Wow-price to ship a bow

[T Sunstone]

Can't believe how much the price has gone up to ship.  Bows cost in the mid $20 to ship now.  Found the original box from J D Berry bow from 1999.

 

[nineworlds9]

Inflation, fuel costs, and mismanagement/waste at work.

I usually pay $25-$40 to ship 1pc bows depending on the weight of the packaging, or $20-25 to ship take-downs because I ALWAYS pay for full value insurance. As a seller, if the bow is lost or damaged I want at minimum the value of the sale or in most cases the full new price value for the bow, that way I can be sure to refund the buyer what they paid and also cover my costs (pain? LOL)  They get you with the insurance but an extra $2, 5, 8, or $10 is worth it if there's a foul up in  my book.  Actually I have received a couple bows in the past from sellers with no proof of insurance on the box and I find it very irresponsible.  At least pay $2-3 extra and get 'minimum' $200 if its over that value, but better is like I said- full new price value.

[Bjorn]

I'm paying 30-40 for full length packages and 20 for takedowns in the lower 48. Surprisingly it depends too on 'who' you get at the PO one of the clerks at my local PO is consistently 25-30%  cheaper than a different one-anybody else notice that?  

[Bladepeek]

Bjorn, my experience too.

I got into a bit of an argument with a clerk who said I could not mail a handmade, small hunting knife to Germany. He dragged out a manual which stated no weapons. I finally asked to speak to the manager. She said she didn't see any weapon, just a hunting knife and told him to accept it. Since then, my bows ALWAYS cost more when he is at the counter.

A couple of days ago I mailed a 66" bow in PVC tube that cost me $21 and got me a smile from the lady who is used to me bringing in bows to ship. Today, I mailed a 61" bow in the same diameter, but shorter tube - $34. The guy was at the counter   :(  

Oh well. Such is life. If I look at what I was paying for gas "back then", postage isn't quite such a shock.

[SELFBOW19953]

Try creating the label on YOUR computer via the USPS website.  All they have to do is verify the weight.

If you can prove that he is overcharging you, maybe it's time for another "discussion" with his boss!

Cost is one of the reasons that I resist selling bows.  The main reason is the chances of them getting damaged, so I put them in the extra heavy gauge PVC tube with the same gauge caps.  That tube is as expensive as the postage.

[T.A.C.]

I just shipped a T/D today. Insurance to cover it doubled the price to $30 and change (CA to ID).

[Matty]

I'd swear they make up prices as the go. Here's a great one...
I've mailed a "mock up" riser.  Made of pine to and from a bowyer in michigan. On its return it cost him $6 to ship to me. When I sent it BACK $9!!! He sent me the same one with a modification...$12!!!
How did the same riser double!?!? Same package...
He's sending me another today. I'll keep you posted on its current price increase...   :confused:  
 I  pay all over the board to ship a 1 PC longbow. From$19-$30 before insurance they rarely go 4 states away.

[nineworlds9]

Yeah the consistency in price is crazy, I agree.  And it definitely seems to vary depending on who is working behind the counter LOL.  Apparently USPS doesn't have any hard and fast rules for tubes especially, so the formula on the screen in front of the counterperson is easily affected by which box they check or don't.  Over on T.Talk I actually posted a thread about how much I hate USPS LOL.  UPS has better service in my experience, but the cost is usually more and I once worked in a UPS warehouse so I know how the packages get treated     Whoever you use, Pack WELL and insure!!

[ishoot4thrills]

Getting insurance on a package doesn't always guarantee a successful claim either. I've heard several horror stories about people filing a claim for lost or stolen packages that were insured. It's a pain trying to get reimbursed if you get anything at all....

[nineworlds9]

Yes indeed, USPS/shipping companies have a slough of dud claims to their name but I figure at least getting the insurance and not needing it or having to do a claim and it maybe not working out is better than no insurance and up the crick for sure if something does go wrong.  'better to have it and not need it" perhaps?

[BrianH]

I put $94 in my trucks gas tank the other day, and you guys wonder why the cost of shipping has gone up?  You could always drive it there, then you wouldn't have to worry about insuring it.

[JRY309]

A lot will depend on the zipcode your shipping to.I just traded a bow to Michigan,and it was $16.75 even with $500 insurance.I have shipped bows to the west coast that cost almost twice that!Knock on wood I haven't had any problems with bows I shipped over the years,but have always insured them.

[Jack Hoyt 75]

Post office is still probably cheapest option but yeah prices on shipping and everything is going up each year.  Cheapest I got was around $16.  Got a bow on the way now with insurance for CA and its $31.50.  I don't like o think about the shipping costs.   :(

[Coach Jones]

I shipped last week through the USPS and insured for $500.  Cost me $14.  Bow was delivered in 3 days.

[Bladepeek]

The USPS still gets my vote and, while  I have only had 2 insurance claims over the last 20 or 30 years, both were paid without a hassle.

This winter, when UPS refused to deliver due to bad roads, and Fed Ex called to ask if I thought he could get through to our house on the lake, my postal carrier stopped at my mail box every day (bless her heart).

As I posted before, we have one clerk who can be a bit dense on good days and down right irritating on bad days, but the rest of the staff is great.

[ron w]

Originally posted by Coach Jones:
I shipped last week through the USPS and insured for $500.  Cost me $14.  Bow was delivered in 3 days.

I think that is super......that is tough to beat! I have had great service with USPS and when I did have a claim.......Just like the paper work said...I got paid.

[oldbohntr]

No, I am sorry to disagree, but I've sold at least 50 bows in the last year or so, and the post office is the worst of three options(my last thread on this was pulled, so I hope I don't doom yours!)  The post office used to be as good as there was, but no more. I know, there are more shades of gray on this, one PO or one clerk charges more or less, etc.  But, I ship 5 or 6 other packages a week, and I use the PO web site regularly.  It jibes with the CORRECT price your clerk should charge. Most 64" bow packages with standard packaging and $5-700 insurance, sent coast to coast via priority mail, will cost $50-60.(I know: you did one for less....good for you. Admittedly, my FedEx account allows me 15% savings on ground shipments, but I've consistently sent long target bows, 70" Firedrakes, etc, via FedEx ground for $27-34, full value declared.  One day I took two packaged bows to the PO and was quoted $56 and $45, insured, and shipped them FedEx ground for $32 and $17!  Distance matters one hell of a lot to USPS and so does box size.  Both FedEx ground and UPS are far more forgiving. And, I've never had a damaged shipment from either one.  (to be fair, I only had a couple in several decades of USPS shipping ).

[shag08]

Shipping is crazy at times. I have had bows shipped to me that cost $30 for the shipping. I have reused the same box to ship bows with the same insurance, roughly the same distance, for 12 bucks.

There is a little red haired girl at the local PO that loves me to death and does me right. There is also a guy there who runs my bow boxes through the ringer.

From my experiences, boxes are cheaper than tubes to ship. And if you have to sleeve a box, do it on the opposite end from which they measure when on the scales....ie have them measure the little end.

[LimBender]

Some of the difference is the length.  I think there is a surcharge over 60" and on other strange sizes.  I had a 1 piece at about 61 and the lady said she put me at 60 to save a few bucks.  Insurance is a joke.  Unless they lose it, they will probably claim bad packaging.  I'm thinking of switching from usps.  Which is better alternative - fedex or ups?