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Shipping Alert!!!

SPUTNECK

Monkey
Apr 8, 2003
152
0
Raleigh, NC
I was just getting some numbers on sending a COD bike, already boxed from Raleigh, NC to Washington State. If you are buying, selling you should know this.

Be very careful using the UPS Stores.

I took the box in, wanted to send COD, the measured, weighed it and along with the price for Insurance (covered up to $1000.00) the toal came to $149.00 and change. That was a 7 to 10 day shipping......what a rip!

I took the same box with the same circumstances to a Fed-EX location.....total cost....$37.00. Yes thats right $37!!!!...and the delivery day turnaround is guaranteed by weeks end.

I'm just trying to save a guy some money and could not live with myself by having him pay an extra $150 to ship a COD bike to him....

Shipper beware of UPS Stores.....
 

Evel Monkey

Monkey
Oct 28, 2003
329
0
PNW
Thats funny. I had the same thing happen to me, except the stores were reversed. It just comes down to the volume of the package.
 

LeeOz

Monkey
Aug 20, 2003
111
0
NYC
Gotta say I never been lucky with Fedex Ground... When I was waiting for the delivery of my frame from Seattle, they were late... by 5 days
UPS guy knows me now, after all the parts I bought ;)
 

spincrazy

I love to climb
Jul 19, 2001
1,529
0
Brooklyn
Any UPS store or Maiboxes ect will rip your wallet to shreds. Always best to go direct and get an account.

FEDEX ground fan here too.
 

Zaskar Rider

Monkey
May 29, 2002
242
0
PNW
That sucks because I have never had a problem with UPS before (knock on wood) and I've heard so many stories of fedex losing things that I tend to try to stay away from them.
 

N2Deep

Chimp
Dec 10, 2002
3
0
On The Lake N Logandale NV
The price increase comes from Mailboxes ect. and not directly from UPS. They pay the same for their UPS charges just as any other company, but have to mark it up to make a profit. So the store is ripping you off. It seems that the freight is fairly competitive but the markup profit is NOT!! I live where Fedex Ground only comes 2-3 times a week so it takes an additional few days by Fed-EX. I never use them here- always UPS and can ship a bike for about 40-50 bucks.
 

RDU

Chimp
Apr 6, 2002
32
0
RDU
Just shipped a 50lb complated bike box L52"xW9"xH34" from Raleigh, NC. to Tacoma, WA via FedEx Ground 5 day service. Tad under $40.00. Not bad;)
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I used to work at a UPS Store, and the freight prices between FedEx and UPS are about the same, but UPS stuff typically moves faster because of better efficiency. The cost markup on your stuff was cause you were at a UPS store (They tack on 10-20%), and insurance is $10 per $100 after the first $100. If you packed the bike well enough, it would survive the 20 foot drops it takes at the hub and you wouldn't need insurance :P.

FedEx insurance process/making a claim=HELL.

Another thing that might've factored in on the price difference was that UPS ships to main hubs in large cities, and sending that bike from a main hub to a rural town 400 miles away can cost quite a bit, while the FedEx system doesn't do it (Not as efficient for most people, but cheaper for rural).
 

Langer

Monkey
Mar 27, 2004
254
0
Hiding
I currently work at a UPS store. The UPS stores are suppose to charge the same rate as the UPS depots. If they dont they get fined. As for shipping rates with big heavy boxes being cheaper via Fedex ground, that is correct. We have compared rates in the past for big heavy boxes and Fedex beats us $70 sometimes. I suggest getting estimates on line at their websites, just make sure your demensions and weight are correct so you dont run into any surprises at time of shipping.