I recently went to a UPS Store to ship out a rod and was told it was to long and could not be shipped. The package measured 108" long by 2" x 2" pvc pipe with caps so overall dimensions were 108" long by 3" x 3". I went on UPS website and stipulated I was sending from a UPS Store and got a shipping price with no problem. I am more of a hobbyist and was just wondering how you go about shipping the longer rods without a commercial account or having to ship via freight.. I was able to trim it down by a couple of inches and they did ship it. By the way UPS quoted a price Of $22.10 and the UPS store cost was $29.97, so it is worth the time to go to a UPS center if one is in your area.

Thanks ,
Jeff Leonard

Muskyfsh

I like the post office. Maybe try them. I have never had any problems.

Bill - willierods.com

I hate to knock UPS but they don't get my vote on shipping anything. Compared to the USPS they are very expensive unless you have a commercial account and just last week I bought a 2 piece Winston blank form a guy in Idaho, made it all the way to New York, within 20 miles of my house and then just up and disappeared! I did get a refund but the poor Gent that sold it to me is now going thru the wonderful claim process that they have. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. So far no problems with the Post Office.

I do all my postage online with the USPS Priority Mail. They give a discount if you buy postage online and its 2-3 day delivery.

Sign up for an account at usps.com, go through the steps, print the label, and you can also schedule a pickup at your doorstep for no additional charge.

I have had one breakage. They delivered the package in under 24 hours and broke a cardboard tube (my fault for not using pvc there) in half (across the fragile sticker no less!). It was a repair job. Customer took photos of the tube, damage, and packaging.

Because I bought postage online, I submitted the claim online. Submitted photos, my receipt for repairs to the rod, and the bass pro address for the original rod. Withing two weeks I received a check for the amount of the new rod, cost of my repairs, and the postage refund. Never even had to talk to anyone. Very easy and great outcome.

I can't help but recommend USPS after that.

-----------------
AD

Another vote here for USPS Priority mail!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

I use USPS priority also, but have had them break one blank on me before, pvc tube and all.

I only ship UPS either from my office or the UPS Store and have never had any problems. I've shipped 10' 1 pc surf rods without issue.
As far as claims go, the claim is the responsibility of the receiver not the shipper.

"As far as claims go, the claim is the responsibility of the receiver not the shipper."

After the initial report everything related to the claim focuses on the shipper in the UPS process. Notice also the the shipper has to file the claim for reimbursement, not the recipient.

From the UPS website:
Damage to a package can be reported by a shipper, recipient, or by UPS. After a damage inspection is performed by UPS, the shipper of record is contacted with the results. Depending on the results, the shipper can file a claim for the repair or replacement cost of the package contents up to the declared value.

Same goes for USPS - I had a Priority Mail package that took 7 days to get to me. I called to find out the refund process (since it's supposed to be 2-3 day) and I was told the shipper would have to file the claim because they were the one who physically paid the postage to the USPS, not me. Essentially the contract for servcies is with the shipper, not the recipient so everything goes through the shipper.

-----------------
AD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2009 09:22AM by Alex Dziengielewski.

Alex Dziengielewski Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do all my postage online with the USPS Priority
> Mail. They give a discount if you buy postage
> online and its 2-3 day delivery.
>
> Sign up for an account at usps.com, go through the
> steps, print the label, and you can also schedule
> a pickup at your doorstep for no additional
> charge.
>
> I have had one breakage. They delivered the
> package in under 24 hours and broke a cardboard
> tube (my fault for not using pvc there) in half
> (across the fragile sticker no less!). It was a
> repair job. Customer took photos of the tube,
> damage, and packaging.
>
> Because I bought postage online, I submitted the
> claim online. Submitted photos, my receipt for
> repairs to the rod, and the bass pro address for
> the original rod. Withing two weeks I received a
> check for the amount of the new rod, cost of my
> repairs, and the postage refund. Never even had to
> talk to anyone. Very easy and great outcome.
>
> I can't help but recommend USPS after that.


I bought 3 blanks from someone on this site. They were shipped in a strong PVC pipe and arrived with 2 broken. You could see where the pvc tube had been bent. Claim was issued over 45 days ago by the postmaster ....... tried to check on it several times. No claim number no news no contact .......... Alex , I'm glad your experience was good ......... mine is not. W\From what I can see, there is no claims process. Evrything seems to go into a big hole and you hope it comes back out.

Alex,
That might be what the website but that is not what is written in my contract with them.

Richard - maybe the electronic paper trail helped me out? I received a claim number instantly and was able to monitor progress online. I'm sure it probably went to a central processing location. Maybe it cut out a few steps?

