Answers:
The questions section is at the top of the page |
| Postal rates and shipping methods changed on 05/14/2007. Shipping methods like airmail parcel post no longer
exist. US
Priority mail and International priority mail are now using the same
shipping containers.
This new system is better and makes shipping container selection way
easier and cheaper in some cases. The USPS now offers priority mail to countries that previously
did not have that service like Italy and Brazil.
See the Flat rate priority envelope
and flat rate priority box information table below for rates, weight limits and size restrictions. |
|
I do not have a
minimum order amount. If you are in a bind and need four small resistors shipped at once, that is not a problem. No order is too small. |
| I have a minimum shipping amount of $6.60
for USA packages. Non US shipments vary from $11 to $13 |
The basic priority mail postage cost
me $4.60 for US packages. Canada and Mexico International priority mail stamps cost me $9.00 and all other International priority mail
stamps cost me $11.00. I add $2.00 to the shipping price to cover the items listed below. This also covers small orders. If you ordered
$1.00 worth of stuff and I did not have a minimum shipping amount, I would basically be paying you to order the parts. It
seems that everybody and their brother are always trying to suck money
out of the small business man. Here are some of the items that I have
to recover and are included in the shipping charge. I add $3 to international packages that need the large 6 part customs form.
* Bank credit card processing fees. (American Express is the worst)
* Telephone company charges for DSL lines, internet access, etc.
* Postage machine charges for printing my own postage, postage stamp forms, monthly
service charges, etc.
* Shipping tape, shipping bags, shipping boxes, bubble wrap, styro packing peanuts.
* UPS monthly pick up charges.
* Bank service charges.
* Office supplies including Computer paper, labels, pens, staples, ink jet cartridges,
software upgrades, etc. |
| Priority mail is way
faster for me to pack up a package. Less time spent packing up packages means cheaper shipping cost to the customer. The priority mail
shipping containers are provided by the post office. I print sheets of postage in advance and have them ready to go.
I can bill out a priority mail package and know the shipping cost
without weighing a package. If I
used regular mail, I would have to buy all the boxes, weight each
package to get an exact weight and then print a custom stamp for that package. I would have to charge double the
standard priority mail charge if I had to spend that much time shipping
a custom package. Any non priority mail shipping is slower and would be more expensive. |
Please do not
ask me to throw small parts in a regular envelope and mail them for the
price of a first class stamp. See all of the answers above about shipping charges and extra cost that need to be recovered. |
There is no tracking available
for USPS packages. The only service that is available is delivery confirmation. Delivery confirmation only tells me that the package
was delivered to the customer. I cannot follow the package shipping progress like you can with UPS tracking. Delivery confirmation is only
available on US packages. I usually add delivery confirmation on high dollar packages so that I have a record of the package being
delivered. Delivery confirmation is a free service.
If you must have package tracking, please specify UPS as your shipping
method on my shopping cart check out form. You can only specify UPS
ground shipping for shipments to the 48 US states.
Obviously, you cannot have UPS ground delivery to Hawaii or Alaska. If your shipment was sent by UPS, you
will receive a tracking number by email from UPS. Make sure you enter a valid email address on your order so UPS can send your your
tracking info. |
| Make sure
your UPS shipping address is not a PO box. UPS does not deliver to PO
boxes or APO addresses. |
| There is no
way I can calculate exact shipping cost on my shopping cart. There are
way too many variables when it comes to shipping. I use several of the
US Postal systems flat rate containers. This means, anything that
fits inside, can be shipped for a flat rate amount. The main thing that
affects USPS shipping is if all the parts will fit into a flat rate shipping
container. There's no way that you can calculate all the possible ways
that parts can fit together physically inside a flat rate package. It's
not a simple matter of how much a package weights.
Please do not ask for exact shipping cost estimates on a package. I do
not know what the shipping is going to be until I box up all the parts
and see how it all goes together as a total package. In some cases, I am only able to calculate the
correct shipping amount after I have the package packed up and I know the exact weight, the package size
being used and how far it is being shipped. I only pull the parts off the shelf if I am
packing up real orders. A real order is one that has been paid for and is about to be packed up and shipped. Here's a few of
the things that can change shipping cost.
