Best Shipping Procedures

[renogaw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11967335#post11967335 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PJsStuff
how do you guys recomend shipping anemones?

i've shipped anenomes no problem in water twice. some places say not to ship them in water because they may spit out their food and polute the water, so just don't feed them for a few days.

first one i shipped was in a plastic bag, second was in a plastic container in a cooler.

 

[renogaw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12072007#post12072007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PJsStuff
NO. Not if it was the post offices fault i wont give a refund. If they do make it on time and the package is signed for and the corals are dead i refund the coarl price but not the shipping price.

nope, corals were signed for, just water was too cold, and it was less than 24 hours since i packaged them.

 

[H@rry]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12071893#post12071893 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by renogaw
If you ship the corals, in insulated boxes with shredded paper, in a leakproof container (those plastic medical urine sample containers), with heatpacks, and they do not make the next day (less than 24 hour actually) shipping, would you refund the whole cost of the corals/shipping, half the cost, none?

i'm sorta curious as to what to do

If the person I'm shipping to expects next day delivery (as they should) and FedEx misses the delivery date and the corals are DOA, I ship a replacement and file a claim with FedEx. That happened to me this past weekend. I had a frag pack that the recipient paid extra for Saturday delivery. I shipped it Friday evening and it got held up in the snow storm and didn't get delivered until Monday. Needless to say, there was nothing left but bare skeletons in cloudy water by then.

The way I look at it, if I tell someone that the box will come overnight and it does not it certainly is not the recipient's fault. I make it right with them first and then deal with the carrier who didn't deliver.

Just my way of doing business and my .02.

 

[renogaw]

the shipping time is NOT the issue, everything showed up within 24 hours (next day). the problem is the water supposedly was so cold everything melted. now the person wants me to reship or refund (i'll be reshipping when it gets warmer), i was just curious since i did everything i humanly could do, and since the corals did show up the next day.

 

[PJsStuff]

I wouild request Pictures and that they send the items back before i would give them a refund just to make sure the coral really was dead.

 

[renogaw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12072587#post12072587 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PJsStuff
I wouild request Pictures and that they send the items back before i would give them a refund just to make sure the coral really was dead.

i guess if the other two people i sent the same corals to say the same thing, i'll have to believe it. if the other two say not dead, maybe a red flag will go up. she offered to send pics, but in all honesty it would be easy enough to just take fake pics.

 

[flyyyguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12072199#post12072199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by renogaw
nope, corals were signed for, just water was too cold, and it was less than 24 hours since i packaged them.

If it made it in less than 24 hours......and everything died becasue the water was too cold is it not your fault from not knowing how to get it there while maintaining temp??

Unless you really think thye buyer would have reason to make it up and try to rip you off,

I would say you owe the buyer a new box of corals, and either cover shipping in full or split it with them.


If it was the post offices fault, use fed ex next time, and in that instance I would still ship more corals for free, but would request that the shipper paid for the shipping in full. that way you arent out any real money and you have a happy buyer

jmo

 

[flyyyguy]

oops

 

[renogaw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12073094#post12073094 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flyyyguy
If it made it in less than 24 hours......and everything died becasue the water was too cold is it not your fault from not knowing how to get it there while maintaining temp??


jmo

other than styrofoam insulation, heatpacks, and packaging material, how else are you supposed to get it there while maintaining temp?

btw, the same corals made it to tennessee with no problems, but from mass to new york they died?

 

[Travis]

You have to know which heat/cold packs and how many of them to use based on overnight low temps in your area and at the destination. Unfortunately, this knowledge can only be gained from experience and trial and error. And if you used a delivery service that doesn't guarantee delivery by at least 11am then you are setting yourself up for even more of a risk because you also need to factor in high temps at the destination during the day. If the package made it on time, then it is your fault that the water temp was too low, IMO. In that case I would ship another pack of replacement frags and cover the shipping. If it is something that is the shipping company's fault then I ship a free pack of corals and the buyer covers the shipping.

 

[cutegecko3]

My preferred method is to use the glad 1 quart sandwich bags.Ive shipped dozens of orders of live amphiopods and ive never had a leak or a DOA.I actually tested the commercials by filling a bag full of water then threw it on the ground twice,Ive never seen a shipping bag that tough or leak proof.

 

[rcypert]

So what kind of cool packs do you guys use? I am shipping from florida to texas tomorrow and am not sure if I should just but a frozen water bottle in there taped to the lid or what? Temps should be in the 80-90 range.

 

[ben&bobbi]

a water bottle will not be a good choice. you atleast need to spend $1 at wal-mart and get a gel pack and freeze it. wrap it in newspaper and to not allow it to contact the bags!

 

[rcypert]

How do you guys keep the shipping cheap? I am calculating on fedex and its saying it will be 135 to ship to texas overnight with a 19x17x15 box at 12 pounds. I always believed overnight shipping to be more in the 50 dollar range.

 

[H@rry]

Why are you using such a large box? How many frags are you shipping? That size box would probably hold at least 150 frags.

FedEx uses what it calls "dimensional weight" where they use the formula of ((L * W * H) / 194). If you shipped that size box they would charge you for the greater of its actual weight or 25 pounds. So even if you shipped an empty box of that size they would charge you for 25 pounds. It's not just the weight but also how much space it takes up on the aircraft.

Also for a "cool pack" I have just used a bag of ice wrapped in newspaper. Be careful with it though and don't use it unless you expect the temps to be above 90. If its going to be that hot have the package held for pickup at the local FedEx facility.

 

[rcypert]

Thanks Harry. I cut the box down and and it came out to about 73 dollars. Still more then I thought but much closer. I am shipping 13 frags. I am shipping from central Florida to Houston. The high tomorrow in Texas looks like it will be close to 87. So I guess I'll go without the cool pack. I was thinking it would cool it down too much but isn't too cool better then too hot with sps frags?

 

[Travis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12522442#post12522442 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rcypert
I cut the box down and and it came out to about 73 dollars. Still more then I thought but much closer.

You wouldn't believe the number of people I've had that said my flat rate of $55 for frags is way too high. I wish more people would try shipping frags at least once just to realize that sellers are not making money on shipping. I usually lose money on shipping.

 

[kass03]

I use the ziploc screw on containers but I do also bag the frags first.
I've always just shipped softies like zoas or shrooms with them though.
Depending on frag and weather, I bag the frag put it in ziploc twist and lock. use newspaper in the box, sometimes styro lined.
I like the tall ziplock containers. They are bigger than a thermos and I can fit 2 frags in them usually.
I usually only ship when the weather is good also.

I have also used several times those fold up coolers to ship corals. The soft cooler kind with a zipper.
I got a deal on them one time at Menards for a fall closeout sale and they worked really well.

I bagged the corals put em in the cooler (put newspaper around them if there was room left) and put the cooler in a box with newspaper if it didnt fit tight.

I like containers in case the bags would leak. That way your box doesnt get all wet if it would leak and fall apart. Yes it costs a little more but I try to ship well.

kass

 

[H@rry]

Who has experience in shipping a big coral - say 15 - 20 inches across? I know it would punch holes in plastic bags even if they were triple bagged. I was thinking about using a cooler/ice chest and taping the lid down tight. Has anyone tried that?

 

[flyyyguy]

what kind of coral???

How much does it weigh??

are there any oddball branches coming off of it that will make it harder than it could be??

need to know answers to those questions before i could make any suggestions