shipping costs?

rubykey · Apr 16, 2017

I want to post a ukulele for sale in the marketplace. I'm confused about cost to ship.What do you do?

I received a uke from a member and he paid about $23 2 day priority mail via the USPS. I went in to my P.O. inquiring about a price, using his box and I was quoted $24. That was okay.

Until ..... Just to be sure, yesterday I went in with same box and 4 lbs of ukulele (plus case) and was quoted $61! This was a different clerk. So how are these prices fluctuating to 3X the amount?

What is the best way to ship a ukulele, and the most reasonable cost effective way? I see most people include shipping in their list price. I was planning to do that til I realized it's a crap shoot. Advice please.

Mivo · Apr 16, 2017

Over here, both dimensions and weight affect the shipping costs, plus the insurance tier (here it is none, up to €500, and up to €2000). Someone from the states will offer better and more applicable advice, though.

Doc_J · Apr 16, 2017

The online tools are very accurate (USPS.com ups.com fedex.com).
Size, weight, type of service, destination and insurance all affect price. FedEx is my current preferred domestic shipper.
Internationally, the Postal service seems the best option.

WifeOnFourStrings · Apr 17, 2017

rubykey said:
I want to post a ukulele for sale in the marketplace. I'm confused about cost to ship.What do you do?

I received a uke from a member and he paid about $23 2 day priority mail via the USPS. I went in to my P.O. inquiring about a price, using his box and I was quoted $24. That was okay.

Until ..... Just to be sure, yesterday I went in with same box and 4 lbs of ukulele (plus case) and was quoted $61! This was a different clerk. So how are these prices fluctuating to 3X the amount?

What is the best way to ship a ukulele, and the most reasonable cost effective way? I see most people include shipping in their list price. I was planning to do that til I realized it's a crap shoot. Advice please.

My best guess? The first clerk gave you a quote for USPS Retail Ground and the second clerk quoted you the cost of Express shipping (this happens a lot at my post office because people ask about "2-day" shipping, meaning Priority but the clerks quote express since it's the only class of service guaranteed to arrive in two days). When shipping anything larger than any of the flat rate boxes they offer, it always pays to box the item up and take it to the post office to get the exact cost before posting it for sale. It's a pain, but realizing you've made a $50 error is more painful, no?

MainlandGal510 · Apr 17, 2017

I, too, have this question! Thanks for posting! (& hello from a neighbor in San Leandro

)

dsummers · Apr 27, 2017

In a trade I just sent an Outdoor tenor ukulele from TX to MA via USPS priority mail and it cost me $14.50. It had the standard insurance of $50 with that price. I used the original box that the Outdoor uke came in. It arrived to it's destination within 2 days. Of course if you use their boxes and if you need to insure for moe the price will be more.

Ziret · Apr 28, 2017

dsummers said:
In a trade I just sent an Outdoor tenor ukulele from TX to MA via USPS priority mail and it cost me $14.50. It had the standard insurance of $50 with that price. I used the original box that the Outdoor uke came in. It arrived to it's destination within 2 days. Of course if you use their boxes and if you need to insure for moe the price will be more.

See, I just paid $24 to ship a soprano priority with no case or insurance. Honestly, the pricing scheme seems totally arbitrary.

Yukon Cornelius · Apr 28, 2017

You guys need to quit complaining. It cost me $90 to ship anything...lol

Jokes, but seriously, living in AK has few cons. Shipping is one of them.

I think a uke shouldn't cost more than $30 to ship via priority mail with insurance in the lower 48. I did have a guitar shipped from Iowa to Alaska and it cost me $60 total. No case, but it was insured. It arrived in 4 days.

The last uke I bought cost $50 to get to my home and that was 2 weeks ago. That uke came from Indiana.

shipping costs?

rubykey

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Mivo

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Doc_J

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WifeOnFourStrings

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MainlandGal510

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dsummers

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Ziret

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Yukon Cornelius

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