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Is it really that hard to ship a part?
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 3:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

I shipped a small part for an old truck last week. I used USPS Priority Mail small box, like $8.45. "If" I had a small but "acceptable" box and sent other way, could have saved $4, but the hassle factor was not worth it to me.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Looks like I’m going to chalk it up to being too lazy to pack an item up, or unwillingness to learn how to create the online labels.

I as well feel it’s much more simple, and time effective to ship something than set up a meet time.

Shipping estimate is just that, an estimate. I wouldn’t pack anything up until the item is paid for. Like mentioned, you’ll win some, you’ll loose some. If it’s that big of an issue, price items shipped, and add some to the asking price to cover overages.

I do agree about not even contacting the seller if they are not willing to ship. Sometimes it is something hard to come by, that is really needed. Of the person needing money, I told them three of the items that they had for sale were a 100% purchase at their asking price, all they had to do is ship them on my dime, but no reply. I guess they’re confident there is enough local interest that they will eventually sell. Knowing my geographic situation, pickup only sales would EXTREMELY limit my available audience of buyers.

I’ve had excellent experiences buying/selling here in the classifieds. It really opened my eyes when I had a set of Thing stub axles listed a while back. The second person that contacted me lived about 6 miles away, and gave me an offer lower than my asking price. The first person that bought them was from Australia, and paid the asking price with international shipping, no questions asked.
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Zundfolge1432 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:29 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:
As of recent, I’ve been a little frustrated combing the classifieds/groups. I’ve found a lot of parts I’ve been looking for, am willing to pay the seller’s asking price, but they refuse to ship. I get the hassle of shipping a trunk lid, engine, transaxle, or floorpan, but why is it so difficult to ship something that will fit in a USPS flat rate box like a pair of front signal housings? Anyone with a printer, and a USPS/UPS account can print a shipping label to tape on a box, and have it picked up from their home. One recent ad was someone letting some cherished items go from being out of work. I’ve been in that situation, and was going to throw them a bone on top of their asking price, but they simply were not interested in shipping the items. For those not into shipping, can someone enlighten me why some are so dead set against it?


Someone else’s head is a strange place to figure out. I’ve shipped things and have seen it done every which way. The people not wanting to ship are probably very inexperienced maybe even flakey like no shows on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:25 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Zundfolge1432 wrote:
Someone else’s head is a strange place to figure out. I’ve shipped things and have seen it done every which way. The people not wanting to ship are probably very inexperienced maybe even flakey like no shows on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace.


Kinda makes you wonder how reliable they will be about meeting for the in person pick up......

This leads me to another theory. They list things to sell, but list an abnormal price, and make it the most difficult to obtain the item so they don’t actually end up having to sell it.

jeffrey8164 wrote:
Some people have their preferences.
They don’t want to go through the hassle to put it in a box which they may not have.
Maybe you just need to sweeten the pot a little.


And forgot to mention, this has no effect either. I’ve offered 25%-50% in addition to their asking price with shipping to either receive a no, or simply no reply at all.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:10 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

I do this as a hobby, not a job, and enjoy the challenge of shipping things as economically as possible. Quite a bit of time and effort is spent on finding just the right box (yes, I'm a box hoarder) and using the most efficient packing materials to save weight while protecting the contents. However, actual weight is not always the determining factor in box selection........"dimensional weight" (length x width x height /1728) also comes into play. So, at that point it becomes easy: measure and weigh the package (I use my wife's kitchen scale) and look up the rate based on zip code on USPS's
web site. At times "Flat Rate" boxes are the answer. Often the high cost of shipping large items kills the deal so I prefer to sell smaller things. In any event, I'm able to give a price without the hassle of standing in line at the Post Office to get a rate, only to have the buyer decline.
EDIT: Might I request that buyers who do decline based on shipping cost extend the courtesy to the seller of informing him of that rather than just going silent?
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

No, it's not that hard to ship a part, just do it.

