On 11/27/07, Tony M <callt555@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I shipped my first complete bike today and was surprised that the cost was close to $80.00 to go from Pennsylvania to Indiana. I used DHL which was cheaper than UPS Ground by almost $30.00 (it was a 54cm steel frame bike from the 70's)
>
> I notice many on ebay charge a flat rate of $60.00 to ship a complete bike.
>
> Am I missing something?
>
> Any suggestions for lower shipping rates on complete bikes would be appreciated.
>
Businesses that ship a lot of merchandise can often negotiate better
rates with carriers. I worked for a mail order business in St. Louis
a few years ago and we were able to get really good rates from UPS
because we had regularly scheduled pick-ups (two per day), shipped
between 200 and 1500 packages per day, and we had a truck height
loading dock. The dock cuts down on delivery/pick-up times and
significantly affected our freight fees. This is how those shipping
businesses (Mailboxes, etc., or whatever they're called) turn a profit
when they charge nearly the same rate that UPS would charge for a
residential pick-up. We also charged a flat rate per order. Some
orders we made a few extra bucks, and some we lost a little. It
evened out.
I'm not sure this helps for an individual shipping a box from time to time, but it should put it into perspective. If your place of business, or maybe a friend's employer, has a regular pick-up you might be able to ship it at their rates.
--
Scott Loveless
New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, USA
http://www.twosixteen.com/