Re: [Killietalk] Redirect -- Improving the AKA -- Shipping fish

[<lonlangione at suscom_net>]

I couldn't agree with this statement more....
Well written Dave

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 10:02:15 -0500
  "Koran, David HQ02" <David_Koran at hq02.usace.army.mil> 
wrote:
> I have tried to use this forum to discover what are 
>problems and perceived
> problems.  During the next few days I hope to read and 
>analyze many of the
> posts that have been flying by but one issue that has 
>bugged me endlessly is
> the lack of use of AKA sponsored media to list killifish 
>availability to our
> members.  What I read, at least in my book, is a cop 
>out.
> 
> Since I first joined the AKA over 30 years ago the cost 
>of shipping fish,
> basic shipping, is still very small.  Attempting to use 
>postage as an excuse
> for not shipping fish is the wrong excuse.  If you look 
>way back when you
> would expect to pay $1.50 for a pair of fish for 
>postage, then maybe add a
> quarter per pair after that.  However, check the prices 
>on fish back then.
> Average killie prices were $3-$5 a pair.  So if you 
>purchased say 3 pair of
> fish from someone, figure you spent about $15, maybe 
>$12-13 on the fish and
> $2 on postage -- first class or priority mail at that. 
> If you shipped "air
> mail" it was more but you already knew that if you were 
>shipping more than
> say 1500 miles the package usually went via air mail so 
>you skipped the
> expense.  I seem to recall you could also purchase for 
>less than $2 something
> like "Special Delivery" which supposedly expedited the 
>shipment.
> 
> So lets move ahead 30 years for all of you tightwads. 
> $10 for a pair of
> killies is deemed cheap these days so you are looking at 
>probably $30 for
> those same 3 pairs of killies.  So you should be looking 
>at about $5 for 1st
> class or priority mail shipping.  I know I can still 
>mail a box of fish for
> that amount.  Maybe you don't know how to ship fish or 
>is it we have lost the
> art of shipping fish?
> 
> In the last 2 years I have shipped fish to Europe.  I 
>have shipped small
> packages with at most 6 pairs per box.  These where 
>boxes of 8" x 8" x 8"
> including insulation and I didn't use breathable bags. 
> No, not all fish made
> it but 90% or more usually did, even though most often 
>they were in transit
> at least 5 days and maybe up to 8.  No heat packs used, 
>no drugging, no pure
> oxygen, etc.  Killies are tough fish, stop treating them 
>like you are
> shipping porcelain.  I was also able to ship most boxes 
>for under $20 a box.
> 
> Second, take some time to think about your shipping 
>route.  If you drive the
> Interstate highways for any distance you are bound to 
>run across semis
> carting the mail.  For most mail, it goes by truck. 
> Look at the back of the
> truck, you will see the route it takes.  There is a 
>normal back and forth
> trip.  The guy who has one of the contracts will lug 
>mail from say Pittsburgh
> to St. Louis and then back so you are talking maybe 700 
>miles each way,
> probably a one day trip each time.  Next, look at your 
>zip codes.  Notice
> that when your last two digits are 01 or at least less 
>than 10 you are
> probably looking at the regional postal center, or the 
>point from where the
> trucks depart from or arrive.  Your package is sorted at 
>the regional center
> and put on a truck I am sure within 8 hours after you 
>post it at the counter
> and there is a good bet it is at the central postal 
>center of the recipient
> 24 hours later if it is traveling 500 miles or less (or 
>maybe even more
> distant)(well maybe for larger city locations).  Break 
>this down more for
> smaller regions.  So what is your risk?  Mainly, the 
>exposure period to
> outside temperature and for how long -- you simply don't 
>ship when you know
> fish will be exposed to temperatures below 40 or above 
>90 for more than say
> 4-6 hours.  But remember, the fish are in bags with 
>water (some thermal
> mass), you boxed them with some material to reduce heat 
>transport, they are
> in with other mail-paper does have insulating 
>properties-and they are inside
> of a trailer, a little more resistance to heat exchange.
> 
>For fish shipped by normal 1st class postage, I don't 
>think this process has
> changed in 30 years, we just perceive that it has gotten 
>worse.
> 
> Now for a revolutionary concept--rent a P.O. Box at the 
>post office.  I don't
> think my PO's are different than yours.  In my area they 
>have sets of lockers
> in the box section.  If a package doesn't fit in your 
>little box, meaning all
> fish boxes!!, they place them in a locker and put the 
>key in your box.
> Hence, I have 24 hour access to shipments I receive and 
>they are placed in
> the lockers after initial sorting -- and here's the best 
>part, they are kept
> at climate controlled conditions!  True, that costs me 
>$48 a year but I don't
> have fish sitting on my porch or in my mailbox at home 
>when it is roasting or
> freezing outside.  That also means receiving fish sent 
>1st class with
> virtually no losses in over 10 years so I make up here 
>for the box rental fee
> instead of paying for express mail.  It also helps that 
>this is the main P.O.
> in the region and it handles zipcodes 01-09.
> 
> So, if I am able to debunk the argument that shipping 
>fish costs too much,
> now why aren't they advertised for sale more often?
> 
> Dave K  
> 
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