Puppeteer

Author Topic: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........  (Read 8157 times)

George A

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 158
    • View Profile
A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« on: February 04, 2016, 02:14:10 AM »
I've been a proponent of Fastenal and their shipping ever since I had two generators..........totaling over 600 lbs...........shipped from North Carolina to Oregon for only $125. This was a double size crated pallet, so not a small shipment. Now, I admit that I had the help of a guy who got me a decent rate, so when I purchased four small 32 volt motors recently I expected to pay "normal" rates. The wooden box was 24" x 24" x 12" and the weight estimated at less than 80 lbs. In other words, a box that any healthy man should be able to pick up and walk away with.

The quote came in at $150 and shipped to California, not Oregon as I had requested (the Oregon store is closer to me). I called the Fastenal shipping center and got a very pleasant (and probably cute) young lady with either an Australian or New Zealand accent. She went over the details and we discovered that she didn't know that the abbreviation for Minnesota was MN. She put MT in the quote, which is for Montana, instead of MN for Minnesota. Well, that must be problem, right? Not quite.

After inserting the new information the quote was the same so I asked that she question her supervisor. She ventured that it was probably because the cost of fuel was so high. I told her NEVER tell a customer that, as most people are aware that the price of gas and diesel is going down. They'll think you're a liar. Anyway, no soap and the quote still stands so I'm going to cancel the shipping request tomorrow.

I contacted the seller and he agreed to send the motors, one or two at a time, via USPS flat rate boxes instead over the next couple of months. This should be at least half the Fastenal quote. Hey, I'm retired so time I've got.

Please understand that I'm not whining.......really.........I was just shocked at the disparity in prices. There are a couple of members here with nice little diesel engines up for sale and I'd like to get one, but not if the shipping will cost as much as the engine!
« Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 03:18:31 AM by George A »
I've joined "the dark side"....if it has a spark plug, it's obsolete technology.

dieselgman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3189
    • View Profile
    • Lister Parts
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2016, 12:15:30 PM »
The range of shipping costs and variables is indeed all over the map - can be very erratic even within the same company. For many years we used contract rates with various major carriers offering good service and large discounts (like 80%) and the rates consistently climbed with each one until we realized that we were paying double some of the competitive quotes. The pitfalls are numerous and a lot of times a quote for an incoming engine would not hold because of slightly inaccurate weights entered on the paperwork. It is certainly a racket how many of these large companies operate. I have horror stories for most of them at one time or another. A recent experience with FedEx where they charged us well over $600 for a 20lb. cardboard box worth a total of $175 from India is classic. We refused to pay, they refused to back down from their high-horse, wrangling with collections over that one still. We have had somewhat better luck with US domestic shipping through our current broker who uses U-Ship. Service is minimal with U-Ship, but our brokerage is able to smooth out most of the glitches for us. Echo Global Logistics is the company we currently deal with and generally has done a good job staying consistent - so far. Our import brokerage is currently Scarbrough in Kansas City (same one Lister/Petter used) and they have also remained fairly consistent and relatively easy to deal with - so far. Just plain expensive any way you cut it though. Moving any engines internationally... plan on their cost doubling is about accurate for a business concern doing only one or two at a time. For our fairly dense packages with the parts business... US Postal Service flat-rate boxes are an excellent value and we use them whenever we are able to - no one can beat their rate for small boxes (domestic US only) up to 70 pounds in weight.

The pitfalls are many and some of them huge... nobody said it was going to be easy did they?  :laugh:

dieslgman
« Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 12:20:39 PM by dieselgman »
ALL Things Lister/Petter - Americas
Lyons Kansas warehousing and rebuild operations

38ac

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2324
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2016, 01:20:44 PM »
Fastenal service varies greatly with the store and which direction you want something hauled. Recently has been posted that they will not haul anything into California.

You ship and other like services will save a person BIG bucks over direct LTL quotes but you must make choices that balance risk vs price. As an example I recently shipped a 6/1 commercial dock to commercial dock to west coast for $275 on Yellow Freight, had a lower quote from some unknown outfit but chose a known entity.

Another means to have heavy/bulky items moved across the mainland is via private carriers. It is amazing how many people are traversing this country on a regular basis driving a pick up truck often pulling a trailer. The antique engine and tractor sites have hauling forums to get shippers and hauler together. When hiring someone who you have never met that operates out of the cab of a pickup truck one can very well guess the potential pitfalls but I have found that same as all other walks in life preforming due diligence avoids most of them.   I have had very good luck using these services but pay in cash at time of delivery ONLY
Collector and horder of about anything diesel

George A

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 158
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 01:56:03 PM »
Okay..........so it's not just me then. Good, I was worried that I sounded like a whiny two year old.