Matthew - That would worry me a little if there what they put online contradicts what they tell you in the store. Sounds like the fast potential for the run around. All I can say is based on my personal experiences with claims (both rod and non-rod), the shipper bares the responsibility in the process.

-----------------
AD

Jeff,
I have used all of the shippers and generally have had good results with all of them.
i.e. Fed Ex, UPS, and USPS>

I have had each of the shippers break one or two shipments each. i.e. when the blanks arrived, the tubes had obviously been caught in a conveyor and had been bent at right angles. Obviously, everything inside was broken.

In each case, the insurance took care of the problem and the payment was very speedy.

When shipping overseas or to Canada, I never use USPS.
The problem is not with the US post office, but the Canadian post office and their customs department. I don't know for sure, but it seems that many of the shipments get shipped east to clear customs and then shipped back. I had three different shipments that took 6 weeks to get to their destination.

On the other hand, when using UPS to the same destination, the rods were delivered overnight. Also, the total charges were 1/2 the USPS charges.

Each shipper is different and charges are different.

If you have a client overseas, be sure to check with that countries customs department before finalizing a deal with a client.

It is not unusual to have the customs charges equal to the entire price of the shipment or even more than the price of the shipment. Check first before making the deal.

Take care
Roger

I vote for USPS but only if you use a tube. I have pictures of two triangle boxes that have been smasned as if stood on end and heavy stuff sat on them. Box actual open at a point in the crinkle as a slit across the box. This was mentioned above in a shipment with a triangular box. But if in a tube I go with USPS. I have big probs with UPS and won't use them. Won't bore you with the long story but boooo hoooo on UPS.

I would never ship USPS anymore since I learned "It's not our fault" no matter what THEY did to it with abnormal handling and even if they dropped it out of an Airplane or ran over it with a steam roller and as a governernment they get away with it. Lately I have been using FEDEX and have no complaints since I can go to my local Kinkos store to ship it. Of course you have to use some common sense and don't ship in long skinny tubes since they don't navigate well around corners in the conveyor system and you need to restrain it by the butt end in the shipping container so that one of the shippers employees throw it like a javelin which is hard on the tip when that end of tube hits that immovable object.

Kerry, glad to hear as I use Fedex exclusively for two reasons.

They have handled and processed the one claim I had in a timely and professional manner as well as they tend to be less expensive in my experience than either USPS or UPS.

Something I do is do bubble wrap arbors such that it will take a decent amount of force to even move the rod and attach a pull string on the 3rd or 4th guide from the tip (these are offshore rods) to get the rod out without hassle. This is aside from making it immovable via bubble wrap packing at both ends of the rod. Do I use too much bubble wrap...likely, but I've only had one issue and it had nothing to do with a rod or abnormally shaped package.

Sean
Yep, I attach a restraint cord to the reel seat and secure it at the butt end of the tube. As far as shipping containers, diameter is the key to not folding in the middle. Skinny folds in those conveyor corners that are loaded with other stuff, fatter doesn't. Since I started doing that, no problems. If I put a complex weave on the rod with 25 plus hours in the weave alone, I am not going to skimp. It is cheap insurance to pay a little more for the container and shipping. How much is it worth to not to have to remake a rod and get the rod to the receipient on time? I hate doing it over!!!!

Kerry,
4 inch pvc sewer pipes from the big box stores are about $4 for a 10 foot length.
Then a dollar each for an end cap and you have a pretty bullet proof shipping tube.
If size makes a difference, this is the way to go.

The comment on the bubble wrap is interesting. I actually thinks it doesn't make a lot of difference as to how the rods are packed inside the rod - just so that they can't move around a lot and are at least 2 inches from each end of the tube.

The rods will be fine as long as the tube is fine.

One thing that I did was to pick up a couple rolls of different sized plastic film to package the finished rod. Then, I picked up an impulse sealer to close up the ends of the bag to make a sealed package for the rods.Simple and easy to pack.

Then, a couple wraps of bubble at each end of the rod's in the tube will take care of the packing.

Take care
Roger

Roger
You got it, It takes a lot more to fold/bend one of those 4" sewer pipes than the thinner pipe. Cheap insurance to not have to rebuild.

I use FedEx exclusively as well. 3" or 4" drain pipe PVC with slip on caps. Pool noodle cut into pieces between a few guides, shrink wrap on the grips wrapped in bubble wrap, bubble wrap in both ends of the tube until it doesn't move. Tape caps with fiberglass strapping tape, both across 6X and then around the perimeter to fully secure. No problems to date.

Since I only need one cap removable I cemrnt one on, but to help stop those that would open it to steal the contents I wrap both ends the same except for some minor little unnoticeable marker and tell the recipient which end removes.