* The package weight and shipping distance will vary with every package.
* How much packing material and the weight of the box can change the
weight of a package.
* Items that can be crushed or broken get packed differently than non
fragile items. Example: I cannot put a pot or a tube in a flat envelope, it will
be crushed, but I can put resistors in a flat envelope.
* If a pile of parts does not fit physically into a flat rate postal
package then it cost more to ship.
* A long skinny package with $5 worth of parts inside can cost more to
ship than a short fat package with $200 worth of parts inside.
* A long piece of circuit board will usually cost you more because I
cannot use flat rate packages. |
| Certain
items do not lend themselves to being shipped together in the same
package. Sometimes items have to be split into separate packages because
they are very long, such as a long piece of circuit board, a reverb tank or
something very heavy such as a transformer, or something wide
such as a book.
Example:
A long skinny 24" or 36" piece of circuit board and a wide book will not fit into the same
package. |
| Domestic shipping means
the United states and US territories. Puerto Rico is a US territory. USPS priority mail shipping and UPS are the only shipping methods
available for domestic
packages. |
| International
shipments are any non US or US territories addresses. USPS Priority mail International is the only shipping method available. |
UPS (united parcel service) vs. USPS (United
States postal service) Priority mail:
Note that the prices below are not current, they are just used as examples. |
In general,
USPS (United States Postal Service) Priority
mail is faster and cheaper than UPS (United Parcel Service) up to a certain weight. After
a certain weight, UPS is usually
cheaper but not faster. UPS is way more expensive to have a package delivered to a residential
address than a commercial address. By commercial address, I mean a real commercial
business address. Having a business in your home does not qualify you as a business
address. Having a business in a shopping center does qualify you as a business
address. UPS controls this, I have no say so as to what is or isn't a real business
address. My UPS software actually checks your address and tells me that it is a business or a residence. It does no good to add a business
name to your order if it is not a real business address.
If your address is out of the way or out in the country, UPS will be even more
expensive. For example, Black mountain NC which is not too far from me is $7.12 for a one
pound residential delivery but only $4.87 for a commercial address. Priority mail is
cheaper than UPS for the same Black Mountain residential address. If you live in a big city, UPS is usually cheaper than in the country.
Below you can see some price and time comparisons between UPS and priority mail.
Packages would be originating from zip code 28768.
The rates below are not current, they are only used to illustrate a point.
Priority mail is usually 1-3 days delivery time. UPS delivery times are based on distance.
Saturday and Sunday
Saturday and Sunday are not delivery days for UPS. When counting the delivery times you count from the day your order was shipped and then
skip Saturday and Sunday.
Example: You order something Late Thursday night and choose UPS next day air delivery. I come into work on Friday morning and then
process your order. Your order is picked up by UPS on Friday afternoon and delivered on Monday, not Saturday or Sunday. USPS
Postal orders are delivered on Saturdays but not Sundays.Holidays
Please take into account holidays when trying to calculate your delivery times. The post office gets many days off a
year. If your bank or government offices are closed, then you will not be getting a postal delivery that day. UPS
does not get as many holidays a year as the post office but they still take off many of the major holidays.
Shipments are always slower to arrive around major holidays. It takes a few days for things to get back to normal after a shipping
holiday.
|
| Note: These prices are not current |
| From 28768 to Zip code -> |
01108 |
28711 |
50428 |
84123 |
94010 |
| Delivery times |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Priority mail -> |
2 - 3 days |
1 - 2 days |
2 - 3 days |
2 - 3 days |
2 - 3 days |
| UPS -> |
2 - 3 days |
1 day |
3 -4 days |
5 - 6 days |
6 - 7 days |
| - |
| 1 pound package |
| Priority mail |
$3.85 |
$3.85 |
$3.85 |
$3.85 |
$3.85 |
| UPS ground Non business address |
$5.48 |
$7.12 |
$7.48 |
$5.75 |
$5.86 |
| UPS ground Business address |
$3.98 |
$4.87 |
$5.23 |
$4.25 |
$4.36 |
| - |
| 2 pound package |
| Priority mail |
$4.90 |
$3.95 |
$4.90 |
$5.40 |
$5.75 |
| UPS ground Residential address |
$5.84 |
$7.17 |
$7.84 |
$6.28 |
$6.57 |
| UPS ground Business address |
$4.34 |
$4.92 |
$5.59 |
$4.78 |
$5.07 |
| - |
| 3 pound package |
| Priority mail |
$6.85 |
$4.75 |
$6.85 |
$7.85 |
$8.55 |
| UPS ground Residential address |
$6.14 |
$7.20 |
$8.14 |
$6.65 |
$7.12 |
| UPS ground Business address |
$4.64 |
$4.95 |
$5.89 |
$5.15 |
$5.62 |
|
| International shipping
information |
International
shipments can be sent to most countries by USPS PRIORITY
International mail. Priority International mail is usually very fast, less than 5
days to some countries. I charge $13.00 for
the Priority International mail flat rate envelope to most countries except Canada and
Mexico. Shipping to Canada and Mexico is only $11.00 using the Priority
International flat rate envelope.
