TheSamba.com :: View topic - United Parcel Service (UPS) is now very expensive

Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:39 am

I just shipped a decklid, with box, doubled, and it weighed 22 lbs. It was going across country and the last one I shipped, including box, 3-4 years ago was just under $50. Now with the exact same ground shipping, and the exact same box, this one shipped for $178. And now, this one will be late according to the UPS center. Everyone and I mean everyone is on the Covid bandwagon, getting to charge MORE for LESS. The box from Uhaul that I use cost $9.95 a couple years ago. Now it is $19.95. Without the box, which concerns me less when shipping, is the $158 shipping. At this price, and believe me when I say the deck lid in the box only had a couple inches on the side for packing, I WILL NOT be doing any shipment on larger items anymore. From $30 maybe $40 a few years ago to $158 now,,,,,NO MORE. They say it is COVID related, well isnt everything, from groceries to shipping. I will not forget, and I am done with them. This will alone stop the buying and selling of classic car parts. More than 80% it is said is done by carriers.....not anymore.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:44 am

It’s the Pagan Holiday price increase due to huge demand.

This happens every year, by the way.

The Covid vaccine causes memory loss and also makes you fearful of firearms, so that might be why people forget

Fri Oct 08, 2021 5:39 am

Don't forget usps has a "temporary" holiday price increase on flat rate bags/boxes. And forget about even trying to use greyhound, total nightmare ( they will be out of business soon). I agree- shipping large parts is about over.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 6:47 am

I thought this was about the USPS as their large(r) shipment costs are ridiculous now too.
I'm not even talking about something hood sized though, things that are much smaller.
I went to ship an intake manifold recently and it was something crazy like $75 USPS.

UPS has always been the most expensive though...
I always use Fed Ex Ground for anything that is too big/expensive for USPS.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:33 am

Ev.....Fed Ex Ground was about the same price and further away. Believe me, I checked after this shocker! LW

Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:59 am

Welcome to the new world. UPS had been consistently high pre-Covid. Current pandemic rates now apply. See if you can find a local company that ships often and maybe they can send it cheaper - companies that use UPS for their primary shipping get preferred rates.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:27 am

In some cases, another option might be using a regional carrier.
For example. in this part of the country we have Speedee Delivery based out of St. Cloud Minnesota. In my experience, they have a much lower price than UPS or FedEx while still having tracking, etc. Your mileage may vary.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:35 am

I used to sell and ship things and also stopped doing so due to the exuberant shipping charges. I also have stopped buying a lot of online stuff, due to the same fact. It seems every month or so USPS is increasing its rates. I shifted a lot of buying to Amazon. They have lots of stuff, just not always the good stuff.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:52 am

I used to pull old Mazda parts and sell them online; I was able to use my employer's FedEx rates. Once I was downsized after 4 decades, I no longer had this economical option, and lot my competitive advantage, so pretty much stopped this.

Now I just sell off my remaining parts but have to charge more for shipping, and mostly use USPS.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:53 am

^^ think you meant exorbitant

things are bad here in the uk - trying to get certain things posted from germany/europe is like pulling teeth and very expensive. often more than or equal to the item, or the seller can't be asked to fill out a customs docket. I know we left the eu but we're still in the same place - just across the channel...! :x

Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:31 am

it's been brought up here before, use a broker. Parcel Monkey is one. Prices are much cheaper with a broker. Ardmore is what we use at work but I think you can still get a deal with them as an individual. I have other ways to get the price down but not sharing except with friends. Sorry not sorry

Dimensional weight is a big deal, doesnt matter that a decklid only weighs 22 lbs. Dependent on the box size, it went as 30, 45, or even 60 lbs. That has always been in place but sometimes the clerk doing the shipping misses that and you get it cheaper

Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:48 am

Yes. I am sorry for the spelling/auto-correct.

On USPS the dimension make a huge difference. My sister sent me some carbon wheels for my tri bike. Super light, but the dimension of the box made the shipping cost super high. It cost almost as much as an engine she sent me via freight.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

tcmia wrote: Yes. I am sorry for the spelling/auto-correct.

On USPS the dimension make a huge difference. My sister sent me some carbon wheels for my tri bike. Super light, but the dimension of the box made the shipping cost super high. It cost almost as much as an engine she sent me via freight.
Same.. when I sent my Easton front wheel back I used FedEx since USPS was 4 times as much.

I stopped selling some of my smaller parts since the cost of shipping was more than the cost of the part.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:38 pm

Cusser wrote: I used to pull old Mazda parts and sell them online; I was able to use my employer's FedEx rates. Once I was downsized after 4 decades, I no longer had this economical option, and lot my competitive advantage, so pretty much stopped this.

Now I just sell off my remaining parts but have to charge more for shipping, and mostly use USPS.

We had a similar deal with the airline employee discounts @ 75% off. I shipped a bunch of stuff and still can😀 I used yellow freight for really heavy stuff.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 1:12 pm

shipping has been stupid for a while.

honestly i blame all the 'free shipping' deals negotiated with bigger companies and we get to pick up the slack.

i use to be able to ship a 091 from CT to CA for about 150 bux. not even sure what it is now.

but honestly, what's the difference....if the current admin gets their way with paypal it really won't be worth selling anything anyway. i really don't sell a lot online anyway but when i do it's typically bigger ticket items. i really don't have the desire to go thru the mathematical gymnastics to figure out all of this shit for yet another 1099 and whatever the accountant will charge to keep me legal.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:30 pm

Its not like the big companies directly compete with classic parts sellers, however the discounts they get creates an expectation from all online buyers. I've used regional carriers and that works well if the customer is close-ish. Some sort of AirBNB/uber type distribution network is ripe for development. All the cars and trucks deadheading with available space, everyone has a phone, etcetc. I've done a bit of this with CL rideshare and it worked very well ( better progress reports than any trucking outfit ).

The "dimensional" charges are really a rip off, its the weight much more than the size that limits the maximum load. I used to work for both Fed/ex and UPS and they know how to squeeze profit like any good souless corporation.

Fri Oct 08, 2021 10:11 pm

Manfred58sc wrote:

The "dimensional" charges are really a rip off, its the weight much more than the size that limits the maximum load. I used to work for both Fed/ex and UPS and they know how to squeeze profit like any good souless corporation.

i don't think it's so much the load limit (which is obviously a factor) but it's the volume aspect.

that 75.00 45x45x45 box is taking up the space of 13 15.00 boxes.

Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:27 am

Quote: The "dimensional" charges are really a rip off, its the weight much more than the size that limits the maximum load.

Think that through a bit more.

Talked to my carrier today, they are short staffed. Normally 5 reserves, they have none.

Starting salaries $19 an hour. But…no benefits for 2 years.

What corporate wanker thought that one up?

Sat Oct 09, 2021 5:18 am

I had a guy that wanted a '68-'72 camper stool, UPS shipping to Chicago was $74 !! :shock: :shock: I was not surprised when he passed.

Sat Oct 09, 2021 6:46 am

Things may have changed, when I was working there , especially UPS, was the default carrier for anything heavy. So it was one heavy pallet after another till we reached the load limit . 80% of the time there was plenty of volume left. Fed/ex was not that big in the freight game when I was there.

Pay sucked back then as it does now, work the shit out of you. No surprise they are short handed and I feel for those trying to scratch out a living.