Best/Cheapest way to mail pedals - US

[PhiloB]

I have a handful of pedals I don't use that aren't selling on CL.  Never shipped pedals and wondering what is good way to go.  Safety and $ are both important:)


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[culturejam]

I use whatever box I have laying around (I keep a lot of boxes I receive from parts shipments, etc), plus leftover bubble sheet wrapped and taped on the pedal, and packing peanuts for box filler. The peanuts are the lightest filler you can get, which keeps the cost of shipment as low as possible. If you work in an office (or even better, a warehouse), you can usually get peanuts and bubble wrap for free.

A lot of smaller pedals can sneak in under the 13oz limit for USPS First Class Parcel, which is the cheapest option available anywhere that I've seen. And these days, First Class includes a tracking  number. It also almost always arrives at the same time as Priority. A small pedal with a small box and peanuts runs me about $4...assuming the box and peanuts were free, of course.

[PhiloB]

Great info, thanks!!


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[Govmnt_Lacky]

I don't know where you ship from CJ but....

I have NEVER gotten a pedal build to pass for First Class mail-a-bility! No matter what the packing material was OR if it was a 1590B, BB, etc. Always seems to be more 

In fact... I don't see how a LOT of the people on here manage to charge so little for shipping (builds mostly)

[culturejam]

I have a fairly accurate scale. That let's me dial in the total weight and know exactly the cost before I print the label.

I just weighed a 1590B build (Phase 45 clone), and it's 7.4 oz, which USPS rounds up to 8oz. That leaves you 4oz for a small box and peanuts.

[pickdropper]

With smaller pedals, first class is usually an option.  I generally pay a couple more dollars for priority, though.

[timbo_93631]

I ship them boxed in a USPS padded flat rate envelope which is $5.70 in the US and $23.95 abroad (though insurance and international inquiry if it gets held up in customs or lost/misrouted is no longer included for flat rate envelopes).  I pack the pedal, wrapped in paper, in a small flat rate box or a priority video mailer box, and floating in packing peanuts (which I save from all my parts orders) and then put that inside the envelope also floating in peanuts.  Keeps everything safe and is pretty cheap. 

[Blues Healer]

I'm partial to Priority Mail.  There are a couple of sizes of Priority Mail boxes that I only found online -- the "small" they do carry is too shallow for pedals

[flanagan0718]

Bubble wrap and a 9x6x4 shipped USPS priority always gets the job done for me.


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[lars]

I always send USPS priority medium flat rate (that will fit just about any stompbox ever made). You get tracking, insurance, ridiculously fast shipping, and you can pack the box with lead bricks if you want to. I don't want to rely on the post office telling me how much my box weighs or charging the recipient extra for it being 1oz over on delivery. Best of all, the boxes are free.

[jimilee]

With smaller pedals, first class is usually an option.  I generally pay a couple more dollars for priority, though.

Not even a dollar more for express, it;s like .50 here. I always use express to make sure I can track it.

[culturejam]

With smaller pedals, first class is usually an option.  I generally pay a couple more dollars for priority, though.

Not even a dollar more for express, it;s like .50 here. I always use express to make sure I can track it.

First Class Parcel has tracking as well (no extra charge). The main difference these days between First Class and Priority is the included insurance (Priority has $50 max). And the weight limit, of course.

Just did a quick check. A 12-oz parcel from my house in NJ to some place in Oklahoma (far, but not crazy-far) costs $3.29 with First Class and $5.75 with Priority. So the difference is about $2.50. Not exactly a huge sum of money, but my experience is that the service level is identical. So I'd rather keep my $2.50 and put it towards junk parts from Tayda. 

Jimmy, I just ran the same numbers with Priority Express...it was $27.54.    The insurance was increased to $100, but the delivery time is still "1-3" days. Not sure why anyone would choose this.

[jimilee]

I need to start using smaller boxes! I wouldn't use priority express unless they were paying, wow

[Alaboogie]

IMO first class doesn't have tracking and the delivery times take tooooo looonnnngggg...haha. But priority is awesome, like lars said ^ medium flat rate is the way I go, fits almost every pedal out there including it's box AND bubble wrap AND some newspaper filler just in case and it's 3 days and got tracking included. Most cost effective way to go IMO. Then again I live in hawaii so I can't just go ground shipping

And as far as Craigslist, cancel Craigslist if it's not selling. Craigslist here sells things for waaay cheaper than most other places which is good if you're buying but not if you're selling. Take a chance on thegearpage.net, you'll get more for your pedals. I was hesitant at first but now that's all I use to sell guitar stuff (with the exception of amps, shipping on that is a nightmare)

[culturejam]

IMO first class doesn't have tracking

First Class absolutely has tracking, and it doesn't cost extra.

If you print your labels on USPS.com or through PayPal, every option has tracking.