Be wary of your local drop and ship type places.

leesonic

Captured on security camera...
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Just a warning to make sure everyone is on their guard at these local pack and ship type places.

I have had an amplifier here since before my heart attack, and I wanted to get it back to the owner. Since I was feeling a little better, I managed to box it up, and had my mom (who is staying here for a week), carry it down to the car. My first instinct was to just take it to the Post Office, but I have a FedEx account, and I thought I would ship with them. The only snag is, I don't have a working printer right now, and couldn't print off the shipping bill.

So I went to my local pack and ship type place, armed with my FedEx account card. This is a place I have used time and time before, although strictly for drop-offs of packages with pre-paid labels. I explained to the guy behind the counter, I wanted to use my FedEx account to ship this package, he said they only had FedEx Express labels, not FedEx Ground. Maybe it's my fault for not grasping what FedEx Express actually was. I asked if they give me an approximation of the shipping amount, he said he couldn't.

This was yesterday, this morning I tried to track the package, but to no avail. I then called up FedEx, and managed to speak to someone who was able to track it, I had been using the number with some extra numbers on the end. I asked if they could tell me how much would be charged to my account, and they said $107.07. Wow! This was because it went FedEx Express, the lady on the phone said if I had used Ground (which was unavailable to me), it would have only been $29.77, this is from NJ to CA.

So, just a warning to anyone using these type of places, keep your wits about you. I have yet to see this amount be charged to my FedEx account, but I'm sure it will hit my account once the package if delivered.

Lee.
 
that sound wrong to me . i wouldn't think they could send something without firstly agreeing on the price . unless that sort of thing is in the contract you have with them ?
 
Unfortunate story, but don't let it get your blood pressure up. :D
Very glad to hear you're feeling better and back among us.
 
that sound wrong to me . i wouldn't think they could send something without firstly agreeing on the price . unless that sort of thing is in the contract you have with them ?

You would think that this should be the case, but it isn't. Ebay switched from UPS to Fedex, and the amount they quote is only an estimated cost which isn't billed until the package actually goes through their terminal. I've noticed that the quoted price is usually lower than what is actually billed, so much so that I only use USPS on ebay now.
 
Wait... you had a heart attack? Glad to hear that you're on the mend!
 
Ebay switched from UPS to Fedex, and the amount they quote is only an estimated cost which isn't billed until the package actually goes through their terminal.

Huh? I use Fedex through ebay all the time, and that's never happened to me. I print the label right here, and the cost is deducted right then and there. All I have to do then is drop the package off at Fedex-Kinkos.
 
Huh? I use Fedex through ebay all the time, and that's never happened to me. I print the label right here, and the cost is deducted right then and there. All I have to do then is drop the package off at Fedex-Kinkos.

Maybe they've since changed how it works then. The last time I used fedex I wasn't actually billed for the label until the end of the month along with the rest of the fees.
 
Maybe they've since changed how it works then. The last time I used fedex I wasn't actually billed for the label until the end of the month along with the rest of the fees.
I stand corrected. You're right - you're billed with ebay fees. I always ASSumed that the quote was correct. I need to go back and check.
 
I stand corrected. You're right - you're billed with ebay fees. I always ASSumed that the quote was correct. I need to go back and check.

True, but in the hundreds of cartons I've shipped, I've never seen a significant, if any, variance. You DO select the service though, and it prints on the label, so they don't bump you from Ground to Express.

The clerk at the counter should have known that Express is FAR more than Ground, and let the OP know, but as he said, he too should have also expected big time increases.

On a side note, I've found that umless you have something heavy, the USPS Flat Rate cartons are almost always the more expensive option. And they are sneaky as the FR cartons are the only ones provided in the lobby. Pros like me get the regulars free online and with home delivety. It's easier to pay more, but it's only a minute longer at the counter.

Just FYI.....
 
Could this be just the local operator is a independent contractor and jacked the price up to increase his end?

Hope you doing better health wise.


Barney
 
No, more expensive; you pay for the convenience.

Lets say I have a 4# 6 oz item that fits in the 12x12x7 #7 box, but also in the 12x12x5 1/2 Large Flat Rate box I want to send to Mom in WI. It's $7.80 more for the Flat Rate box.


Priority Mail 2-Day™
Wed, Jul 27
$10.95
$10.95
Priority Mail 2-Day™ Large Flat Rate Box
USPS-Produced Box: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"
Wed, Jul 27
$18.75
$18.75

Let me dig to see how heavy it would have to be to make sense for the Large FR carton.

It would have to go over 18# to make the FR the better rates...

Priority Mail 2-Day™
Wed, Jul 27
$19.65
$19.65
Priority Mail 2-Day™ Large Flat Rate Box
USPS-Produced Box: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"
Wed, Jul 27
$18.75
$18.75

This is why I rarely use this service as it almost always runs more, but it was helpful when my wife ships flatware and drawer pulls as the metal is heavy. Distance does play a role so if I were shipping to Usedto in CA, the numbers may come out different. Also, my Midwest location means I never ship CONUS as far as he may, since I top out at under 3000 miles while he could run well over 4000+ shipping to the East Coast.

On a side note, again, in the Small flat Rate Box you can ship anything up th 70#, which always seemed crazy to me. I did some research and there's NOTHING on Earth which has a density so great that a volume the size of a SFR carton would exceed 70#. Even a slug of Osmium comes in at the low 60# area.
My inner Geek loves that...:)
 
Distance does play a role so if I were shipping to Usedto in CA, the numbers may come out different.

Agreed. I find it interesting that the majority of the items I sell head back east. In my case, the flat rate works best. If the package is light, however, I try to use the Priority also.
 
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