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Shipping to England
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:41 pm
by atomic_punk
Anyone have any guesstimate what I should charge someone for shipping a bass to London from the Midwest USA? The shipping calculators on Ebay are horrible, I know it can't cost $300.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:20 pm
by rickenbrother
Steve, in my experience, USPS has been the least expensive way to go. I'm thinking about $60.00 USD. USPS tells me they will not ship something that size in the slower, less expensive route, it has to go airmail.
UPS, FedEx, etc. are much more expensive to ship a guitar overseas.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:26 pm
by marc61
Problem with USPS is that it's not insured after it leaves the US. It usually runs about $100. Fedex I've done for $180. UPS a bit more, say $200-220.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:55 pm
by jps
Check out DHL. We use them to ship things to the Middle East.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:29 pm
by mgauction
I do lots of it. UPS and Fed Ex are about $180-200. USPS is about half of that but the dimensions are quite restrictive. You could ship it with a guitar or bass that was short scale, maybe/barely.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:33 pm
by ken_swearingen
I just got that 21 fret from the Netherlands it was $160.00 FedEx
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:59 pm
by atomic_punk
Great, guys, thanks for the numbers! I just cannot fathom someone wanting to pay $160-200 to ship a $250 bass. But hey, if he wants to pay it...Joey, I think this might be too big to go USPS. I've had a lot of trouble with their combined width & length in the past.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:17 pm
by rickenbrother
Yeah, I've gotten doubts from usps about the size of a bass box also, but so far I've been able to ship them without a problem. It may not be the best route, but it is the least expensive, which is what most people ask for. I just inform them that if the item not insured, it's their own risk.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:04 pm
by atomic_punk
That's exactly what I did.
I walked into USPS last time I shipped and the guy was shaking his head "no" before I even got to the counter.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:19 pm
by henry5
My '91 V63 that I bought was shipped to me via USPS and never reached me. It took a year to get the insurance money and by that time the exchange rate had changed so much I lost £200 into the bargain. Tread carefully.
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:07 pm
by jnbass
USPS cheaper-until the cr_p hits the fan. Then trying to collect is a nightmare.
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:47 pm
by mgauction
USPS - No tracking whatsoever or claims until 30 days have passed and the buyer has negged you!
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:50 pm
by jnbass
Pete Townsend works for USPS?
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:22 pm
by mgauction
Or else it's Jim Carrey. Ooops! Wasn't he working for UPS in Ace Ventura? Alrighty, then.....
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:45 pm
by henny
USPS - No tracking whatsoever or claims until 30 days have passed
Eh?
I've just had a bass shipped from Ohio to England, with full insurance + tracking, apprently with USPS. It got here in three days.