Hello,
This year both Fedex and UPS instituted a bike box sized overcharge of $30 on top of shipping listed on the web. Kind of annoying.
Fedex actually scans the size of the boxes to measure them, then bills the unsuspecting merchant (nice). I like this feature the best.
Frames without forks installed can be put in some small boxes and avoid extra dimensional charges; sometimes.
Figure a bike in a large bike box, 50 ish lbs, $1200 insurance around $75 + these days coast to coast.
The Ship Express type outlets mark up the UPS/FedEx freight rates a lot to cover their handling (sometimes significant). It is much cheaper to drop off a carrier terminal for dispatch or have a regular pickup. I don't know about the FedEx/Kinko merger on this however as the guy comes to my door.
Yours in Cycling,
Gilbert Anderson
North Road Bicycle Company 519 W. North St. Raleigh, NC 27603 USA Toll Free Ph: 800\u2022321\u20225511 Local Ph: 919\u2022828\u20228999 E-mail: cyclestore@aol.com
In a message dated 6/23/04 6:12:26 PM, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
<< ate: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 18:11:36 -0400
From: Peter Jon White <lists@peterwhitecycles.com>
To: Ben Sanford <B.Sanford@cox.net>
Cc: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]Shipping costs
Message-ID: <40DA0018.6020709@peterwhitecycles.com>
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Ben Sanford wrote:
> I don't know about UPS, but I just shipped a
> Large frame from DC to NY for just under $10
> with FedEx Ground - to a business address.
> I was a bit surprised since I expected it to
> be more, but didn't ask any questions.
Not surprising. If they don't measure the box, it can go just by weight,
rather than be charged by the size. The shipping companies all have
various "oversize" dimensions. When you go above those dimensions, they
are supposed to charge you by some arbitrary weight rate. So, in a
typical frame box, you may have a frame and packing which with the box
weighs 9 lbs, but due to the box's dimensions, is considered and billed
as if it's 30 lbs. But if they don't measure it, it just gets billed as
if it's 9 lbs. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
--
Peter Jon White
Peter White Cycles
24 Hall Rd.
Hillsborough, NH 03244
603 478 0900 Phone
603 478 0902 Phax