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SHIPPING speakers?

Y’all, HOW do you ship speakers that you have sold?

I just a like-new pair of Vandersteen Treo CTs to replace my super clean Vandy 2CEs. The DILEMMA is shipping them! I have listed them online, and got a query from WI who asked me to check on shipping them from here in WA. I called Vandersteen and they say they ship all their speakers strapped to pallets, with the boxes in vertical orientation. They use freight companies including FedEx Freight, but told me nightmare stories of speakers getting damaged in transit, including a new pair of Sevens ($70K) that a forklift driver punched a hole through with the fork on his machine. WTH? They said that their price increases in the last 2 years are in large part because of big increases in shipping costs.

I called FedEx, and was told that the closest freight office is 2 hours from me, and the speakers have to be dropped off already on a pallet, ready to go. That’s 200 lbs of speakers! I have no way to do this—no van or pickup truck, nor a forklift. Plus, I can imagine that if something goes wrong and the speakers are damaged, they will weasel out of it saying that I packed them on the pallet and surely didn’t do it correctly.

I got a freight quote online from another LTL freight company and it was $800! For a $2200 pair of speakers. So, I am trying to sell them locally, within a 4-5 hour drive (I will deliver or meet halfway).

I don’t ship gear often, especially speakers, and it’s a real hassle for larger speakers. Someone I know who builds great amps etc (you’d know his name) bought a used pair of big Borresens (250 lbs each iirc) and rented a van and drove from the Midwest to TX to get them, because shipping was going to be a small fortune.

Thanks.

128x128patrickdowns
freediver
1,231 posts
 

Specs show the 2CE's as 60 lbs each.packed..I see no problem shipping these packed in factory boxes but fully insured ground cost will probably be almost $400.00....If your anywhere near Seattle,Olympia or Spokane I suggest trying to sell them on consignment through one of the decent audio shops still in business in those areas..

carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
1,781 posts
 

Sell inexpensive speakers locally.  

Reading the other reply, seems they are only 60 lbs and of reasonable size.  I would just pack them up and ship them with UPS or Fedex. 

 I guess you don't have the original boxes.  You can take them to a UPS store and they will pack them for you.  It won't be cheap but less than freight.  

Jerry

harleyujoe's avatar
harleyujoe
80 posts
 

Maybe a Long weekend trip meeting the other person half way...Or lower cost of speakers to sell them more local.. Either way its cost to sell items..

That is reason my Harley is in living room..Could not sell unless give away price. So love seeing it as art ..But sure could have sold it but not at that price....

koslekt1's avatar
koslekt1
81 posts
 

I've had good luck with U-ship for larger items. Craters and freighters also is known to do a good job with speakers. Good luck!

elliottbnewcombjr
5,573 posts
 

UPS has a pack and ship service. You or the buyer can make the arrangements, I would simply do this:

1. find the closest UPS that does pack and ship (they all do not).

2. give the seller the UPS contact info, the weight and measurements.

3. let seller make his own arrangements, you simply drop them off unpackaged.

IF you have factory packaging, tell buyer you will give it to UPS separately to use or not, his/ups’s choice, after they are dropped off.

I’ve used UPS Pack and Ship successfully 3 times. We can use it to buy something seller says is local pickup only, all seller has to do is agree to drop them off for us.

btw, this keeps the shipping cost out of any system like eBay that both charges tax on shipping, and charges a fee on the shipping and tax amounts.

 

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