its been awhile since i've sold any traps on here and had to ship them. I was wandering what was the cheapest way to ship? usps flat rate? ups? i do like the idea of having just a flat rate and not having to worry about measuring the box and weight it and figure out how much for each zip code. etc.

Flat rate box is the best option for me. Still 30 minutes to the post office, but that's better than 2 hours to ups.

bluegrassman,

I just started shipping using USPS Flat Rate boxes. Fixed cost depending on the size of the box, with $50.00 insurance and tracking included, and they'll even tell you Delivery Day. You can add insurance if the $50.00 isn't enough. Go on the USPS website and it will list all the flat rate boxes and shipping costs.

Good luck,

Muskrat Love

Bmccoyote,

If you go online, you can schedule a "pickup", and your mailman will pick the package up at your door.

Muskrat Love

REGIONAL Flat Rate Boxes are CHEAPER but you have to order them online ahead of time and they are FREE.
Also, wiring traps in the open/set position gets more in the box.
Remember to add a second layer of cardboard to keep them from cutting their way out of the box, regardless if you ship in set position or not. Yo can also nestle them like from the factory if ya know how, dogs towards ea other and 1 trap upside down.

Yep easy peasy, did that last week with 2 doz #3 DLS I had modified for a customer.

Regional flat rate boxes are SOMETIMES cheaper. Plus, they have weight limits. 15 pounds for Region A and 20 pounds for Region B.

If you are shipping coast to coast (zone 8), it is less expensive to use medium and large flat rate boxes.

My post office general told me from here anything going past the Mississippi river was cheaper with the flat rate boxes.

Other than that, ship in a brown cardboard box.

If using USPS Flat Rate boxes I really recommend you to double box by cutting another up to fit inside. Every flat rate box I have received with traps has been in the shape of a Basketball and had holes with chains dangling loose. The cardboard is super thin anymore and flimsy. Even traps shipped from the nearby state of Idaho the box took a beating.

I will usually stuff news paper in along side the traps for cushion.

They always arrive in good condition.

Bmccoyote,

If you go online, you can schedule a "pickup", and your mailman will pick the package up at your door.

Muskrat Love[/quote]

Yep easy peasy, did that last week with 2 doz #3 DLS I had modified for a customer.[/quote]

Hahahahaha!! We don't have a mail man, just a post office that the mail comes to out of a regional hub. I'm sure our local ups guy would pickup and ship for me but I'm usually not on the same schedule as him. The wife does teach in town and it's easy for her to drop at the post office. Really small community, 150 people approximately, and only about 70 kids in school K through 12 th grade. Just a whole lot of open space, cattle, and wildlife.

FedEx home delivery is often the cheapest option for things too big to fit into flat rate boxes, but not always. I often look into three or more shipping options before I decide on a carrier. If you're lucky enough to live and be shipping to where SpeeDee Delivery operates they are by far the best option.

I was going to sell a guy some 330s. I looked at several options. It soon became apparent that he could buy brand new Dukes cheaper then what he was going to pay for the traps and the shipping.
When you add shipping costs and cost of the traps you might find that new will be cheaper In the long run.
And your getting new traps versus used.

Shipping on anything you buy is a big factor. I have backed off on a lot of good deal just because of the shipping. I feel the seller is making more money off the shipping than off the product. JMO

USPS flat rate boxes. You learn how to get a lot of stuff in one box. "If it fits it ships"

I've started pulling the spring pins on traps so I can fit more in, without having to worry about it being dropped and traps reshaping the box or blowing through it.

FedEx, cheaper than ups, mailing a heavy package would cost a lot at post office

most times i see traps for sale on here i think the same thing. i'm going to try and price these where they are a good deal for people but yet i will feel good about what i'm getting also.

as far as fedex they are worthless around here.

i'll have to pick up a large flat rate box at the post office and see what i can do with it.

The small box was 7.20