6x7x49 golf driver box

[iodlee]

guys - can you tell me a cost effective way of shipping a 6x7x49 golf driver box cross-country. It's very light - only 1.5 lbs but i guess its dimensions classify it as a large package and ebay and usps calculator show it over $100

thx

[creoleorchid]

I sold some drivers a few years back and shipped them in triangular tube boxes I got from USPS. Shipping was surprisingly affordable but I don’t remember how much. I don’t know if the post office still offers them

[nobody*s_perfect]

You must have made an error in using the shipping calculator.  

Your package has a length-plus-girth of 49 + (6 + 7 + 6 + 7) = 49 + 23 = 72 inches, so it is not subject to the balloon rate..

Your package has a volume of 49 x 6 x 7 = 2058 cubic inches, so if it is shipped via Priority Mail to Zones 5 - 9 it will ship at the 11-pound rate, which would be $39.76 to Zone 8.  If you can get the volume below 1728 cu in, then it will ship at the weight-based rate.

[berserkerplanet]

Not sure how you got the $100 number (unless you were looking at UPS 3day Select retail rates)

Dimensional Weight = DW Length+Girth=L+G
A 6x7x49 box has a volume of V=6x7x49=2058 cu-in and L+G = 49+(6+6+7+7) = 75" which can be ignored for all carriers as it is < 84"

The 49" length is a minor issue* for FedEx Smartpost - incurs a $3.05 non-machinable surcharge
49" Length is a bigger issue for FedEx Ground/Home Delivery and incurs a $13.50 Additional Handling surcharge

USPS Priority Mail Zone5-8 DW = V/194 = 2058/194 = 10.61 = 11 lb (that calc changes June 2019 to apply to all zones)
USPS Parcel Select doesn't care about DW (not until June 2019 when that will be a factor)
eBay FedEx Ground/Home Delivery DW = V/166 = 2058/166 = 12.4 = 13 lb
eBay FedEx SmartPost DW = V/250 = 2068/250 = 8.23 = 9 lb

Nothing too terrible, but it shows you how the size affects the billed weight for the various services.


eBay calculator shows for California to New York:
USPS Priority Mail = $39.76 USPS Parcel Select = $10.79 FedEx Home Delivery = $40.86 FedEx SmartPost = not available*

*Smartpost isn't an option in the estimating calculator. It should be as it is under the 60" FedEx length limit, but eBay just doesn't offer it in listings or the estimating calculators for items that exceed the 34" length or 35 lb weight limit non-machinable thresholds.

The eBay label flow will produce a label for it though - I got $19.60 for the amount.

(in other words, you can print Smartpost labels for things like this, you just can't get estimating calculator amounts for them or offer Smartpost as an option in the listing - you can offer it if you don't use calculated shipping in the listing and fudge the dimensions down under 34" length and/or under 35 lb actual weight)



Parcel Select looks like the far cheapest option, and I would go that route instead of Smartpost. (If desired and your gut says so, you can insure it with USPS - while Smartpost carries only max $100 indemnity and only for damage by FedEx, and the Smartpost route involves handoff to USPS at the end and more handling overall. Third party insurance an option if you need it too)