Shipping

eastslope · Dec 20, 2008

Hello all, I was just wondering who most of you use to ship expensive items. I shipped a package of engraved silver to a guy, used second day, delivery confirmation, and insured it for a grand, and it's a week late as of now. This was with the postal service. The website tracking info sais that it has no information on it and I am going to the post office on Monday to see what can be done. I was hoping to find out if things like this happen and if UPS or Fedex is better. Thanks all and Merry Christmas, Seth

silverchip · Dec 21, 2008

Fed Ex has yet to let me down. I lost a delivery in the post office and it was insured for about 100$.It took me about 8mos. to collect after several attempts. the proof of value is on you and there is no garantee that they will believe you,it is your word against theirs.

Keith · Dec 21, 2008

Anything expensive I send U.S.P.S. REGISTERED insured. They get the package but it takes a little longer.
Keith

Sam · Dec 21, 2008

Same here. US MAIL REGISTERED and insured. It's signed for each time it changes hands and I've never had a problem.

UPS and FEDEX are also good carriers and I have plenty positive experiences with both. Be sure to check with them first, as sometimes they will not insure one-of-a-kind goods that can't be replaced (antiques, etc), and I know that FEDEX will not insure jewelry items.

~Sam

Peter E · Dec 21, 2008

Besides carriers, since it is a "shipping" question, I just would like to add something about packaging. I read on knife forums in the past about folks that simply put knives in a box with some packaging material like peanuts, etc. That resulted in a small slit in the box and contents gone!

Best to double box to prevent that.

Peter

Winstonklein · Dec 21, 2008

Registered Mail called red tag , you have up to $25000.00 for the insurance. It is indeed the most secured of all the three carriers. They leave you package in a safe and when delivered it is always in a special Bag not mixed with other parcels. there is no chance for your item to get lost.

diandwill · Dec 21, 2008

As a jeweler, we used to use USPS Registered, because, while it was slower, each person who touched it had to sign, and it was also scanned at each location. Seven or eight years ago that all changed. The postal Circus said that a survey had shown them that their customers were more concerned with keeping price under control than tracking etc. It may still be secure, but there is no way for you, the shipper, to track or locate the package. This may have changed in the last year or two.
What we do now, is ship standard first class, if its within a 500 mile radius, it will arrive the same as priority, and at 1/3 the cost. For farther we use priority, " For when it absolutely has to get there eventually"!!. We always use delivery confirmation on those. Very seldom, we use Express Mail, and use signature confirmation with that. We do not use USPS insurance. We have coverage for up to $10,000 on our business policy. We don't declare a value at the post office, so don't elicit any interest in why such a small package could be worth so much. For larger values we can contact our insurance agent and get a single time, larger coverage, for a smaller price.
Will

Rick Eaton · Dec 21, 2008

I don't insure my shipments through any of the carriors any more. I use collectors insurance which also insures my knives when they are in the shop and insure my knives when I am going to a show. It cost a little over 400 a year. Now I don't have any insurance costs when I ship a package and I've heard that they pay promtly when there is a claim. Unlike UPS which couldn't believe a knife could cost $2500 and took a month to pay with alot of hassel. They have saved me money on shipping costs and added the secutity of losing a knife in my bags when I fly to a show. www.collectinsure.com for anyone who is interested. When I went to Italy for a knife show it cost me $25 to insure 15k worth of knives for the trip an added expence, but well worth it.
Rick

Mack · Dec 21, 2008

I have a rather neat way to ship a knife. I buy a mailing tube, cut it to the length usually about a foot. I wrap the knife in bubble wrap and tape it. Stuff it in and staple and tape the end caps on. Mack

hiloboy · Dec 21, 2008

I just had a package sent to me from the midwest.. sent priority mail registered insured was told 3 to 5 days.. i just got it yesterday 33 days late.. and all they told me was sorry... but whats funny is monk, sent me a package reg.mail not registered not insured and i got it in 2 days...

John B. · Dec 21, 2008

Andrew put a a little article in the Engraver magazine about collector/shipping/show insurance recently.
For a couple of hundred dollars a year I get $70K coverage.
For those that did not see the FEGA magazine you can contact John Richardson at www.historicfirearms.com
and get a quote.
This is FYIO. Other than being a happy client I have no connection with this Company. And neither does the The Engravers Cafe or FEGA.

Merry Christmas, John B.

JT Kinney · Dec 21, 2008

I mostly use USPS Priority Mail Insured. I have been pretty lucky so far with only one package that took 11 days to arrive. Mosy of them were delivered in the posted time.

JT

PAUL LANTUCH · Dec 21, 2008

I had lost Fed EX'ses and UPS'es, but newer US Express mail- next day delivery. The trick is, the package has to go so quickly, it is not changes many hands and loadings-unloadings. Also I'm avoiding to name the Addressee as a Casting, Jewelry, or any other seductive names. In the case of something really expensive, like tens of thousand value, Registered/Insured is most proper way. Goes slowly, but is reliable.

ken dixon · Dec 21, 2008

Does anyone know the particulars of sending a package worth approx. $2000 to Japan from the U.S. Thanks for any advice. Ken

Shipping

eastslope

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

silverchip

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Keith

Elite Cafe Member

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Peter E

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Winstonklein

Elite Cafe Member

diandwill

Elite Cafe Member

Rick Eaton

Elite Cafe Member

Mack

Elite Cafe Member

hiloboy

Member

John B.

Lifetime Pledge Member

JT Kinney

Elite Cafe Member

PAUL LANTUCH

Elite Cafe Member

ken dixon

Elite Cafe Member

Latest posts

Sponsors