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Hot Rods Letting go of parts, what a shock

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Binkman, Jun 7, 2022.

  1. Binkman
    Joined: Nov 4, 2017
    Posts: 378

    Binkman
    Member

    Over the years I ended up with a lot of left over/spare parts from project vehicles long ago sold off. I like having them around because most of them have a story behind them and they are hanging on the wall not taking up space. I think of it as art.
    I decided to let a dashboard go. Long distance sale to the midwest, only 16 lbs, 48 inch box. I almost fell over when they quoted me close to $170.00.
    I came home and told my family thet when I die they can donate them or do whatever they want. No more long distance sales.
    We had it good for a long time.
    This won't end well for the hobby.
    thumbnail-10.jpeg thumbnail-9.jpeg thumbnail-8.jpeg thumbnail-11.jpeg
     
  2. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    My freight bills into my shop have probably doubled in the last 2 years on everything. Just a quick thought. IF you took it to a "UPS store" be aware that's not UPS, and you'll be paying more than the shipping costs, since those stores mark up the costs. Go directly to a UPS customer counter at one of their hubs, and pay the real costs. Seems to me a bit misleading that the "UPS stores" in the shopping centers, while using the UPS logo, aren't, in fact, UPS. YMMV.
     
    tractorguy, reagen, fauj and 9 others like this.
  3. NoelC
    Joined: Mar 21, 2018
    Posts: 668

    NoelC
    Member

    Well Tim, there in lies the rub. Ya have to give it away just so they can afford the shipping. Yup...another nail in the coffin.
     
    1biggeorge, AHotRod and 41rodderz like this.
  4. If you add another country ( like...say, Canada) into the mix, it gets even more staggering. But if you need the parts...it's the price to play.
     
    GasserTodd, sewfast and VANDENPLAS like this.

  5. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    That’s what I do . Way better.
     
    -Brent- likes this.
  6. outagas1961
    Joined: Jul 5, 2020
    Posts: 129

    outagas1961

    I once shipped a 70 nova tail light assembly that i sold on e bay to northern France ! the shipping cost several times the sale price, contacted the buyer to see if he really wanted to pay that much ? his reply was "where would i find one local to me ? "
     
    Cooon, Baumi, tractorguy and 5 others like this.
  7. That is simple, buyer pays shipping. I do 2-3 packages a week large and small.
     
  8. Hillbilly Werewolf
    Joined: Dec 13, 2007
    Posts: 504

    Hillbilly Werewolf
    Member

    Did the buyer pay what you asked and shipping?

    I have learned to price shipping before selling the part if I am going to include it in the listed price (""free shipping "") so that I don't get burned.

    Looks like you have collected a lot of really cool stuff, it would be a shame for it to all end up in the scrap heap.
     
  9. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 5,372

    Fordors
    Member

    Like @williebill said UPS stores are a franchise operation and I think they add their own markup so it’s buyer beware.
    If you already have it boxed go to the USPS Postage Calculator online. I ran the numbers and I priced out a 16#, 48x5x12 box shipped from Beverly Hills, 90210 to Chicago, 60638, it ships for $65.95. Not cheap but it depends how bad the buyer wants it.
    I shipped a ‘32 headlight bar to Ontario, Canada recently, 7#, 48x6x6 box and it cost $59.80 and the seller understood that’s just the cost of doing business in today’s world.
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2022
    tractorguy, williebill and Tman like this.
  10. Yep, I quit using UPS to ship because of this. It's a long drive to a hub and the local guy used every trick in the book to run up the price.

    My son-in-law has multiple FedEx ground routes, he won't use them or UPS because of the costs. If you have a vendor contract with them it's cheaper. USPS to the rescue...
     
