Cost Of Shipping Kills

Very True! And none of the major shippers are reliable anymore. The thing that gets me is UPS and Fed Ex increased their rates drastically when fuel prices shot up back in 2009 including fuel surcharges, and never brought them back down when fuel prices went to record lows a few years later. But then again why should they as they are an oligopoly with no real competition.

Case in point, Bob, I didn't tell you about how things even got crazier with UPS after I shipped your first batch of frozen fish. LOL For those of you that don't know, I shipped a couple of boxes of frozen trout to Pikeonthefly in Colorado at the local UPS terminal counter. Had an account but haven't used it for years as I prefer to ship at the counter as it's cheaper (counter guy is too lazy to measure the boxes so just underestimates their size). And sometimes their software on my computer didn't seem to want to work right.

Anyway, so I just got done shipping PikeontheFly's fish along with about 6 other boxes to other customers all over the U.S. On the way home from the terminal I stop to get gas and I'm looking at the printed receipts. I realize that the fish to PikeontheFly in Colorado are actually going to some guy with the same first and last name in South Carolina! (remember I did not do any of the computer work or computer labeling -- it was all done at the counter.)

To make a long story short, boxes are redirected back to me from SC after many phone calls and passing the buck and pretending to be ignorant of how to fix the problem. Once I got the fish I put them back in the freezer (they are still frozen after three days) and UPS overnights them to Pikeonafly the next Monday. ( I was told it was on their dime due to their mistake.)

I soon get a bill in the mail from the account I haven't used in at least 3 years for over $700.00. It's a bill for what I paid for at the counter, the rerouting and the overnight shipping. After some more phone calls I was told it was taken care of. Nope. Only partially. They still show a balance of $179.00 and there is no explanation for balance on the bill including new charges for rerouting.

Supposed to have a balance of $0.00 now after more phone calls, but I will believe it when I see it. As soon as I can verify the bill is zero in writing I will cancel my account with UPS that I never use!

Used USPS recently with no issues. Got three boxes of frozen fish to Utah and Texas in three days Priority Mail at half the cost of UPS! That said I can tell you stories about USPS and also Fed Ex. It seems as they rates go up their service gets worse. I know it's Russian Roulette with all of them with a perishable product.

 

Shipping is RIDICULOUS

 

Funny thing is there's no reason that hamburger should hae gone up to $7.00 even with minimum wage going to $15.00. I saw the breakdown on what it would do to the price of a Big Mac and it was't that much. Apparently McDonalds et al are using it as an excuse.

 

Do they tell you at the taxidermy houses what shipping is going to be before you place the order? Sounds like they are using it as an enormous profit center. I can tell you I shipped a box of water samples that weighed 27 pounds from michigan to pennsylvania overnight and it was 31 dollars.

 

THEY DO NOT

 

I have a feeling PikeOnTheFly is talking about Quarter Pounder Meal or Big Mac Meal Deal because that's the only thing close to $7 bucks (that I could find) according to a random sample of menus in states or cities that have already implemented that $15/hour deal.

However, on another note I think something is severely wrong with this country when some zit faced kid with zero skills can make $3 or $4 bucks an hour less than some of our states starting teacher salaries where a 4 year degree is necessary. Simply stated, that's messed up...

 

YOU aint kidding!!!!

 

That doesn't sound above board to me

 

I cannot remember the last time I was at Mickey D's or any Fast Food restaurant for that matter - other than the sub samich places. I'm already in "husky" pants - ha!

 

An old sage named George Roof once said "I don't pay shipping charges, my customers do". To some degree that is true, but it sure hurts to see enormous shipping fees. I weigh the shipping cost against going and getting it myself. Every day of shop time I give up is at least $500 in lost gross income. I cannot justify giving up two days of shop time to go to another state for supplies...regardless of the volume.

 

Depending on the fish size, if its a replica i charge the customer just to get the blank to me. For the most part i can ship a finished large mount for the same price as mckenzie will charge me to ship a tiny light wieght box full of say eye blanks

 

Sorry, I just saw this. I haven't done any skin mounts since the '70s! I did use Styro to get foam, but haven't used it for so long I have no idea if they are around anymore.
EDIT: Just checked Google, Styro Materials is still listed on E. 45th Ave, (303) 286-8907

 

You can not compare a "5 gents" to a "Mc' D" lol. Of coarse their burgers cost more they are a up scale "fast" food place. And they are damn good too. I love a smashed fresh burger on a flat top grill. And those fresh cut natural fries.... so good. But again "5 gents" isnt really fast food. It's kinda in between fast food and a sit down. Ive never seen one with a drive through least not around me. So I'd say you're barking up the wrong tree on that one, as plenty of us are willing to pay that cost for a superior product. But it's not a place I eat at regularly, once a month maybe at the very most.


As for the shipping cost topic I agree 100%. The company I believe you are talking about are outrageously high majority the time, and seems like they could work out a deal with a carrier.

 

Yes 5 Guys is not really fast food. My wife and I have been there once. Great food, we just don't have one near us. Well, I'm a bit overweight but I was BY FAR the skinniest person (besides the workers and my wife) when we went inside - lol! Probably 25 very heavy people! AND, I saw something I have NEVER seen before. A couple came in and the woman was SO heavy she came in on her motorized cart. Her husband, who himself was BIG. Probably 6'9" and guessing 500-550 pounds. Well when they brought them their food and the woman opened her burger (in foil if I remember correctly) and literally rested her burger and fries on her BOOBS! She'd take a bite and set her burger back on her boobs and grab a few fries/repeat. We realized she was SO heavy she couldn't reach the table if she wanted to. And when she wanted a sip of her drink her husband had to grab it from the table and hold it up for her! OMG the whole scene seemed surreal and very bizarre! I thought for sure we were getting "punked"!

 

WOW... i have to laugh cuz i just had an exercise bike delivered yesterday to my house. along with some pan pastels and createx lol