Welcome to Boardsort™ - Learn - Sell - Profit -

Learn to properly Sort, Sell, and Profit from your electronic scrap material.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:29 am


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:20 am 

Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:14 pm
Posts: 37
I've been scrapping off and on for the last 2 years and think i have enough to ship but am running into trouble. For example, I have about 60 lbs of peripheral boards and about the same for Midgrade. I did the math and, which shipping, ill be a huge chunk of profit, to the point where it wasnt worth my time. I'm too far away to regularly deliver it by hand. I did these numbers a while back and got discouraged but i'm back in it and want to get it done. I believe i was going to go with Fedex for shipping. Does anyone have any tips of how to minimize this? Recommendations on shipping methods or the best time to ship, to minimize shipping costs?

Thanks!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:34 am 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
Up till last year I suggested any ebay user to utilise linking an ebay account to a standard Fedex online account and using the free upgrade to a business account
(Referral code eBay10)
COVID has put an end to that and ebay chose to Integrate Fedex business directly into its platform instead.

The fastest and easiest way to deal with your situation is shipping peripheral or better and selling or recycling anything lower locally.

That aside and in general.
If you’re within 3 zones USPS priority mail flat rate is best for sending heavy loads up to around 100-150lbs right now. Especially if you can jam it all into a single large flat rate box (use usps.com account to order free priority mail boxes delivered to your door).
I found the board game extra long boxes best for mailing computer boards.they’re just slightly thicker than the rest of priority boxes and making a Roman cross with strapping tape across the box keeps it in tact better than anythig else I’ve tried.

If you’re more than three zones or can’t fit it in a single box Fedex is the wisest choice for sure 400-500lb shipments.
Sign up for a fedex online account. FedEx still goes by girth over weight in pricing. An online account gives you the option to make multi box shipments. Splitting a 60 pound order into smaller boxes (10 or so) costs much less than an oven sized box. So gather up a bunch of Amazon and walmart home delivery boxes and get to packing.
There are two indispensable sites for bulk shippers that give exact box sizes (based on Amazon box IDs) that cover a nice list of preferred dimensions for commercial trucking. Stick to these tables and you’ll save an absolute fortune with Fedex, and a fair bit with UPS and DHL as well.

Best box dimensions:
https://awesomers.com/a-catalog-of-amazon-box-sizes
https://www.boxdimensions.com/

If you ever ordered large bulky items you’ll have noticed they ship in boxes larger than the item, often with paper stuffing that adds weight. This is the reason why. It’s also why Amazon ships a book and a desk clock in a box the size of a microwave. Free basic Insurance covers damage in shipping and the boxes fit the 3-D Tetris puzzle of trailer loading.


Finally there ARE still partnerships available for fedex business accounts. Do some research and digging. Step off google if you can’t find one in the first two or three pages. There’s other search engines with less invasive algorithms. Like Bing and Spotlight.
Be patient in looking. These opportunities come randomly and only last a week or less. You’ll also need to create a seller, supplier account with whatever sales platform the deal is attached to. But you don’t need to keep it past signup.
The three I know run rolling promotions are Alibris (seller.Alibris.com), offer up, and mercari.
Store envy also has some options, Apx quarterly.
The commercial Fedex account cuts rates by 22%-56%. Depending on size, weight, class, and to/from.

Finally, boardsort is rather lenient on multi box shipping. If you follow the guidelines listed when you fill out your quote and submit it, you’ll email Chris’s with your order number and tracking number(s...).
As long as you’re reasonable and include a quote printout in each box you can send quite a few boxes without issue.

Ps. Reasonable means don’t send 100 boards in 100 different boxes.

_________________
42 6F 61 72 64 73 6F 72 74 2E 63 6F 6D


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:00 am 

Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2014 1:59 pm
Posts: 68
If you have a few hundred pounds and can ship from a business with a dock or forklift then Fedex or USPS isnt the answer. If interested you can call me anytime at 814-442-9060


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:15 pm 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
gorven wrote:
...you can call me anytime...

Wow. I didn’t think you’d run such a small load.

_________________
42 6F 61 72 64 73 6F 72 74 2E 63 6F 6D


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:25 pm 

Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2019 12:00 am
Posts: 197
I remember a while back where there was a group which allowed private individuals who were going to a particular area to take pets, home made cookies, small items, basically anything the driver of a private vehicle had room for. Some were doing it for minimal costs, ie, help with gasoline, or for free. I have often thought of mentioning that I had room for a few more boxes when I drive up, from SE Tennessee.
The problem there is with an unknown driver, one must trust their honesty.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:37 pm 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
Gorven is a trusted user here.

If they can’t help and you have a lot of stuff look into uShip. Which I drove under for a while. It’s a paid version of the same idea. uShip let’s drivers bid down on a trip and the lowest rate is the winner and will take your load for that rate.
Any yes, even animals (with proper documentation). Everything from a single disk to a closed mall can be shipped via uShip.

Call G first if you like.
If not try https://www.uship.com/

_________________
42 6F 61 72 64 73 6F 72 74 2E 63 6F 6D


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:46 am 

Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:14 pm
Posts: 37
Thanks so much for the tips! Ill check these out.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 5:33 am 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
[edit]I’m not actually travelling any real degree at the moment due to family and COVID. [/edit]
Call or email Gorven.
;)

_________________
42 6F 61 72 64 73 6F 72 74 2E 63 6F 6D


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 5:38 am 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
@gorven
I ONLY point this out because I was planning a trip for last fall and COVID killed my plans. With a legitimate reason I’d jump for an on site visit to boardsort.

_________________
42 6F 61 72 64 73 6F 72 74 2E 63 6F 6D


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 12:59 pm 

Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:42 pm
Posts: 227
Location: Troy, NY
I have used Gorven's services before, as a matter of fact, the last pallet I shipped to the refinery, he saved me several hundred bucks in freight charges as opposed to freightquote. Highly recommend if you're shipping skids.
That said, totally agreed on all points with regards to shipping with USPS/FedEx/UPS. Higher value items, go USPS flat rate, never had an issue. If you have a Staples in your area, they partner with UPS, and even if you don't have a coupon handy, they will normally give you 10%off if you ask and will honor the $10 off $20 or more (or some variation) coupons and apply them to shipping, so you can save a bunch of money that way. You can turn a box costing $40 to ship down to $20ish.
Pirateship applies corporate discounts to shipping charges with USPS, they even discount flat rate boxes.
As previously stated, NEVER ship low grade or mid grade, either show up in person or get rid of them at a local yard and then use the money to ship a box with decent boards so you're zero bucks out of pocket.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to: