After doing hundred of trades and using all the usual shipping options, I’ve never had someone ask me specifically what’s in the box I’m mailing. I see periodic jokes about snow globes, yeast samples, olive oil etc but never had to actually say this.
Where do you ship out of? Town, logistics company, etc? Depends on the place, and the time of day. If college kids are working middle of the day, they don't care. If boomers are working early morning or weekend, they ask me 20 questions, and I just say some bullshit my old lady bought too much of, what? But that would be at a print and ship center. If it's a larger distribution hub or drop off that solely accepts boxes and no other services, then there are stacks and stacks of boxes with no clerk present at all, which gives me a whole different kind of anxiety.
At my local fedex drop off place I was asked every time I went in no matter when I went in (morning, night, midday, weekend) and most of the time I wasn’t even shipping beer it was usually something like wedding presents or baby gifts. Happened 5 times in a row, Which is why created a fedex account and just have the driver who picks it up at my door and doesn’t ask any questions.
This right here is the way to go. I’ve been scheduled pickups from my house with FedEx for years now and it’s so damn easy and hassle free.
Generally usps. And usually a self-serve kiosk if it’s after hours and flat-rate boxes. Sometimes I use the counter at the post office. Also occasionally use FedEx store and ups store. Almost always morning or late mornings. I’ll get the general questions “no breakables, toxins, liquids, etc but no one has asked for specific contents ever.
Also is it urban, suburban or rural? Busy or chill? I've noticed different levels of care and trust depending on those factors, not that its warranted. Anyway, this country needs to stop sucking distributors' Johnsons and get over the fact that people ship beer. There shouldn't be any restrictions around it except for helping to ensure packaging is sturdy. Hell I thought this was all going to go out the window in 2020 because of the pandemic, but here we are, still fussing about booze crossing state borders and the sinfulness of products.
I mostly ship UPS and get asked every time no matter if it's beer or something else. This is consistent even when I ship to myself from different states. One time I was asked if I would mind them opening the box "just to make sure it was packed correctly".
This is honestly what convinced me to switch to scheduling pickups from my home. I attempted to drop off at a local FedEx store and was asked what I was shipping. Used my typical answer (local maple syrup) and was told they would need to open my box to make sure I wasn't shipping alcohol. I asked if they were opening everyone's package that day and he said nope, just you right now... Feeling mighty uneasy I told him that I wasn't comfortable with this situation and grabbed my box and walked out and having been using pickup ever sense.
I’ve never even thought about that actually. I know a lot of breweries are shipping direct to customer within California w/gls but don’t know if individuals ship through them regularly.
I live in a medium sized town close to Santa Cruz, ca which is one of the chillest communities on earth. That being said ups in Santa Cruz dumped a shipment of really nice beers down the drain that was on the way to me. (But I think we’ve already discussed this)
Funny. I have no where near as many trades as you but I have been asked all but once or twice. Rural Michigan USPS. I guess they’re mighty concerned. @KevinJohnson2 I too say Maple Syrup which has snow balled into a whole story I had to tell after a barrage of harmless questions about that. Do you tap your own trees? How much do you get out of a tree? Is that hard work?
400 + boxes over many years & only been asked a few times, all by a young ambitious-looking manager at the local FedEx. None of the other employees there give a damn.
Every UPS I have ever used for anything asks what precisely I am shipping, often with follow up questions. Even if it is Amazon they have asked. And it's more than just "Does this contain batteries" types of questions. I prefer USPS and FedEx. For FedEx I try to ship from a FedEx/Kinkos or have a label ready to drop off if I use the FedEx distribution center. FedEx makes me more uneasy, but USPS always asks about liquid, I always say yes, and then when they ask what my story is usually homemade BBQ "Mop" or homemade soups. Homemade soups as a care package is particularly good during times of COVID. I have indeed spun a mighty complex web about how we grow our own vegetables for the soup, we're really into canning them - or at least my wife is! Right?! Exactly - and so on. Also, occasionally, I ship Steak marinates instead of 'Mop' or soup. If you ship frequently enough you have to have a story that makes sense. If you ship infrequently, it makes more sense. Shipping at the holidays - if that is when most of your shipping happens - can change it to. I still use the story above, but I say they are client gifts. This goes a long way. Often, also, I do ship out actual work items when shipping beer mail. So, it even makes it more on the up-and-up. Bottle shippers at USPS is more expensive than via FedEx, but I am more confident they will get there, so I often make that choice.
I always just prepay, drop off, and go on my way. They only ask if you're giving them the shipping info and paying there
I haven't shipped as many boxes as some, I'd say under 30 and never had a problem with being asked what I am shipping. I set up a FedEx, UPS and USPS accounts and printed the labels at home for drop off. Where I work, UPS & FedEx pickup every day, so I have been able to just put my box with the regular outgoing shipments for the day. Never had an issue at the post office, just put it in the big bin and leave. Even at the local FedEx I would just walk in and place it on the counter and all I was ever asked was "Do ya need a receipt?" Only shipped UPS twice, too expensive.
