8mm Forum: Hows this for an idea to save money shipping projectors?

This is topic Hows this for an idea to save money shipping projectors? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 09, 2011, 01:06 PM:

Hey guys!

I came up with a novel way of saving a decent amount of money sending projectors overseas! Well, I'm probably not the first person to think of this, but it's the first I have heard of it.

OK, here's the problem ...

To send a Yashica P810 Optical and Magnetic Super 8 projector to South Africa (I made a trade for three films for the projector), would be, at the lowest price, 124.00 dollars.

Now, the USPS does have a box that, if the projector would fit in it, the projector would ship for only 60.00 dollars, as it is a "one price no matter the weight" airmail economy overseas shipping.

However, with the front cover and knobs on the projector, it comes to about an inch too wide, and one of the stipulations is that it must fit without "bulges" ...

The solution ...

Take off all knobs, switches and the front cover. Ship the main body of the projector in the 60.00 dollar box ...

... send the remainder of the projector in a small overseas pliable envelope which, because of the low weight of this second package, will probably be 20.00 dollars or less.

Therefore, by "dividing up" the projector, you save approximately 40.00 or so dollars! You successfully navigate around the high shipping price the local post tries to screw you with.

Good idea or bad? The buyer of the projector hasn't written back yet to OK this, (I just wrote him yesterday). The downside is that two packages have to arrive .... what if one of the two gets lost in the mail?

However, if both arrive (and as a general rule, they do), the buyer has saved a tidy sum.

You thoughts folks?

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on September 09, 2011, 01:50 PM:

To be honest, if I was shipping a projector overseas it would be in a well padded box within a larger well padded box. If I was receiving one I would expect the same.
There's too much potential for poor handling with an overseas shipment.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on September 09, 2011, 02:26 PM:

I agree Michael, I put at least a few inches of padding around any large heavy object that I ship. Especially something as heavy and fragile as a projector. I do this even if I'm shipping a short distance. I have received shipments that were damaged because someone cut corners on packaging.

I wouldn't have any problem with someone taking a projector apart to ship it as long as I could get it back together without a soldering gun and glue. I usually take them apart to clean and lube anyhow.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 09, 2011, 02:57 PM:

quote:
as it is a "one price no matter the weight" airmail economy overseas shipping.

Osi, I never knew there is a flat rate to whatever the weight. What is my understanding that for a flat rate, USPS put a maximum weight 4 lbs/box and a projector is very well over than that.

Joe Taffis member of this forum can confirm about this as he works for USPS.

Posted by Richard C Patchett (Member # 974) on September 10, 2011, 08:48 PM:

Greetings
The break down

Just some of it . Hope this helps

Back to your Idea i too would ship the projector in one piece

5-3/8” x 8-5/8” x 1-5/8 The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box has a retail shipping price of $5.20 — one price, regardless of weight, up to 70 lbs. for U.S. addresses. The international price, for up to 4 lbs., is just $11.95 to Canada or Mexico and $13.95 to all other countries, with savings of 5 percent for c Small Flat Rate Box ustomers who ship online. Online prices also are lower for shipping to U.S. addresses. The online price is $5.20, and for large volume mailers who qualify for USPS Commercial Base pricing, the price is $5.00.

A quick, easy, and convenient way for you to ship Priority Mail packages. The Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box features predetermined rates regardless of weight (domestically) or destination, similar to the Flat Rate Envelope.
11" X 8.5" X 5.5
Some key benefits: • Can be used for Domestic Priority Mail ($10.95) and International Priority Mail ($27.95 to Canada and Mexico- $45.50 to all other countries, 20 lb weight limit applies)
• Commercial prices are available for postage paid through Click-N-Ship service at usps.com, authorized PC Postage vendors, and other authorized postage payment methods. The Domestic Commercial Base price is $10.50.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 11, 2011, 08:41 AM:

It's the USPS APO/FPO flat rate box, Priority Mail box. It is 12x12 and 6 or 6 and a half inches tall.

I might be off on the 60.00 dollars, but it was somewhere very close to that. Fortunately, the Yashica P810 was a very slim super 8 projector, actually, very much much like a super 8 projector "sportscar" in that is a full featured, but having all those functions of the bigger projectors ...

However, the P810, like a sportscar, sometimes suffers from roaring along at top speed but having a, perhaps, short shelf life.

This shipping, by the way, included packing in the box, of course. [Smile]

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 11, 2011, 05:51 PM:

quote:
USPS APO/FPO flat rate box

Osi, is your friend in South Africa is an Army or American servicemen (foreign affairs, diplomats, agents, etc)?

If he is not, he is not eligible for using APO/FPO.

CMIIW, APO/FPO is designed for the above people where the senders ship parcels to several offices in US mainland (what I knew is one located in California). Every serviceman has their own FPO number. These offices (APO/FPO) then forward all parcels to overseas destination at government cost. So the shipper only pays domestic postage.

When the servicemen are going to send something from his curent location overseas, they also only pay domestic postage from California to anywhere in the US address.

It is a heavily subsidized postage system but not everyone can use it.

ps: in UK I believe there is also similar system done by Royal Mail, i.e HM Forces Mail Parcel.

my 2 cents though,

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 11, 2011, 07:24 PM:

Thats strange, (not dis-believing you, mind you) as I have used these USPS boxes in the past and the postal clerk has never asked for any service numbers of any kind. Either they were just "letting it pass", or they just didn't know? I would think they would know what they are doing.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 11, 2011, 08:17 PM:

Osi, I am afraid that you are confused with USPS International Flat rate box which as Richard says above has a maximum weight to 4 lbs for the same rate ($13.95) to anywhere in the globe (a bit cheaper to Canada and Mexico).

Any of your shipments before were more than 4 lbs and you still pay that low price?

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 11, 2011, 08:39 PM:

Osi, I am afraid that you are confused with USPS International Flat rate box which as Richard says above has a maximum weight to 4 lbs for the same rate ($13.95) to anywhere in the globe (a bit cheaper to Canada and Mexico).

Any of your shipments before were more than 4 lbs and you still pay that low price?

ps: I checked Royal Mail website, for HM Force parcel service, the cost to max 30kg (66lbs) is flat rate GBP 17 around the globe. Woooow...!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 12, 2011, 01:03 PM:

It's the box that I have used before. Actually, I never bothered to look at the side of the box until this series of posts started, as I just copied down the info on the side of an extra copy of the box sitting here at the house.

I'll call wal-mart today, promise! [Smile]

Posted by Kirkamus Anderson (Member # 2441) on September 14, 2011, 10:58 PM:

I have a buddy that took his moped to the alps from America.
He and a few buddies took it apart and divided it into their luggage. Engine in carry-on.
It got there fine, they put it back together and he got to ride it in the Redbull Moped race!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 15, 2011, 10:26 AM:

[Big Grin]

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