Shipping Costs?
 

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?

That seems high to me as well. Which Fedex - regular or ground? $153 might be right if he isn't using fedex ground.

I have great luck shipping Greyhound , very cheap rates.

I just discovered a new way (at least to me) to ship bikes... Greyhound! I know it may not be convenient for some people to use it, but it is cheap and effective. I just had a full (and big -25.5") bike shipped to me. The shipper did not know how to pack a bike properly and the box it came in was just this side of coffin size. The cost was about $50! Florida to Iowa City. They were really easy to work with... I'll definitely use them again.

He didn't say. About all I know for now is if I enter the tracking number at fedex.com, it says it's supposed to arrive in 6 days.

Thanks, guys. I'll ask future sellers to check with Greyhound. That's a new one to me!

Has it been shipped yet? Sounds like you're being charged for an oversized package. It needs to be less than 108 inches in length (probably is) and smaller than 130 inches length + girth.

Have the seller cut down the box.

EDIT: Just saw your recent post. Shipping was the seller's responsibility; you've fulfilled your obligation. I'd explain the oversize charge. Seller should have investigated it.

http://images.fedex.com/us/services/...nformation.pdf

Yeah, it's too late. Apparently he shipped it yesterday. But he only told me about it today. That was my thought too: It must have been considered oversized.

EDIT: Not that it would necessarily have been cheaper, but his listing said it would be shipped via UPS for $75. I only found out today that he FedEx'ed it.

If the bike has not shipped, ask him to find another way. If he has shipped it, he quoted you $75 in the auction. That is all you are obligated to pay. He had the opportunity to ship some other way via FedEx or even another carrier and he did not take it. I would not have the gall to even ask someone to pay for my own mistake. And that is exactly what it is; his mistake. It would be one of those lessons you learn for me. I have shipped my bike several times from Phoenix to St Louis for under $40. Of course I had the box already and did my own packing.

I'm with CV-6. You're under no obligation to pay anything more than $75. If he wanted to negotiate the shipping, he should have done so before sending the bike. But even in that case, if the auction stated $75, that's what you should expect and be expected to pay, period.

Thanks, Lynn. It is galling. He said he knows he can't force me to pay half the difference, but he's hoping I will. So he is laying a guilt trip on me. I don't think I'm going to pay it.

I completely agree. His job is to research the cost and stick to it. Also, he switched carriers on you. I wouldn't pay a cent more. It sounds to me like he packed it poorly - also not your fault. Don't pay it. What he paid is outrageous. (Last complete bike I shipped was to a C&V member - I believe it was $37 and change).

While I have sympathy for the seller, he should understand that your bid was based on a $75 shipping quote. So, theoretically, the auction would have closed $75 less had he given an accurate shipping quote. He should accept this reasoning.

To explain my sympathy: I've shipped with FedEx, knowing the 130 dimensional limit. Several times the box has come in just at or under 130, but they always over measure. Never once have they mentioned the limit; they simply offer the shipping quote and shrug their shoulders. Once I insist they measure the package again, they get it right. Why he let it go through at $150 is beyond me, unless he prepaid with a credit card or account and had it picked up, which would result in the oversize charge being applied without him present.

Thanks, everyone. I thought the shipping cost seemed exorbitant. That's exactly what I'll tell him.

I agree. It is REALLY important to not exceed the dimensional limits that UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc have imposed in recent times. Just last year Fedex was still more forgiving in this regard than UPS, I got a bike shipped from Minnesota to Virginia for right at $25. Not sure if I could do that now! And those shipping clerks at the Fedex and UPS places really are sloppy in their measurment. Another thing, always ship from an actual UPS or Fedex or DHL shipping portal if you can. Going to one of these mailing or packaging places at the local strip mall, with their "We Ship UPS for YOU" signs will add to the total cost, they have to get their cut then too!

Check into DHL online. I have used them to ship bikes from NH-CA for under $50. NH to the midwest has cost as little as $35. I'm talking about heavy gas pipe dump find bikes. They pick up at the house for $2-3 extra, which for me saves me $5 in gas to take it to the nearest drop-off. You could set up an online account and arrange to pay the shipping yourself. This is what I'd do. Best of luck.

http://www.dhl-usa.com/home/home.asp

I just shipped a bike from SoCal to Omaha via UPS Ground for $45 using my wife's commercial account. Included in that amount was addl. insurance and signature required. Took six days. Seller may be trying to make a little bit extra by inflating shipping.

I told the seller I wouldn't pay the difference; he said he will learn from this mistake. I called FedEx beforehand and found out he sent it by ground without a declared value. I also confirmed what JunkYardBike said: With FedEx, length + girth must be less than 130" or it's considered oversized.

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.

My money is on #2. a lot of people think they are "the same" as taking it to the carrier, and they do stick on outrageous fees.

Sure, pay half the difference, but tell the seller you were only willing to pay $x amount total, price + shipping. Tell him he will have to deduct the same amount from the price to the bike.

I sold an item on ebay where I took it in the shorts on shipping (actual shipping ran higher than what the item sold for plus what I had quoted for shipping). I didn't even think about asking for more, my mistake. The buyer ended up seeing what I paid for shipping, and volunteered to pay the extra without me ever asking or laying a guilt trip on him.

I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie. He's already chalked this one up to experience, which is fine by me. ;)

I suppose you could do this guy a favor and double check the measurements really carefully. Just to make sure he's not getting screwed.

I would recommend if anyone does much shipping via FedEx that they open an account. I have one and I get better rates than if I just took the box to FedEx or FedEx Kinkos.