The parts must fit into the standard 12 inch x 9 inch flat rate
envelope that the US postal service provides. One book or a small box of
parts will fit into the envelope. I can pack many small parts into the
flat rate envelope by using a small box inside of the flat rate envelope. Note
that I cannot put a part that can be crushed inside the envelope,
it must be inside a box.
There is no way to combine a long piece of circuit board and a box of
parts inside the flat rate envelope unless the circuit board will fit
inside the box. The circuit board must be 8.5 inches or shorter to fit
inside the box. I can ship 12 inch pieces of board inside the flat rate
envelope, but I cannot include any parts that are tall or that can be crushed, like pots,
tubes, etc. It is possible to ship up to a 12 inch piece of board and
some
flat non crushable parts like resistors in the flat rate envelope.
Sounds confusing but basically, if a part can be crushed easily, it must
go inside the 8.5 inch box and then the box goes inside the flat rate
envelope. Many
small parts or just one book will fit into a flat rate
envelope no problem.
The other problem is that the envelope is flat. If I put a 12 inch piece
of board inside, there is no way to put a book in the package also
because the envelope must expand upwards and then it becomes a shorter
envelope, less than it's original 12 inches.
| Click the
picture below for a larger image |
Click the picture below for a larger image |
 |
 |
| Priority
envelope and box |
Box inside of priority envelope |
If your parts will not fit into the Flat rate priority
envelope, I can also use a flat rate box. If the parts will not fit into
the flat rate box, they will have to go into some other type of regular
shipping box. It all depends on the weight and size of parts as to
which shipping method is cheaper. See the
Flat rate envelope and flat rate box
information table below for rates, weight limits and size restrictions. |
|
I will do my best to get you the best shipping rate on
your international order. I usually charge $2.00 to $3 more than the
posted rates at the USPS web site. This charge is for filling out
the customs forms and the extra time it takes to do an international shipment.
|
| Sorry, I will not ship international packages using UPS or
Fed-X. You would pay 5 times as much as Postal shipping and the paperwork that has to accompany a International shipment is way more
than I am willing to do. |
|
International Customs forms: All
international packages must have a customs form attached to the outside of the package. The US Postal service requires that I attach a customs
form to the outside of the package. Some packages
must also have a copy of your sales Receipt attached to the outside of the package. The
attatched sales receipt will list in detail all of the items that are inside the box. Customs will also
sometimes open your package and look inside to see if everything matches the sales
receipt. I can not alter custom forms claiming the contents to be a gift
or a commercial sample. The small green customs form must be on all Flat rate envelopes, but I do not have to attach an invoice to the outside
of the package. All other packages must have the 6 part customs form attached and an invoice with details of the package contents.
|
Flat rate
envelope and flat rate box information
Domestic and International |
Note that the
containers below are now used for Domestic and International shipments.
