Shipping charges between haunts

[wickedfarmer]

Nothing for sale here; but info I learned might be handy to someone. Getting quotes for shipping large items LTL (less than load) If you go online for a shipping broker and plug in shipping dimension and weight for a quote...don't be surprised if you get a call from shipping company the next day if you didn't book a freight order. And when they do call you and get you a verbal quote; it will be high. Just say that was deal breaker and you are not going to buy the item; you just wanted to get idea what shipping charges would be and you found out it was too much so no longer interested in even buying the item so you do not need shipping anymore. You will hear 'Well I think i can find you some discounts...do you ship a lot?" Just say sorry no longer interested. You will get a call the next day from them likely and magically... $150 has been taken off the quote.

Just passing on info to the game they were playing with me. Helps to know how they play the game. Now I expect quote from a prop maker are pretty cut and dry as they do a lot of shipping and already recieve preferred treatment category from shippers. But shipping a large item between haunts...play their game.

Wicked Farmer

[casketvamp2]

Thanks for info Mark. I'm looking at getting a quote for a corpsealator from Arizona to east of Cleveland, Ohio.
Any idea what carrier I should contact?
Thanks
Randy

[wickedfarmer]

try this

believe it was freightcenter.com I tried. They take your specs for dimensions & weight and have quotes from SEVERAL different shippers. Let them call you a day after you research a quote on their site. Works similar to hotels.com or other travel sites where different airlines or hotels get you a quote; but they seem to give you a followup call if you do not do more than just get a quote.

mark

[poison]

It's true!

I have been shipping freight for 8 years now and I have learned so much along the way.
It took me 7 years to get an FAK shipping rate which takes a lot of shipping to get.
The more you ship the better rates you get that just how it works.
So now I know I am getting the best rate I can get for every costumer.
And I still get phone calls every week from a new freight vendor trying to win my business and I say, "Sure this is the rate I'm getting now can you beat it?"
The answer is always the same, "Wow that's a really good rate."

[wickedfarmer]

Update...round and round we go

Finaly booked shipping. Seller was in no hurry as tearing apart haunt. So we had time. But what a circus of jumping around. One day my quote was in mid $200 range. CANT PROVE but believe quote WAS DELIBERATE FARCE ON SHIPPING CORDINATOR (not prop seller...but shipping broker want that understood). As after quote the details he sent were for prop on pallet heigth of 6"....pallet alone is 4". "Oh....I have to refigure and get back to you". New quote $675. "Sorry I say..for that much I'll just pass on buying item". Like magic... I get another email from same guy...."I think I can get approval for $376". I respond back "If it can be done for that I'll do it" Next day...."Sorry can't get it approved by supervisor" Seems he was toying with classification and "employee discounts" etc. In meantime I contact shipping contractor Number 2 . First price is $475 I think. The next day ....he could do $425. for pallet 48" x 48" x 72" tall and 300# going from Arizona to Michigan with lift gate at pick up point.

You have to play their games I guess.

And then the legal "I read and agree to terms" on the payment page....I boil down to this and sumerise. "By clicking here you understand we now legally can say classification was wrong though we decided what it was and have right to slap on fees later....we have you by the throat. Any mistake on our part is your mistake. This is written in a way we can exercise our right to screw you at any moment"

Wicked farmer

[wickedfarmer]

Shipment is here

So far no contact from shipping company about height of box being 86 1/2 " NOT 6 foot (72") that seller quoted to me. That extra 14 inches in size might bite me in the butt...so far so good.

Wicked Farmer

[Mkruzel]

I purchased a complete haunt in Virginia and was having it shipped back home in northwest Ohio using frieghtcenter. After I had a contract with them and drove 700 miles to Virginia, they were unable to supply a truck. They are unreliable. I called JB Hunt and they were able to get me a 53' dry van on a Saturday on 1 hour notice. I will use them only from now on. You get what you pay for.

[wickedfarmer]

Surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now four days after receiving shipment comes this email. An additional $175 is being billed as the shipper now says the shipment was 525 pounds not 300 pounds. Four days after all crating tore apart and everything put away.

Wicked new I was going to be f'd farmer.