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Forum: General Photography
09-12-2018, 09:14 AM
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If you ship a lot like I do, you learn the ins and outs of shipping packages. For example, I will not usually ship to foreign countries, but I will also not ship expensive packages to California USA!
Lately, many of the expensive packages of camera gear I've shipped via USPS Priority Mail to California address were either lost, or the package was damaged.
Below is a photo of a package I sent to California last week via USPS Priority Mail. The photo was taken by the buyer to show me the rough condition of the package when it arrived. Fortunately, I had wrapped each individual item in heavy bubble wrap so there were no damages to the Pentax Q camera and 2 Pentax Q lenses that were inside.
Not only did the extent of this damage to the shipping box surprise me, but I was even more shocked that the postal service did not even bother to put a piece of tape over the gaping hole to keep the contents in.
I will continue to ship small/in-expensive items to California. However, I will no longer ship any expensive items to California.
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Forum: General Photography
09-12-2018, 08:37 AM
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I'm a heavy shipper. I live in the USA. For years now, I've shipped about 6 or 8 items each week using the US Mail. I can assure you that shipping packages to a location outside of the USA is much harder than shipping within the USA.
Shipments within the USA are easy. I just go to the US Mail's website. Print a shipping label after paying the shipping using PayPal. I then order a "pick up" again using the US Mail's website, and the postal carrier comes to my home and picks up the package. Total time per domestic shipment maybe 5 minutes.
Shipping outside of the USA is more complicated for me. I need to take the package to the post office (about a 7 mile drive each way). Then I stand in line and WAIT. Then I have to complete the correct customs form (sometimes it's the short version, sometimes it's the long version). Total time per foreign shipment maybe 60 minutes.
I've read that it costs about $.55 per mile to operate a car in my area. So, my little trip to the Post Office costs me about $7 in car expense, I don't get that back from the buyer either.
So as you can see, it is much harder for me to ship packages outside of the USA. It is something I will rarely do (except for friends).
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