    1biggeorge, fauj and williebill like this.
  11. Shipping is nuts I bought 4 tires and skirts and a few other things from speedway a couple months ago and shipping , duties etc etc et. was almost as much as the purchase price !!!!!

    nucking futs :eek:
     
  12. evintho
    Joined: May 28, 2007
    Posts: 2,363

    evintho
    Member

    As stated above, box it up yourself, go to the USPS calculator online to get shipping price, post item for sale and specify 'buyer pays shipping charges'. When the buyer contacts you, tell him the shipping charges. Most buyers realize prices are out of control but are willing to pay that to obtain the parts they want. Looks like you've got some pretty sought after parts! For boxes, I measure the part then drive behind shopping malls and check dumpsters for the right box. Oh, and I never use UPS. Total ripoff! Occasionally I use FedEx but it's mainly USPS that has the best shipping prices. I've been doing this for a long time.
     
  13. Doublepumper
    Joined: Jun 26, 2016
    Posts: 1,534

    Doublepumper
    Member
    from WA-OR, USA

    I recently coughed up sixty bucks shipping for a 7.00-16 tire and tube...waaa! Still cost less than if I had to drive there to get them though. It is what it is.
     
    lostmind likes this.
  14. Half the time the shipping price I quote someone ends up being more when I take it to the shipping depot. I have just about stopped selling anything online. Maybe this will bring the swap meets back in vogue again.
     
    1biggeorge, lostmind and Joe Travers like this.
  15. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Posts deleted. Fellas, KEEP YOUR POLITICS TO YOURSELF!!!!!
     
  16. scotts52
    Joined: Apr 7, 2008
    Posts: 2,725

    scotts52
    Member

    I've found prices to be all over the board. I priced out shipping a door online. When I got to the store to ship it, they boxed it and shipped it for less than the quote. Another time, same store, I asked about what I thought was their smallest box. The lady was very helpful and found a way to ship it for about half. I don't see how a tiny package the size of a door handle or taillight can be so wildly priced two different ways. What I paid for looked practically the same as the other package I was looking at. It also saves money to have an account, not much, but every dime counts
     
  17. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    That's happened to me several times too. The online calculators are useless. I've taken to packing the part and taking it to the Post Office for the actual shipping cost. Of course, with current California gas prices, I may rethink that.
    Looking for a used 600 Holley I went on eBay and found one for $25, looked ok. Shipping; $48.96. Decided to wait, swap meet coming up next week. I got a nice rebuildable 600 Holley at the swap for $20. I got to look it over carefully. The only down side was that I found it early on and had to carry it around with me.
    I suggest that local cruise night organizers promote the idea of bringing some of your hot rod parts for sale - only what fits in your participating car. I think that would bring some fresh, new interest to a cruise night that's gotten stale.
     
  18. onetrickpony
    Joined: Sep 21, 2010
    Posts: 753

    onetrickpony
    Member
    from Texas

    I don't know if you guys are aware of this, but shipping through FB Marketplace is cheaper since you get their discount. I shipped a 26# 24x18x12 package this morning (6/7/22) for 32.15, less than half what the cost would be directly to UPS. And that's a flat rate price, anywhere in the lower 48. But FB does take a slice off the sales price
     
    bchctybob and Tman like this.
  19. One thing to consider when selling online, here, marketplace etc. Starting this calender year once you hit a total of $600 you will get 1099'd now. This is new. Only applies to payments taken online such as Venmo and Paypal. You may see an increase of sellers taking Money Orders again....
     
    lostmind, Carter, Joe Travers and 5 others like this.
  20. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    Interesting, can you let us know how that works?
     
    fauj and onetrickpony like this.
  21. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
    Member

    Dollar General stores as well as Walgreens are drop-off points for Fedex packages, as long as you have a pre-printed label on them. If you have a computer with a printer, you can use their website to calculate the price, then purchase and print the label, and drop it off. One of my local hardware stores takes UPS dropoffs the same way.

    PirateShip.com is a website which you can use to print labels for USPS and UPS, and you get a discount. It can be a very good deal. Again, you will print your own label and drop off the package for shipping. The discount is mostly for not using the counter-service at one of those places.

