Parts Shopping at Seller's Expense

[Mach428]

Time for a rant.

I've had SEVERAL people inquire about parts; say they'll buy it; ask for a shipping estimate and after I go to the trouble to box it up and take it to UPs or USPS for an estimate, they don't respond back. Or they say that shipping is too much. Or the part needs to be restored. Or they change their mind. I know that I'm not the only one facing this issue.

Folks, these parts are about 50 years old; haven't been produced for about as long; and won't be produced again. Most of these parts are extremely rare. Also, shipping is what it is. If you need the part, you will have to pay for shipping. I ONLY quote actual shipping charge, never a handling or packing fee.

So why waste people's time???

Okay, rant over

[DuckRyder]

Are these only here or are they on other sites as well?

I get the frustration - though I usually try to have dimensions and weights before hand so I can plug them in the shipping websites pretty quick. Smaller stuff I just ship flat rate box, but yeah larger or heavier stuff can be an issue.

That said I’ve bought and sold a good number of Car, Truck, Motorcycle and Firearm parts on forums and I’ve only ever had one issue, which amounted to a not very trusting person who thought I had nothing better to do than scam him for a couple of bucks (which is about what I was going to make after shipping on the sale) and didn’t want to send me a check or money order, it got quite a bit uglier and stranger than that, but thats the crux of it. I find most people are good for their word and typically cross ship stuff ( they usually have parts before I have money) and take personal checks as long as the person has a good reputation on the board. I’ve never gotten a bad check or gotten stiffed.

I’ve had a very few people back out after they said they would take something but it is rare and they usually have a good story and are genuinely apologetic or seem so, so I let them off the hook, maybe I’m too nice.

None of this is to minimize your frustrating experience - but just to say I’m surprised and don’t let the bad apples ruin it for the others because in my experience most folks are pretty good people particularly on special interest boards like this one.

[jzjames]

USPS is rigged to gouge the public IMO.
The difference in shipping ‘standard’ vs. ‘priority’is like pennies!
So when we try to help out a fellow enthusiast with their hobby by shipping an old part or something, we really end up working for the Post Office. The New World Order I guess.
Post Office “losing money for decades” - part of the scam.

[FLASH 1]

WE DO NOT QUOTE Shipping period......... end of story,, we charge and only ship by Ups. Handling charge we do since I am not going to do it for free ++ boxes on some +++ tape +++ ink for the shipping labels etc.. FED EX Is stupid,, we had 3 trucks come here almost at the same time from FED EX from the same MFG.,, Post Office if its lost good luck on getting any refund in a short time.. ALL These big companies getting free shipping or prices real low, Well you the customer in the long run are paying for it since they write that off on their taxes with a big tax brake, so UPS And others are charging the heck out of the smaller companies.. After 10 years we finally goy Ups to waive the residential delivery which it looks like anywhere from 2.50 to 3.50 per box savings, BUT some of their charges are still out of this world,, I can say one thing Ups we have been good on no damages for almost 2 years , our website explains a lot more but for many need to read it on a lot of issues we have had in the past and there is a lot of bad apples than most think

[8ton]

I have done alot of buying, selling and trading online, mostly on firearms forums. I am a big fan of member feedback ratings. That way you can have an idea of what type of person you are dealing with, and there is some accountability for deadbeats and squelchers. I love doing business with someone who I can see has been a member for several years that has 20+ transactions with 0 problems.

[Ranchero50]

I bought a little postal scale a couple years ago and add 10-15% of the USPS online guestimate because the local PO always classifies stuff wrong. I used to mail my dome lamp bezels and ash tray pull in a padded envelope but now they are classified as a package for about double the cost.

[Mach428]

I've seen two posts in the last two weeks, do exactly what I described above