So I'm relatively new to trading, and I've been seeing that most people say to use FedEx for shipping. They say print your labels off their website and drop the box off at the shipping center. Unfortunately for me, the nearest fedex shipping center is about a 30 minute drive away and I have no reason to go anywhere near it most days. However, there are multiple fedex drop off boxes in my town. i'm torn because I feel like this would eliminate them asking me questions about what's in my box but I'm worried about the bottles breaking either when my box falls into the fedox drop off box or if someone comes along after me and drops a really heavy box on top of mine. I'm also a little worried about how often the drop off boxes get emptied and therefore how quickly will my box be shipped? Has anybody else used drop off boxes for shipping their beer trades before? i just want to know if this is a good way to go or not. Thanks
You should make sure that you package your beer well enough to take a 5-foot fall or have a heavy box dropped on it. There's a very good chance both of these will happen as your box goes through shipping centers, trucks, and gets dropped off at the front door.
Didn't you just get about 6 feet of snow there? I personally would worry about the beer freezing in a dropbox more than someone dropping it. Pack it very well there a tons of threads on this in this forum, and you will have no problems.
What do you think happens to boxes during transport? What you describe is probably the least amount of damage the box will take from when you drop off to when it is delivered.
my area of NY got no snow. Only Northwestern NY (Buffalo area) got hit with the Lake effect stuff. I'm in the Southeastern part of the state and we got nothing. So you all think that as long as everything is wrapped and packaged well I should be fine using a drop off box?
If it fits, the boxes i send out would never fit thru the pulldown slot. But i would read up on how to pack for sure.
If you have a FedEx account (which if you're trading you should ... its cheaper) you can have the FedEx guy come pick your package up at your work office or your home. I like taking my mobile label to a FedEx-Kinkos and having them put the sticker on and fragile stickers all over the box.
couple things.. 1. are these drop boxes suitable for bigger packages? i was under the impression they were used for flat envelopes or very small boxes (maybe like jewelry)...def not big enough for beer boxes. 2. how much does it cost to have fedex guy come to your house to pick up boxes? i see where you can have that arranged but you have to type in the weight, and id ont want to blindly have them come grab boxes. for instances where i am sending out multiple boxes (mule services especially), i would much prefer fedex to come get the boxes from home. i am very weary of dropping box off and them just randomly opening the box to see what is inisde my box that says "BBQ sauce" lol.
If by Fedex shipping center you mean any authorized Fedex shipping center, like an office or postal depot, man that sucks. You're probably in an extended service area, meaning pickups and dropoffs cost an extra $3 at minimum. Look into the pickup service, but it might cost a bit. Naw, the Fedex office is where the ask questions. You want to do as little as possible there. Printing the label there is more time they might ask questions. Sure you have your BBQ sauce or Homemade Whatever excuse, but why increase the risk? Print the label at home, carefully and completely tape it up. Always include a second printed label inside the box.
I have never once been asked what I was shipping. Who cares what they ask ... tell them whatever you want. It makes ZERO difference. You're shipping what you're shipping.
I would look for Kinkos as well, I use a Fedex/Kinkos center & drop it off there. It stays inside until the Fedex driver comes to pick up all of the boxes & the only question they ask is "Do you want a receipt?"
I also use Office Max. They aren't listed on FedEx's website but the make daily pickups there as well.
My opinion (for what its worth) (1) create FedEx account online (2) buy digital scale (they are relatively cheap and I'm sure you'll get your moneys worth if you get into trading beers a lot) (3) use the option of pick at your house, although I don't use that because I can drop off at a location close to my house (15) minute drive. (4) If you start trading a lot, plan & schedule multiple trades to be shipped out at the same time, so its worth traveling the 1/2 hour or so to drop off the packages yourself. This option could include checking out beer stores to and from the drop-off to additionally make it worth the drive (5) get out while you still can and save yourself a ton of money (lol) (6) good luck in whatever route you go!
Yes the drop boxes are for FedEx express, but the driver will bring the ground package to the hub and there is always a ground guy picking up ground packages from the hub...fedex express and fedex ground is still fedex.