    UPS and Fedex both give a discount if you set up an account with them. The prices for one-time shipments with no account is much, much higher.

    eBay gives a very large shipping discount for all 3 major carriers, sometimes it's literally half or less cost to ship through eBay. Everyone loves to complain about the eBay fees but the shipping discount can really make up the difference. I actually sold something right here on the HAMB and then set up an eBay listing for it, just to get the shipping discount for the buyer. Even after fees, it was still cheaper for the buyer in the end with the shipping discount.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2022
    fauj, bchctybob, winr and 2 others like this.
  22. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Go price lumber, you better be sitting down!
     
  23. PhilA
    Joined: Sep 6, 2018
    Posts: 2,061

    PhilA
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Hydro Tech

    Plywood and materials for building are silly money- which has made once-cheap box making material a fraught experience.

    About twenty years ago I shipped an entire dashboard to New Zealand (sunny there so all the dashes for the particular car had cracked) after the eBay auction ended. The shipping was triple the cost of the item, even back then. Having a sturdy box didn't help matters.

    I need to go ship a 35lb box of test equipment to Florida soon, I hate to think what that'll end up costing.

    Phil
     
    bchctybob likes this.
  24. Rckt98
    Joined: Jun 7, 2005
    Posts: 1,132

    Rckt98
    Member

    "About twenty years ago I shipped an entire dashboard to New Zealand (sunny there so all the dashes for the particular car had cracked) after the eBay auction ended. The shipping was triple the cost of the item, even back then. Having a sturdy box didn't help matters."

    Ha, not always sunny here Phil, but it has always been expensive to build cars here, largely due to the cost of importing cars and parts.
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2022
    PhilA and Frank280ZX like this.
  25. lake_harley
    Joined: Jun 4, 2017
    Posts: 2,159

    lake_harley
    Member

    If selling an item I always check several shipping options as a courtesy to the buyer. It doesn't always result in a shipping price that the buyer feels is worth the purchase, but if I'm buying I appreciate others checking for the best shipping option for me too.

    I much prefer buying local or at swap meets and go to several meets a year with a couple of good friends. I doubt we collectively buy enough parts at a good price to justify the travel, motel and meal costs, but we're all in our late 60's and the time together and the joy of the "hunt" are priceless.

    Lynn
     
  26. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    I have found lightweight is cheaper via USPS . You get over two plus and UPS is better price when item is too big for a priority box.
     
  27. My wife can buy her skirts online and get free shipping. What are you....some kind of XXXXXL cross dresser? (I know, they're Merc skirt's, but I just couldn't resist!)
     
    bchctybob and VANDENPLAS like this.
  28. USPS has flat rate boxes that are reasonable, and they charge by box size, not weight, so you could ship bricks for the same price as feathers (why you'd want to ship either, I don't know, just sayin').
    Another angle is if you know a business that has an account with shipping companies (package and freight), you might try to work a deal with them. I've worked at places that allowed employees to use their shipping accounts, then they deducted the charges from their paychecks.
    You might also visit a truck freight line and see if you can set up an account. Packaging would generally need to be more substantial due to the way stuff gets handled, but having your own account could save you big time!
    Packaging can be an issue. A heavy or large awkward part needs more protection than a headlight bezel, so that needs to be taken into consideration. With the kind of stuff @Binkman has, I would be figure out a way to build a wooden crate/box to be assured there would be no shipping damage.
    There's nothing wrong with charging for crating, and proper containers and protection can avoid a pissing contest down the road if something gets damaged.
    I wouldn't want to burden my wife and friends with clearing out my stuff, so if I knew I wasn't going to use it, and there was as much value as what it looks like BINKMAN has, I'd just set up a selling/shipping routine to clear it out while I still could.
    I would also set up a dedicated bank account and use bank-to-bank money transfers.
    JMHO, YMMV
     
    VANDENPLAS likes this.
  29. Give them my number... I'll purchase it all and I pick up in person...
     
  30. 41 GMC K-18
    Joined: Jun 27, 2019
    Posts: 3,563

    41 GMC K-18
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That is going to be one kick ass road trip!
     
    2Blue2 and Hitchhiker like this.

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