90% off the parts in this pic were shipped:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Where would this hobby be if no one shipped parts. Confused
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

crukab wrote:
No, it's not that hard to ship a part, just do it.

90% off the parts in this pic were shipped:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Where would this hobby be if no one shipped parts. Confused


Signature worthy, thank you!

I've got a carb from Washington, fuel pump and distributer from Arizona, thermostat from Saskatchewan, defrost hose diverter and spare thermostat here in Alberta, and I'm not done yet! Thank you to all of the parts resellers(that ship).
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Yeah, there’s more than one of the respondents here that have had me package & get a shipping quote that either never responded afterwards or decided that that shipping was too much so it’s just not worth my time to fuck with anymore.
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60vwnewengland
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:38 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

I recently shipped a bay window bumper from DC to St. Louis. I got quotes for the buyer from both greyhound, FedEx, and UPS. Normally, I do not ship large items like bumpers, they’re huge and the make you own box can be a pain. But we had a bunch of boxes around from all the baby stuff we’ve been buying, so I taped the snot out them, broke out the bathroom scale and got some quotes on the internet. Ups ended up being the cheapest at around $95.

I spent probably 2hrs boxing up that bumper, but all those boxes and bumper are outta my basement now. So happy wife, happy life.

In my experience, I try to stay away from usps flat rate boxes because I sell my parts for cheap and I’m trying to get them back into the community, so I keep small boxes around to keep shipping costs low on my end. Larger parts that I sell for like $20-$15shipped I’m only making a couple bucks on using flat rate boxes.

Also, small seals and gaskets, I toss in envelops with a stamp or two and let them fly.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 6:29 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

iowegian wrote:
I do this as a hobby, not a job, and enjoy the challenge of shipping things as economically as possible. Quite a bit of time and effort is spent on finding just the right box (yes, I'm a box hoarder) and using the most efficient packing materials to save weight while protecting the contents. However, actual weight is not always the determining factor in box selection........"dimensional weight" (length x width x height /1728) also comes into play. So, at that point it becomes easy: measure and weigh the package (I use my wife's kitchen scale) and look up the rate based on zip code on USPS's
web site. At times "Flat Rate" boxes are the answer.


I have a small home business and although I don't ship often, like you I hoard packing materials. Buying and selling car parts is part of my hobby. It is very unfortunate when I find just the right part for my car and the seller will not ship.
But sometimes there are other options.

Almost a year ago, an ad for a set of original 71 door panels was listed on this site for local pick up only, in CA! I drooled over these panels for 8 months. Amazing they lasted that long! Finally I posted a thread asking if anyone on the Ghia forum living in the same town could pick up and ship them for me. I immediately got a reply from another Ghia owner and it all worked out great thanks to the great community here.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:44 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

hoods, fenders-pain to package.
used to ship greyhound, but after spending 1-1/2hr round trip along with packing time/materials, it's not worth the effort for the payout

I have/sell a lot of wheel/tires..
most ppl say they don't want the tires, just ship the wheels...Cost a lot of extra time/ money to take and have tires removed.

engines? trans? cores?-If i have a pallet handy, I'll attach to a pallet, you make the freight arrangement on your end. Need a crate? That cost more time and $$$

I've found most buyers don't have an issue paying the cost of the parts, but they NEVER want to pay the TRUE cost of shipping.

For most "locals" though, it's worth a couple hr drive to come to my shop and pick up stuff in person. You'll always get betters deals if you do.
Even had a guy drive down from canada once for some engine cores.
Gave him a great deal and he stuffed several into his subaru!!
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 9:55 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

in the mid 90's I shipped two transaxles to myself USPS Space Available Mail (SAM) One IRS, one swing axle. Both just the case and innards, one to Turkey, one to Okinawa-under $10 back then. Took 6-8 weeks but worth every gearshift.

