OT- another GunBroker rant

[jnyork]

Found a rifle I wanted to bid on but got to reading the description and he wanted $35.00 to ship it!!

Dont need it that bad!! Seems to me the sellers on GB must think we are all idiots.

[rjohns94]

I have sold on Gundbroker and bought there too. When I ship a rifle, I don't necessarily have the boxes or packing material or even the tape to get it wrapped well. I have recently sent out shotguns via USPS and wrapped them, put them in a plastic gun case and zip tied the case closed. I also drilled through the rear braces and zip tied there. Then I traveled to the post office, paid for insurance, postage (priority mail), and signature receipt. It cost me over $40 dollars, plus the cost of the case, zip ties and time and effort. What would you think is a reasonable amount to pay for all of that? If the firearm fits in one of thier boxes, and you send it priority with insurance, you are still close $35 to ship, and you have gone out of your way to get it there. If you have an ffl ship it, it costs even more. They charge for their effort and the cost. UPS may be less cost but the UPS store wont take them so you have to go to a UPS hub to ship them. Buying packing stuff is not cheap. Paying someone to ship it for you is even more expensive. Tell me how to do it cheaply so I know in the future. I must be one of the dumb ones cause I don't see how to do it for much less.

[JB]

I've found rifles normally cost $20 to $50 to ship fully insured depending upon the weight and where it's going to. If the seller has to buy a box, figure that in as well.

[jnyork]

My wife is a golfer, she brings me golf club shipping containers from the golf course, free for the asking, these are very nice heavy duty shipping boxes and just the right size for shipping firearms if you simply shorten them to the required length . We save packing materials from packages we receive so it's free, although I occasionally have to buy a $3.00 roll of bubble wrap from wallyworld. When I ship anything it is VERY well packaged indeed, I have received compliments from buyers on this. Last rifle I shipped to a guy in Idaho went USPS Priority mail with insurance, delivery comfirmation and oversize package charge for about $22.00 and change.

Hope this helps you , rjohns.

[KCSO]

Depending on destination fropm $16 to 24.00 with insurance to ship and add in the dosokil case and there you go. Thanks to USPS I now ship all guns in a foam case.

[rjohns94]

thanks, I am not sure where to find such boxes for free but will look around. The postage on the two shotguns with insurance for $1K and signature was above what you stated on my shipping. Good luck with your search on that rifle.

[1886]

Several factors not withstanding, $35.00 seems about right. If this was a rifle I wanted, $35.00 would not get in the way. Regards, 1886.

[jdad]

I live in OR. Priority Mail to the East Coast is about $35-$40 for a standard weight rifle.

[Hobie]

Based on MY packing expectations $50 isn't unreasonable. The CMP has a purpose built box you can get plus you can fill it with a rifle. It worked very well. I saved mine. I've had them come in Dockosil, in boxes. I like that. I've seen them just dropped in a cardboard box lightly taped and sent. Sights were hanging out the hole they had punched. Why? Because the dealer at the other end shipped cheap. Which would I prefer? That my treasure arrive safely.

PS - This has NOTHING to do with Gunbroker it is entirely about that particular seller.

[Pete44ru]

IMO, shipping costs from Wyo to/from Idaho isn't a fair barometer of true cost - like so many folk's personal experiences simply do not reflect real world conditions.

It's one thing to ship a few states away, but quite another to cross the Rockies or ship to Alaska - as the cost skyrocket.

I, too, use GB to buy/sell - and there's simply no way to foretell where/how far away the winning bidder will be - so while I go in the middle on shipping charges, winning some/losing some, others are in business and try to cover every eventuality.

I sold two rifles on GB last week, that I had to ship from Southern New England to Wyoming & Texas - the cost for each (using a FREE USPS Priority Mail carton) was $30.
I had only provided for a $25 shipping fee in both my ads, so I lost $10 overall.

