Shipping Questions - First Time Seller

you could try to sell it in your area. drive to meet someone half way so a shipper does not touch the box. it is worth trying.

if you have to ship I would still put something around the outer box. when I sold my last amp I double boxed and then put a very dense cardboard (that I got from work - 1/8" thick) in front of the box where the faceplate is as well as dense cardboard corners on the front and back, top and bottom strapped to the box. this is good protection in case of the box getting dropped or something poking the front.

to some extent you want to protect the boxes themselves as it adds to the overall value and (obviously) the amps thmeselves would be protected

good luck

Don't we all wish every seller had the foresight you've got, trying to head off problems before they happen. I've had very bad luck with audio gear shipped by UPS, FedEx, and DHL. They all seem to employ mean spirited, slippery fingered workers who never pass up a chance to drop a heavy box of my equipment. Consequently, I overpack and prepare for the worse. Seldom is manufacturer's packing adequate IMO. I always reinforce the foam inserts with additional bubble wrap and/or cut foam shaped to support the gear. Boxes that have made more than one or two trips are usually structurally compromised, so I make or get new boxes. Something heavy like an amp would be well served by having a custom made shipping crate made. Failing that, I always use fiberglass reinforced banding that's secured with crimped steel clips to hold everything together. If in doubt, consider a second shipping box for the tubes. Every shipper I've ever used brings gear to the door (but I live in a suburban home, not a third floor apartment.)

i have been apart of shipping over seven years now , with speakers to amps, etc...over seventy sells, i have stopped shipping....it is not worth the sell to me anymore....i would sell locally or meet someone . it may take you longer, if you are local to a city, things obviously be better, if you have to ship...boy,,good luck,,,,none of the shippers handle any of the transaction very well. i have stopped due to the shippers mishandling and just too much stressss......

that's going to be tough to ship successfully. I'd call the dealer of ARC and see what they recommend.I'd also ship with the tubes in place.

I recently shipped monoblocks which were about 60 lbs each. I reinforced the original packing with additional Styrofoam panels, then over packed the original boxes with additional Styrofoam panels inside new boxes. I talked to the guy at Fed-ex, who told me everything should be packed to withstand a drop from 3 feet. The most common event is for a box to fall off of a conveyor belt, which is about 3 feet high. Make sure they put fragile and heavy stickers all over the box. You may want to pack the original box, then have Fed-Ex or UPS over pack in a 2nd box. They are a bit less reluctant to pay damages on something they have packed. Sending the tubes separately is probably a good idea.

In addition to double boxing and all the brownsfan comments, it needs wood crating with metal straps.

I always remove the tubes and ship them separately by USPS Priority Mail. For an amp like that it is cheap insurance and the buyer would probably agree. The tubes will arrive before the amp as USPS Priority is usually about 2 days. At 80lbs I think you are over the UPS limit (which I believe is 70lbs). The question is not whether they'll drop your box, it's from how high and how many times :-) Honestly, if you ship your package across the country via one of the big shippers it will likely end up on miles of conveyor belts used for sorting and moving. Those belts are several feet off the concrete ground and packages can fall off of them. That is why UPS specifies that you pack your items to sustain a 3 foot free fall. I've had great luck with USPS Priority, but your package will be certainly too big to ship that way. I'd agree completely with those who advise a beefy outer box or crate for a component of that size. Probably the safest shipping method for a large heavy item is strapped to a pallet by air freight. I've used a terminal to terminal company called Forwardair, but they're only in specific metropolitan areas and they are only terminal to terminal. Check in your area for freight shipping options that will strap to a pallet and insure electronics for possible loss or damage.

Good luck, and good on'ya for asking first.

80 lbs isn't that much for common carriers such as UPS or Fedex Ground as long as it is properly packaged. I would use the original boxes and have it reboxed in another box with large bubble wrap or foam all around the original box; don't ever use peanuts.

Obviously, shipping LTL on a pallet is going to be the safest way but will cost about double what regular ground shipping will be and would affect the sales price of the amp if you take this into acount as the buyer may be reluctant to pay for LTL palletized shipping with liftgate service.

Both UPS and FedEx are in 'tight' mode due to the economy and are very reluctant to pay claims. If you do ship it common carrier, I would take pictures of the original box, the amps, the amp in the box and the second box with the foam in it just in case something happens.

I worked at FedEx for 20 years. My 2 cents.

PS-Anything over 100 lbs I would ship by LTL pallet.