Priority Mail

[Apendecto]

here's what I got from USPS the other day. when I picked up the wet box I knew it was going to be bad. seven out of eleven beers survived..

Hmm.....that bubble wrap looks very familiar to someone I just traded with in California. It doesn't mention on the outside of the box that there are "porcelain figurines" or "clay statues" inside, does it?

 

[Rev2010]

Rev,
I use Northern Brewer, who has a flat-rate $7.99 shipping rate. I usually order 2-3 kits at a time with them for $8 total for shipping and get my package within 3-4 days.

Yeah I use them too. But the issue here is the OP is in Hawaii, so that flat rate shipping offer doesn't appear to apply. He said when he inputted his address the shipping went up to $32.


Rev.

 

[dmcoates]

When you live Outside the lower 48. Alaska or Hawaii shipping is a big deal. A 7.99 flat rate turns into $32. So for us USPS flat rate boxs are the answer. Yes is service is not as good as USP or FEDEX but the huge cost savings is worth it. I personal have not had any bad or FUBAR'd boxs from USPS

 

[C-Rider]

Do the shipping charges inflate dramatically if you create a much larger order? Like instead of trying to order supplies for one batch, but instead ordered for 3-4 batches planning for your next several brews, does the shipping increase substantially or just a little?


Rev.

Good idea, I should contact them.. But I think getting here to Hawaii it's by weight and that would increase as the order size increases.

 

[superjunior]

Hmm.....that bubble wrap looks very familiar to someone I just traded with in California. It doesn't mention on the outside of the box that there are "porcelain figurines" or "clay statues" inside, does it?

yup, same guy. told him what happened and he's sending me more beers. very stand up person

 

[bob1852]

yup, same guy. told him what happened and he's sending me more beers. very stand up person

You should remind him that shipping alcohol via USPS is illegal....

 

[Apendecto]

yup, same guy. told him what happened and he's sending me more beers. very stand up person

You should remind him that shipping alcohol via USPS is illegal....

Yeah, we had a good trade, too. It just seemed too crazy for all that pink bubble wrap going around.

As for the illegal side of things, he just gave me the *wink wink*. To each their own.

 

[C-Rider]

You should remind him that shipping alcohol via USPS is illegal....

Shipping components to make Alcohol illegal ?

 

[remilard]

Shipping components to make Alcohol illegal ?

Shipping ingredients is legal of course. If you are being cute and saying the beer bottles are yeast or something, I have a general policy against not cutely breaking federal laws. I wouldn't even want it coming to my house. Just my two cents.

 

[C-Rider]

Shipping ingredients is legal of course. If you are being cute and saying the beer bottles are yeast or something, I have a general policy against not cutely breaking federal laws. I wouldn't even want it coming to my house. Just my two cents.

No, not being cute at all. I didn't see anything in the picture that looked like a bottle of beer. In fact I couldn't identify anything in the picture other than to rotten box and the bubble wrap.

 

[TheMan]

Superjunior specifically stated it was "beers" being shipped. That is illegal via USPS. Shipped via Fed Ex or UPS is simply "Against code".

Also, in the picture you cannot see the shattered bottle? It's right on top...

 

[AnOldUR]

As for the illegal side of things, he just gave me the *wink wink*. To each their own.

OK. I’ll be the one to say it. That packaging job sucks. Shipping it was a crapshoot. UPS or FedEx could have done the same thing. There's a tutorial on here somewhere. Someone should read it.

And I have to agree with remilard. It’s not “to each their own.” I wouldn’t want a package that breaks federal laws coming to my house just because someone’s to inconsiderate to use UPS or FedEx.

 

[C-Rider]

Sorry guys I didn't read close enough. Yup, bad idea breaking the law. But I can't really make out what is/was in the package. Looks likea dark mass of something.

 

[upperNY01brewer]

ups for the reliability. fedex for customer service but unreliable because of contracted drivers vs union. usps, horrible tracking system, unreliable.

Contracted drivers(owner drivers) are only in FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delievery services, Express drivers are employees of the Corparation. I will agree when it comes to those two segments of the company the service isnt what you get from the Express side but still is better than most. I wont bore you as to why this is since this is a beer forum rather than a delivery service forum, but I know as a employee of the company I do take the utmost care and reliability to the next level for all my customers.

 

[upperNY01brewer]

I work in shipping and I have a couple of points to this. it's not a bad deal as long as it fits in the two size boxes they want you to use. The post office is trying really hard to be right up there with the big kids since traditional mail is on the out. On the other hand, I can't trust the post office worth anything. BUT, they are starting to use fedex to move the stuff across the country.

True FedEx has been moving their freight for a number of years now at a substantial profit I might add.