Need Advice on How to Package a Large Tent For Shipping

[sscot6]

I have a large tent for which I need to figure out a way to package for shipping by either UPS or FEDEX ground. It will be shipped entirely within the USA.  It will be shipped stowed in its regular canvas bag which when the tent is stowed, is a canvas cylinder 5 ½’ long, 18” in diameter and weighs 65 lbs. I have looked at UPS guidelines for irregularly shaped packages but they didn’t have the specifics I am looking for on exactly the best way to package it.

I am hoping that someone here has had experience shipping a similar item and can give me some pointers. My first inclination is to wrap the entire thing in a heavy duty shipping plastic (i.e. shrinkwrap of at least 80-100 gauge) but I am afraid that the adhesive on it might damage the canvas bag and that it might not be adequate enough for protection of the bag. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this in a manner that is both adequate for protection of the item but is also cost effective? They would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[terrycanarsky]

Not sure of the cost effectiveness, but I'd wrap it in 'shrink-wrap' material (plastic) and then put it in a box.  That way it's protected from water damage (somewhat) but still has a solid surface for a label, etc.  I'd also use UPS over FedEx (bad string of experiences with FedEx deliveries lately).

~M

[phcd1]

IMO it's not cost effective to ship, but your free to do as you please.

You might want to look up DIMENSIONAL WEIGHT first!

If anything, you might try freight or greyhound.

[sscot6]

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions. I appreciate it very much!

[pingpong517]

it sounds like the size of a golf bag..heavier yes...

places like U-Haul have boxes for stuff and/or you could tape together a few-- but think you could get a box --then wrap on plastic ...

then you can measure and weigh...and compare the rates.... 

[berserkerplanet]

66" x 18" dia  and 65lb gets pretty ugly.

Right off the bat it incurs an $11 Additional Handling charge (it hits at least 3 criteria for that)

Depending on how FedEx calculates Length+Girth for cylindrical packages it may incur the $72.50 Oversize charge. If FedEx uses the USPS system where girth is the circumference of the cylinder it will not. If the FedEx method is that girth is the perimeter of the square containing the cylinder it will, and I suspect this is the method FedEx uses.  (if Oversize is incurred, Additional Handling is waived.)

The USPS method is the cylinder shown above, while I suspect FedEx users the larger "box method" calculation like the box shown above (where girth is the girth of a box that would contain the cylinder).

Assuming the "box method" for girth which is the only way to use the eBay FedEx label page or FedEx.com as I recall:  eBay FedEx Ground dimensional weight = 66 x 18 x 18 = 129 lbs.

It appears it ships at an eBay FedEx weight of 129 lbs and incurs a $72.50 Oversize charge.

$159.45 to a zone 8 destination (California to New York)

If not shipped through eBay with the extra FedEx discount and better dim weight divisor, but shipped through a FedEx account (without the linked discount) it ships at a dim weight of 154lbs and would be about $35-40 more (approx $200) cross country.

If shipped at the FedEx counter retail it would be approx $260 cross country.

UPS would be similar.

As far as packaging goes, wrapping the tent in tough plastic would work as long as it is taped tight to not billow or snag on things (not needed w/ shrinkwrap), boxing or wrapping in corrugated would be better, but neither will prevent punctures if dropped or snagged hard on something pointy. As such wouldn't worry about the puncturing, just scuffing, scraping, and getting shipping grunge on the tent if covering is torn. Worries about adhesive using shrinkwrap can be mitigated by pulling a big trashbag on each end of the tent bag before shrinkwrapping.

[sam9876]

It doen't make any sense to ship it.

[amxjewel · Accepted solution]

If you really want to/need to ship it, wrap tightly in plastic, then box it. You can make a box with large heavy duty cardboard...I do it all the time to ship large/oversize items.

[sscot6]

Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response. It's very helpful. I got a quote from UPS for ground freight at a minimum weight of 151 lbs and shipping from local UPS store to destination UPS store and having the person at the other end go there to pick it up for $84.50. This is a very large and expensive tent and it’s a bargain if I can ship it for that.

[sscot6]

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@amxjewel wrote:

If you really want to/need to ship it, wrap tightly in plastic, then box it. You can make a box with large heavy duty cardboard...I do it all the time to ship large/oversize items.

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Thanks for the response. That's great information and very helpful to me.

[berserkerplanet]

Great. $84.50 is not bad.

Where is it going to and coming from? I ask because the numbers I quoted were for deeply discounted worst case cross country - you must be closer to buyer to have it be only $84.50.

[sam9876]

How much is it going to cost you when the buyer files a SNAD complaint?

[sscot6]

You are right. It's from Maryland to southern NY state, a distance of about 285 miles UPS store to UPS store.

[sscot6]

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@sam9876 wrote:

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@sam9876 wrote:

How much is it going to cost you when the buyer files a SNAD complaint?

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This is not going to a buyer, it’s going to a member of my family. This is not the type of item I would sell on Ebay for precisely the reason you mention.

[sam9876]

It is interesting that your original post doesn't say anything about shipping the tent to your family.