Those using Fastenal Shipping

[fairlaniac]

I never use it. A person looking at purchasing some heads from me asked for me to use Fastenal. Is it the Blue Lane Freight that is on their site? I assume it is a Fastenal to Fastenal location delivery? Can you walk into your local Fastenal and ship immediately or must you go online, set up an account first? Thanks!

[wowens]

Set up online acct 1st. Then get shipping cost quote online. Anything insured must be in a fully enclosed wood crate. I think max insurance is 3k. Drop at store and pick up at store.  Lot's cheaper than freight lines. It is Blue Line..

[chris401]

Set up online acct 1st. Then get shipping cost quote online. Anything insured must be in a fully enclosed wood crate. I think max insurance is 3k. Drop at store and pick up at store.  Lot's cheaper than freight lines. It is Blue Line..

In the Southern area is is 3PL unless they changed last year.

[Towd56]

I have done it several times on east coast. 3PL is the term or site I have used prior to delivering package for shipping

[shady]

I shipped a tire. It had to be on a pallet and it had to be strapped at three places. They didn't tell me that until I walked in the store.

[475fetoploader]

I haven’t tried them yet, but in the last 3 months I spent $150 shipping heads fed ex to Arizona, $168 shipping a crank to North Carolina, $150 sending exhaust manifolds ups to Tennesse. So I’m thinking it’s worth a shot, because fedex and ups, have made me have sit in the corner and cry while they explain their prices to me.

[blykins]

If you don't have a FedEx or UPS account, I would highly recommend getting one.  You don't need to be a business owner to snag one and it will save you some cash. 

As far as Fastenal goes, my latest fiasco with them goes like this....

I sold an engine block to Joe Craine.   I asked him where he wanted it shipped and he asked me to send it to his neighborhood Fastenal.  To be fair, I didn't add 2+2, and just thought he had a contact there, knew the store owner, etc., and it would save him some money since they would have a forklift there.   So I'll take the blame for being a temporary bonehead, but I had my freight broker ship the crate down there via AAA Cooper freight.

When the crate arrived at his Fastenal, they immediately called me and were talking to me like I had tried to burn down their store.  "This isn't an approved shipment!  Who told you to do this?!?"  After I explained the situation, they gave me and Joe both the run-around, saying that they would probably have to send it back to me, and get corporate involved.  When Joe showed up, they demanded that he show them proof that it had been shipped from me, give them the bill of lading, etc., then they charged him $150 to just load it in his truck for him.   

Nice people.

[cjshaker]

If you don't have a FedEx or UPS account, I would highly recommend getting one.  You don't need to be a business owner to snag one and it will save you some cash. 

As far as Fastenal goes, my latest fiasco with them goes like this....

I sold an engine block to Joe Craine.   I asked him where he wanted it shipped and he asked me to send it to his neighborhood Fastenal.  To be fair, I didn't add 2+2, and just thought he had a contact there, knew the store owner, etc., and it would save him some money since they would have a forklift there.   So I'll take the blame for being a temporary bonehead.

However, when the crate arrived at his Fastenal, they immediately called me and were talking to me like I had tried to burn down their store.  "This isn't an approved shipment!  Who told you to do this?!?"  After I explained the situation, they gave me and Joe both the run-around, saying that they would probably have to send it back to me, and get corporate involved.  When Joe showed up, they demanded that he show them proof that it had been shipped from me, give them the bill of lading, etc., then they charged him $150 to just load it in his truck for him.   

Nice people.

Brent, what was their issue with the shipment? I had a tranny shipped in a big crate (big enough for an engine block) from Ben H. to my local Fastenal. No issues and the guy was very nice and polite and helped me unload the crate from the pallet and then put the crate in my truck with a forklift. He even took the pallet when I said I didn't need it. It was my first time using Fastenal and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went. From experience, I've found that workers in nation wide businesses vary greatly from location to location, and that makes a HUGE difference in how things go. Maybe visit the store first, and you'll get an idea of who you're dealing with, and whether or not you want to deal with that store?

[blykins]

I guess the gripe was that it was not arranged through a Fastenal store, store-to-store, like the 3PL or 3PO or whatever they call it. 

That store in San Antonio can go find some sand and pound it. 

[JamesonRacing]

I shipped a load of engine parts to Blair via Fastenal...went smoothly with no issues and saved me some coin.  Would do it again.

[67428GT500]

I love dealing with Fed Ex. in 20 years they have never lost a single shipment. Of course, I get a good discount being it's interline shipping.  I had a block shipped to me from the Pacific North West. Three days to my door. 262.00. 
I know some of you followed my Yellow Freight Ordeal last year. JOY!

[ntheogen]

I ship stuff all over the damn place and have used fastenal a bunch, it's no longer 3pl, it's called blue lane now. Their prices have gone up and aren't always the cheapest anymore in my experience. Freightqoute is a great alternative but you have to create an account to be given a different dashboard online to be given all the different options that make things easier. Fastenal is save and secure though.

[fairlaniac]

I signed up for Fedex. $126 to send two iron heads from PA to Utah. Fastenal wanted $397. I found out not all Fastenal stores are on the freight program. I called and talked to a young lady but that didn't solve anything.

Thanks for the replies. BTW, UPS was $236.

[BH107]

I have used Fastenal quite a bit the last few years and they have always beat everyone else handily on
Larger shipments like a complete engine in a crate.

[Joe-JDC]

Fastenal has changed their business practices here in Texas, to not allow walk-in traffic.  You cannot go to their stores and buy bolts unless you have an account, tax number, and over $25.00 purchase.  You order your parts on line, and go there to pick them up.    Shipping has increased 50% over what it was three years ago.  So, unless you have an account and shop online, you cannot just walk in and buy from them.  The deal with Brent was totally a misunderstanding on everyone's part, but it sure hurt the pocketbook to make it right.  I will take my business elsewhere from now on.  Joe-JDC