Can we find a better way to ship our packages?

[CigarStone]

This is my first poll so please check back in case I need to fix something :thumbs:

Here is the concept:

Rod and I have discussed creating a corporate CP account with a national carrier such as Fed-ex or UPS in which we could get volume discounts and more reliable shipping than available through the USPS.

Here are issues which are a given and will be part of the solution if one is reachable:
1. Each member would be given a sub account under a master account and would be 100% responsible for their own payable and all issues with the carrier....the only connection to CP would be the buying power created by our volume.

2. It is likely that a real national carrier would be slightly more expensive since they offer a far superior product to what we get from USPS.

My first step is to ascertain two things:
1. How many packages we (CigarPass) ship monthly? (If you use click-n-ship, check your history)

2. Are you willing to pay a bit more for improved service?

 

[NullSmurf]

Laudable Jeff, given your recent experiences. I ship 10-30 boxes a month - wifey is an eBay seller. I rarely have a problem, and the "free" materials and lower prices make the risk acceptable. Thanks for doing this. If you're able to pull this off, I'll consider using it.

 

[Wurm]

Since I'm in Germany I can't use this (so I won't be voting), but damn sure wish that I could. Great idea gentlemen, and I think it should work out well.

 

[CigarStone]

Laudable Jeff, given your recent experiences. I ship 10-30 boxes a month - wifey is an eBay seller. I rarely have a problem, and the "free" materials and lower prices make the risk acceptable. Thanks for doing this. If you're able to pull this off, I'll consider using it.

Explain yourself young man ???

 

[bfreebern]

Laudable Jeff, given your recent experiences. I ship 10-30 boxes a month - wifey is an eBay seller. I rarely have a problem, and the "free" materials and lower prices make the risk acceptable. Thanks for doing this. If you're able to pull this off, I'll consider using it.

Explain yourself young man ???

He's saying, nicely done since you lost a package recently.

Laudable = worthy of praise

 

[Kingantz]

Well, from 2/13 to 3/14 I shipped approximately 50 packages. :whistling: I'm definitely 100% in for finding a better "way" of shipping other than USPS. I actually went to UPS today, walked right in with a USPS "VHS" box and asked how much to ship. It was $6.90 shipping to a business and approx $9 to ship residential. I went ahead and did it as I was shipping to a business, however the residential I wouldn't have (dbl that of USPS).

This is an excellent idea!

 

[smellysell]

I shipped 15 last month with USPS and probably 1/2 again that many with FedEx for trades on BA. I haven't had any problems with USPS (yet, knock on woo), so I wouldn't want to spend that much extra, but I'd definitely use it for packages containing more valuable stuff. My logic, whether correct or not, is that I send so many packages, that the amount of money I save using USPS covers anything I might lose due to their lack of insurance, monetarily anyways.

 

[Infinity]

Good luck Jeff, I hope you get it to work.

IMO, insurance will be too high for a fiver of smokes.

UPS and Fedex don't, as a rule, lose packages. We have shipped thousands of packages over the years with Fedex, the only time we have had a problem is when one of
our packages gets crushed, I can count these disasters on one hand.

Brian

 

[CigarStone]

Laudable Jeff, given your recent experiences. I ship 10-30 boxes a month - wifey is an eBay seller. I rarely have a problem, and the "free" materials and lower prices make the risk acceptable. Thanks for doing this. If you're able to pull this off, I'll consider using it.

Explain yourself young man ???

He's saying, nicely done since you lost a package recently.

Laudable = worthy of praise

I'm just busting his balls....I owe him a few

 

[gtadroptop]

Good idea, Jeff. Maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic, but are you thinking about imposing shipping limits (i.e. X number of packages shipped per month at the CP discount rate) to prevent people from abusing any discount? Most members are responsible, but I can see where there is potential to abuse the system.

Just something to throw out there for discussion.

 

[CigarStone]

Good idea, Jeff. Maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic, but are you thinking about imposing shipping limits (i.e. X number of packages shipped per month at the CP discount rate) to prevent people from abusing any discount? Most members are responsible, but I can see where there is potential to abuse the system.

Just something to throw out there for discussion.

No, actually I would see it working the other way. If we end up getting prices that make this work, I can't imaging the carrier limiting you to shipping CP packages only.....right? The trick will be to get it set up so that each individual user (sub-account holder) is 100% responsible for their own transactions so Rod doesn't get tied down with it.