Glort, I like that term "pissweak". Mind if I borrow to use for those occasions where words normally fail the average person :)?

I'm a member of the Practical Machinist forum and they had a system set up wherein the members would voluntarily move machinery, using their own vehicles/trailers. The only caveat was that the item might sit at a member's house for quite awhile, waiting for the next ride. It worked fairly well for awhile and ancient machine tools got relocated to their new owners at a substantial discount. Sadly, it slowly fell into disuse as the price of fuel increased and it hasn't been used since.

I drove clear to West Virgina some years ago, to pick up an oil field engine. On the way out, I delivered a large generator and an antique stationary engine for two other guys. The amount I asked just paid for the fuel (barely) one way, but it helped and everyone got what they needed at a reasonable rate. But of course, I'm not a shipping company with employees and business costs either..........

The trucking companies seem to jack their rates to the point where it almost seems to be a break even situation.........that is, you feel you could drive there and get the item yourself until you figure in motel and food costs. Glort's right though.........."downright insulting" is a perfect description.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 03:28:35 PM by George A »
I've joined "the dark side"....if it has a spark plug, it's obsolete technology.

George A

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 158
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2016, 04:11:28 PM »
Wow! From that I took away that I wouldn't attempt a "cut rate" delivery for ANYONE.........and I'm serious. It seems like whenever you try doing a favor for someone and something goes wrong, it's always YOUR fault. Think that's bad? Try being the "good guy" and intervene in a marriage dispute between two long time friends. They reconciled on their own and then decided the whole incident must have been someone else's fault. I'll give you one guess who that someone was........

Haven't heard from either one of them for years and that's fine with me. I did hear that they finally divorced though :).

As for on the job experience, I think you and I would get along just fine. I had an absolute incompetent idiot for a supervisor years ago, who tried to nail me with an incident that I was completely uninvolved with in the first place. He was one of those big, loud blowhards you meet in life whose management "style" was always attempted intimidation. We had a nose to nose confrontation severe enough that it almost came to blows, and this guy towered over me. I finally made him understand that I wasn't intimidated or threatened by him at all, and that I was looking for a job when I found this one. However, if he cost me my employment, a multi page letter would be going to the corporate office immediately.........listing every poor decision I'd ever seen him make over the years. HE would have to explain my dismissal.

I kept my job and we got along fine after that........in other words, he left me completely and totally alone. Guess he had SOME smarts after all.

I got a little off track here, sorry 'bout that. The whole point of my original post was to check freight rates VERY carefully these days. There are viable alternatives out there but you really have to hunt for them.

Oh, an update on those 32 volt motors.........the seller is going to fit all of them in a couple of USPS flat rate boxes, although one might have to go UPS. In any case, the shipping will be less than half the amount quoted by Fastenal.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 05:08:53 PM by George A »
I've joined "the dark side"....if it has a spark plug, it's obsolete technology.

deeiche

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2016, 04:45:09 PM »
on the other side is the occasional low freight cost.

I purchased a Harbor Freight mini-mill Jan 1, weighs ~ 130lbs in crate.  FedEx Home Delivery charge was ~ US$25, from SoCal to New Mexico, it got here in 3 days. 

LowGear

  • Casey
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2130
  • What? My diesel had fries for lunch?
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2016, 04:52:25 PM »
My Fellow Shippers,

(It's an election year.)  I didn't live in Hawaii very long before I started gagging when stores were quoting shipping costs for just about everything this side of toilet paper.  HEY!  This stuff is shipped on multi-container boats, barges and ships.  Try shipping containers to Montana or North Dakota - one container at a time.

For smaller stuff; No one can beat our United States Postal Service.  Once you get a 62 pound motor shipped for around $50 instead of $175 from UPS (pronounced OOPS in the islands) or FedEx.  Then you realized why there is pressure to destroy the USPS. 

Yes, I know the intra 48 state shipping rates are competitive. 

Remember when we used to be proud of our wonderful postal service?

I travel between Kona and Seattle three times a year.  Most trips now include a Flat Rate Box through the USPS for the really dense stuff to keep my bags under 50 pounds.  Three days in transit.  Three day service from one of them would be 3 times the $18. 

Did you know you can go to www.usps.com and print a shipping label, pay for it with your credit card and let your postal delivery person take it to the Post Office for you? 

Did you know there is a discount for this service? 

