Shipping 80lb amps.

Use TForce Freight (UPS Freight) - double boxed and on pallet(s). I just received (in IL) a 500lb Yamaha piano via TForce from the piano dealer (shipper) in MD in perfect condition (box and contents) - double boxed on pallet.

The dealer (shipper) noted he’d used them for many years with only one issue, which they resolved quickly. As noted (above) they use fork lifts to handle the packages and are skilled in handling freight in contrast to routine boxes (lighter weight) of the typical FedEx / UPS shipment.

An easy step that can be taken to make sure an item is not abused by the delivery person (and I agree UPS is generally the worst), is to ask the seller to ship with a signature required upon delivery. It is less convenient, but will circumvent having the item damaged or destroyed. Nothing is 100% fool-proof, but if the delivery person knows they will have to face the recipient in person, they will not be so cavalier in their treatment of the package.

Bigtwin,

Exactly.

The UPS driver commented when he picked up a box of a pair of electrostatic speakers from my house  "This is a big box, big boxes don't do well, I hope it makes it".  WELL, it didn't make it.  All the above comments apply to this case.  I never got reimbursed.  They said I didn't take out the insurance.  (I have always taken out insurance)

SO, build a wooden box around the outside cardboard box OR plan a vacation to deliver or pick up the item.  Yes, more time consuming and more money but it beats having your property destroyed.

@skids   this is how I ships things.  Overkill?  No frikken way. 🤣

I have shipped quite a few items that were expensive/heavy. I would and have simply build a tight fitting plywood box to encase the item. Overkill? No frikken way

You can usually find pallets in industrial parks or behind active strip malls. 

You can screw down the crate onto the pallet but you also need to use straps. Ratchet types work well but make sure to go in opposite directions. 4 straps.

 It can still be turned sideways to fill in gaps and other items will be stacked on top of it regardless of stickers. Also insurance does work in case item goes "missing". 

One more thing labels on wood can be problematic. Multiple locations on the outside, label on the inside,  maybe one of those tracking devices folks on using onchecked luggage. Good luck.

I’m in Edmonton, just north of Calgary and best would be FedEx Ground. It’ll come across the border from Michigan to Ontario, clear a Customs there, sits in warehouse for a day or 2, then starts the drive across country, about 4-5 days.

As a Seller who has shipped from Canada to the US off of Canuck Audio Mart several times, I get the rate with insurance and Buyer pays amounting owing. Once done email them their tracking info. I’ve never had a problem with FedEx either, not sure about State side, using Canada Post is another nightmare in itself.....

Delivery companies, what a racket, it's one of the only business's that makes you pay for insurance in case they can't do their job properly.

I'd agree with others regarding insurance. I've heard horror stories regarding insurance claims with a carrier. Don't waste your money.

Where do you get the pallets and the strapping?  Do freight shippers do that also?  

@crustycoot   

That will get it there safe.  just realize you are paying about 300% of what it would cost you to package it carefully yourself and print out a shipping label online.

You can tell which sellers use your method of shipping by looking at what they charge for shipping.

Not criticizing since getting it there safe is the most important thing.  I just look at the total cost and decide if I'm ok with that.

Jerry

Be careful to insure each box for the full value of the pair if you ship them that way, unless Klaus would be willing to make you a single matched amp to replace one that is trashed.

FWIW I have made it a policy to bring my sold items to the UPS Store or Fedex/Kinkos and pay them to pack.  They use lots of bubble wrap and very stout boxes and I've never had any problems...but my shipments were not 80lbs. 

Have you considered Class D amplification?  Lighter for sure.  /JK

Ship on a pallet! I shipped an 85 lb amp via FedEx. It arrived at the buyer with a circuit board detached along with a capacitor. The box was intact with no damage. I guaranteed it was dropped to sustain that much damage.

Don’t ship anything in a box or case with a handle on it. With a handle, it’s like a personal challenge to the handlers to see how far they can throw it. I have seen dramatically less damage to items when any handle is eliminated. This even includes a Pelican case in which the handle was sawed off for such a reason. 

"Instead box it so they CAN'T break it."

No such creature. I once shipped a four foot by four inch diameter x 1/4 inch thick stainless steel pipe. UPS took the challenge and bent it. FedEx lost one of my Harbeth 30 monitors even thought shipped as a pair and labeled box one of two. The humor in it was they knew which warehouse it was scanned into, but could not physically locate the box.

Double box with double wall boxes, palletize, label "no top load" & "fragile" on all sides and insure it to value. Then photograph all sides.

Yeah the correct answer is box it well. The original box was only designed to be shipped on a pallette with the other 50 boxes stacked next to it. Also shippers use less care these days. Just a sign of the times we live in. They wear headphones and are just not plugged into the job they're doing.

Don't: double box it with peanuts. Peanuts migrate.

Do: take a roll of HD bubble wrap and wrap it several times around the original box in 2 directions. Then find a 'heavy' box (strong cardboard) that it will fit in. Use foam/bubble wrap pieces to fill any gaps. There will be at least a 4-6" gap from the original box from the outer box. Then write fragile all over it with a thick red marker.

You will not need insurance with this type of packing. But never a bad Idea.

