Shipping question

CJ DIXON · Post by **CJ DIXON** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:36 pm

I would really appreciate your opinions on the following shipping question:

If you purchased a chanter or set, would you rather:
a) pay the minimum shipping cost (say $20) and receive your order in two weeks, as regular post is slow, or
b) pay more for shipping (say $30), receive it in 4 days give or take and then incur an additional brokerage fee which is standard amongst parcel services (say $25, for a total of $35 above post delivery)

What would be important to you, lower shipping costs and longer delivery, or higher shipping costs and quick delivery?

Thanks all,
CJ

PJ · Post by PJ » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:21 pm

Having waited months for a chanter or a set, it wouldn't bother me too much to wait a few more days or even a week.

However, I've had lots of stuff lost in ordinary post so I wouldn't mind spending the extra money on insurance.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:01 pm

I would definitely go with express shipping, more for the attention the package receives than for the simple time benefits. Regular post parcels are more likely to take a good s**t-kicking before they finally get delivered, in my experience.

djm

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:05 am

CJ DIXON wrote:I would really appreciate your opinions on the following shipping question:

CJ

Why do ye need to know this? Surely its up to your customers to decide for themselves and ye will charge the appropriate amount....

Slán Agat
Uilliam

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:53 am

Good point Uilliam.

My concern is how do you plan to pack them?
I've sent and received many sets in the last few years and always worried about damage, despite insurance... no one wants to have to deal with claims and the frustration surrounding a damaged shipment.

I've had chanters mailed to me in cardboard tubes with minimal bubble wrap inside and they were received OK. Also received sets sent in standard weight cardboard boxes with styrofoam peanuts and the boxes were crushed or busted open and the pipes (though undamaged) were ready to fall out.

If at all possible, use reinforced or heavy wall cardboard boxes.

In the US... Priority via USPS gets to the destination in 2-3 days otherwise I go UPS second day air. This minimizes the amout of gorillas that handle my package and keeps it further away from heavy and oversized packages going UPS ground.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:41 am

The equivalent for going cross border is USPS Global Priority. In Ireland its called Swift Post.

djm

PJ · Post by PJ » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:50 am

I got a chanter recently from David Boisvert. He packed it in a length of PVC pipe with styrofoam pellets and wrapped in bubblewrap. Great idea using the pipe - cheap and sturdy.

CJ DIXON · Post by **CJ DIXON** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:53 am

Thank you all for your feedback. I don't want to get sidetracked here... I am not concerned with damage as I package very well with lots of internal cushioning, and I am not asking what type of shipping I should use (express post, etc)... I am asking what is more important to you, quick shipment or $35?

Uilliam, you are correct in that I could offer the choice to each customer but I would like to see what all your opinions are (hopefully more then 4 individuals) in the hopes of standardizing.

Thanks again,
CJ

djones · Post by **djones** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:58 am

I'm sure that it works best if it is clear to the client that there is a choice in shipping method and cost and that the client should decide. Most companies work this way.

This way, you don't have a surprised customer on the other end wondering what a "brokerage fee" is, due COD, when this cost was perhaps not mentioned in the original arrangement. It is nice to choose faster, insured shipping, but the customer must know about this added charge in advance.

Sounds like a familiar case.

Dave Jones

billh · Post by **billh** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:15 am

As someone who has bought pipes I can say that I do care about the method of shipping. It's not the speed, but rather the improved handling, that makes me willing to pay more for air shipment.

I personally would not trust pipes to ground shipping.

Bill

Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa · Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:28 am

I have had beeter experience with overnight shipping (and other tracked) and found it woth the cost. Every change of hands and locations is recorded and tracked. Insurance is also extremely important. I had a miserable experience regarding a Crowley chanter from Australia that arrived as an emty tube with one end cap missing through typical post. It was shipped heavier than it arrived, so I beleive that the issue was in the shipping than the shipper. Never the less, never got any satisfaction from the post (not insured), nor the seller (despite staements to the contrary).

ChaplainBlake · Post by **ChaplainBlake** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:26 am

I am a total newbie to the UP (just to give you an additional perspective to those provided). I agree with Bill, that the handling of the speedier delivery would be worth the few extra dollars. The added speed, that's just gravy.

On a related/unrelated note: I appreciate your questions and attitude. I can imagine the difficulties of moving into the pipe making business (wasing into the piping community in general is intimidating enoug). You seem to respect all who give their opinions, whether they are openly constructive or seem purely critical. I just want you to know that I appreciate your efforts, work, and attitude.

Regards,
Blake

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:39 am

For critical items, the shipment needs to be trackable, as well as predictable, and that pushes it to the higher half of services. Weight vs safety comes into play but double-boxing, superior containers, and things like PVC tubes are good choices.

Insurance is important. For import/export, the insurance valuation must match the declaration or that will cause a potential jam up.

In the US, certain parts of the country are not available for overnight shipping (even though I'm in Chicago) but the way the model works for FedEx is that everything goes to Memphis for sorting. A shipment to New Hampshire spends an extra night in Boston, for instance. USPS also uses FedEx for getting their overnight stuff delivered to their local post offices for next-day delivery.

So, I'd say pack it up to your heart's content, insist on the buyer paying insurance, track teh item, and then let the buyer decide how fast they want to receive it.

Reepicheep · Post by **Reepicheep** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:51 am

I would make insured shipping a non-negotiable point. It protects you, it protects the buyer.

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:55 am

ChaplainBlake wrote:You seem to respect all who give their opinions, whether they are openly constructive or seem purely critical.
Regards,
Blake

Not very Christian of ye is it Rev?Are ye saying that only praiseworthy comment should be tolerated and that there isnae the room for the "purely critical" as ye dismissively put it...
perhaps ye should understand the reason for critiscism afore ye start a schism

Slán Agat
Uilliam

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