What's going on with shipping costs?

GGJaguar

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I'm seeing more and more sellers wanting $125-$150 for shipping guitars within the continental US. I've even seen a couple that wanted $250 and $500! Is shipping really getting that expensive or is this just a way for sellers to mitigate eBay and Reverb fees? Craziness...
 

Minnesota Flats

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Get you to click on their item because the price "looks good" but seller doesn't really want to go that low so they add the difference back in as "shipping/handling"?

Just a guess, because I haven't sold/shipped any instruments in awhile so am not current on shipper's current prices/policies.
 

richardp69

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Ebay charges fees on shipping as well as part of their final value 3%. Not sure about Reverb. I usually just pass over anything with more than $100 in shipping. I think $60 to $75 is pretty fair within CONUS.
 

Cougar

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I'm seeing more and more sellers wanting $125-$150 for shipping guitars within the continental US....

Yes, it was a rude awakening when I went to ship a guitar several months ago. Shipping costs for guitars have indeed gone up. Apparently they started measuring the overall dimensions, not just the weight. If you're a seller on reverb, though, using reverb shipping gives you a BIG break on the shipping - at least half of what you'd otherwise pay.
 

walrus

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I think it's a way for sellers to make more money. I've seen magazines with $7.95 to ship, etc. The classic for me is looking for a guitar pick for my collection, and the shipping is something like $3.50. But I know it's going to arrive in a regular envelope!

To be honest, I try to avoid sellers that seem to be adding to their profit via their shipping price.

walrus
 

Sal

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I imagine it's a way for the seller to guard against the cost of buyer's remorse / returns. If the buyer changes their mind they must pay return shipping and will only be refunded the selling price. The seller is left with a little money for their trouble. As a buyer myself this arrangement doesn't bother me too much if it's an item I really want and the seller has good feedback. I know the costs going in.
 
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Mark WW

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I shipped a guitar to Oregon from Florida and it cost me $78. So if they are dropping a guitar off at a UPS store or likewise and having someone else do the packing...$150 is entirely possible.
 

Default

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When my sister shipped my dad's Chinese Regal resonator up to me from Georgia, it was $53 and change for USPS retail ground, with $800 worth of insurance. Two day shipping was $84, iirc.Fedex was about $68. FedEx Office to FedEx Office was about 39 and change, but that was over a year ago. Sure seems like things get spendy once you expedite shipping.
 

HeyMikey

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UPS just charged me $120 for MA to Oregon. I was expecting $75 based on prior year’s costs.
 

JohnW63

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When I shipped my Ovation to Tom, in Florida, with insurance of $1500, it cost me $125. Tom ships enough that he could send it back to me for $85. When Rayk sent me the CO-1 from the northwoods of where ever, it was close to that. I don't know if the amount of insurance really boosts the cost or not.
 

GAD

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UPS stores are independently owned and each one can charge whatever they want. If the seller only has experience with their local UPS store, then its entirely possible that they've been quoted $300 to pack and ship a guitar.
 

Rayk

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UPS stores are independently owned and each one can charge whatever they want. If the seller only has experience with their local UPS store, then its entirely possible that they've been quoted $300 to pack and ship a guitar.

Yeah that's righty last ship had to go through a UPS store . For me to insure for 2500 they had to repack or should I say extra pack by double boxing the box that I packed . It was up there believe me.
It's better to ship directly through UPS Then a UPS Store.
Might even be better/cheaper for two of us to make a deal then setup a post on reverb and go through them . Lol

These shipping carriers charge by the volume of space . If a box is 3 ft square your hundreds to ship even if only weighs 3lbs .
They feel your box took up to much room and they could of possibly had 30 packages stacked within that space ,if it's not there your paying .

It's funny my job finally gave us raises and every product goes up so we're still stuck in the same rat hole .
 
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dapmdave

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In my experience, the cost of shipping has gone up quite a bit in 2019. Much of it is insurance cost, and I suspect that is a big money-maker for shipping companies (and REVERB who covers it themselves) Shipping through one of the UPS stores (or FEDEX) is a major rip-off (IMO) and I never do that.

I am lucky in that I live close to the local UPS depot and I can drop-off and pick-up in person. Saves money outbound and I don't have to sit around wondering when a package will show up at my door.
 
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Rayk

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I don't know what I missed but I'm sure shipping through reverb was cheaper for me by a good bit .
Guess if there's a next time I can look into what I missed . Lol
 

Guildedagain

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Everything's going up, shipping has gone up by leaps and bounds. Shipping is a big factor for me, and now this insane internet tax on everything you buy. No one's ever been able able to explain to me why you need a tax/penalty for buying a car, a guitar, especially used stuff. Everytime you need or want something, bam, you got to fork over hard earned money to some third party who has no stake in the transaction, other than to demand a fee. Land of the fee.
 

fronobulax

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Everything's going up, shipping has gone up by leaps and bounds. Shipping is a big factor for me, and now this insane internet tax on everything you buy. No one's ever been able able to explain to me why you need a tax/penalty for buying a car, a guitar, especially used stuff. Everytime you need or want something, bam, you got to fork over hard earned money to some third party who has no stake in the transaction, other than to demand a fee. Land of the fee.

What insane internet tax? Are you referring to the fact that all merchants are now collecting your local sales tax or something else?
 

Guildedagain

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Yes, that tax. The tax we didn't have until this spring. I wouldn't want to add up what it's cost me this year, but it's not pretty. And like having to pay tax on shipping, why?
 

HeyMikey

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These increased shipping costs and taxes at some point soon are going to really kill internet sales for individuals. Businesses who get preferential shipping and can spread the costs across multiple sales will be happy as it decreases competition in the secondary market.

In MA where I live whenever politicians can find a way to tax more vs less there is never a doubt which way they will go. We now even have to file 1099’s for accumulated sales of $600 or more over the course of a year (other States are $20K).

eBay, PayPal, Reverb, Etsy, any major marketplace or system you use to sell used stuff and collect payment now requires my SS number and personal info to send a 1099 to the MA Dept of revenue. A security breach just waiting to happen.
 
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