Actual shipping charges via UPS for a vintage machine

[Mrtoad]

Hi,

does anybody know what the approximate cost of having the ups pack and ship a vintage machine would be? I was looking at a machine that the seller said they would drop at a UPS store if I coordinated packing and shipping myself. Just have no idea what the approximate cost would be. I don't see many machines listed by me on craigslist and the few I see are way over priced at least I think so anyway.

Thanks,
Mike

[mxfaiman]

Well shipping alone will be about $50-60 due to the size. Plus the packaging your probably looking at close to $120. I have never used UPS or Fedex packing before. Other members have and could give you a better idea on what they charge to pack.

[Mrtoad]

Well shipping alone will be about $50-60 due to the size. Plus the packaging your probably looking at close to $120. I have never used UPS or Fedex packing before. Other members have and could give you a better idea on what they charge to pack.

Wow! I had no idea. I just purchased a machine last night on eBay and they charged me about $30 for shipping insured. I am guessing either post office is cheaper or they did not do their homework.

[mxfaiman]

I haven't really checked the USPS rates. But with UPS cross country it is usually about $50 (next state runs closer to $35-40)

[Mrtoad]

I haven't really checked the USPS rates. But with UPS cross country it is usually about $50 (next state runs closer to $35-40)

Thanks. And assuming like you mentioned the cost will double or more to have them pack it up. Yikes

[emmadog]

50-60 to pack it and shipping can be 100 or so coast to coast. shipping is determined by weight AND box size. in other words a huge but light box can still cost quite a bit to ship just because of it's dimensions. also, if the package is damaged and you or the seller does the packaging and not UPS, UPS can deny insurance by simply saying the packing didn't meet their strict standards-and they are very particular about it. it's an upsell tactic that UPS uses when you pay for the declared value but it's no guarantee.

[john q]

i just had one packed and shipped by u.p.s. from pa. to ca. all seller did was drop it off. below were the charges.
The UPS Store - #3723
N Bryn Mawr Ave
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 525-
01/02/13 10:19 AM
We are the one stop for all your
shipping, postal and business needs,
Full-service printing & finishing.
Get it done. Get it done right.
1IIIIllliilllillilllllllillilllllillilllllllllllllllllili1II IIillllili
OOi 010802 (002) T1 $ 50,00
Custom Carton
002 020802 (009) ****3**** TO $ 25,00
Pack, Mat, - Carton
003 030006 (016) ****S**** TO $ 25,00
Cartonizing Fee
004 001045 (001) TO $ 132.92
Ground Residential
Tracking.
SubTotal $ 232,92
Sales tax (Tl) $ 3,00
Total $ 235,92

[emmadog]

looks like the packing charges are variable. i've had it done 4 times so far and it's been about 50 bucks. just recently shipped an arrangeball from a non ebay sale to frisco and it was just over 50 for the packing. from now on, I don't pack myself in case of damage and that way UPS will cover it. remember kids paying the "declared value" fee does NOT guarantee any claims if you pack it yourself. i had no idea about all this until recently. I shipped my rock, scissors, paper arrangeball to florida and packed it myself. i paid the declared value as we all do with UPS with peace of mind from thinking it was covered. machine gets to the destination and is stuck in bonus mode and the buyer can't sort it out. buyer files a claim which UPS denied due to insufficient packing so i refund his money and get the machine back. within 5 minutes i had it working properly-the 3 microswitches that control the bonus are mounted in a plastic chassis had come loose and as a result were contiously pressed down . yes, i wish the buyer had been more thorough in troubleshooting-i would have made a sale and he'd still have a great machine but i learned a valuable lesson. speaking of the machine, i'll be selling it sometime before xmas. i'm heading out of the country for a couple of weeks so it'll be after that.
anyway, be warned about the packing guidelines if you do it yourself. there's info on their website the details the type of tape, cardboard rating, amount of packing, etc. things that the casual shipper is not aware of. if the buyer files a claim it'll be a few days before UPS makes a trip out to inspect the packaging. in that time an unscrupulous buyer can degrade or do anything they want to make it appear that you the seller didn't pack it right.

[Mrtoad]

Thanks all. I was not planning on shipping anything myself, I just wanted a ballpark because a seller said they would ship it if I paid the charges but if that is how high I will not do it. I will keep an eye on craigslist but nothing near me really coming up. A few but some are way out of price on cost but still would be cheaper than paying rates like those to ship. I am hoping the one I did just buy on ebay that it arrives safely.

thanks for all the replies!

[DukeOfDelmar]

Just a side note - be wary of sellers that offer to ship for only $30. You may end up with this:

20131104_212144_a.jpg

[Mrtoad]

Just a side note - be wary of sellers that offer to ship for only $30. You may end up with this:

20131104_212144_a.jpg

They actually have great feedback of about 700+ but just think they have never sold and shipped a pachinko machine before. Hopefully they pack it ok...

And what exactly is that in the picture?

Thanks!