The container colors and design may look different than the images below, but they are the same exact size.. |
| Priority flat rate envelopes |
Weight Limit |
Price |
| USA and US Territories |
70 pounds |
$6.60 |
| Canada - Mexico |
4 pounds |
$11.00 |
| World |
4 pounds |
$13.00 |
| Package size notes:
12" long x 9" wide x 1/8" High. Max board length is 12" with no other
crushable parts otherwise max board length is 8 1/2" when other parts have
to inside a box and then into the envelope. |
| - |
| Priority flat rate box |
Weight Limit |
Price |
| USA |
70 pounds |
$10.95 |
| Canada - Mexico |
20 pounds |
$25.00 |
| World |
20 pounds |
$39.00 |
| Package size notes:
11" long x 8 5/8" wide x 5 5/8" High. Max diagonal board length is 13 5/8" |
Click on the
image for a larger image |
| If I am not able to use the packages above, the shipping charges will be different than
what is listed above. The flat rate box above is only used if it is cheaper. Smaller and lighter packages will be cheaper than the flat rate
box above. |
| Delayed
or lost packages |
Attention International
customers: I have no control
over the postal delivery system in the USA or your country. Sometimes shipments arrive very quickly
and sometimes they take longer. There is no way to trace your shipment. We are at the
mercy of the postal systems of both countries. Sometimes your package is held in
customs for some unknown reason. I have no way to check on a package or where it is. Some
countries hand the package over to a second party delivery service. Once again, I have no
control over how your package is delivered in your own country.
I ask that all International customers please be patient, your package will arrive
someday! Very few packages are ever actually lost. Priority mail is usually very
fast, less than 1 week delivery in most cases. Some European customers report that they get their
Priority package 4 days after they
order from me.
If your package is taking longer than usual, you should contact your customs
office and see if they are holding your package. Many times, customs
is holding a package for whatever reason they choose. Sometimes it makes no sense
why they hold a package, but they do. If your package has a 6 part customs form, I can scan it and send it to you. You can contact customs and
see if they can help you by showing them the customs form. The small green customs form that I use on the flat rate envelopes does not
have multiple parts. I do not have any way to get a copy. |
| Attention domestic customers. I have no control over the postal delivery system. If you absolutely must have something by a certain date or you
want a tracking number, you must request UPS as your shipping method. There is no
way to track a postal package. Priority mail is usually very fast and some
customers report two day ship times after they place the order. |
Note to all customers: I am not responsible for packages that are
delayed or get lost. If your package is lost or delayed it will probably come back to me
eventually. I will have to wait until your package returns to me before I can re-ship it
to you. Please ask your postman if he remembers delivering the package. It is also
possible that the address label got destroyed or the package may be undeliverable for some
reason like a wrong address. The postal service will always return the package to me if they can read the
return address. International customers, please check with your customs service to see if
they are holding your package.
If I was delivering the package to you myself, I would be able to take responsiblilty for that package delivery but it is neccessary to give the
packages to delivery services.
I cannot send you another package when your package is delayed. If you want me to re-ship a package while you wait for the orihinal
package to arrive, I can do that but I will have to charge you for another shipment. When your original shipment shows up, you can send it
back to me and I will credit you. This is rarely needed unless you are in a huge rush. It is very rare that a package never shows up, some
just take longer.
|
|
Strange shipping tales: Customers
have had all kinds of crazy things happen to their packages. Many times they say they did
not receive the package only to find the mailman left the package in a weird place
somewhere around their house.These are just a few of the many weird stories I have
heard over the years. Sometimes the postman may take your package back to
the post office. It's always a good idea to give your local post office a call and see if
they are holding your package for some strange reason. The truth is, very few packages
ever get lost, they always show up.
These are all true stories:
A customer found his package in the back seat of an old car in his yard.
A customer finally found his package in his daughters car. His daughter did not tell him
she had grabbed the package.
A customer found that the local post office was holding his package because they tried to
deliver it to his business on a Saturday. The business was closed on Saturday and so they
just held the package instead of trying to re-deliver it on Monday when the business was
open.
A customer reported that the mailman left the package on a side porch where the family
hardly ever went and so they did not think to look there.
A customer was staying at a Hotel for a few days so he had me send his package there. The
package was not delivered in time, the customer checked out of the hotel and the package was thought to be lost. A few months later he
checked into the same hotel and the front desk said he had a package. Yep, it was his
missing package.
The customers address on the package was 1106 Walker road. The post office delivered the package to 1106
Hamilton road. The people on Hamilton road who received the package held onto the package for two weeks and then drove the package over to my
customer and delivered it.
|
|
