Question about shipping a lens.

[davev]

This will be a first for me. I have 2 lens for sale, 1 is in the sales pending state.
I just realized that I haven't shipped anything before.

The only thing I can think of doing would be to go to a Mailbox Etc. and have
them package it up. Am I thinking right or not? My wife thinks that If I package
it, that they won't insure it.

Anybody have any advice?

Thanks in advance.

dave.

[DoctorIt]

"they'll" insure anything. Just get a good box, some packing peanuts or newspaper, and a roll of tape. Don't be a sucker, what kind of magical boxes or tape do you think they have at "mailboxes etc" - biggest ripoff I've ever seen!

Ship USPS Priority w/delivery confirmation $0.45 option (gives you an electronic tracking number) - same price/speed/reliability of any of the private couriers, and half the hassle. Every main street has a post office...

just my .02
:dunno

[wxwax]

I've recieved many lenses in the mail. Put the lens in its original box. Then find a larger box. Put the lens box in and surround it with bubble wrap, or those large inflated plastic 'ravioli' shaped thingies, or styrofoam peanuts (yuck, they suck.) Make sure the sides are all secured.

Should be fine.

Personally, I prefer UPS. I don't trust the post office. I know that others feel exactly the opposite.

[patch29]

You can go to FedEx/Kinko's and ship it from there too (most Kinko's should, not 100% sure so check first). They have some boxes available to purchase, if you do not have your own. You can use Ground or Overnight services.

Mail Boxes etc and similar companies charge more to ship through them vs going to FedEx directly, not sure how it works now that mbe is the UPS store. They will still charge to pack the item.

[DoctorIt]

You can go to FedEx/Kinko's and ship it from there too (most Kinko's should, not 100% sure so check first). They have some boxes available to purchase, if you do not have your own. You can use Ground or Overnight services.

Mail Boxes etc and similar companies charge more to ship through them vs going to FedEx directly, not sure how it works now that mbe is the UPS store. They will still charge to pack the item.I thought maybe they'd be different too since they became UPS store. Nope, still charge up the nose. Extra charge for shipping AND packing if you so desire. No way. The only way to get around it is to print your label and pay online, then just drop off at the store.

Waxy, the trick to USPS is to ship priority w/delivery confirmation. When you're dealing with packages, its not much more. I've had great luck with this. But more like I said, for me its just a convenience thing... The UPS store is in the crappy mall (blech) and the only other UPS depot is 15 miles away. I have 3 post offices within walk/bike distance. And I get to deal with a person rather than online where you *hope* you measured and weighed right.

But yeah, six and one half dozen or the other... right?! :D

[davev]

Thanks to everyone for their quick responses.

I think I'm going with the Kinko/FedEx option. Looks like the easiest way for
me to handle this. (and there's one a mile from the house)

Thanks again.

dave.

[seaelven]

Ahhh! Use a box with plenty of packing... have you seen those people handle "fragile" items...
"Hey, Tom! Got a fragile one here! I'm gonna send it over nice and easy, now...Catch!" :uhoh
:scratch....Good luck, I hope it get's there ok.

[Angelo]

Dave - the easiest and most efficient thing to do is go to a UPS store... they will pack them for you, seal the box and complete the label while you wait.

[wxwax]

Ahhh! Use a box with plenty of packing... have you seen those people handle "fragile" items...
"Hey, Tom! Got a fragile one here! I'm gonna send it over nice and easy, now...Catch!" :uhoh
:scratch....Good luck, I hope it get's there ok.
I've literally bought a dozen lenses shipped - never a problem. As long as it's carefully packed, it will be fine.

[DavidTO]

I've literally bought a dozen lenses shipped - never a problem. As long as it's carefully packed, it will be fine.

And none of them was the 10-22. Downright shame.

[wxwax]

And none of them was the 10-22. Downright shame.
Um, I have a secret..... :uhoh

[DavidTO]

Um, I have a secret..... :uhoh

Go on...

[wxwax]

Go on...
Got a spare body, maybe one that takes an EF-S lens? :uhoh

[photobug]

Ship USPS Priority w/delivery confirmation $0.45 option (gives you an electronic tracking number) - same price/speed/reliability of any of the private couriers, and half the hassle.
Recommendation: ship USPS Priority Mail and print your labels with postage on your own PC (https://sss-web.usps.com/ds/jsps/ds_landing.jsp). Two reasons:


You won't have to wait in line anywhwere -- just print the preapid label, attach it to the package, and drop it in any mailbox or give it to your company mailroom.
You can ignore the Post Ofc rules about handing any package over 1# to a postal employee -- if you print label on-line w/postage, then who sent it is derivable from the bar code on the label, so the extra security screen isn't needed. They call this "Known Sender" mail; you can drop it in any mailbox. (depending on the size of the box, you might have to go to a Post Ofc to find a box with a big enough package slot -- I find the big package slots next to the new "automated postal center" machines to be big enough for most packages)
The Delivery Confirmation service is free if you print label on-line w/postage. If you ship Prio Mail at the post office, there's an extra charge for Delivery Confirmation.
USPS Priority Mail is generally faster than comparably-priced (which means "ground") UPS or FedEx services. Prio Mail hits almost any U.S. city within 2-3 days, and USPS guarantees the delivery time.
Note: a USPS Delivery Confirmation # is not a tracking # like the ones from UPS and FedEx. You can't tell where the package is, you only get confirmation after the package has been delivered. So it's not too helpful for the recipient, but useful for the sender if a dispute ever came up. (I occasionally sell items on eBay and only ship to eBay buyers via a method a tracking or del'y confirmation number, just to be sure.)

= photobug

[davev]

I took the lens to Kinko/FedEx. They wrapped and boxed it, I insured it
for $550 (Canon 70-200L f4) and shipped it off (ground) to Texas for $8.59.

I think this is the way for me to go about shipping.

Thanks to everyone for taking the mystery out of shipping for me.

dave.

[wxwax]

I took the lens to Kinko/FedEx. They wrapped and boxed it, I insured it
for $550 (Canon 70-200L f4) and shipped it off (ground) to Texas for $8.59.

I think this is the way for me to go about shipping.

Thanks to everyone for taking the mystery out of shipping for me.

dave.
:thumb