I just got gouged at the UPS Store

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Tybee Posted: 02-09-2010 2:53 PM

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I should have known better than to try and trade Guitar Hero III (with guitar). 800 points seems like a lot until you realize that you're basically going to have to surrender your first born to ship the thing (God help anyone who attempts to trade a Rock Band or Band Hero set).

This was actually my second attempt to ship it. First, I triple-wrapped it in brown butcher paper, but they told me they wouldn't ship it that way because it would get torn up on their conveyors. They wanted $15 to pack it in a box and another $15 - $20 (probably would have ended up being more) to ship it. I told them "no thanks" and found my own box that hewed pretty close to the dimensions of the GH III box (plus an extra faceplate I was throwing in free). And the grand total for that was $40.71 for ground shipping, the cheapest possible option. I shit you not. I can only attribute to shock the fact that I actually consented to ship it at that price. But not before I ripped open the box in front of the guy and we tried to find any way we could get it smaller. No dice, since it was primarily the length of the GH III box (and the outer box was only a couple inches longer) that made it so expensive.

Even if I get a tip on this trade, I basically broke even. It seems like there should be some mechanism to allow the sender and recipient to share the cost of shipping oversized stuff like this, because this experience was painful. Another option would be to mark certain items as only tradeable locally (kind of like Craigslist, but using the GOOZEX matching and points).

MOD EDIT: rape is a serious issue and not to be compared to high prices.

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exolstice replied on 02-09-2010 2:59 PM

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UPS should never be used by anyone for any reason. I once got charged $75 customs processing fee on a $10 package. When I refused to pay and asked what they would do with it, I was told they'd most likely re-sell it. Since that day I refuse to do business with any online retailer that uses UPS.

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agreedagreed replied on 02-09-2010 3:01 PM

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Um, why are you going to UPS?  unless you meant USPS? there has to be a better way.  I am in line for this, and I don't want you scaring people off.  It has been done for less, I'm pretty sure.  it has been traded succesfully and 40$ just does not sound right.  even in your own post, if you used their box you said that was $15 + 15-20, which is 35$ at most? why would it be twice as much to use your own box?

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agreedagreed replied on 02-09-2010 3:02 PM

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neutral milk hotel avatar is cool btw

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averyzoe replied on 02-09-2010 3:04 PM

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I shipped a guitar hero set to Canada-cost just under $30.  Ouch!  Buyer was nice enough to give a tip to offset a little of shipping, and I chalked it up to at least someone would be enjoying it, even if I didn't make much on the deal.

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devyanks90 replied on 02-09-2010 3:10 PM

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Tybee:

I should have known better than to try and trade Guitar Hero III (with guitar). 800 points seems like a lot until you realize that you're basically going to have to surrender your first born to ship the thing (God help anyone who attempts to trade a Rock Band or Band Hero set).

This was actually my second attempt to ship it. First, I triple-wrapped it in brown butcher paper, but they told me they wouldn't ship it that way because it would get torn up on their conveyors. They wanted $15 to pack it in a box and another $15 - $20 (probably would have ended up being more) to ship it. I told them "no thanks" and found my own box that hewed pretty close to the dimensions of the GH III box (plus an extra faceplate I was throwing in free). And the grand total for that was $40.71 for ground shipping, the cheapest possible option. I shit you not. I can only attribute to shock the fact that I actually consented to ship it at that price. But not before I ripped open the box in front of the guy and we tried to find any way we could get it smaller. No dice, since it was primarily the length of the GH III box (and the outer box was only a couple inches longer) that made it so expensive.

Even if I get a tip on this trade, I basically broke even. It seems like there should be some mechanism to allow the sender and recipient to share the cost of shipping oversized stuff like this, because this experience was painful. Another option would be to mark certain items as only tradeable locally (kind of like Craigslist, but using the GOOZEX matching and points).

You did something wrong.

It cost me $21 to ship Guitar Hero Aerosmith Full Package using UPS Ground (from Northern NJ to Austin, TX) and having them pack it up. This was at a UPS store.

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Splendorlex replied on 02-09-2010 3:11 PM

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agreedagreed:

neutral milk hotel avatar is cool btw

Agreed.  :)  

As for the post, I agree you should not use UPS for anything big and/or heavy.  Well, really you should avoid UPS if at all possible.  

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Tybee replied on 02-09-2010 3:13 PM

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agreed: That first estimate was just that -- an estimate. I suspect once they actually got it boxed up, it would have come in closer to the $40 I ended up paying (there was a $2 "fuel charge" on the receipt, for instance). I asked around beforehand and was told UPS would be the cheapest way to go (I'm in Atlanta, their home city, so they're all over the place). I've shipped large stuff via USPS before and been similarly screwed.

avery: Did you ship it in the actual box, or just the guitar and the game? That's kind of the attitude I am taking. It's clutter out of my basement, and someone else will enjoy it when it was sitting untouched in my house. Still....ouch.

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Solatso replied on 02-09-2010 3:19 PM

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$40????

Ouch!  I use UPS but have a large business discount so it costs next to nothing to ship stuff but sheesh that's expensive at the store level.  Just use USPS, it shouldn't cost anywhere near that.  Also are you shipping internationally?  I've noticed customs issues with Canada and UPS as far as being GROSSLY overcharged for shipping things to Canada from the U.S.  For whatever reason Canadian customs hates UPS, lol.

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Tybee replied on 02-09-2010 3:22 PM

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Nope. Just Atlanta to La Mesa, Calif.

There's not really anything I can do about it at this point except feel stupid and wait for my wife to find the $40 UPS charge and yell at me.

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Solatso replied on 02-09-2010 3:24 PM

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Tybee:

Nope. Just Atlanta to La Mesa, Calif.

There's not really anything I can do about it at this point except feel stupid and wait for my wife to find the $40 UPS charge and yell at me.

Ahhh the paper trail, keeping wives angry for 1000 years

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TenTonHammer23 replied on 02-09-2010 3:26 PM

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I was about to say, I spent like, 40 bucks to send an actual bass guitar, that weighs a lot more than this game and plastic, halfway across the US using UPS.  So yeah, you did get raped hard.  Don't ever use UPS for shipping games though, even in a case like this.

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batmania15 replied on 02-09-2010 3:27 PM

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Tybee:

Nope. Just Atlanta to La Mesa, Calif.

There's not really anything I can do about it at this point except feel stupid and wait for my wife to find the $40 UPS charge and yell at me

At that point I would have told UPS to screw themselves and found an alternate method.  If there was none I would have msg'd the user and explained the situation and ask for a cancel.  If he didn't accept i would eat the negative feedback on that one for I would never spend that much on shipping.

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acsguitar replied on 02-09-2010 3:28 PM

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Tybee:

Nope. Just Atlanta to La Mesa, Calif.

There's not really anything I can do about it at this point except feel stupid and wait for my wife to find the $40 UPS charge and yell at me.

We married men are a pathetic bunch aren't we :( :)

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mcbailey replied on 02-09-2010 3:28 PM

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For those others that are shipping this game. I sent both Aerosmith and GH III full packages. From the west coast, I sent the first to Texas and the other to the east coast and both under $15 via usps parcel post. The Texas one was just under $13 with tracking. Hope that helps.