post office/ups/fedex/dhl

[krayola]

Im wondering which service you used most. Also wondering how many packages you have had damaged by sorting machines and or left out by neglectful postal/ups/dhl etc carriers in the rain or some other small snafu of the carrier?

I'm using double walled white slicks and double wall brown uncoated both with the PVC end caps. Had very good results with taping down ends but on occasion some issues with dents arriving on about 11 out of 100 packages sent.
I replace all defects or damaged items regardless if insured or not(especially for small orders) but would love to hear others ratios and stories.

[Dan Black]

We use the really economic-though-not-thickest-on-earth tubes from Uline, with taped-down plastic caps. We have some thicker tubes on hand for higher-dollar stuff, but that's not terribly common. We ship all small orders via USPS and I'd say we end up with maybe 3% damaged...in those situations we just have the tube marked "return to sender" and then ship out a replacement once we get the bad one back. We insure the big orders, but don't worry so much about the 1–3 poster orders unless someone wants us to.

All of our large stuff (whole editions going to shows, anything > 15–20 prints, heavy stuff) gets shipped flat via FedEx. Ground is super cheap, but if you're nervous about things arriving intact, sometimes it's worth it to ship via the slowest Air method...friends on "the inside" there say the idea is that everyone who handles Ground pkgs is pretty much used to throwing around giant heavy things (since that's the cheapest non-freight way to ship big heavy throwable boxes), whereas the Air/Express people are usually just dealing with envelopes...so the heavy boxes get better treatment just 'cause there's not so many of them. Also, less time in transit, fewer stops, fewer trips through the conveyor belts & sorting machines, etc.

Not sure how much of that is just weird superstition, and of course anything can happen, but so far the only big thing we've ever lost (a box of 50 LPs sent to California that transformed into a bunch of books loosely saran-wrapped & an apology note) was shipped via USPS, so we're steering clear of that until something else gets mangled by someone else.

[danieldanger]

USPS for shipped orders with uline tubes, the ones that have the center tube and the metal ends. with every order theres a handful of damaged, its a given when you ship 200+ of anything. refunds and insurance is easy (though i often find that its far more expensive to insure every package than it is to just replace the 2-3 that get damaged). for shipping boxes of prints, fedex express. i try to stick with 3 day saver if i can, same reasons dan said. just a better track record with express.

UPS is a nightmare. DHL isnt a real company here.

[JustinHelton]

I refuse to use UPS...Fedex all the way. Same said as above...pretty much common practice I assume for us poster jerks.

[strawberryluna]

We use the really economic-though-not-thickest-on-earth tubes from Uline, with taped-down plastic caps. We have some thicker tubes on hand for higher-dollar stuff, but that's not terribly common. We ship all small orders via USPS and I'd say we end up with maybe 3% damaged...in those situations we just have the tube marked "return to sender" and then ship out a replacement once we get the bad one back. We insure the big orders, but don't worry so much about the 1–3 poster orders unless someone wants us to.

All of our large stuff (whole editions going to shows, anything > 15–20 prints, heavy stuff) gets shipped flat via FedEx. Ground is super cheap, but if you're nervous about things arriving intact, sometimes it's worth it to ship via the slowest Air method...friends on "the inside" there say the idea is that everyone who handles Ground pkgs is pretty much used to throwing around giant heavy things (since that's the cheapest non-freight way to ship big heavy throwable boxes), whereas the Air/Express people are usually just dealing with envelopes...so the heavy boxes get better treatment just 'cause there's not so many of them. Also, less time in transit, fewer stops, fewer trips through the conveyor belts & sorting machines, etc.

Not sure how much of that is just weird superstition, and of course anything can happen, but so far the only big thing we've ever lost (a box of 50 LPs sent to California that transformed into a bunch of books loosely saran-wrapped & an apology note) was shipped via USPS, so we're steering clear of that until something else gets mangled by someone else.

USPS for shipped orders with uline tubes, the ones that have the center tube and the metal ends. with every order theres a handful of damaged, its a given when you ship 200+ of anything. refunds and insurance is easy (though i often find that its far more expensive to insure every package than it is to just replace the 2-3 that get damaged). for shipping boxes of prints, fedex express. i try to stick with 3 day saver if i can, same reasons dan said. just a better track record with express.

UPS is a nightmare. DHL isnt a real company here.

I refuse to use UPS...Fedex all the way. Same said as above...pretty much common practice I assume for us poster jerks.

Yep and yep and yep.

USPS for web order tubes, unless it's specifically requested to use another carrier. If it's my choice, always FedEx. Always. I don't get crazy with PVC and so forth, I just use the Yazoo Mills tubes. Thicker than the basic Uline ones, free shipping, and maybe 2-3 a year are banged up in shipping. Love Yazoo.

For larger editions to bands, a wholesale order, etc. flat, wicked well protected inside by usually putting posters/prints in a plastic bag, then in a stay flat. If there 's more than one stay flat in the package, I tape them all together with one strap around each way, and then tape that down to the box. Sometimes bubble wrap is involved. Especially with a full edition amount of prints, and again, FedEx.

[dave welker]

Yazoo Mills & USPS

[JustinHelton]

Yeah I switched to Yazoo a few years ago and never looked back. I think I have had literally one tube get damaged in that time period. Uline seemed to get thinner and thinner as I used them. Funny thing though, I bought some Ulines to take to Bonnaroo this year and they were a bit thicker. Maybe they wised up to the fact that people weren't down with them cheapening up their products.

[The Bubble Process]

What about international? I had a issue with a usps international package getting lost and would like to get something with tracking this time.

Has anyone used fedex for overseas?

[andy_schmidt]

I try to use the post office first, they are usually the cheapest, but their hours and my hours are pretty opposite, so I'll end up going to FedEx or UPS if its after 5.
Haven't had any bad experiences with any, but I'm usually shipping shirts not posters.

[strawberryluna]

What about international? I had a issue with a usps international package getting lost and would like to get something with tracking this time.

Has anyone used fedex for overseas?

I look at international shipments as a sort of "suck it up" situation. If you want tracking you have to go at least via Priority, and perhaps even Express at this point. So, upwards of $30 for a 1lb tube. It's ridiculous that there is no sort of tracking available otherwise. So, First Class usually wins since no one wants to pay that much.

FedEx & UPS act as their own Customs agents and can, and believe me they do, assess fees, VAT, duties, etc. pretty randomly and you the shipper have no prior knowledge of how much those could be or if they will be assessed at all.

Most UK / Australian / European customers beg you not to use them. I've heard of $50 and higher fees on $25 posters with FedEx and UPS.

Maybe I just have honest and legit customers, but overall, I've only had a couple of International orders go entirely missing. Sometimes they can take 3-6 weeks or more (one tube to the UK took 8 MONTHS!) show up, but rarely ever returned and really really rarely truly disappeared with USPS.