[Milsurplus] RAK RAL Shipping

[Hubert Miller]

Maybe now that I have more time and more to sell off, I'll look into the foam in place ( "Insta-Pack" ? ).  
I wonder how much fumes or smell it generates if done in a residence.
As for the "UPS stores" and such, 2 times the UPS rate, OWWW!!!
I'll have to think about doing a drive of more than an hour to get to an actual FEDEX site.
I can imagine selling something on Ebay with a FEDEX shipping estimate, then when I go to ship it, being told at the local shipping store it's actually $$$ more.
Wouldn’t that be fun.
It occurred to me that Greyhound package service might need less extensive packing, as they have much lower volume and possibly less 
mechanization of sorting and so on. But they do reach only certain cities, and then the recipient has to go pick it up.
-Hue 

>Where I work we buy real heavy duty boxes from uline, they are triple wall.  The larger the box, the smaller number you have to buy.

Foam in place is very nice and they now have packs which are self contained so you don't have to buy the gear for small jobs.  I haven't tried them but I guess you squeeze them to break an internal seal and mix the two components then they expand.  Would be interesting to try.

I have one experience point with the pack and ship places.  I had a box all packed and went to the local UPS store and they quoted me around $120 for shipping.  Sticker shock!  I had gone online at UPS with package measurements and weight and the price came to $60.  I decided to drive the few more miles direct to the UPS depot which had a customer counter and sure enough it was $60.  It was actually a little less because I had added a couple of pounds to not come up short (which can be a big nightmare, especially with USPS, as you lose, yes lose, the postage and need to repurchase it).  I spoke with the manager and was told all "UPS Store" locations are independently owned and they set their own rates, and many in the area simply double the UPS rates.  At first he wouldn't say but finally admitted the stores also get a discounted rate as they are considered high volume and have daily scheduled pickup.

About negotiating, Hue is right, every one I've been to there is no negotiation, the rate is the rate, if you don't like it go somewhere else.  All the ones I've been to (many times for business where I was traveling and had to send stuff back on the company's dime) were very small and the counter person was an owner.

Another key point is that UPS itself considers packages packed by UPS Stores to be customer packed in terms of insurance.  So it the item is damaged and you file a claim and UPS says it wasn't properly packed you have to take it up with the store itself.  Read the fine print!  I was shown the exact place where it said this.  Now, many stores will guarantee their packing and some do a very good job, but this is certainly not universal on either count.

Peter
kb2vtl