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Comics:How to ship,not to ship & little tidbits.

Started by casey1870,

60 posts in this topic

ComicSupply

ComicSupply

Posted
Posted

Personally here are my takes on UPS vs USPS

 

UPS: Great insurance and great tracking and fast delivery times. Will come to your door but most likely during business hours(if missed, label left for you to pick up or sign for drop off). Drawbacks are $1.50 residential charge and $5 label charge for any packages dropped off at a UPS Store. So, if you send something through a UPS Store, it will cost you $6.50 regardless and then tac on the normal rates. A 10 pound box say from Michigan to Michigan will cost around $12.00 and unless its real heavy (10+ Pounds) I would say to use the postal service.

 

USPS: This used to be my favorite option. But, with the whole Media mail thing it really detracts from using them. The basically have 2 rates for comics. Fast being priority and Slow being Parcel/Media (same speed) I don't like that they don't have a tracking, or that insurance costs so much. I find that a lot of damage that happens to packages probably doesn't have anything to do with the packaging, but has to do with a lot of their old sorting equipment in some states. The post office used to have great priority rates, but since the ZONED them, it is much more expensive now.

 

USPS does not really offer businesses anything because they won't come pick up anything but Priority mail packages. Meaning that I have to take everything that is First Class, Parcel or Media in myself. I suspect they probably will change this soon as UPS/FedEx/DHL are cutting into the pie. I am sure they will get hungry soon. Then again, they could always raise the price of the stamp again.

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uclapeterg

uclapeterg

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Posted
Personally here are my takes on UPS vs USPS

 

UPS: Great insurance and great tracking and fast delivery times. Will come to your door but most likely during business hours(if missed, label left for you to pick up or sign for drop off). Drawbacks are $1.50 residential charge and $5 label charge for any packages dropped off at a UPS Store. So, if you send something through a UPS Store, it will cost you $6.50 regardless and then tac on the normal rates. A 10 pound box say from Michigan to Michigan will cost around $9.00 and unless its

 

USPS: This used to be my favorite option. But, with the whole Media mail thing it really detracts from using them. The basically have 2 rates for comics. Fast being priority and Slow being Parcel/Media (same speed) I don't like that they don't have a tracking, or that insurance costs so much. I find that a lot of damage that happens to packages probably doesn't have anything to do with the packaging, but has to do with a lot of their old sorting equipment in some states. The post office used to have great priority rates, but since the ZONED them, it is much more expensive now.

 

USPS does not really offer businesses anything because they won't come pick up anything but Priority mail packages. Meaning that I have to take everything that is First Class, Parcel or Media in myself. I suspect they probably will change this soon as UPS/FedEx/DHL are cutting into the pie. I am sure they will get hungry soon. Then again, they could always raise the price of the stamp again.

 

umm, if you fill out a label on the computer, USPS Delivery confirmation is FREE.

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Crows

Crows

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Living in Canada, i try to avoid anything sent UPS from the U.S.

UPS charges (on top of all regular customs fees) a Brokerage fee , whatever that is, but they calculate it according to the value of the package.

For my $200 dollar item, their brokerage fee was $45 ! frown.gif

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tay666

tay666

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Will come to your door but most likely during business hours(if missed, label left for you to pick up or sign for drop off).

 

Really??

They just leave everything on my front steps, regardless of the weather.

 

At least my mailcarrier will open my porch door and stick my packages in the porch.

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tay666

tay666

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Personally I find that it's all about the packaging. As long as there's good sturdy cardboard sandwiching the book(s) then you should be fine for the most part

 

That is why I re-use the mailers from my mile high subscriptions.

I have 3 or 4 boxes of them from over the years. laugh.gif

 

You also need to be concious about the "grain" of the cardboard. Make sure the ribbing of the cardboard goes from top to bottom on the comic... not side to side because that's easy to bend.

Actually I have found it better to use a combination.

One piece with the grain running one way, and another piece with the grain running the other.

That way there is no chance of it getting bent long ways.

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Aces

Aces

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Will come to your door but most likely during business hours(if missed, label left for you to pick up or sign for drop off).

 

Really??

They just leave everything on my front steps, regardless of the weather.

 

At least my mailcarrier will open my porch door and stick my packages in the porch.

 

I just pray I don't get anything on Saturday.

The part-timers deliver then I guess because they always screw it up.

 

The Hulk 161 I just got a week ago yesterday was left out in the rain! foreheadslap.gif

Fortunatly I was home and the package didn't get too wet in the few minutes it was left there.

The comic was dry because it was well packed!

tonofbricks.gif

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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Delivery confirmation isn't tracking though. Only works if it gets there. Tracking with UPS is both. So, if it gets lost, UPS can look where it was last scanned. USPS can not.

 

Hey Russ - we can online at usps.com or at the clerk's terminal at the post office wink.gif If the package makes stops at several processing centers en route from seller's door to buyer's door, delivery confirmation/tracking is identical here, and can be pulled up to show each place scanned. confused-smiley-013.gif maybe I'm not understanding your post.. sorry if I missed the point...

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rob_react

rob_react

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Will come to your door but most likely during business hours(if missed, label left for you to pick up or sign for drop off).

