Shipping costs, estimates, and helpful tips

Triple_Strum

Triple_Strum

Active member
So since I buy and sell lots of things, I decided I would make a sticky (or at least general thread) stating the shipping costs for all different kinds of ski gear to help transactions on NS run more smoothly. So, I will state the Item to be shipped, then the approximate price (based on weight). All prices are assuming: 1) You use USPS, which is far cheaper than UPS or FedEx in my experience, especially on larger packages 2) You use the smallest box possible. 3) You are shipping Priority Mail unless otherwise stated 4) You are not purchasing insurance or tracking. Insurance is generally $1.50 for every $100 of the content value.

Some shipping points of advice:

1) Do not buy tape or packing materials at the post office, it is more expensive than any office supply store

2) Do not buy a box from them. If it is a smaller item to be shipped, they have free boxes. If it helmet sized or bigger, go to the back of a Walmart, shoe store or liquor store to obtain a quality box.

3) If it is a heavier item like a pair of bindings, use a Flat Rate Box, and it will always be $9.80

4) Use the smallest box possible. If the box is over 108 inches (= 2W + 2H + length) you will pay a balloon charge of $3-$5 extra

5) Use Airmail when shipping internationally if the total package is below 4 pounds. It is nearly the same amount of time, but substantially cheaper.

Anyway, on to the costs:

Item to be shipped: Skis (with no bindings)

- Inside US, east to west coast: $17-$22

- US to Canada: $27-$31

- US to Europe or Australia - $150 plus (can be much more, as well)

Item to be shipped: Skis with bindings

- Inside US. east to west coast: $22-$28

- US to Canada: $26-$38 (depending on location in both US and Canada, obviously Florida to Vancouver will cost much more than New York to Toronto)

- US to Europe: honestly, don't bother

Item to be shipped: Goggles

- Inside U.S.: $4.60

- US to Canada: $4-$6 (using Airmail) or $9-$12 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe: $7-$10 (Airmail) or $15-$19 (Priority)

- US to Australia/NZ: $11-$14 (Airmail) or $17-$20 (Priority)

Item to be shipped: Bindings

- Inside U.S.: $9.80

- US to Canada: $17-$21 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe/Australia/NZ: $38.95(flat rate box)-$60 (Priority without flat rate box and heavy bindings)

Item to be shipped: Helmet or Poles

-Basically the same as goggles, but add a dollar or two to each catagory

Item to be shipped: Boots

- Inside U.S.: $17-$22

- US to Canada: $28-$32 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe/Australia/NZ: $60-$65

Item to be shipped: Jacket or Pants (under 3 lbs, so not heavy down jackets)

- Inside U.S.: $9.80 in a flat rate, or $12-$15 if doesn't fit in flat rate

- US to Canada: $11-$14 (using Airmail) or $18-$24 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe: $23-$28 (Airmail) or $32-$40 (Priority)

- US to Australia/NZ: $24-$30 (Airmail) or $33-$45 (Priority)

Anyone who has lots of experience and wants to add things may. Also, if someone has read through this entire post and still has a question, feel free to PM me. I hope some find this helpful for reference.
 
i have found that when shipping to canada/over seas it is cheaper to use ups/fedex. such as im am selling some stuff now to a guy who lives in canada and for ups its around $15 but if I did usps it would have been $30
 
This thread definetly deserves a sticky! nice T_S.

Are these prices UPS-related? or USPS or some other service?
 
Well, perhaps I am wrong, but I never had much success with UPS. Maybe I misunderstood their price quote. So there you go folks, try UPS when going out of the country. Though, I am guessing FedEx is not cheaper, considering USPS uses FedEx as their extension company (since obviously they do not have carriers in other countries).
 
Side Note: USPS doesn't ship anything over 150cm Internationally

On a personal note, I think Fedex sucks for shipping skis. I sent some to California and they just fucked them up real bad. The good side, they don't charge insurance and refunded my buyer $450 USD. Still he was not happy.
 
UPS

USA->CANADA

NEVER DO THIS!

The number of times I've seen UPS ding myself and others on customs and "brokerage" gee's is nuts.

Take a $400 item that you pay $40 to ship, then it comes to your door and they want another $95 for tax and brokerage. Tax is one thing, but the "handling fee" they have.. blah.

