What in the world am I doing wrong with shipping?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I have made a couple frozen ASF shipments now thru FED EX. Each time I use a small styrofoam cooler in a box with dry ice and the frozen Vaccuum sealed rats.

The box I use is 12" X 12" X 12". I always ship 2 day delivery.

I am in Jacksonville, Florida. So far I have sent this same exact size box to Miami, W Georgia, and Alabama. The weight varies by the number of rats, but usually the total including everything is 6 to 10 lbs.

The actual shipping (not counting the cost of the cooler, box, and dry ice) has been between $25 and $35 in all of my previous shipments.

So here is the problem. I have a customer that wants a shipment sent to MN. Same cooler as always, same box as always, 2 day delivery as always. His box will weigh a total of 6 lbs (lighter then my previous shipments.) Both Fed Ex AND UPS quoted me prices of over $60 just for the shipment!!!! WTF?

What can I do to get better pricing?! What am I doing wrong? I know I obviously must be doing something wrong because the frozen rodent sellers claim to be able to ship anywhere for less!

Please help. Very frustrated.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Go on UPS website to get a quote, they might actually be cheaper.

[littleindiangirl]

Serious? It's farther away...

[AjBalls]

Ship USPS

Don't think there's anything in their rules that restricts frozen rodents from being shipped.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

[AaronP]

Nothing you can do about it, they have been hacking up the cost of shipping since 2005.

[Brandon Osborne]

Nothing you can do about it, they have been hacking up the cost of shipping since 2005.

Since 2005? I noticed a significant hike right after 9/11. I used to be able to ship snakes cross country for around $25 and sometimes less. Now I pay a minimum of $50. I used to use UPS exclusively, but Fed Ex is far less now. The last couple of UPS shipments I made were near $70 for the same shipments I get through Fed Ex for $50.

As for shipping to MN, yeah it's going to be more because of the distance. From Jax to Miami, it usually doesn't even get put on a plane. When you are within a certain distance it travels by semi-trailor from hub to hub. Jax to MN is probably 1500 miles or more. Look at the delivery zone map and see what ground shipping transit times are. Sometimes you can ship ground and get it there in 1-3 days. I'm sure it's not going to affect the temp of the rats in the northern regions. I'm in southern Indiana and our highs have been in the low 20s and upper teens for the last couple of weeks. I've shipped from Indiana to Texas by ground and it has arrived in 1 day.....much faster than I expected.

I would advise against using USPS. They're delivery history is horrible and they do not guarantee arrival. I've had things sit on a USPS vehicle for more than a week.....luckily they were not perishables.

Good luck.

[missi182]

Ship USPS

Don't think there's anything in their rules that restricts frozen rodents from being shipped.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

That would be more if anything, to get it there quickly there is no way standard service would cut it and 2 day delivery will likely be a similar dent in the pocket - mind you it doesn't hurt to check. (I ship A LOT of junk...from Canada to the US and vice versa)

[Clear]

Buy some boxes from uline they are awesome! Anways i dont ship rodents yet but I ship all my live feeders with USPS not one single one has been lost and everyone no matter where i have shipped arrived in 2 days.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Buy some boxes from uline they are awesome! Anways i dont ship rodents yet but I ship all my live feeders with USPS not one single one has been lost and everyone no matter where i have shipped arrived in 2 days.

Since when does USPS allow shipping of live rodents?

[Muze]

Since when does USPS allow shipping of live rodents?

I think he may be referring to crickets & such. I've received those via USPS from Fluker's.