Wonder Why?

N

Nick in Fayetteville

Senior Member
Wonder why people place items for sale on this site but are unwilling to ship them? Unwilling when the Buyer is willing to pay for the shipping. Who can travel half way across this country to pick up a small shipable item from a seller? A $200 item would end up costing $1000 in expenses to pick it up. If you aren't willing to ship it, don't advertize it. What's your thoughts?
 
I'm in agreement with you Nick. There is a very limited customer base when you require a pick up from the seller's location. It shouldn't take a lot of effort to put a part in a box and deliver it to the post office.

Best Regards,

Thom IV
 
Naturally It would depend on the size of the part. And just how much the buyer is willing to pay. But I think the seller should at least make an afford if they want a larger market.
 
I have put no shipping on things before but usually crack when they guy on the other side of the country begs me too. But this has only been on large items such as transmissions/wheels with tires mounted, etc.
 
tOO BAD ONE CAN'T PUT THE FLOAT A MOTOR IN WITHOUT REMOVING THE ENGINE ENTIRELY..OTHERWISE WE WOULD..UNLESS SOMEONE FIND S A WAY"? josh
 
Nick in Fayetteville said:
If you aren't willing to ship it, don't advertize it.
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If someone has something that I want and he's local enough, darn right I want him to advertise it!

It can get silly when they have something small and don't want to bother, but I've got a pile of stuff in my basement waiting to go on ebay because I haven't got the time to crate them up and I can't list them until I can ship them. If I just advertise local pickup, I'd probably have them out (although the trade off is a lower selling price due to the smaller market).

It's a balancing act - how wide a market are you interested in and what time / effort do you want to put in packing and shipping an item. Everyone can make up their own mind where the balance point is for them.

Steve
 
Beats me, if a buyer is willing to pay shipping (and all eBayers) do I just pack it well and ship it WORLDWIDE.
 
Most likely has to due with how much time they have to spend getting it boxed and figuring out the best way to ship it. Some will not ship anything that does not fit in a flatrate box. Finding boxes that are the right size for some things is difficult to say the least. I usually end up custom making boxes to closely fit. This keeps the buyers cost down some. Also others on things that are too large for UPS ground are totally lost when it comes to mororfreight. Not always an easy game. been doing this off and on for 8 years and have learned alot to save time and money on the motorfreight. Also packing supplies can be costly, but there are ways to offset that abit also. Next time you are in Staples look at what a bag of new packing peanuts cost, I think it will be suprising. I know when I am selling alot, no way that is cost affective. Rod
 
Nick in Fayetteville said:
Wonder why people place items for sale on this site but are unwilling to ship them? Unwilling when the Buyer is willing to pay for the shipping. Who can travel half way across this country to pick up a small shipable item from a seller? A $200 item would end up costing $1000 in expenses to pick it up. If you aren't willing to ship it, don't advertize it. What's your thoughts?
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Guess it depends on the definitions of "small" and "shippable" What're yours?
I can see not wanting to ship an engine, or some extra large piece. otherwise it makes sense to offer shipping if you're advertising on a world-wide website.

FWIW-Bratton's once waived their big shipping fee for some door hinge screws I ordered, put them in a padded envelope and charged $2. Not often that someone actually thinks of that kind of thing in a busy company-but it left a very positive and lasting impression on me.
 
Greyhound Bus Shipping..I sent a gas tank to Texas from N.C. for $49.00. No packaging, no box. just weighted and a cardboard label attached with a wire and gone. How much easier can it get. Yea, a motor, transmission, or rear end for local pick up. But small items weighing less than 50 lbs, ship it at the Buyer's expense....
 
I can usually send gas tanks and rear fenders cheaper with Fed-ex and only use bubble wrap and tape for packaging (never had any damage to them). I try to use Greyhound for larger items like flathead era doors, model A front fenders and back panels which are too big for Fedex ground. last gas tank I shipped was $34 two years ago, so likely the same cost as Greyhound now. Many are intemidated by the shipping game or simply do not have the time. Rod
 
Could it be that the person is unable to ship due to an illness? Maybe we should be happy that the stuff is at least available on the market for someone's benefit.
 