There's a class-action lawsuit against UPS for this sole reason.

So yea sellers, never send via UPS to Canada, you'll just get a pain from it. My best experience shipped to Canada is with US Post. I won't eve buy from anyone that says they want to use UPS, been burned too many times.

However within the USA, I have never had issues using UPS, they were actually quite good.

B
 
As I have done this many times shipping DVDs is a very important thing.

Using USPS you are looking to spend about 3 dollars depending on how many you are sending or to where you are sending. I spent about 4 today sending to Alaska and Montana from New Hampshire. Just predict about 3-4 using priority shipping
 
As several people have already bitched about the duty that can be tacked on to US --> Canada shipments here are the two most important things one can do to save the recipient any more fees (this also goes with Canada --> US shipments of course).

Step 1: Ship with USPS. (CanadaPost for Canadians).
Step2: Mark the item as "Gift" or "Used".

Its that simple.
 
Copied DIRECTLY from the general advice thread.

"Shipping

So since I buy and sell lots of things, I decided I would make a sticky (or at least general thread) stating the shipping costs for all different kinds of ski gear to help transactions on NS run more smoothly. So, I will state the Item to be shipped, then the approximate price (based on weight). All prices are assuming: 1) You use USPS, which is far cheaper than UPS or FedEx in my experience, especially on larger packages 2) You use the smallest box possible. 3) You are shipping Priority Mail unless otherwise stated 4) You are not purchasing insurance or tracking. Insurance is generally $1.50 for every $100 of the content value.

Some shipping points of advice:

1) Do not buy tape or packing materials at the post office, it is more expensive than any office supply store

2) Do not buy a box from them. If it is a smaller item to be shipped, they have free boxes. If it helmet sized or bigger, go to the back of a Walmart, shoe store or liquor store to obtain a quality box.

3) If it is a heavier item like a pair of bindings, use a Flat Rate Box, and it will always be $9.80

4) Use the smallest box possible. If the box is over 108 inches (= 2W + 2H + length) you will pay a balloon charge of $3-$5 extra

5) Use Airmail when shipping internationally if the total package is below 4 pounds. It is nearly the same amount of time, but substantially cheaper.

Anyway, on to the costs:

Item to be shipped: Skis (with no bindings)

- Inside US, east to west coast: $17-$22

- US to Canada: $27-$31

- US to Europe or Australia - $150 plus (can be much more, as well)

Item to be shipped: Skis with bindings

- Inside US. east to west coast: $22-$28

- US to Canada: $26-$38 (depending on location in both US and Canada, obviously Florida to Vancouver will cost much more than New York to Toronto)

- US to Europe: honestly, don't bother

Item to be shipped: Goggles

- Inside U.S.: $4.60

- US to Canada: $4-$6 (using Airmail) or $9-$12 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe: $7-$10 (Airmail) or $15-$19 (Priority)

- US to Australia/NZ: $11-$14 (Airmail) or $17-$20 (Priority)

Item to be shipped: Bindings

- Inside U.S.: $9.80

- US to Canada: $17-$21 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe/Australia/NZ: $38.95(flat rate box)-$60 (Priority without flat rate box and heavy bindings)

Item to be shipped: Helmet or Poles

-Basically the same as goggles, but add a dollar or two to each catagory

Item to be shipped: Boots

- Inside U.S.: $17-$22

- US to Canada: $28-$32 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe/Australia/NZ: $60-$65

Item to be shipped: Jacket or Pants (under 3 lbs, so not heavy down jackets)

- Inside U.S.: $9.80 in a flat rate, or $12-$15 if doesn't fit in flat rate

- US to Canada: $11-$14 (using Airmail) or $18-$24 (using Priority Mail)

- US to Europe: $23-$28 (Airmail) or $32-$40 (Priority)

- US to Australia/NZ: $24-$30 (Airmail) or $33-$45 (Priority)"
 
got ya. it was originally its own thread. guess they incorp. the info cause its so useful.
 
very first line gives credit to triple_strum so this must have been his part of that general advise thread. still a useful thread
 
i've always wondered...

i've never done anything like you pay $5 plus shipping...mainly just like $10 shipped. So my question is when you say something like $5 plus shipping, do u just tell the guy working at the post office something like, "the person receiving this is payfor for the shipping..."?
 
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