[JACKSJE4]

I just had a vintage machine shipped to me last week that I won on eBay. The seller packed it themselves and I specifically asked them to clearly mark the box with bold arrows so that the machine would ship point-to-point in it's normal upright position. I also asked them to put the shipping label on top of the box and add a few "Fragile" stickers. This helps ensure that the machine is handled by human hands along it's journey and not dropped on a conveyor belt with heaven knows what else. It also helps prevent the box from being tossed around during the loading/unloading process. Since I have been requesting machines to be shipped this way, I have not experienced any damage to my machines.

I have also purchased machines from Craigslist sellers in other states and had them drop the machine off at the nearest pack & ship store that is most convenient for them. I immediately contact the store to let them know how I want it packed (using the guidelines above), as well as to make sure the box dimensions will be as small as safely possible to get the cheapest shipping rate. Again, I have not had a machine damaged when shipped in this manner.

If there is still time, contact the seller of your machine and ask them to mark the box as I described above. It will greatly improve the chances of your machine arriving in great condition.

~Jeff

[DukeOfDelmar]

They actually have great feedback of about 700+ but just think they have never sold and shipped a pachinko machine before. Hopefully they pack it ok...

And what exactly is that in the picture?

Thanks!

That is someone's attempt at a crate. The pachinko arrived loose inside of that mess, with only a cut-up cereal box to pad it.

[Mrtoad]

I just had a vintage machine shipped to me last week that I won on eBay. The seller packed it themselves and I specifically asked them to clearly mark the box with bold arrows so that the machine would ship point-to-point in it's normal upright position. I also asked them to put the shipping label on top of the box and add a few "Fragile" stickers. This helps ensure that the machine is handled by human hands along it's journey and not dropped on a conveyor belt with heaven knows what else. It also helps prevent the box from being tossed around during the loading/unloading process. Since I have been requesting machines to be shipped this way, I have not experienced any damage to my machines.

I have also purchased machines from Craigslist sellers in other states and had them drop the machine off at the nearest pack & ship store that is most convenient for them. I immediately contact the store to let them know how I want it packed (using the guidelines above), as well as to make sure the box dimensions will be as small as safely possible to get the cheapest shipping rate. Again, I have not had a machine damaged when shipped in this manner.

If there is still time, contact the seller of your machine and ask them to mark the box as I described above. It will greatly improve the chances of your machine arriving in great condition.

~Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for the tips, I will mail them now. Hopefully it has not shipped yet. Thanks!
Mike

[Mrtoad]

That is someone's attempt at a crate. The pachinko arrived loose inside of that mess, with only a cut-up cereal box to pad it.

wow!

[mxfaiman]

@ Jeff

The labels and things don't matter to the people handling the box. They don't care what is inside it. Their only task is to get it from point A to B.

But they do help should the contents get damaged because in your claim you could state it was clearly marked.


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[Mrtoad]

@ Jeff

The labels and things don't matter to the people handling the box. They don't care what is inside it. Their only task is to get it from point A to B.

But they do help should the contents get damaged because in your claim you could state it was clearly marked.


Posted using Tapatalk

Thanks. I emailed the seller and they will do all that I asked them to. I am going to hope for the best and worst case if damaged it will be on the seller. If they had bad seller ratings I would be more leery. I will let everybody know how it goes when it arrives. It does have one broken part already that I will glue. I almost bought an old pinball machine today too that was within driving distance but know my wife would kill me. I had been looking at both the pachinko and the pinball and liked the pachinko better so went with it.

[brassballs]

Box it yourself...scrounge some cardboard boxes and us 2" packing tape.

Here's some specifics on UPS shipping an P-machine; all measures and weights are approximate.

the machines are rather bulky for the weight.

when boxed it would be about 33" x 22" 10"and will weigh about 42 pounds plus the box (3#).

A bulky box that big will be charged by "dimensional weight". The dimensional weight for the above box is 51#.

Looking at the UPS rate chart for 51# "retail charges" is $71 across the USA coast to coast will be $72. (zone 8). To Zone 2 or 3 (next door) to about 400 miles would be about $25. This rate is if you go to a UPS TERMINAL with your package ready to go.
BUT...if you have daily rates (regular shipper) the shipping costs will be about 26% less.

DOUBLE BUT...IF you go to a UPS STORE they USUALLY charge more than retail rates. They are independents...franchised.

with UPS, $100 insurance is automatically put into these above charges. If U want more insurance it goes by $100 increments.

UPS: Zones and Rates for the 48 Contiguous States

heres the zone chart for zones /\ /\ . Find the from and to zones. Then go to the rate charts.

Hope this helps.

[mxfaiman]

Yep. UPS goes by dimensional weight so they figure the box weighs 65lbs. (also note, just throwing a machine in a box and taping it up isn't enough packaging.) All said and done when I send out a machine it is usually about 45-48 lbs.

Also another hidden secret is if you plan to do the shipping and pay through paypal you can get a slight discount. www. paypal .com/shipnow (take out spaces) They have both UPS and USPS. You go there pay for shipping and print shipping label and done.