No disrespect, but if you don't want to pay the price for shipping something you like/want to you - then price out driving to get it & back, with a copy of your dealer's FFL in hand.
The calculation just might put the cost in a different perspective.

.

[76/444]

Several factors not withstanding, $35.00 seems about right. If this was a rifle I wanted, $35.00 would not get in the way. Regards, 1886.

BINGO!!!

[prebans]

My wife is a golfer, she brings me golf club shipping containers from the golf course, free for the asking, these are very nice heavy duty shipping boxes and just the right size for shipping firearms if you simply shorten them to the required length . We save packing materials from packages we receive so it's free, although I occasionally have to buy a $3.00 roll of bubble wrap from wallyworld. When I ship anything it is VERY well packaged indeed, I have received compliments from buyers on this. Last rifle I shipped to a guy in Idaho went USPS Priority mail with insurance, delivery comfirmation and oversize package charge for about $22.00 and change.

Hope this helps you , rjohns.

Yup, but not all of us have wives who supply free shipping containers. As a FFL, I do everything I can to keep shipping costs as low as possible. Handguns go via Priority Mail; $15.00 is about right and folks love not having to pay for overnight costs. But Long guns are just that; long guns. Some can be disassembled (shotguns!) and shipped, but others just need a long box and packaging. Shipping companies charge more for longer dimensions in any direction. Those costs adds up.

$35.00 isn't too bad when you consider that they seller may have to buy a quality box, packing materials (peanuts and bubble wrap - anybody who uses newspaper quickly learns that newspaper weighs more than other materials and that you pay at the scale), tape... And then you've got the shipping cost itself. Check out what shippers charge now, and don't forget to add on insurance, adult sig required, and the "fuel surcharges" that never seem appear in any online estimator but always pop up at the register.....

Mike

[jnyork]

OK, you guys have beat me up pretty good on this, as has happened on a couple of other boards.

I guess I live under a rock or something, I just never have paid anywhere near $35.00 to ship or to receive a rifle. Must be doing something wrong.

[awp101]

I think part of the issue is dealers vs individual sellers.

I scrounge the boxes and most of the packing material from work. I have access to the tape too... The past two rifles I shipped via USPS Priority Mail ran $34 and change and $65 and change (that one was long and heavy with insurance to match).

A dealer OTOH tends to have an account with one of the major shippers which gives them a price break. That break on the shipping cost would help cover the packing materials as well.

[1886]

OK, you guys have beat me up pretty good on this, as has happened on a couple of other boards.

I guess I live under a rock or something, I just never have paid anywhere near $35.00 to ship or to receive a rifle. Must be doing something wrong.

Just giving you love, Bother. Now go get that rifle. 1886.

[jjames]

$35 bucks is what I was charging and I wasn't making a dime off shipping. I sold 8 longarms last fall and the average shipping cost was $28.00 insured through UPS. Granted I generally bought around $100 dollars more insurance than the buyer paid to cover inconvenienes and find another replacement should things go awry. The $28 didn't include boxes, tape, and packing material and the $6.00 in gas to drive down to UPS. Not to mention 45 minutes worth of my time driving. I lost a good deal of money only charging $50 for a revolver I had to ship FedEx over-night coast to coast. I think it was $92. I always look at the shipping as part of the total cost when I decide how much I am willing to bid. Maybe people would feel better if I bumped my minimum bid $50 ( I don't do reserves) and said I would ship it for free.

[Don McDowell]

Just got a 38-55 Italian translation of a hiwall sent to me from a friend in AZ on UPS. With Insurance the shipping was 33.50

[Bigahh]

PS - This has NOTHING to do with Gunbroker it is entirely about that particular seller.

+1... I am also in the middle of a problem of my own right now that I 1st thought was GB's fault. The fault lies in the shipper, or UPS, just not sure who yet.

[olyinaz]

UPS rates have gone up such that a $35 shipping charge is not at all unreasonable for a long gun.

