Need Help From Local Vendor

[d5332]

This may or may not be possible, please read and let me know.

I have a skimmer for sale and a US soldier stationed overseas wants to buy it, the overseas base has a USA zip code but nonetheless its overseas.

I really would like to sell her the skimmer but shipping a skimmer the size of an Aquac EV400 will simply be touch much for me. She wants the skimmer for less than the price that I am asking and I want to let it go but if I give to her cheaper I cannot cover the shipping rates USPS extends to me.

Here is the long shot part, any vendors on this forum local to me that have a high volume corporate shipping account that is willing to help me ship this to a US Army base, I will pay your rate?

I know, long shot, but I dont want to tell her flat out no without even trying.

 

[Widdy]

How much were you quoted for shipping?

 

[d5332]

I could not tell you, I have not taken it that far, the skimmer is huge.

I just know it will be very expensive at a non high volume business rate, I estimate $40 to $70 easily if not more.

3 years ago I shipped a calcium reactor with empty CO2 tank, package was smaller than this would be and lighter, cost me $42 to send it to California.

Shipped a Coralife Metal Halide fixture to MN cost me $112 to ship that.

This skimmer is bigggggggggg

 

[pecan2phat]

USPS is the most inexpensive way to ship to an APO address which is usually overseas. You are basically getting a domestic rate. There are no corporate rates for USPS and any business that has a corporate shipping account would have to be FedEx or UPS and I am not sure if they even accept packages for APO addresses.

 

[d5332]

This is good info, did not know USPS might be my only option.

the skimmer is 32x7x11 and according to the internet about 40 pounds, the box would have to be even bigger, oh my, let see what a quote from USPS will be like.

USPS is the most inexpensive way to ship to an APO address which is usually overseas. You are basically getting a domestic rate. There are no corporate rates for USPS and any business that has a corporate shipping account would have to be FedEx or UPS and I am not sure if they even accept packages for APO addresses.

 

[skene]

Go USPS... you can enter in the info on their website to get yourself a quote. However if it is going to cost too much... it may not be worth shipping to the purchaser.

GL with your decision.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I don't know about others but I would be willing to donate towards shipping since it's for a soldier. Us military peeps, both past and present tend to take care of each other when we can. If its $70 or under I'll pay the whole thing.

 

[d5332]

I don't know about others but I would be willing to donate towards shipping since it's for a soldier. Us military peeps, both past and present tend to take care of each other when we can. If its $70 or under I'll pay the whole thing.

I'll cover some but cant cover the whole shipping at the $200 price I would sell her the skimmer and pump

Dont know what time its at the base, send her a message and will go to the post office tomorrow to get a quote

 

[bertyboy69]

Usps is good with shipping to military bases but it takes a long time i think it took me like 3 weeks or so to get a package to an apo address that was in the country ! But usps is the way to go

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Hey man, I offered because she's military, as was I and I never offer to get recognition on anything I do EVER but for future dealings when someone else may offer, one thing you may consider when you reply to a post quoting their offer is a simple thanks. You seem to act like its an everyday occurrence and no big deal at all that someone you don't know from a hole in the wall stepped up to the plate when you didn't ask them directly.

Even though I don't want an atta boy or a pat on the back, the feeling that I was able to help and that it was appreciated at least in the slightest would be nice is all.

I'm offering to help a soldier but after all you'll be getting a sale out of the deal.

Just sayin.

 

[d5332]

My reply was to acknowledge you, too soon to tell if she will getting this skimmer or not.

I would be selling her the skimmer for about $174.00, she's offering $200 gross, have to factor in Ebay fees, paypal fees, packaging materials, time to procure said materials, I would like to help her, hence my post. Of the $174 I am thinking I can spare $20-$30 to ship it to her.

$174.00 for a new $600 skimmer is in deed a sale but hardly profitable and one could easily keep the skimmer in store of a "just in case" scenario.

I appreciate and I am sure she will too, your offer and the offer of the others to help her procure a skimmer at beyond reasonable rates.

I still need to take the time to go to the PO, ask for a quote, if the quote is reasonable, procure which most likely means buy packaging materials to ensure a 39 pound acrylic and highly breakable item actually makes it to the US Base in Germany in one piece.

As I told her last night, I will try to help her but she needs to be patient and it may not happen.

My lack of enthusiasm if you will is not due to ungratefulness but rather that this deed is in its early stages and I have no idea if it will be possible but will keep you and those that posted and have contacted me by other means up to date in regards to the mission, abort mission or if we deploy this skimmer to our folks at the base.

Hey man, I offered because she's military, as was I and I never offer to get recognition on anything I do EVER but for future dealings when someone else may offer, one thing you may consider when you reply to a post quoting their offer is a simple thanks. You seem to act like its an everyday occurrence and no big deal at all that someone you don't know from a hole in the wall stepped up to the plate when you didn't ask them directly.

Even though I don't want an atta boy or a pat on the back, the feeling that I was able to help and that it was appreciated at least in the slightest would be nice is all.

I'm offering to help a soldier but after all you'll be getting a sale out of the deal.

Just sayin.

 

[d5332]

Here is an update to anyone reading this thread:

I accepted her offer on Ebay of $200, payment pending I guess
I went to the post office but they sent me online
Online the price range without actual dimensions and weight is too broad, $45.00 to $94.00

The only way I am going to truly know how much shipping to the Base is going to cost is going to be by boxing it up and taking it to the post office.

Does anyone near me have a large, very large skimmer box in the attic collecting dust?
Also think I should problably use as much styrofoam so if anyone near me has a stock pile of fish/coral shipment foam boxes please let me know.

If I have to buy the shipping materials I may not be able to complete this mission.

 

[d5332]

Mission Accomplished

I over estimated the weight and paid for 40lbs and when the PO put it on the scale it was only 24 pounds, sucks for me but away it went

 

[KathyC]

Good to hear.


Curious..why didn't you just weigh yourself on a scale, and then weigh yourself holding the boxed skimmer? It would have given you a fairly accurate idea of the weight

 

[d5332]

KathyC, that is a very good suggestion and actually what I do with luggage before traveling, in the rush to package the skimmer and other things I sold it slipped my mind.

I made the mistake of going online and searching for "shipping weight of EV-400" and got the 40 pound and did it in a hurry so I went on the postage section and entered 40 and purchased the postage.

 

[edd]

very nice diego, i hope her and the skimmer come home safely.