Try living in Hawaii and have things shipped here from the US. It's like were not part of the USA, or we're an International location. It's so weird that so many people refuse to ship outside the CONUS. But I ship to the CONUS all the time using flat rate shipping, of course I am limited to the size of items I can get in those boxes but many RC items will easily fit in those flat rate boxes.

I have shipped large Electric trucks, 50 sized helis and other fairly large packages to the US at reasonable prices. Of course shipping prices have gone up like everything else today especially on larger items. I have almost gotten used to getting screwed on shipping to Hawaii for anything. This why I shop around and cruise the forums and when I see something at a great price I jump on it, especialy if they have reasonable shipping to Hawaii.

Sorry had to do a little venting myself. hahaha

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Aloha from Maui, Hawaii

Les

Saturday deliveries are unneeded. If it will help the USPS, it is a good idea. I work for UPS and we charge big bucks for Saturday deliveries, and I think still don't make a dime on Saturdays. Just not enough volume on Saturdays. Employees work on a 5 day work week (I work six) and if that sixth day is overtime(like it often is for me), that is expensive for the employer. Or you have to have extra employees and manage the hours and it becomes a mess. UPS is expensive but it pays it's employees who become a stimulous to the economy because we have money to spend since we aren't saddled down with medical bills. I buy local, tip generously, order with UPS shipping (often with extra charge), and this helps the economy. I also use USPS quite a bit and find that most of the time I get great service, at the expense of tracking visibility. And they did lose a package recently, but that can happen with any shipper.

Assembled planes are just plain hard to ship, that's the problem.

Originally Posted by shahram72

I work for UPS

So you're that guy that kicks my ARFs to pieces when I buy from Tower?

No saturday is fine.Just went on to check tracking on a couple packages system is down.what no electric on sunday!!!

Originally Posted by 329

So you're that guy that kicks my ARFs to pieces when I buy from Tower?

Classic!!! Agreed!!

Yep, shipping is a bitch, but I do it out of necessity as I am very rural and there are no flyers any closer that New Orleans and I ain't going back to that hell hole to even meet someone. I have never had a problem w/ USPS. UPS is too expensive for me and not local, around here nothins local...end time refuge ..You deal with it...Dave/zeezee

What i'm reading is just a lot of guys who are new to shipping and are just learning the ropes.

Mega-sized box via USPS? Break it down as suggested, three boxes to MI via Parcel Post was leass than half the cost of one large one, personal experience.

Getting ripped off by UPS & Fedex stores? Setup your own account online and ship through their own website. They'll give you a small discount and you can drop the box off at any of their stores or give it to a driver. Paypal currently offers UPS as an option, but it's going away next year for non-eBay transactions. As a bonus, if you have a UPS account, you can order shipping supplies for free; labels, boxes, etc.

Saturday Delivery? Yeah, I can wait until Monday. I get mostly mortgage refinance offers as junk mail, a quick sort and into the recycling bin they go. I don't complain as I know junk mail is keeping the USPS afloat. f

My main gripe with the USPS is two-fold -

1) Why do I have to use Paypal's site to mail First Class and Parcel Post? Seriously, let's get with the program here. I would use the USPS site exclusively if I could ship those methods online and give them my money directly, instead of Paypal taking their cut.

2) Each PO is like it's own little kingdom and one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. A prime example is in this thread

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1738677

Is it tracking or isn't it? Heck, even postalflyer72 doesn't know and he works there...


-

Yeah but multiple boxes are only a good idea if you can break it down that way...fuselages don't get any smaller and I'm not new to shipping

Originally Posted by Hemikiller

What i'm reading is just a lot of guys who are new to shipping and are just learning the ropes.

Yep, completely agree. I am quite savy to shipping and what you say is correct about setting up accounts and the such.

More than anything else, what I have seen in the past is someone finds a used plane for sale, at a good price. When they go to do the shipping the price no longer looks that good. Problem comes in when someone has an expectation for a new toy and then discovers the cost of the toy after shipping is factored in.

A seller will often do LPU only because they know the size of the plane is such that not only do they not want to pack it, they also know the cost of shipping will be so high that most buyers will not be interested. Thus LPU only ads.

Then there are the small items, too big for small $5 mailer but large enough for a $20 box. Problem is that when the plane is only worth $60. Not such a bargain. Thus LPU only ads, sometimes.

I have seen plenty of folks get a lot of angst over shipping and blaming what ever shipping company they choose to. Fact is, shipping is high, shipping for the most part is done by box volumn and not weight. If someone wants the item bad enough, they will pay the price for shipping.

I love USPS as well. To ship a fully assembled 450, UPS wanted $38 for ground, no insurance. USPS did overnight express with $400 insurance for $38 and some change.

I did have had about 3 packages (I shipped over 200 this year) that mysteriously disappeared for 10 days or so, put it always got to its destination without damage. Unfortunately, it looks like it just happened to me for the 4th time this year, this time with a package coming to me. I hope it comes by the 20th, because I won't be back to where I had it shipped to for about a week after the 20th. Even still, I would choose USPS any day.

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfi...01080298853655

Yes, it is frustrating that USPS does not allow first class or parcel post postage on their site.

Still,
USPS, for small cheap stuff.

FedEx, for items of value.

UPS, who the heck are they?

Originally Posted by jcstalls

Yes, it is frustrating that USPS does not allow first class or parcel post postage on their site.

Still,
USPS, for small cheap stuff.

FedEx, for items of value.

UPS, who the heck are they?

You can print them through PayPal.

Originally Posted by 329

So you're that guy that kicks my ARFs to pieces when I buy from Tower?

Everyone thinks it's the people kicking stuff around. It's not that, although rough handling does happen sometimes. It's the sheer volume of packages coming through the system (conveyors, belts, sorters) at a speed that the people and equipment cannot handle and so it jams up and the softer stuff gets crushed. Management cant slow it down or add people because upper management wont allow it. It's nothing the "people" or drivers can do. I treat every package like it's my own. But the speed stuff comes at you is unreal. Only about 15-20 percent of employees can handle it, and they just don't get that. I get lots of stuff through UPS as well, and so far everything arrives just fine. Damage happens with any carrier. Also the box has to be packed to be shipped and absorb some shock. A lot of stuff I see is designed to survive the ride on a wrapped pallet and that's it. That won't cut it in the shipping process.

Well my package had boot prints all over it and that didn't happen from a conveyer

Originally Posted by 03svtsnakevert

Well my package had boot prints all over it and that didn't happen from a conveyer

What package are you speaking of? I do not see in your posts where the problem is a damaged package, only your unhappiness about shipping costs.

Was it USPS that walked on that package or another shipper?