12 pound 16x15x15 box.....best way to ship?

[currencyoftime]

I have a BCD (scuba) to sell.   The box weights 12 lbs.  The shipping costs I see are atrocious.  Does anyone have suggestion on which is the best way to ship it?

[currencyoftime]

The “beat stuff up” is what I have read about before on these boards.  I have only ever shipped USPS and I don’t even receive many packages from USPS either.

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On another note, you wouldn’t believe how much fun trying to put a full wetsuit on a mannequin is!  I am thinking this could be a new workout craze.....I’m working up a sweat.  Her legs keep coming detached and the suit is tight.  I shut my balcony shutters because I can imagine the view from across the way.

[partial*eclipse]

Just trying to point out that clculated shipping will require dimensions (and why).

[bubbleman2010]

They all beat up stuff,but UPS is the worst of the bunch. They wouldn't honor a claim if it was packed in cement they'd just toss out the improperly packaged  card. If their drivers notice damage to a package they'll turn it away from the view from inside the home scan it and run back to their truck...

[timemachine777]

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@currencyoftimewrote:

I have a BCD (scuba) to sell.   The box weights 12 lbs.  The shipping costs I see are atrocious.  Does anyone have suggestion on which is the best way to ship it?

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USPS 43.50 plus insurance, is the best you'll do unless you do eBay labels. UPS might be cheaper. Also, don't forget that it could go to HI. 

[berserkerplanet]

To a Zone 8 location: $27.67 for FedEx Home Delivery through eBay Labels

(and yes naysayers, that includes the Residential Surcharge and Fuel surcharge)

I have had NO problems with FedEx damaging or losing shipments in over a decade of shipping with them.

[newview]

I just checked Greyhound Package Express and coast to coast for your size / weight package it would run $43.77.

[timemachine777]

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@berserkerplanetwrote:
To a Zone 8 location: $27.67 for FedEx Home Delivery through eBay Labels

(and yes naysayers, that includes the Residential Surcharge and Fuel surcharge)

I have had NO problems with FedEx damaging or losing shipments in over a decade of shipping with them.

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We don't have a FedEx agent around here.

[coolections]

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@timemachine777wrote:

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We don't have a FedEx agent around here.  

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I suppose it doesn't matter then, unless you too have one listed ?

[berserkerplanet]

If by FedEx Agent you mean a FedEx Shipping center, than you could schedule a pickup.

(You can also drop off FedEx packages at other businesses that have FedEx pickup like box stores, or a business where you are friendly with the owners, or in some places Walgreeens, etc or throw FedEx Ground shipments at any FedEx Ground truck/driver if you can catch them)

Since there is no option to schedule a pickup when using eBay labels the $3 per package pickup charge is off the table, but the $4 "future date" pickup scheduled via phone through FedEx CS or the $5 "same day" pickup is an option.

If an eBay seller has their eBay account linked to their FedEx account (I do, but unknown if it is still possible), then the label could be printed at FedEx.com, would receive the same deep discount (in this case 24% off list rates), and could schedule the $3 pickup at the time of label creation and have it all billed at once (via credit card at FedEx.com)

I don't know if one can print the label on eBay, but go to their FedEx.com account and just schedule a pickup....
(hold on, I'll check.....)
Pickups can be scheduled via the pickup management pages. I didn't actually schedule one, and didn't get a rate quote for the pickup, but it should be the $3 in the service guide and billed to my account.

Notes:
I have never personally scheduled a pickup (FedEx/Kinkos is 1-2 miles from here and open 24 hours), and the Ground On-Call Pickup Charge amounts above are from the 2018 FedEx Service Guide. I *think* if a pickup is scheduled via phone, it is paid for with a credit card.

Another poster on here (who lives in BFE and I think has totally p*ssed of the FedEx people in her state) has claimed that FedEx charged her $11.75 or some such for a pickup in the past. There is no provision for that in the service guide (and FedEx doesn't OFFICIALLY make up charges for things not in the service guide), so I don't think there would be an upcharge for a rural pickup. (I'm speculating the $11.75 was a made up charge by an annoyed, rural FedEx office.) Would be best to check with FedEx though (it would make sense that they charge more than $3 or $4 for a driver to drive 50-100 miles out of their way just to pick up a package)

[bradandamber]

Fedex is prefered here. UPS  is ok..USPS ah noway with a package of that wieght. Try ebays shipping calculator.

[partial*eclipse]

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@timemachine777wrote:... don't forget that it could go to HI. 

The OP lives in Virginia, so the cost to ship to HI would be the same as shipping to California.  Surely this high shipping cost, and the slowness of surface mail, would dissuade any potential buyers from either location.

[berserkerplanet]

FedEx Home Delivery $27.67 to California. Hawaii not so much at about $100 Ground or 2 day. Parcel Select $42.64 to HI is more reasonable.

Type of item that would be more likely to sell to a buyer near the ocean (yeah, there are freshwater divers inland too). A mix of calculated FedEx Home Delivery, Parcel Select, and Priority makes it look doable to me (that is a $200-1000 item if new). Maybe get lucky and find a Gulf Coast or Florida diver to buy it.

[d-k_treasures]

Fed Ex rural pickup charges are brutal. A few years ago it was 10.00 for me - I'm sure it went up. 11.75 or more would sound about right.

And nowhere to drop it off, unless I drive 30-40 miles.

[ednkarens]

Sometimes it might cost less to mail in two seperate boxes.  Can the hoses and the accessories be removed and fit in a Large Flat Rate box from USPS?  

[currencyoftime]

Nothing that would be substantial difference in weight can be removed.  Nothing at all that would allow for a smaller box, either.  Good thought, though.