Great care is taken during the packing of your item to insure safe transit. We are not the type to jam an item in a just big enough recycled box, toss in some crumpled newspaper as filler, seal it with cheap tape and call it packed. We use only new boxes, strong sealing tape and plenty of bubble wrap for protection. Unfortunately, when it comes to those items the cost is not inexpensive. On most packages half the shipping cost charged is to cover the cost of the packing materials used. It might seem that the calculated shipping cost listed is inflated to allow us to make a few extra dollars, I assure you shipping costs are a breakeven or small loss for us. UPS charges an extra fee to deliver to residential addresses and are adding up to 9% fuel surcharge over their published rates. Shipping items correctly is expensive and I hope my explanation helps you better understand the costs involved. The best deal in the world is not a deal at all if it gets to you damaged.
Alternative shipping addresses & local pick-ups:
We only ship to the address provided to us from Pay Pal. All items must be shipped as we no longer allow local pick-ups.
Calculating shipping cost:
All of our auction listings have a built-in shipping calculator to inform the buyer what it will cost to ship that particular item. All you need to do is input your zip code and click the calculate button to the right to find the cost. When you are signed in to eBay, the shipping cost information is automatically shown in the shipping cost section of the auction (top left of the page). We are upfront about the shipping cost and will never use price to be determined after the close of the auction type tactics.
Optional signature required:
Our shippers do not require or seek a signature when delivering packages to most residential and some business addresses. They will simply leave the package in a safe location determined by the deliveryman. If you want them to require a signature when delivering your package, please notify me via e-mail before payment is made and I will add the fee to the eBay invoice and ship it with a signature required label.
Large items & dimensional weight:
On large items you will notice a substantial difference in shipping cost over a small item of about the same weight. That s because it must be shipped using calculated dimensional weight and additional packing materials. Dimensional weight is used if a box exceeds the size limit determined by the shipping company and doesn t weigh at least a certain amount. So, if you have an item that weighs a couple pounds and it has to ship in a large box that exceeds their size limit, then the cost is calculated using the carton's dimensions instead of the actual weight. We are aware of the size limits and always try to get the package under the limit to save our customers some money, but we will not compromise safe shipping practices to do so.
Shipping damage:
If the item is damaged during shipping, we must be notified within three days of delivery of the damage. Shipping companies have rules in place that deny claims if not reported in a certain time frame. All items that are shipped via UPS are insured free of charge for up to $100 automatically. If an item sells for more then $100, additional insurance will be required (up to the actual selling price and not beyond). Please keep the box and packing material handy in case the shipper sends out someone to pick-up/inspect the damaged package. You will be reimbursed only after the shipping company settles the claim, that may take over 30 days to complete.
Combined shipping:
If you purchase more then one item from us, we will try and combine the items into one box to save on you on shipping costs. Unfortunately, most times we just can t do it without compromising safe shipping practices or having the box exceed over-sized limits. When purchasing small accessories such as cables, extra needles, cleaning swabs, antennas, cords and the like from our eBay store they do not pose a problem adding to a carton nor do they increase the weight enough to change the shipping cost.
Shipping companies:
Packages under one pound in weight are shipped via USPS first class mail. Packages over one pound in weight are shipped via UPS ground service. UPS shipments must have a street address as UPS can not deliver to a PO Box. The shipping cost listed is for the contiguous US only, shipments to non-contiguous US areas are to be by UPS air service if available and please e-mail for cost before bidding. |