 

[NullSmurf]

Laudable Jeff, given your recent experiences. I ship 10-30 boxes a month - wifey is an eBay seller. I rarely have a problem, and the "free" materials and lower prices make the risk acceptable. Thanks for doing this. If you're able to pull this off, I'll consider using it.

Explain yourself young man ???

Didn't USPS drag something of yours behind the truck recently?

 

[Rod]

I hope we can get to this to work. Props to Jeff for taking this by the horns and running with it.

The more packages shipped each month would result in a greater discount in pricing. Everything you ship via UPS is automatically insured up to $100. Not sure about FedEx. USPS requires you pay for insurance.

Great thing about UPS and FedEx is that if there are now UPS Stores and Kinko's everywhere.

 

[LilBastage]

I know some of us have had bad luck with USPS.

I live out in the country a ways. The nearest place I could take a UPS or FedEx package is at least 10 miles away. USPS comes to my house everyday (except Sunday, of course) and will pick up the packages I have for free. I also get my boxes for free.

I applaud the effort and would consider it for some of the more valuable packages I sometimes ship, but for the every day 5er I probably would still use USPS based on the price and convenience.

Good luck with this. I'm sure there are quite a few folks that would use it. I just probably wouldn't that much.

:thumbs:

 

[grateful1]

The rates for Fedex Business accounts is just that - business to business.

If you ship to a residential location it's easily $2-3 on top of the business pricing.

Insurance is extra (a couple bucks for up to $500).

 

[gtadroptop]

Okay, another question. Would you automatically make a person eligible for the discount as soon as they're approved as a member, or would you wait until after a probationary period?

 

[CigarStone]

I know some of us have had bad luck with USPS.

I live out in the country a ways. The nearest place I could take a UPS or FedEx package is at least 10 miles away. USPS comes to my house everyday (except Sunday, of course) and will pick up the packages I have for free. I also get my boxes for free.

I applaud the effort and would consider it for some of the more valuable packages I sometimes ship, but for the every day 5er I probably would still use USPS based on the price and convenience.

Good luck with this. I'm sure there are quite a few folks that would use it. I just probably wouldn't that much.

:thumbs:

Alan, I would hope that, with this account, we could achieve parcel pick up. As far as free boxes, we could keep ordering free boxes from USPS and turn them inside out.......this may help to even the score for the shit service they have given us over the years :sign:

Okay, another question. Would you automatically make a person eligible for the discount as soon as they're approved as a member, or would you wait until after a probationary period?

John:

In your case, I will recommend to the carrier that they put you on probation for 10 years.

 

[NullSmurf]

I know some of us have had bad luck with USPS.

I live out in the country a ways. The nearest place I could take a UPS or FedEx package is at least 10 miles away. USPS comes to my house everyday (except Sunday, of course) and will pick up the packages I have for free. I also get my boxes for free.

I applaud the effort and would consider it for some of the more valuable packages I sometimes ship, but for the every day 5er I probably would still use USPS based on the price and convenience.

Good luck with this. I'm sure there are quite a few folks that would use it. I just probably wouldn't that much.

:thumbs:

Alan, I would hope that, with this account, we could achieve parcel pick up. As far as free boxes, we could keep ordering free boxes from USPS and turn them inside out.......this may help to even the score for the shit service they have given us over the years :sign:

Okay, another question. Would you automatically make a person eligible for the discount as soon as they're approved as a member, or would you wait until after a probationary period?

John:

In your case, I will recommend to the carrier that they put you on probation for 10 years.

USPS got wise to inverting their boxes. You can only do that with the old style. The inside surface of the new ones are printed to prevent that.

 

[gtadroptop]

Okay, another question. Would you automatically make a person eligible for the discount as soon as they're approved as a member, or would you wait until after a probationary period?

John:

In your case, I will recommend to the carrier that they put you on probation for 10 years.

I love you, too. :laugh:

 

[stevehawk]

I know some of us have had bad luck with USPS.

I live out in the country a ways. The nearest place I could take a UPS or FedEx package is at least 10 miles away. USPS comes to my house everyday (except Sunday, of course) and will pick up the packages I have for free. I also get my boxes for free.

I applaud the effort and would consider it for some of the more valuable packages I sometimes ship, but for the every day 5er I probably would still use USPS based on the price and convenience.

Good luck with this. I'm sure there are quite a few folks that would use it. I just probably wouldn't that much.

:thumbs:

What Alan said... USPS is just so damn easy and I haven't had any issues with lost packages.