversion. I just had him send me his poly crate first (no charge on Davids part, but have done business with him before), strapped it in and bolted it together, then off to the local hardware.....where they struggled to weigh it on there 100lb UPS scales. Even their 100 year old hardware scales only went to 120 lbs, so I had them call David, he gave them a weight and off it went. Never had a problem with UPS.

[jayb]

I ship all my books with USPS, and with over 1000 books shipped I have only had one that didn't make it to its destination.  That one turned out to be not USPS's fault; I stuck it in my mailbox on the day of a snowstorm last December, and the snowplow came by and hit my mailbox, knocking the book out into the snowbank.  The customer called me after a month and said he hadn't received the book, so I shipped him a replacement and figured USPS just lost the first one.  Then  I found it about a month ago when the snow melted, about six feet from my mailbox LOL!

I ship most of my intake manifold adapters with UPS, and also have had no trouble.  I just drop them off at the local UPS store already boxed and labeled and there has never been a problem.  However, UPS charges a bunch to ship internationally, so I use the USPS for international shipments of the intake adapters.  Prices are much better, and also no problems with deliveries.  But shipping a large box with USPS in the US is more costly and time consuming than using UPS, so I stick with UPS for US shipments.

Bottom line for me is that I'm impressed with both organizations, and will continue to use them both - Jay

[cjshaker]

....I have only had one that didn't make it to its destination.  That one turned out to be not USPS's fault; I stuck it in my mailbox on the day of a snowstorm last December, and the snowplow came by and hit my mailbox, knocking the book out into the snowbank....  Then  I found it about a month ago when the snow melted, about six feet from my mailbox LOL!

  Now that is funny!!

[Garyford]

For Easter packages to the kids, we have done well using USPS flat rate boxes. The cost has gone up a bit, it used to be $7.00 (can't remember what the new rate is) and that included the "box". Buy your Easter goodies accordingly; it is amazing what one can fit when weight is not an object.

Having said that we've had good results with UPS and Fed Ex also, depending on size of package.  Our local UPS guy was curious about all the automotive shipments a few years back and asked to see the project cars 

[Qikbbstang]

Insured, tracked and when you go through the eBay checkout it automatically addresses the label for my printer and pick them up from my home. BONUS is they discount big-time!    Amazing $5.50 when it's about $8.00 if you went to the Post Office and did same Flat Rate