Despite everything, can we take a minute to marvel at how cheap shipping actually is?

[Rob_X]

I know we all whine about the USPS surcharge and when shipping rates go up.  Sure it is annoying, but just think about how amazing the shipping system is when using the right size box and the right shipping service (I use PirateShip + UPS for clubs mostly).

 

I just paid $8.50 to have a 2 lb, 48 x 6 x 5" box shippped halfway across the country.  And it would cost $12 to send to all the way across.

 

You are paying for labor for someone to take the package at the UPS store, a driver to take it to the local distribution center, someone to drive it 1500 miles, have it handled at the destination center, and someone to drive it to the delivery location.  Then you have the fuel costs, equipment depreciation, all the package sorting automation, and god forbid you forget profit for UPS (maybe).

 

It is certainly possible that these kinds of shipment are loss leaders or essentially space fillers.  Consider that UPS just announced that all workers will be paid at least $21/hr... and all of that can still results in you being to ship a package halfway across the States for <$10.

 

Okay, now everyone go back to bitching about shipping 🙂

[golffeen007]

5 minutes ago, Rob_X said:

I know we all whine about the USPS surcharge and when shipping rates go up.  Sure it is annoying, but just think about how amazing the shipping system is when using the right size box and the right shipping service (I use PirateShip + UPS for clubs mostly).

 

I just paid $8.50 to have a 2 lb, 48 x 6 x 5" box shippped halfway across the country.  And it would cost $12 to send to all the way across.

 

You are paying for labor for someone to take the package at the UPS store, a driver to take it to the local distribution center, someone to drive it 1500 miles, have it handled at the destination center, and someone to drive it to the delivery location.  Then you have the fuel costs, equipment depreciation, all the package sorting automation, and god forbid you forget profit for UPS (maybe).

 

It is certainly possible that these kinds of shipment are loss leaders or essentially space fillers.  Consider that UPS just announced that all workers will be paid at least $21/hr... and all of that can still results in you being to ship a package halfway across the States for <$10.

 

Okay, now everyone go back to bitching about shipping 🙂

If you went in store for your label , it'd be double $8.50 , or close. Must not be worth much to ship uninsured? I print my own labels and insure it if value exceeds $100 and still cheaper than USPS. Yes , there're valid complaints about shipping costs for some , but a lot of it stews from inexperienced shippers. 

[Rob_X]

13 minutes ago, golffeen007 said:

If you went in store for your label , it'd be double $8.50 , or close. Must not be worth much to ship uninsured? I print my own labels and insure it if value exceeds $100 and still cheaper than USPS. Yes , there're valid complaints about shipping costs for some , but a lot of it stews from inexperienced shippers. 

 

Yes, just insured at the included $100, as it is just a used driver shaft that isn't a top tier one.  Obviously, shipping a set of nice irons or something would be more due to weight and insurance, but still reasonable.

 

And yes, it is crazy how much the retail store mark-up is.  If there is one thing to say about USPS, at least in-store/retail isn't marked up a bunch.

[ApostateDrive]

Agreed. I recently sold an Odyssey putter and shipped it halfway across the country via PirateShip for under $15. It costs nearly $15 to buy a large combo meal at McDicks here in Chicago, kinda crazy that you can get a club shipped for the same price.

Edited July 26, 2023 by ApostateDrive

[brew4eagle]

4 hours ago, Rob_X said:

I know we all whine about the USPS surcharge and when shipping rates go up.  Sure it is annoying, but just think about how amazing the shipping system is when using the right size box and the right shipping service (I use PirateShip + UPS for clubs mostly).

 

I just paid $8.50 to have a 2 lb, 48 x 6 x 5" box shippped halfway across the country.  And it would cost $12 to send to all the way across.

 

You are paying for labor for someone to take the package at the UPS store, a driver to take it to the local distribution center, someone to drive it 1500 miles, have it handled at the destination center, and someone to drive it to the delivery location.  Then you have the fuel costs, equipment depreciation, all the package sorting automation, and god forbid you forget profit for UPS (maybe).

 

It is certainly possible that these kinds of shipment are loss leaders or essentially space fillers.  Consider that UPS just announced that all workers will be paid at least $21/hr... and all of that can still results in you being to ship a package halfway across the States for <$10.

 

Okay, now everyone go back to bitching about shipping 🙂

Defitinely a serious profit machine.  The profit comes from volume, all those operating costs are divided by the hundreds of thousands to millions of parcels making the trips each day.

[Anser3]

I will not complain about a company trying to make a profit.  That said, upcharges on some items  (especially length upcharges over 22" with USPS) are ridiculous.  The USPS has priced itself out of a competitive market in a lot of areas.   As far as the OP's post about loss leaders for UPS, I don't believe loss leaders exist in that business as they are  a third-party entity that contracts to companies for shipping.  The companies take the loss leaders.  As an example, a golf bag purchase over $100 gets free shipping on some golf websites.  Shipping a  golf bag can be a costly endeavor.  The company still makes a profit on the golf bag and can ship it to the consumer for free.  

 

About a year or two ago, I bought a decent postal scale (it weighs items up to 80 pounds and as little as one gram, making incredibly versatile for shipping as well as weighing golf club components).  Once I set up a pirateship.com account, the scale paid for itself within 2 larger items.  The scale was $40ish dollars  (Though I think I got it on a flash sale from Amazon for $26).  It is extremely accurate and I always get identical weights to what the post office gets  when I drop off my pre-paid labeled items to ship them.   It is also extremely accurate with smaller items, measuring Ping Tungsten driver weights exactly as they are marked and weighing genuine Scotty Cameron weights about 2 grams less than they are marked. 

 

BTW, pirateship.com is a fantastic site.

[Rob_X]

15 hours ago, brew4eagle said:

Defitinely a serious profit machine.  The profit comes from volume, all those operating costs are divided by the hundreds of thousands to millions of parcels making the trips each day.

 

Yep, I think I heard recently due the UPS workers strike discussion that UPS delivers something like 20 million packages per day.  It's good for us that it looks like a UPS strike will not happen.  A UPS strike would essentially shut down BST :0

[brew4eagle]

47 minutes ago, Rob_X said:

 

Yep, I think I heard recently due the UPS workers strike discussion that UPS delivers something like 20 million packages per day.  It's good for us that it looks like a UPS strike will not happen.  A UPS strike would essentially shut down BST :0

Looked up 2022, UPS profit was over $13 billion

[MK7Golf21]

18 hours ago, ApostateDrive said:

Agreed. I recently sold an Odyssey putter and shipped it halfway across the country via PirateShip for under $15. It costs nearly $15 to buy a large combo meal at McDicks here in Chicago, kinda crazy that you can get a club shipped for the same price.

 

These fast food joints took advantage of inflation the most, cost the same now to just get food from a decent restaurant instead. People like the convenience of going through a drive in 1 minute and having their food so they will continue to.