Shipping Beer

Cheaper. 20 lb 14"x14"x14" box cost me almost double to ship to Cali than using Fedex (~$20 vs. ~$40, Iowa to California). Fedex seems to "care" more, but that is definitely an opinion. What I stated previously is fact.

I think you'll see your tracking get updated here any minute. If its not updated today, then I might be a little concerned.

 

Yes, thanks everyone (and "TheBeerBro" in particular).

 

In my experience, FedEx is not always the cheaper option. Sometimes they are, but not always. That is what I like about the place I go, I get prices for both as well as how fast it will get there.

 

I dropped a box off at UPS back in January.
The lady put it up on the scale and said "this isn't alcohol is it? I hear sloshing."
I said no its lava lamps and she gave me a look like c'mon you think I'm an idiot.
Being the idiot I am I paid and left the box. The tracking number didn't register for two days.
I called the store and the lady said "oh hey is this lava lamp guy? why don't you come down to the store our manager wants to have a little chat with you. " I said I'd be right there.
Long story short, they opened my box after I left and never shipped my package.
Not sure what would have happened had I not called but they did give me the contents back and a refund.
I will never ship anything UPS again.

 

This is why I pay a little extra for pickup. No questions, no concerns. I am not looking to have a discussion/lie about what's in my package.

 

I WAS shipping via ups beacuse they have a store right down the road from me so it was convenient to do so. The last time I went there the person I typically deal with asked the manager to help me out and after asking what was in the package no less than three seperate times and shaking the crap out of the package near her ear she finally broke down and completed the transaction...my boxes don't slosh and actually make plenty of extra noise haha. That day I made a fedex account so that I can have my stuff picked up and i haven't encountered an issue since plus it's super convenient.

 

my family is originally from Wisconsin. When we moved down to NC in 1983, my dad was missing all the great Wisconsin beers you could not get in NC, at the time. I guess one of his good friends from WI knew he would be feeling this way, so he sent him some "books", a whole bunch of liquid Wisconsin books. haha, my dad did not know they were coming to him. He was so happy that day.

 

I am happy to report that my shipment has made it half way to its destination.

 

If asked, I typically either say, 'personal items' or 'Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar'.

Living close to Napa makes this very plausible.

 

#TeamFedEx

 

I've dropped 6 boxes off at Fed Ex in one day. All beer. Never one question asked. All I would tell them is that folks LOVE my homemade artisan vinegar that is packaged in recapped beer bottles

 

Today the lady at FedEx asked for the first time about my box, she goes "is this wine", I replied no mam not wine, and she goes ok have a nice day.

Technically I didn’t lie to her.

 

I've often pondered this living close to Napa Valley and shipping in Wine boxes. I cherish the day I'm able to say, "No, it is NOT wine."

LOL

 

What would you recommend for sending 12 oz? I've sent 750's before and I am sending some in this trade. I have a stryo shipper and all the usual plastics and fillers and the like, but these things are so fricken small that I'm not loving the results in packaging. Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

Fed Ex is a little cheaper, they never ask what's in the box. Use the right sized box depending on how many and what size bottles. More packing is better than squeezing in an xtra. Wrap every bottle with bubble wrap, make them snug, lots of filler on top to kill slosh. Rarer beers or expensive beers get bagged and wrapped, a trash bag usually lines the box. I've double boxed a few too if I can't replace the beers I'm shipping, rather spend an xtra buck or two than lose a box.

 

I still think this should be a sticky at the top of this forum for new traders:
Packing:
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1. If it's a growler or corked bottle, always tape the cap/cork well.

2. Put each bottle into individual Ziploc bag (Sam's club sells bulk Ziploc for cheap, pick up a bunch of packing tapes from them while you're at it), seal partially, roll up and let all the air out, then seal completely. You will need gallon size Ziploc for most bottles. Short bottles and cans will fit in quart size bag.

3. Wrap each Ziploc'ed up bottle into bubble wrap, tape the side and each top and bottom. Don't tape the heck out of it, just enough tape to hold the wrap in place. Some people actually use rubber bands. As long as the bubble wraps stay on the bottle, that's what matters. Make sure there are enough paddings (you should be able to judge this).

4. Use a sturdy box. Home Depot sell moving boxes that work well if you don't have boxes at home already. You don't need a huge box for your shipment.

5. Put some padding on the bottom of the box. Some people use packing peanuts, others use crumbled/balled up newspaper (pretty effective).

6. Line the box with a large trash bag (I used contractor grade, but any heavy duty trash bag will do).

7. Put the wrapped up bottles inside the trash bag vertically (to minimize sloshing noise), most valuable bottles in the center, and space the bottles out with crumbled up newspaper or packing peanut.

8. Close the trash bag up and add padding where there are spaces around the closed up trash bag.

9. Tape the bottom of the box well. Also tape the flap edges (imagine if liquid leaks, where would it come out and tape that part).

OK, I know it's a lot, but that's pretty bomb proof. The Ziploc is the first breakage/leakage defender. The trash bag is the second. And a well-taped box acts as the last resort. One of my shipments containing a Cherry Rye was saved because of this. An extra in that shipment broke, but the leak was contained. Leaked boxes can result in discarding or return to sender. UPS will discard, FedEx usually return, but sometimes send to "government warehouse" (confiscated).


Shipping:
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FedEx is best for both dealing with cost and dealing with discovered shipments. Create an online account with FedEx. They give you shipping discounts when you print your own label. It's really easy. When you print your own label at home, you don't have to wait in line at FedEx or answer what's in the box. Simply drop off or pay extra to schedule pickup.

You can measure the box dimensions and estimate the weight (or if you have a scale, that's even better). They usually re-measure and weight the box anyway for an accurate charge to your account.

Make up a company name and use it when you print the label. I use a BBQ company name in case they hear sloshing sound. If anyone ever asks, it's BBQ sauce and marinades or something of that nature.

When attaching the label, I use glue and then tape over the label enough so that it doesn't fall off easily (I know, I know, I'm just being anal about the details that you probably knew already). Also, if you use bottle shippers, tape over anything that indicate you're shipping alcohol such as "6 Bottles".

 

Please do not tape bubble wrap – use rubber bands instead. I filled up almost an entire garbage can last week with mangled bubble wrap from incoming boxes where tape was used. :-(

(@Beeryurt, those guidelines are great and I heartily agree they should be stickied, but could you please change the part about using tape? It's nice to be able to reuse packing materials whenever possible.)

 

If you rolled the bottle with the bubble side facing inward and tape minimally using packing tape or small clear tape, it's easy to take the tape off and reuse the bubble wrap. With rubber bands, I'm always concerned about them falling off and the bubble wrap slide off, especially with no good way to tie the rubber bands to cover the top and bottom (especially the bottom since using tape you can bunch up the bottom to give the bottom with more padding when packing vertically). I personally feel a lot more confident when tapes are used.

 

I stole that from mythaeus, I believe in using plastic wrap above tape and rubber bands. I like to reuse the stuff people sent but first time shippers really should just focus on getting stuff packed so it won't break vs worrying about if someone can reuse what they sent