I got it, heade out to the farm later today as it appears I get today off of work, because the truck bringing the pressure tube pipe has been delayed. The 60-B stuff is dad's to sell, but he has been dropping the ball lately, so I need to go and get things moving again. Also want to change the oil in the newly aquired 38 pu. Going to see if I can make it run this weekend. Previous owner said it ran good when it was parked 14 years ago and I was suprised that it had not valve froze from sitting that many years as the flatheads are notorious for sticking even sitting a couple of years. Rod
 
Nick in Fayetteville said:
Wonder why people place items for sale on this site but are unwilling to ship them? Unwilling when the Buyer is willing to pay for the shipping. Who can travel half way across this country to pick up a small shipable item from a seller? A $200 item would end up costing $1000 in expenses to pick it up. If you aren't willing to ship it, don't advertize it. What's your thoughts?
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I think your "shippable item" is key to the answer.

Stage one: Monday I went to the post office to mail a M.O. There was a lady there trying to stuff a sweater into a flat rate box. She starred at the instructions and wrecked the box. Almost repeated the same mistake, but i said "Fold the little tabs in first!" Pretty simple for most.

Stage two: Not everything should go in a nice simple cardboard box. I bought a cut down flywheel on fleabay and the guy sent it in a single strength corrugated box with no support. The ring gear was pulverized, not the shipper's fault. I felt sorry for the other people who's goods likely arrived with gear teeth marks! Takes brains to pack properly.

Stage three: Some things need to be crated. Now add skill to the 'brains required' equation. Oh-Oh !!

Stage four: Risk. I have a commercial restaurant freezer I'm selling. Cost $6K new, maybe I'll get $500. Crate/ ship would be close to $400. If it gets banged and is D.O.A. a thousand miles away I'm out the freezer plus the $400.

Stage five: Lazy. Sometimes you just want to move something on with no hassle. Last year I put a perfectly good floor standing 1960's Rockwell drill press on the curb with a sign "Works perfect, please take - FREE". The doorbell rings, wife answers. Two really big guys standing there, their pickup truck parked in front. One of the guys says "Is your husband home?" Why, she asks. "He can load it on our truck." Hearing this, I went to the door, saw the two Goliaths, and said no, I'm not home. They took it. A toss-up here, who was lazier, them or me?
 
I just put no shipping on things that are not practical for me to ship.I have my business off the beaten path and trucks will not come out here.I have big deliveries sent to the local salvage yard and then pick them up.It is not a matter of minding,or being lazy,it is how much garage time I want to give up during the day.Greyhound is not much of an option for me either.The nearest MANNED stop I can use is 35 miles away.One is listed closer,but it is in a storefront coffee shop in a historic part of the city.No parking,you have to park in an elevated parking garage nearly a half mile away and lug the stuff there.Then you can't leave it,the shop is a roof over an alley and has no room for packages.You have to sit on the sidewalk with your package until they get there and load it.If you have something coming you had best be there when it gets there.It will sit on the sidewalk for a little while,but the city prohibits it and it will get removed.If it is a box it can sit a little longer,but if it is an unwrapped car part or wrapped in bubble wrap it will disappear fast.The yuppie tourists are there to look at old brick buildings and sidewalks,not old car parts.I have taken delivery there a number of times though,just keep an eye on the delivery time and be there.The stop that is 35 miles away is fine.I just go in,fill out the paperwork,tag the parts,lean them on the wall and leave.The problem is it kills between 3 and 4 hours out of the day.It is a long slow ride in and out of the city with a lot of traffic.It has been years since I asked,but Fedex would not ship fenders and doors from here.That may have changed as they bring them here.
 
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