I get why people don't want to unless they have the packing material available and understand how USPS and UPS work, but dang I NEED those parts!
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:14 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Some people get so upset about the cost of shipping stuff. Like somehow $20 to have something transported across the country / continent / world is unreasonable. I'll tell you that I can't transport something across my city by myself for cheaper than that.
Maybe it's just relative to the value of the item being shipped? Nobody wants to pay $20 to ship a $10 item, but $20 to ship a $1000 item seems fair subconsciously.

Recently I had some Bay Bus vent windows in the classifieds here. I was cleaning house a bit, so I listed the item for literally 10% or 20% of what every other seller had listed theirs listed for. $40 for 4 windows, when most people are asking $75 - $150 each. I had an inquiry from Europe asking about shipping. I measured them, weighed them, and did an online quote. Unfortunately they are fairly heavy (15lbs I think), and Europe is kind of far away from me, so shipping was going to be around $100. This would still bring the grand total to less than half the price others are asking before shipping. The only reply I got back was "Too expensive." I'm not sure what he was expecting? Maybe if the windows were $1200 the shipping would have sounded better?
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 12:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

"click and ship" is not always so sure. I tried and 1/2 the time they never collected it because they were "busy" or did not have "room". Porch piracy is high in my area, so I would end up waiting to hand stuff off and then be told "no". So I go to a tiny little post office once a week. I'm fine with local pick up at my shop since I'm there most of the time ( "parts are in the corner, put the cash in the coffee can"). Large part shipping is not easy now. Greyhound has cut a large % of routes and ONLY corporate terminals will accept packages. On top of that when you go to ship the package MUST be able to move that day, they no longer allow for storage waiting for space on the Bus. So call first before going and confirm locations ( the website is way wrong). On that note Fastenal has divided the country to a "Western" and "Eastern" zone, packages are not allowed to move between zones and ALL item must be crated to their satisfaction. UPS is a total rip-off, intentionally destroys packages w/o compensation ( regardless of packaging efforts or extra insurance).

Yes, shipping can be hard and is getting worse. I've been in the parts biz for 40 years. Local pick up is the least hassle
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:14 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Each persons shipping experience is different.

For me, a small note to the driver always has the USPS stop in to pick up a package too large to fit in the box. I guess if you’re not around to let them in would be an issue.

UPS paid a $1500 claim on an insured distributor they lost for work, no questions asked. They treated a valuable set of wheels sent out for rechroming with kid gloves as well.

I’ve had MANY more instances of people being flakes trying to meet up to buy/sell a part than I’ve ever had dealing with USPS/UPS/Fed-Ex/DHL combined.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:
UPS paid a $1500 claim on an insured distributor they lost for work, no questions asked.

What model?

Only ones I can think of in that price range are Porsche 4 Cam or RSR.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Glenn wrote:
[email protected] wrote:
UPS paid a $1500 claim on an insured distributor they lost for work, no questions asked.

What model?

Only ones I can think of in that price range are Porsche 4 Cam or RSR.


Not sure of the exact model, but it was off a 55 300SL Gullwing Mercedes. There was a NOS one available for $1500 at the time of shipment, and was then purchased when the og one was lost.

It probably ended up at the dollar store, or something in the town it was sent to for reconditioning, then thrown in the trash...
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:
55 300SL Gullwing Mercedes.

Makes sense.

USPS requires proof of value so if you insure it for more than you can prove you get less. I've had some customers insure their distributor for $1000 even though i sell restores ones for $500. I guess they like to waste money.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:41 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Glenn wrote:
[email protected] wrote:
55 300SL Gullwing Mercedes.

Makes sense.

USPS requires proof of value so if you insure it for more than you can prove you get less. I've had some customers insure their distributor for $1000 even though i sell restores ones for $500. I guess they like to waste money.


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:23 am    Post subject: Re: Is it really that hard to ship a part? Reply with quote

Greyhound does not require boxing, plastic wrap and packing tape is acceptable ( maybe a bit of cardboard on sharp edges ). Also a Veterans Advantage discount card saves you 25% on Greyhound Package Express shipping ( Its field 14 on their computer).
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