I'll be honest in that I just don't understand the heart burn in any case though - I figure it into the total price and either I'm willing to pay it or I'm not.

Oly

[billyb]

When I found the 110 year old S X S hammergun, in 90% condition, that I'd been looking for for 15 years, the seller took it to a dealer for shipping as he didn't feel confident in his packing ability. I paid him 50.00 extra for his efforts.
It arrived at my dealers later that week, with the stock broken in half at the wrist. It was packed in a Sears gun sleeve from the 30's, with 1/8th" of sponge lining. Final packaging was a home rolled container of single ply cardboard "cereal box" that could not have protected a rock.
Result? A 5000.00 classic was reduced to a valueless decoration for the den wall. The seller ended up suing the shipper, I got all of my money back, minus 250.00, and got to keep the broken gun of my dreams. I have obtained a feather crotch black walnut stock blank set, and am waiting for the restocking to be completed still. The seller got nothing from th shipper. He was the big loser.
On a high grade gun, I will gladly pay a premium fro packaging. When I sell, my items are protected as well as they can be. Be safe, rather than sorry.

[mescalero1]

jnyork,
It irks me also.
Have come to the conclusion that I should figure the shipping cost into the cost of the gun, making GB less attractive for me as a buyer.

[76/444]

To be honest Mescalero, I haven't found any deal on any piece I have been interested in on GunBroker, yet.

And, only VERY FEW deals on some that I have no interest in!

[David]

When I found the 110 year old S X S hammergun, in 90% condition, that I'd been looking for for 15 years, the seller took it to a dealer for shipping as he didn't feel confident in his packing ability. I paid him 50.00 extra for his efforts.
It arrived at my dealers later that week, with the stock broken in half at the wrist. It was packed in a Sears gun sleeve from the 30's, with 1/8th" of sponge lining. Final packaging was a home rolled container of single ply cardboard "cereal box" that could not have protected a rock.
Result? A 5000.00 classic was reduced to a valueless decoration for the den wall. The seller ended up suing the shipper, I got all of my money back, minus 250.00, and got to keep the broken gun of my dreams. I have obtained a feather crotch black walnut stock blank set, and am waiting for the restocking to be completed still. The seller got nothing from th shipper. He was the big loser.
On a high grade gun, I will gladly pay a premium fro packaging. When I sell, my items are protected as well as they can be. Be safe, rather than sorry.

I would say you got really lucky in one sense. If the shipper pays for damages they keep the shipped item. (Basically they bought it) I shipped it, I got the 25,000 back and repurchased the item back for 2,500 repaired it and sold it again for 15,000 as repaired.

[71fan]

I just paid UPS $100 to ship an antique Marlin, fully insured, from SD to Montana. With cost of the hard case I was into it for $130. I charged $50 in the auctin because anymore and I get bombarded with whiners. I ate $80, but it's the price of doing business. I RARELY get to ship a rifle anymore for $35, unless it's within the state and uninsured.

Shipping firearms uninsured is simply not an option.
Here's a perfect example. If you think I can ship this insured for the stated $50 you're crazy. This one will cost about $70 to $80, but if I put that on the auction I'll get a dozen emails about how I'm ripping people off (lessons learned): http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =160280947

[olyinaz]

I picked up a Krag today and noted that the USPS postage was $38 and that didn't include the extra insurance and tracking fees, nor the cost of packing. In this case the shipper was a fool and packed my rifle very poorly, but I got lucky and nothing was busted. Now THAT is what irks me - poor packaging! The cost to ship is what it is and I feel for the dealer who posted previously about having to eat shipping costs because many buyers are fools and expect guns to ship today for what it cost in the 1990s or earlier.

I just bought a pistol tonight and it was listed "actual shipping costs". Yikes! No telling what it's going to cost to ship but whatever that is I'll pay it because I wanted the dang thing and that's how it works.

Thirty-five bucks for a long gun? It's a fair ask.

Oly