Question about Shipping


Hey Guys,

Question about shipping a product.

I wanted to ask for advice from people who have sold equipment and how they went about shipping their product.

I am contemplating selling an integrated but before I get to that point, I am trying to get baseline numbers on shipping.

I went to Fedex today to talk to them, inquired about double boxing, provided value  and weight of product and gave them the furthest zip code from me (within the lower 48 states to get an idea of how much shipping would be).

 

They do not insure the product and stated I would need to insure with a 3rd party.

Anyways, here are my questions, hope people who have gone through this can chime in:

1) Who is your preferred shipper?

2) I am assuming you probably choose to ship ground unless the buyer wants it quicker?

3) Do you insure with the shipper or are you forced to go through a 3rd party?

4) I am assuming you include all the shipping costs in the price of your product or do you eat some of it so that you can sell your product?

5) Besides Audiogon, do you prefer some other site for selling?

6) Do you prefer to use Paypal or some other form of transaction?

7) I suppose a local sell would always be better to avoid the headache of shipping?

I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

128x128jay73

I us FedEx - they tend to be more reliable than others. FedEx always asked how much I want to insure it for. They probably have an upper limit. I;ve never been asked to insure it through a 3rd party. 

If the buyer meets my asking prince I'll pick up shipping. If not, we'll negotiate or they will pay. People are now used to free shipping so be sure to stipulate shipping prices and expectations BEFORE generating an invoice. 

Always ship in the original box if you have it and if it's in good condition. Manufacturers use them to ship units across the country so they should be okay to use again. However, if the box is compromised at all, find a bigger box to use for double packing. Shipping companies are loathe to admit fault and will find every weakness in your packing. If FedEx packs it themselves, then it's on them. 

If it's not super large/heavy or super expensive then FedEx should be fine, insured through FedEx. Are you sure you went to a FedEx Kinko's Office Center (or the equivalent depending on what country you're in) and not a third-party store that is an authorized FedEx shipper?

Otherwise you may need to look at a freight service, and maybe a pallet.

If the integrated amplifier was shipped to you, how did it arrive?

Thanks for this feedback, this helps.

When I talked to Fedex today, they stated that if a product goes missing or damaged, they try to find the same product for sale or something similar and what ever price they come across, that is what they reimburse.

Basically, their way of getting out of providing full value of what was originally stated as the value when shipping.

They recommended to go through a 3rd party for full value insurance.

I have tried Craigslist before and would love to sell through there locally and just receive cash, that would be very ideal but seems like I get a lot scammers through there but I might give it a shot if I get to that point.

Appreciate the feedback.

Jay

If I'm selling electronics online, I take photos, then pack the box before I even write the ad. Usually, I double-box to prevent even unlikely problems.

Having the packing done allows me to get accurate weight and dimensions before I list the unit. I find that makes sales easier, as through Audiogon, e.g., the buyer can choose their freight service and insurance if that information is in the ad. And it lets me ship the unit immediately after I have payment.

When I talked to Fedex today, they stated that if a product goes missing or damaged, they try to find the same product for sale or something similar and what ever price they come across, that is what they reimburse.
 

This is really interesting information. I just wrongfully assumed that if it’s insured up to whatever amount you paid for, you would be reimbursed up to that amount.