Baller Skiphreak Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 I have a number of slalom skis I’m looking to unload. The last time I attempted to sell, the shipping rates for UPS and FedEx were higher than what I had even sold the skis for (quotes of $100-200 for ground shipping). For those who have sold skis and shipped considerable distances to buyers, what did you use for shipping and were you paying this much to ship? It just seems like a lot of skis get sold (on SIA for instance) and I can’t imagine people are paying that much to ship. Or am I wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MDB1056 Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 Have used FedEx Ground mostly - and cost $37-$45. Shipped several. Just had one I bought shipped to me via USPS, $35. I pack all mine myself so this is just shipping . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BlueSki Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 It has been a few years. Last time FedEx was very pricey, but USPS was about $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Mastercrafter Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 For me it’s usually sub-$80 but that is using our UPS account with volume-negotiated rates. With boxes exceeding 70”, overages come into play. As small a box as safely possible is the key. High volume OEMs probably pay $10 to ship a ski, the rest of us aren’t so lucky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 Main thing it to get the box as small as possible. Dimensional weight is a killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 503Kento Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 Just bought a ski for a buddy West Virginia to Oregon for $70 via fedex ground. I spent 30 years in the mail order business, USPS is the cheapest but most unreliable, UPS is expensive and somewhat more reliable. FedEx is by far the most reliable and fairly well priced. Get high, Get fast, and do some good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 Fwiw, FedEx reliability must vary regionally. Around here they are the slowest and least reliable way to ship things. I groan every time someone ships me something via FedEx because I have absolutely no idea when it will finally show up. If you set up a free shipper account on ups there are typically promo codes that get you a large discount. EASY has been a recent one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ALPJr Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 We’ve sold four or five things on SIA. All but one the buyer drove here. Was two KD3000 skis. Think it was ~$70 UPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller jgills88 Posted May 30, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 30, 2021 Have you called your local UPS, USPS, or FedEx? I bought some jumpers on ski-it-again, and the rate that I found on the online calculator was huge, something close to $400, but when the person shipped it, he somehow got it down to under $100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller aupatking Posted May 31, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 31, 2021 I sell slalom skis fairly often, for myself and my ski partners. I use USPS, almost exclusively. It has been the cheapest and fastest, 2-3 days every time using priority shipping. Radar uses the same size box, from what I’ve seen, for every ski no matter the size, so shipping using their boxes is higher. If I’m shipping a smaller ski, I cut the Radar boxes to fit the ski. I shipped a ski last week, South Alabama to Northern California and that one ran me $82. That’s the most I’ve ever paid. Usually it’s $60-ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Skiphreak Posted May 31, 2021 Author Baller Share Posted May 31, 2021 @jgills88 My local UPS store quoted me $188 from CT to Utah for their cheapest ground shipping. I almost fell over. No FedEx in close proximity. Sounds like USPS is def the way to go. I’m going to give it another shot with them. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller RAWSki Posted May 31, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 31, 2021 UPS generally not cost effective. FedEx Ground if the recipient is just a few states away. Cross country USPS is a better price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted May 31, 2021 Baller Share Posted May 31, 2021 Just be aware that at the UPS store you are paying the highest possible price for shipping UPS. Not to mention if you use them and have an insurance claim, the money goes to them as the shipper and then you have to get it from them. UPS Store is a franchise. If you ship UPS - go to UPS.com and pay for your shipping there/print label - after googling a promo code. Then you can drop it off at a UPS store but you are still the shipper and have paid a lower price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Hallpass Posted June 1, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 1, 2021 Length of the box makes a big difference. I shipped a ski two weeks ago. I had an original Radar Box which was 75 inches long (71 Inch ski). Estimated shipping was $140. I cut the box down and it came in just under 72 inches in length, estimated cost was about half. Ultimately buyer used his corporate account which was a much better rate, and sent me the label. Still dropped his costs in half when I cut the box down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MDB1056 Posted June 1, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 1, 2021 Guess I’ve just been lucky but I’ve never had one cost over $50. From Arkansas to California, Wisconsin, Ny, Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller bparson Posted June 1, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 1, 2021 Shipped a 69” HO syndicate omni last week in the original box from Alabama to Colorado. Shipped UPS and insured for $600. Cost was about $71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller cruznski Posted June 2, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 2, 2021 Cost of shipping has really increased. I sold 4 old but desirable skis 2019 pre COVID and used USPS for continental US- the box has to be the minimum dimensions, certainly not weight for a blank ski, it was less than UPS or FedEx then. Anyway they all got there. I shipped a pair of really old jump with bindings skis I had back east ( I am in NorCal ) we split the cost but it was 30% of the sale price. So yes @Hallpass box length makes a big difference. I custom cut down a box once for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller One_Ski Posted June 3, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 3, 2021 Not to hijack this thread, but does anybody have experience/advice for shipping an EZ-Slalom course (poles, balls, and mainline)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MDB1056 Posted June 4, 2021 Baller Share Posted June 4, 2021 Put it on a truck. Don’t send via a fed Ex or ups etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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