Do you know Priority Mail objects all come with tracking that is usually good and always complimentary? 

Did you know that you can get updates to your package tracking via email at no extra charge? 

Yes?  Then you realized why there is pressure to destroy the USPS. 

Remember when we used to be proud of our wonderful postal service?  I guess I still am.

Casey
NPR Tipper/Dump Truck
Kubota BX 2230
Witte BD Generator
SunnyBoy 6000 + SolarWorld 245

38ac

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2324
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2016, 05:01:40 PM »
I use the US post office a lot but not for anything that is irreplaceable because tracking is stil unreliable. Heck, by the time you figure in the free boxes and pick up at the door and discounts for generating the label online the service is like, almost free compared to anyone else plus the package gets across the country in two days.  Wonder if they will start supplying tape????  Weight as you said is the factor with most engines amd I think what George is reffering to?  Last one I imported with You ship weighs 4500 lbs,, that would make the ole mail car sag ;D ;D ;D
Collector and horder of about anything diesel

George A

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 158
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2016, 03:09:53 AM »
I never updated this little tale. The four motors were shipped via UPS in two separate boxes......with wooden support crates inside. These crates, or frames actually, were a work of art by the seller. Very stout and very tight, but unfortunately not idiot proof. Somewhere along the line, one of their goillas decided to play "drop the box" from a forklift and one of the motors suffered a couple of broken cast iron feet. The impact was severe enough to crunch the 1/2" plywood shelf the motor was bolted to......that's a pretty hard drop.

It's upsetting but not the end of the world, as I would take it completely apart anyway for an overhaul and the braze the feet back on while it's disassembled. I'm astounded that this happened though. The guy who did the packing set them up for a trip to the moon and I would have thought NOTHING could damage them the way they were packed. I forgot what UPS is capable of I guess.
I've joined "the dark side"....if it has a spark plug, it's obsolete technology.

LowGear

  • Casey
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2130
  • What? My diesel had fries for lunch?
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2016, 05:55:44 PM »
Hi George,

UPS did the drop the box really hard dance with me too.  Have you tried to get compensation?  My factory SMA Inverter box didn't have a shipping code printed on it so their hands were tied.  (You bet!)  Keep remembering that a plywood box isn't as strong as a cardboard one with the magic letters printed on it.


Hi 38AC,

I've noticed that tracking isn't always perfect with USPS too.  So it's really a wonderful surprise when the stuff shows up.  Obviously I use USPS a lot.  I haven't lost anything that I can remember.  Oh, there was that one rent check but I guess the tenant "Got the address wrong". 

Casey
NPR Tipper/Dump Truck
Kubota BX 2230
Witte BD Generator
SunnyBoy 6000 + SolarWorld 245

vdubnut62

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2016, 11:48:05 PM »
I guess by now everyone knows that  work for a Giant Less Than Truckload carrier with over 20,000 employees. I remember being asked to work P&D (local pickup and delivery) one day,
and a delivery to an HVAC installer was on my list. Here I go with a semi and a 48 foot trailer into this little place to set off a 1 foot square by 2 foot tall 60lb package. I was sort of shocked when the fellows remarked "there is the compressor we were looking for". I said, "not to shoot myself in the foot, but couldn't you guys get UPS to ship that 'way cheaper?".
The guys all laughed and said "Oh hell no, we can't ship anything with them, they destroy everything they touch!".
I guess it's not just a local problem after all.
Ron.
"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."   Plato.

"Remember, every time a child is responsibly introduced to the best tools for the protection of freedoms, a liberal weeps for the safety of a criminal." Anonymous

harleydavidson

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Re: A quick word about Fastenal shipping........
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2017, 10:25:00 AM »
I never refreshed this little story. The four engines were delivered through UPS in two separate boxes......with wooden help cartons inside. These cartons, or edges really, were a show-stopper by the dealer. Exceptionally hefty and tight, yet sadly not numbskull verification. Some place along the line, one of their goillas chose to play "drop the crate" from a forklift and one of the engines endured two or three broken cast press feet. The effect was sufficiently serious to crunch the 1/2" plywood retire the engine was blasted to......that's an entirely hard drop.

I suggest you to have a look at the one of the best Asian http://cogoport.com freight quote online shipping company. It's yet not the apocalypse, as I would dismantle it totally at any rate for an update and the braze the feet back on while it's dismantled. I'm surprised this happened however. The person who did the pressing set them up for a trek to the moon and I would have figured NOTHING could harm them the way they were stuffed. I overlooked what is fit for I presume.