 

I'm not sure why but most of the UPS packages I get do NOT allow that option. If I miss them, I'm SOL. This happened to me last week, with the $9.00 return package I mentioned above. It cost nearly four times what it would have cost me if the buyer had used first class mail and then I was stuck in the house all morning waiting for the UPS guy. frustrated.gif

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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just as an unrelated FYI - Back when I lived in Alexandria VA, I remember getting to know my UPS guy as we used to joke about our own experiences at work and he told me about a UPS bar code I could place on the inside of my window that would allow the uPS guy to deliver to my doorstep and leave packages there even when I'm not home? Needless to say I never investigated further but was wondering if there was any truth to this and if it was only available to their private shipping accounts? as abuyer, this option could eliminate the hassle of going to a center when convenient or waiting all day for a delivery confused-smiley-013.gif

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greggy

greggy

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just as an unrelated FYI - Back when I lived in Alexandria VA, I remember getting to know my UPS guy as we used to joke about our own experiences at work and he told me about a UPS bar code I could place on the inside of my window that would allow the uPS guy to deliver to my doorstep and leave packages there even when I'm not home? Needless to say I never investigated further but was wondering if there was any truth to this and if it was only available to their private shipping accounts? as abuyer, this option could eliminate the hassle of going to a center when convenient or waiting all day for a delivery confused-smiley-013.gif
I know that fedex allows for a waiver for them to drop off packages when you aren't home. However, technically they can't leave any packages valued at over $100 but who knows what happens when their drivers or even worse, an agent, "delivers" the package.
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Nefaria

Nefaria

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I don't even offer UPS on my auctions. Our bridge is out and it's a 20 mile trip to our local drop station who charges an additional $1 just for the convenience of droping it off there. I use First class up to 6oz then Media mail, but I offer upgrades. I've yet to get a complaint. I've just spent $1000 just on packaging materials to protect the comics. My local mailman will come to my door to get my packages I'm shipping out. All I do is leave the flag up with an empty box and he knows I've got parcels (biggest reason he gets a nice card for christmas w/$20). I don't like international shipping as PayPal doesn't print shipping labels. That makes me drive around the river again. So if I wait to ship for up to two days it's only on international packages then only if I have a bunch of auctions ending.

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ComicSupply

ComicSupply

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Delivery confirmation isn't tracking though. Only works if it gets there. Tracking with UPS is both. So, if it gets lost, UPS can look where it was last scanned. USPS can not.

 

Hey Russ - we can online at usps.com or at the clerk's terminal at the post office wink.gif If the package makes stops at several processing centers en route from seller's door to buyer's door, delivery confirmation/tracking is identical here, and can be pulled up to show each place scanned. confused-smiley-013.gif maybe I'm not understanding your post.. sorry if I missed the point...

 

What I was saying is that with USPS its a crapshoot as to whether or not its going to be scanned at a center. With UPS, they have to be scanned everytime they are taken off the truck, or loaded.

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Nefaria

Nefaria

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Delivery confirmation isn't tracking though. Only works if it gets there. Tracking with UPS is both. So, if it gets lost, UPS can look where it was last scanned. USPS can not.

 

Hey Russ - we can online at usps.com or at the clerk's terminal at the post office wink.gif If the package makes stops at several processing centers en route from seller's door to buyer's door, delivery confirmation/tracking is identical here, and can be pulled up to show each place scanned. confused-smiley-013.gif maybe I'm not understanding your post.. sorry if I missed the point...

 

What I was saying is that with USPS its a crapshoot as to whether or not its going to be scanned at a center. With UPS, they have to be scanned everytime they are taken off the truck, or loaded.

 

I'll agree with that, those tracking numbers that are generated by PayPal on USPS shipments are useless until you've got your package. Then in shows delivery, foreheadslap.gif

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kiltman

kiltman

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IMO, for the most part, it matter a LOT more how you PACKAGE things than how you MAIL them.

 

Definetly. As long as you pack it secure enough so it is bullet proof it doesnt matter who it is with. t;s whats in the box they want, not the box itself confused-smiley-013.gif

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casey1870

casey1870

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I recieved another damaged package today! Christo_pull_hair.gif They were bagged & boarded in a Priority Mailer but this guy wrapped them in newspaper!!!! frustrated.gifThe URC was smashed on 2 books..... sumo.gif What a 893censored-thumb.gif

 

Also recieved a Priority Box filled with beautiful comics that was'nt damaged from DiceX....thanks cloud9.gif

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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I recieved another damaged package today! Christo_pull_hair.gif They were bagged & boarded in a Priority Mailer but this guy wrapped them in newspaper!!!! frustrated.gifThe URC was smashed on 2 books..... sumo.gif What a 893censored-thumb.gif

 

 

Sorry to hear that your streak of bad luck continues Cass. That newspaper wrap is not enough unfortunately, IMO. When I use the priority flat rate envelope, I do employ the cardboard method, but also trap that carboard/comic sandwich in between an auction catalog, or magazines laying around and the envelope strutcture stays intact, despite any impacts that would cause those spider creases as shown in your pic. BTW, I hope you did get around to talking to your POstmaster - they can't do much for damage that occurrs in transit, but at least your local delivery guy won't compund the damage by forcing a flexible envelope into a small mailbox.

 

Also recieved a Priority Box filled with beautiful comics that was'nt damaged from DiceX....thanks cloud9.gif

 

DiceX 893applaud-thumb.gif

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