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Last Post Mar 7, 2006 5:29 AM by: 2laydbk
Replies: 34
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jsachs
Posts: 50

Shipping large items

Dec 24, 2002 10:24 PM
I've been selling on eBay for a couple of years, but I've never tried to sell items which were too large or heavy to ship by UPS or USPS. This made plenty of sense, because such items were rarely valuable enough to justify the cost of shipping.

The business and industrial category is different because many large items are valuable enough to make shipping economic. As I move into this category I need to learn to deal with shipping companies, and with types of packaging and logistical problems that are new to me.

I'm opening this topic to invite suggestions, such as: how to shop for a shipper, what a shipper will expect me to know, what kinds of trouble to watch out for, and how to deal with trouble when it arises?
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madorman
Posts: 418
(1 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 25, 2002 5:55 PM
When you get into the really big and heavy, it gets into the realm of crating rather than boxing.

There are firms that will crate and ship for you but you'll need to hit the yellow pages and it won't be cheap. Call a couple of places and ask for rates. They'll ask you for sizes, weights and potential fragility. Also, do you want them to take it away and crate it or crate it on site.

Most items that get over a hundred or so pounds will need either a pallet jack for a fork lift to be man handled and probably need to be taken off a raised loading dock. The buyer will need similar equipment and facilities....

I'm sure others will have more detailed suggestions for you.
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bydntl@cs.com
Posts: 6
(2 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 26, 2002 2:22 PM
I Have a very good shipper for my chairs which are about 300 to 500LBS. I will get back with you on a contact person or if needed right away E-mail my bydntl@cs.com and ask for Tammy to give you contact Information US Only...Ill let her know.....Jeff

P.S. have a happy new year
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steve983
Posts: 1
(3 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 27, 2002 1:23 PM
I was in the same boat, scared to sell the bigger gear because of shipping, it also restricted what I could buy. There is a website, I believe it is called "Craters & Freighters" which consists of a group of riggers across the country who will crate/pack and arrange for trucking, I have used them for picking up large items I bought and am currently having them handle a large optical comparator I just sold. You may want to check them out.

Lets have a great new year!
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madorman
Posts: 418
(4 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 27, 2002 5:52 PM
I too checked out Craters and Freighters and they looked like a good outfit. Unfortunately they didn't have a crew close enough to my area to be a workable arrangement. However, there are plenty of free lancers to be found in the yellow pages.
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jsachs
Posts: 50
(5 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 28, 2002 8:45 AM
What points to commercial shippers compete on? Is my impression correct that both intrastate and interstate shipping is regulated, so that they all have to charge the same prices?
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madorman
Posts: 418
(6 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Dec 30, 2002 6:11 PM
Hi jsachs -
I agree with you about the shipping charges - they are roughly the same to get your crate from dock to dock.
But there are other opportunities for an outfit to charge you and tack on the basic shipping fee - manpower, paperwork, crating, materials, etc etc
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budirowbob
Posts: 1
(7 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Jan 10, 2003 1:52 PM
jsachs
It has been my experience, not as an -Ebayer, but as a small business man, that you cannot get the GOOD rate for shipping until you do two things: call a freight co. near you, or ask a local that ships frequently, for a name, hopefully a sales person for a shipper. Then you can negotiate
the best deal. You will most likely need to open an account with them, but your saving will be well worth the effort. The discount is typically 60%. I'll say again; savings are typically 60%, so, don't just carry your stuff in and say ship this. Best of luck to you!
jerry
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arcforce
Posts: 6
(8 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Jan 19, 2003 6:15 PM
Hi jsachs,

madorman makes a really good point if you have to have something "heavy hauled", there are lot of free lancers out there.

Here is a little more (hopefully good) advice. I have always tried to call a large, well known rigging company even if they don't have a division in the area, here's why. My shop does alot of work for local Rubber & Plastic companies. A while ago one of the shops sent us to unhook and "pre-rig" if you will, 4 transfer presses that they had purchased at an auction. They needed to be rigged then hauled from Petersberg MI. (just North of Toledo) to be rebuild at Erie PA. After receiving a quote for $7650.00 from a local rigging company, we contacted the company that we usually use (once or twice a year). They didn't have enough time to get a crew down there in the time we were given to remove the presses. BUT, they had a "buddy" in Detroit that they got us in contact with. This "almost local" rigger gave us a price of $4800.00. Now, I have nothing against the first Company I understand that they have to make a living too, but it is all about the bottom line.

My point that I trying to make with this book I've just written is this. If you can find a big, well known rigging company in the yellow pages call them, chances are if you only have a few items to move they might send you to one of there buddies too. Good Luck.
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aschultz@xnet.com
Posts: 1
(9 of 34)

Re: Shipping large items

Jan 23, 2003 12:52 PM
Hello All..
Anyone that can give advice about trying to set a business up for sale on ebay? It is a small family owned specialized machine shop in Chicago. Im afraid I will swamped with brokers.. Any ideas?
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mentalgoddess
Posts: 3,245
(10 of 34)

Shipping large items

Feb 14, 2003 6:02 PM
I ship large items through freightquote.com and it has worked out for me. Mostly I palletize and bubble wrap my items, but on occasion if I need a crate I call a local company to do that and then freightquore.com for the shipment. Havent had a problem yet...

All Mental All the Time!!!!:)
Evil, ornery, scandalous and evil
Most definitely!!!!!

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sana01
Posts: 236
(11 of 34)

Shipping large items

Feb 22, 2003 8:08 PM
I used freightquote.com too and they were the most reasonable. Actually, they were the cheapest! :)
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cnc_surfer
Posts: 3
(12 of 34)

Shipping large items

Mar 5, 2003 3:59 PM
I use Fedex Ground, they have different drop off location, like at kinko's....They take items up tp 1000lbs..
Their rates are super cheap....Sign up for an account and get up to a 12% discount...
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svcandasmile
Posts: 1
(13 of 34)

Shipping large items

Mar 25, 2003 12:15 PM
In the South, I use RL Trucking for heavy / pallet items. I have sent up to Michigan but I'm not sure if they only travel the east coast or not.
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blackrubydog
Posts: 10
(14 of 34)

Shipping large items

Apr 5, 2003 5:16 PM
I, too use R&L Carriers (gorlc.com) for almost everything heavy I ship. They can get you quick shipping quotes, make sure you ask what kind of discount your getting though. Usually 60 percent discount. They have even got a lift gate service if you don't have a loading dock. There just starting to cover most of the U.S.A.
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