Any Ideas for Large Package Shipping to the US

[amberwoodottawa]

As a Power Seller, I decided to volunteer my time to the local market as a Trading Assistant.

A few times, it was nothing more than giving people some assistance over the telphone when they were getting started in selling on eBay.

A few times people wanted me to sell for them.

I have been selling Oriental antique furnishings and collectables and have sold a couple of items I am having a difficult time finding someone to ship the items for me for a decent price.

Can someone recommend a company or service that can ship limited amounts of furniture from Canada to the US? So far I am being told by some companies, that the minimum is 1,000 lbs.

At this point I have 2 chairs and an end table destined for Texas.

Thanks in advance.

Malcolm

[whoscloset]

Malcolm,

I have looked into this before and it seems that most sellers who ship furniture on a regular basis are shipping via GreyHound. You can ship to the US with them and the prices are apparently very good if your customer agrees to pick up the item at their nearest bus depot.

I see you have been looking into GreyHound recently and suggest you ask them about their international service. I believe you may be able to find some information at
http://www.greyhound.ca/en/gcx/international.shtml

I can't find the exact link to the station to station rates but this is probably your best bet.

Monique

[muminlaw]

Malcolm, have you asked your Texan if he/she has any suggestions for shipping? Sometimes buyers of big stuff have done it before and have some very helpful ideas!

Just a thought, Glenda

[your-chic-shopper]

As a trade assistant I as well get calls . They tend to go the same way?? How do you sell on Ebay???

Once I started to notice more people wannted to know how to sell on Ebay I chaged my Ebay Trade assistant profile. Yes I do See others items . But Now I teach others how to sell on Ebay . I basically make the learning curve on Ebay a little smaller

So when someone calls and asks about Ebay ?? from Ebay's Trade assistant page . I tell them we teach a class on how to sell on Ebay . It's $50.00 after we teach the class, I ask for no money up front . If they have not learned anythinig , they do not pay me

Not only do they pay , I generally have follow-up classes with the new Ebayer

I then take those people and ask them if I can add them to a list of people I have helped get set-up on Ebay

So if a person calls , and dI provide the info about the classes . I Give them a list of people I have helped

Todd

[amberwoodottawa]

Monique
The problem with Greyhound is that in the US, they cube the shipments. If I was shipping one of my chairs to Vancouver with Greyhound it would cost about $35 however shipping to the Southern or Western US it is over $450.

I checked this yesterday right at the Grehound station and these were the rates I was given.

The cubic weight of the chair is 250 or so pounds even though it may only weigh 25 actual pounds.

Malcolm

[treasure-pot]

Malcolm, if you are interested, email me directly on this. My brother-in-law in Ottawa packages and ships approximately 80% of the embassy moves out of the capital. He is very familiar with the packing aspect and, although his company wouldn't ship directly to Texas, he would certainly be able to point you in the right direction. He is the business owner and is situated just off of St. Laurent Blvd. near the museum.

I prefer not to post his proper or business name on the board.

Cheers!

Bill

[phoebescollectables]

Malcolm,

Give PakMail a call. They are located at Alta Vista and Bank. They will pack and ship almost anything. They will also insure valuables and breakables.

Michael

[treasure-pot]

PakMail has a financial stake in them from UPS if I'm not mistaken.

It's a very good option to let them pack and ship as UPS doesn't have much of a leg to stand on if the item gets damaged in transit and you have need to file an insurance claim.

I ran into that situation three years ago with an antique game board. Because of it's size I had given it to PakMail and they did a great job of packaging it.

You guessed it - UPS damaged it anyway and it took almost two months to get them to pay the claim. In the end, after all their fudging about the quality of packaging, it was my revalation to them that it was packed by a company that knows their standards very well, that got them to honor the claim.

Bill

[amberwoodottawa]

Afte callin a number of carriers, courier companies, brokers etc and reviewing all your suggestions and comments which I thank you for, I find that the best way is to ship them via FEDEX with 8-day delivery and ship each of the 3 units I have separately.

The advantage in doing this for the customer as well as I can give him 3 separate invoices for his purchase putting each item's value below $200 US and saving him potential duty on his purchase.

Now it is just waiting for the customer to agree to pay the freight and packing charges and off they go.

I'll update this thread on the success of my using Fedex on large shipments in terms of pricing, delivery and damage.

Malcolm