Teach me about Shipping Parts!!!

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72_Durstya

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Hey guys I haven't had a whole lotta luck selling my parts locally and have had a few people ask if I'd ship parts. I've been reluctant to do that because of the horror stories I've heard where people either don't recive the parts or the money because of it got lost in the mail or people (sellers and bidders alike) try to rip people off by not sending the parts or the money. I also was reluctant because I have no Idea how to go about shipping anything, I've never done it before.

So if anyone with experience shipping parts or sending money for parts could help me learn the right way to do it I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

Grant
 
First of all, you have to be relatively comfortable with whom you are dealing with (whether it be a buyer or a seller). If you are buying or selling on ebay, you can try to get a handle on the buyer/seller by looking at their feedback. Since the feedback rules have changed recently, some may say it may be slightly eschewed but if they have been on there long enough, you can probably get an idea.

If you are dealing with someone on a forum, you can check out how long they have been on there, how active they are and possibly see what other items they have sold/bought on there. The people that have been around for awhile and participate regularly are usually trustworthy.

As far as payments go, it is customary for the buyer to send payment first and then the seller sends the part(s) out. As a seller (and if your comfort level isn't where it should be), you can request payment be made in a certain method (ie. postal money order) and then have the buyer send it via a service where you can track/confirm it (ie. Priority Mail w/Delivery Confirmation, etc.).

As a buyer, you have to feel comfortable with the description/pics that the the seller has supplied. Before sending the funds, determine what shipping method, confirmation and insurance you want placed on the package. Make sure that all responsibilities and expectations are understood by you and the seller. This makes for a much easier transaction (especially if there is a snag along the way like damage to the item).

I am sure others will chime in with other suggestions. Good luck.
 
I'd require all sales through PayPal. I shipped something for the first time this year (headers, not the funnest thing to ship). I did it via USPS. All you do is go to the post office and have them measure and weigh it, then they will give you a shipping quote. Make sure the box you use to hold the items has your address and the buyers address, as if it were a letter. What I would do also, for piece of mind, is pay the extra $0.75 and get a tracking number/ delivery confirmation. It will tell you when it got delivered to what address. As long as you don't have any oddly shaped items it should be a breeze to package and ship!
 
I agree with ^.

But I want to add that you probably do not want to ship anything bigger than an Intake Manifold, or a Cylinder Head....its cost prohibitive unless the buyer wants to absorb all shipping costs.

If the buyer is willing to do so, check shipping rates for the weight/size before giving a Rock Solid Quote.

Otherwise, parts smaller than a intake manifold usually can be shipped for $1/lb plus handling fees. (By handling fees, I mean getting a box, tape and time it takes to prep the package...don't get greedy here...boxes are cheap and if you can't wrap something in less than 15 minutes:sad11:)

I have a FedEx and UPS distribution place close and use them exclusively unless the part will fit in a USpostal First Class Box.

Be honest and upfront, and if you choose to use paypal let the buyer know that paypal charges transaction fees and request them to cover the withdrawal fees for accepting payment that way....or have the buyer get a Money Order and send it to your residence.

Provide phone and email contact info, and if possible relay the tracking number when you ship the part.

Thats the best info I can give.

Good Luck.

:wink:
 
get payed with paypal.
hoods,doors cheapest greyhound bus.
USPS is the best for their size limit as far a srate goes....
FEDEX is the most pro way..
UPS and FEDEX you can start an account , print shipping labels, get a discount and just drop off @ their location.
USPS gives you free pre printed ( your name/address)sitckey shipping labels,priority boxs ( all sizes )
USPS will mail these supplys FREE to you..look up on line for the FREE USPS shipping supplys!
ALWAYS have your phone number on all e mail correspondance...
 
I accept nothing but us postal money orders,,when i ship some thing,, i ship it FED EX,, i have a FED EX terminal 2 miles from me,, ups has a bad track record or damaging any and every thing,,

after you have shiped a few things you wil be able to guess what shiping would cost,, FED EX has an on line chart,,you weight it and measure it they tell you the shipping rate,,altho it has never worked properly for me,,when i got to the terminal the cost was way less,,,then the online chart,,,

if you use a place that packs it and sends it,,the charges will be high,, way higher then going direct to ups or fed ex,,and may be the deal maker or breaker,,, some parts are cheaper to ship thru your post office,,but i have bad luck with postal shipping unless it is in a postal priority box, when shipping post office,, ship priority,,

fed ex and ups packages are automatically insured for 100.00 bucks,,any thing higher then that will cost but its cheap to insure,,if its lost or damaged you get your money back,,,
 
UPS has been pretty reliable for me. Their online quote system works pretty well. Box up your parts and weigh the package so you know what to put in the fields when you fill out the quote form. That way all you need is a zip code and you can get right back to someone with shipping costs. I try to do it quickly.

The post office can be a pain in the ***, especially when you have to wait. Getting a money order from the PO or supermarket usually costs around a dollar so that is a good thing.