I don't know if it's been mentioned already above, but there's a good chance you'll get hit with US Customs duties, unless you pre-arranged that with the shipper. 

There are at least three different entities involved here and you need to understand the rules of all of them! Basically, it's your amp UNTIL the customer gets it and is happy. Yes, happy. It can arrive at their door in perfect condition and if they choose to refuse it, the return charges are on you. If it's damaged and the buyer refuses it, you could get it back and be compensated .19 cents per pound! (This happened to me). If you're using Paypal, they almost always side with the buyer in a dispute. Understanding ALL the rules will save you some grieve. Like many said above, over pack it. Good luck. Joe

I will also add one suggestion as a shipper.  Skip insurance.  If you ever have to make a claim, you'll be making $2/hour for all the time you spend on it, not to mention frustration.

Instead box it so they CAN'T break it.

Jerry

With over 40 years experience in small package and ltl (freight) heavy items shipped UPS, FedEx will be dropped, slid, and generally mis-handled

 Freight shipments will be handled with a forklift and can have other items stacked on top. It is all about making everything fit. Loading stickers are basically useless other than helping your claim. Take pictures before shipping, document worth of item, insure, and overpack item. Wooden crate on pallet is best.

Use a freight company, palletize and strap the amps onto the pallet then shrink wrap over it so nothing can be placed on top of it.  Fragile stickers can also help.  Most importantly double box the amps.

Good luck!

Carlsbad is correct. 
Do not allow buyer to arrange shipping nor payment and to deal with the shipper, that is, use his (buyer’s) account. Insurance will not cover anything shipped to oneself. 
 As a seller, YOU arrange and pay for all shipping costs. Of course, buyer can reimburse you if agreed. This is the only way you have you have a chance at an insurance claim. 
You sold it. You ship it. You pay for all costs. 
I’d pay close attention to Klaus’ advise. He’s the man. 
Good luck. 

As I have shipped well over 12.000  boxes in the past 20 + years,  I can definitely state that they are all the same.....UPS / Fedex / DHL,  etc.

2 problem areas:

1.  the centers in which any box will be handled and thrown around multiple times,  and

2.  ultimately the driver itself....he who doesn't give a shti is working for all of these companies.....

Any insurance co-writers of these companies have the 200 lbs per square inch impact  /  policy for the shipping boxes.  If there's damage,  and the boxes are not rated at least 200 psi's then the insurance companies (which are a nightmare to deal with anyway...deny, deny,  deny) will definitely walk away from their obligations.....   All of our boxes are indeed rated the industry standard 200 psi,  but you should check before hand whenever you ship anything.

Also,  it is  true that any box will lose rigidity after it's been shipped at least 1 time,  so yes,  all of the advice above about double boxing is a good one.....and even double boxed,  make sure that the outer box is also rated at 200.....these MF's are really peculiar about this number.....

Good luck,

Klaus

Use FedEx and insure accordingly. Carefully double box with extra padding.  No need for a pallet.

Use a freight company double boxed and on a pallet as others have recommended. I would shy away from FedEx and wouldn’t even consider UPS. UPS is extremely rough with heavy fragile items and their claims department is thoroughly indifferent and will string you along for months and try to pay you next to nothing. I say this because I know from experience!

I have had very bad experience with UPS.  They literally dropped a speaker at my house which after a long hassle wound up with a $2K payment from them. I would use Fedex. 

Best

JH

Shipping is by nature the responsibility of the seller.  If the seller wants to insure the package, they enter into an insurance contract.  I highly recommend that buyers stay away from shipping decisions.

I always tell the shipper to take as much time as necessary to ship it safety and to make their own decisions.  If something happens then they can't say "well I did it the way you told me to".  

For a buyer to consider taking any responsibility for a shipment that the seller packages is a fools errand.

Jerry

Thanks for the suggestions.  Agree on Klaus's packaging.. very average. 

@benzman  I live in that area.   Get a quote from Ship Canada.  Have it put on a small pallet.  Their 3rd party insurance is very cheap.  Excellant company.  Have used several times and nothing but 100% satisfaction.  Request quote from Emma 

emma.higgins@shipcanada.ca

I also agree with everything above. The amps should be in their original box and packed in another box. Shipping them on a pallet is recommended. Please contact your shipping company to confirm packing suggestions and the best way to ship.

Yep I agree with the previous two posters. Ship double boxed and freight. I think it’s a bigger responsibility for both buyers and sellers to spend the extra time and money to go the full measure... to go overboard... when shipping items both expensive and heavy....than what what one would typically want to do. When a seller cuts corners, packs too carelessly, ships too fast and has not communicated with buyer as to the expectation of the actual shipping details... things go south quickly and often the buyer and seller have to fight about insurance and coverage or compensation.

The magic number for FedEx is 65lbs in a cardboard box.  Above that, the likelihood of damage increases exponentially.  My advice is send it FedEx freight on a pallet.  I know this costs more but will radically decrease the likelihood of damage.  

Don’t let him ship the amp in original box alone!  The Boxes Odyssey uses are just, “good enough”.  After one use, they seem very flimsy.  Make sure it is double boxed!  I learned the hard way when I shipped name Stratos out in original box, it barely survived the trip.