2. misc-audio
  3. 152846-1009

Extravagant shipping charge

I purchased an item and already paid for the price.
The description says that the shipping cost will be determined later. I did not ask for the shipping before I made the payment. (Doh!)
The item weighs 55lb, and it is about 17x17x10 size. The shipping box will be about 20x20x15, and the total weight would be close to 60 lb.
For UPS shipping from Arizona to Michigan, the seller wants $150 for the shipping. When I calculated UPS shipping, it is less than $60. Obviously, the seller is trying to make a huge profit from shipping.
Any suggestion to how to deal with this situation?

Thanks.

128x128ihcho
metlyota
7 posts
 
I purchased a pair of Cliffhanger Audio Bulldog speakers from a guy in Pennsylvania 1 month ago. UPS store charged $382 to ship to Ut. They put these 60lb projectiles in an oversized box full of air bags, needless to say I received 2 boxes of speaker debris. After filing a claim and 36 pics later UPS closed my claims as denied and told me it wasn't their responsibility. What can "brown" do for me? I have a long list!! Beware of UPS.
larryi
4,038 posts
 
I suppose the cost/value issue must consider what the seller is recouping in the shipping charge.  If the seller boxed the item himself, the cost might include his labor (boxing audio equipment is quite time consuming if done correctly).  If the item is taken to a UPS or FedEx store, the charge for doing the boxing is extremely high.

A local dealer got a very big shipment of specialty drivers from Japan.  Including insurance, the cost of shipping exceeded $10,000.  Now THAT is a shipping charge.
iopscrl
196 posts
 
I recently shipped a 50 lb tube amp from the east coast to the west coast.  I used Fed Ex and the cost was less than $50.

I have used Fed Ex for heavy items, and have found their shipping charges to be less than USPS and UPS.

I take extreme care to package well to ensure the item arrives in the condition in which it was shipped.

Whoever quoted $150 to ship a 55lb item is either 1) trying to markup the actual shipping cost to make more money from the deal -or- 2) quoting overnight or 2 day shipping; in which case $150 is about correct.
14point1
42 posts
 
Selling stuff and then shipping it is a pain in the ass. I have sold some guitars/amps and bought some guitars and amps. Things that are packaged poorly have a greater chance of being damaged. I find the time to properly box and ship these items makes me not want to even sell things. Having the UPS store package items is expensive but also makes an insurance claims easier.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,407 posts
 
Why should anyone pay for the person selling the item for his time in packing up the item and driving to the FedEx or UPS store?   That is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard.  That person must be a corporate executive whose time is very valuable, LOL.  If you are selling something, you should be charging exactly what it costs you to ship and not a penny more.  When I ship at the UPS store, I get a 10% AAA discount which I ALWAYS pass on to the customer. 
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