Paypal works well for taking payments but you take a hit when you do a credit card transaction, it's 3% in most cases, I think more for transactions over a certain amount. I always ask people if they can do an e-check or bank transfer. If you're willing to sell something at a lower price than you originally asked and the buyer wants to use Paypal, you stand to loose more money when they hit you with fees. E-checks and bank transfers don't cost anything but your account and whomever is buyuing from you needs to have their account hooked to a bank account, not a credit card. Takes 3-4 business days to clear, just like a regular check. I use this method often.

Money orders work best. You need to be up front and say the part will ship when the check arrives. Cash it immediately. You just need to trust people to do the right thing, moist of the time it works out OK. Hard to forge a money order, they usually clear within 24 hours.

I always give updates too, like "I got your check, part will ship tomorrow" or "here's the tracking number, should arrive on Tues.". Gives a level of confidence to know that the transaction is legit.

I've had good luck selling parts on here, guys are very good about the transactions. I've not had any significant issues except for one guy bad-mouthing a part. Sold it anyway, so it didn't matter in the end.

Really comes down to effort - if you're a pro about things, it will rub off on others. Cover your *** and you will minimize crap. Same as in every other aspect of life. I always try to make it as smooth as possible for someone, I treat them as I would want to be treated.
 
I have a very specific method for selling and shipping parts. If it is a relatively inexpensive transaction i will use Paypal, but I will always request a postal money order if possible. It is the hardest to forge and is backed by the USPS. Postal fraud is a federal felony offense that is pursued by the federal government, plus a postal money order is cashable at the post office. I usually use the very money order sent for the part as payment for shipping the item, and it's like having a bank in every town.

When I list or offer an item for sale, I will always describe it to the best of my ability, in an effort to limit any condition questions later. I will always pre-package the item to include the weight and size of the package in my description. I will not do my final packaging until the sale is final in case there is some questions about the item or a request for pictures or additional information that was omitted from the description.

Packaging is the most time consuming part of the shipping process. It pays to have a wide variety of good strong boxes on hand, and a good supply of packaging material. I look far and wide for good boxes to save, and I am always on the hunt for packaging materials. Pool covers thrown out in the trash make excellent bubble wrap, and I will even buy 4x8 sheets of 2" styrofoam from Home Depot to ship in. I always try to size the box with 2 inches of packable space around the item, wrap the item in bubble wrap, then line the box with stryrofoam. My reputation for packaging is unsurpassed, and although it takes a good amount of time, I can rest assured that i have done my best to protect the item from the enemy...i.e., the shipper.

When I list multiple items, I will always pre-package as described above, as the packaging can quickly overwhelm you if you are not on top of it. When I receive a payment, I will ship by the described carrier, usually USPS, UPS or FedEx, unless it is a very large item, then it goes Greyhound. I will always use delivery confirmation and I always insure the item, and provide the confirmation number in a message stating that I received the payment and the item was shipped. It seems like a lot of work, but if you do it like a business, you will achieve professional results and stay on top of it. Good luck, Geof
 
You need to remember where the OP is located. He's in Canada. Anything FedEx or UPS crossing the border is asking for trouble, IMHO.

Selling, get paid first. You can get pretty decent quotes from shipping services online.
 
In the last 4 months,I,ve sold and bought about 30 items(not 1 problem)I,ll either send a money order in a b-day card,or use Paypal(very easy)I,ve recieved from U.S also shipped to U.S using UPS or USPS.I,m in Toronto,Canada and if it were,nt for this great site I,d be without needed parts,cause there just isn,t any pre-66 Darts around period.I will continue to buy and sell parts,it,s easy and I don,t mind the extra money$$it helps fund my car parts needed,so I hope you have the luck I,ve had!:salute:
 
crackedback said:
You need to remember where the OP is located. He's in Canada. Anything FedEx or UPS crossing the border is asking for trouble, IMHO.

Selling, get paid first. You can get pretty decent quotes from shipping services online.
Click to expand...
Never had 1 problem with about 30 deals in 4 months useing UPS,alwys delivered when said!No payment issues ever!
 
Just shipped a Super Six set-up out to-day and did a HOLY CRAP routine when I went to have UPS Store pack and ship it.
They wanted $70 to pack it, plus another $53 to ship it!
Brought it back home, got a box from the local grocery store, used every conceivable piece of material I could find to pack it and sent it out by FedEx for $32.34 to NY.

You pay big time for convenience.

I've often considered getting a mini van and a small trailer and offering transport for heavy items, blocks, transmissions, rear ends, bulky fenders, hoods, doors and the like.
Enough of these items would pay for a trip to NY or CA, and then some.
All it'd take is a network of enthusiasts on sites like FABO working together to make it fly.
Might not be the QUICKEST way, but enough people working together could get it to work okay.

Mark.
 
I have sold or purchased approximately 200 items through e-bay, private sales, kijiji or forums and have had only one problem with a purchase that was finally resolved through communication. I try to ship mostly by Canda Post as it is the simpliest although sometimes slow. I also use Fed Ex and Purolator, just have to shop around. Have to beware of Fed Ex pricing because there is a surcharge for pickups and a weekly shipping surchage, just have to remeber to factor those in to price. I stay away from UPS especially for cross border as their brokerage fees are outrages.

As for payments, PayPal or money orders, just be sure if you are selling to the US remind the buyer you need an international money order not the green ones as they are only cashable in the US.
 
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