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Re:shipping containers
>>A good small box for shipping (8" x 6 x 9) cost $9.20 each, shipped to
your location (Robert H's zipcode, in Oregon) (model #319 @ 12/case price).
The 8 x 6 x 11.5 cost $11.50 each (per pkg of 8). It's not cheap BUT it's
nowhere near the $30 he quoted for this added expense. <<
Well, for the record, the $30 I was talking about was for overnight
shipping. Express mail, postal service, is actually much more expensive
thean FEDX or UPS. I was also talking about standard fish size boxes, which
are really quite large for shipping plants, and the extra size adds to the
shipping cost as well as the extra weight of the foam lining. When I was
selling SAES, my wholesaler shipped them for me, and the cost was usually
around $30 regardless of how many fish were in the box. Depending on the zip
code, sometimes it was in the high 20s, and sometimes over $40. The little
foam boxes like what Paul Krombholz used recently to send me some plants,
looks like it could be a neat idea. Except for the cost. Even I couldnt
afford to buy hundreds or thousands, and if the shipping container costs me
more than a dollar a peice, I am starting to lose money. I charge a flat
shipping rate with no minimum order. One of the complaints about you know
who out there is their high shipping rate and the fact they only ship FEDX
overnight. Another 4 weeks or so and it wont matter anymore, and here in
Oregon it doesnt get that hot :) Breakage is just as much of a problem as
heat. The mistake often made is using containers that are too deep, and the
plants bounce around. I found using shallow boxes that give enough room so
as not to be restrictive, but shallow enough to keep the plants from moving
around is very wise. Realize too that if I was to go to all foam containers,
I would need to get several sizes to accomadate different size orders and
large plants such as swords. I'm not trying to make light of the problem,
but I honestly believe its not as big of a problem as people say. It
happens,yes. But I have plants shipped to me every week from hot steamy
florida, and I rarely lose plants in shipment.
Robert