Originally Posted by
gridplan
I just bought a bike from an eBayer who quoted a shipping price of $75. His actual cost: $153 via FedEx. That seems REALLY high to me. That's half the cost of the bike! Now he's asking if I'd mind paying half the difference. 1) What should I tell the guy? 2) How much should one expect to pay these days to ship a bike from the West Coast to the Midwest?
I just got back from sending a 62cm bike from PA to Oregon via FedEx Ground. $61 and change, and that was higher than I anticipated.
A couple thoughts as to how and why he's been charged so much.
1. They measured the girth the wrong way (I had someone do that to me once). Told me $70 to send a bike 200 miles. I called back later and got someone who knew what he was doing, and the price dropped to $17 and change.
2. He took it to a place like Mail boxes, who add a crazy surcharge to the fee.
3. The bike will be at your house 10:30 tomorrow because he overnighted it.
If it's #1, have him call the place that shipped it back and ask them to have someone recalculate the cost.