What's the 'best' way to ship a knife??

jacqueeagonsr

jacqueeagonsr

Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
203
And, by 'best', I mean best for everyone involved. Safest to make sure the knife is not damaged or lost. Least expensive for whoever is paying. What's the 'best' way to label the contents - do you call it a knife? a tool? a collectable? Should it be insured?? USPS vs UPS vs Fedex vs ?????

Your opinions and comments will be appreciated.
 
label it a knife, insure for 100-150% of the MSRP. MSRP.....NOT WHAT YOU CAN GET IT FOR ON EBAY etc!!!
i like USPS track and ship but ups and fedex are fine too
 
never put down that the box contains a knife. thats a good way have it come up missing if there is a dishonest person along the line.
 
i us USPS and UPS. I even send Oversea via USPS and have not had any problems at all. I just sent a package monday and it arrived yesterday coast to coast. Not bad for snail mail.
 
If the recipient (buyer) lives in a place where taxes, brokerage or other fees may be collected, they may question why the piece is insured for a different amount than what is on the invoice. It could be construed as misrepresentation and extra charges may be applied, Especially when sending across borders such as Can/USA.
 
I always say that if you can't state what it really is for fear that it will be stolen, then you need to ship it a different way.
Fill out the insurance and call it a knife. Insure it for what you sold it for. I like USPS. The delivery is fast and tracking is good.
Stacy
 
If shipping overseas, i would suggest USPS Express Mail. It may be like 30-40bucks to send a knife or two, but it has tracking, can be insured, and is about 1/3 - 1/2 the price of Fedex or UPS international rates (which arrive much quicker) but i'm sure the customer is willing to wait a few extra days to save 60 bucks or so ! Otherwise, if you have the nerve to send it Global Priority, it's cheap, but I don't know if it's actually trackable (maybe it is).

Domestic is easy as the USPS insured with delivery confirmation is the way to go for the price. 2-3 days. If your customer doesn't have a problem waiting, then UPS Ground is a cheap way with much better tracking that the postal service.
 
I use USPS. I make sure to insure and get DC. I have used ups in the past but I feel better with usps as it may be percieved as a worse crime tampering with thw US mail.

But alas scum are scum and they'll steal regardless of how its marked or sent. Just be dilligent and get good at smoothing ruffled feathers if one of your customers prized posessions goes missing.
 
Insure and if it is a fixed blade without a good sheath, make a sleeve out of cardboard to go over the blade.
 
I use USPS, I get one of the little boxes from them and ship priority with insurance. Always insure the knife for what you would price it at the table, even if the customer is paying less. I usually have the knife bubble wrapped when I walk into the post and carry along some extra packing to stuff the box until it won't move.
 
I am a retired Postmaster....... The lowest cost way to ship a top end knife is in a flat rate priority envelope. You can put anything that will fit into one as long as you can close it up. I keep small boxes and knife" tins" to put into a flat rate envelope when sending off a top end knife or when shipping several at a time. I take fiberglass strapping tape and go around the envelope both ways and you can do a shipping label and insurance for up to $500.00 on line with Click-n-Ship using the USPS.com site.
 
I always use USPS priority and insured for sale price to cover both myself and the customer, and I get a tracking#.
 
As far as the insurance goes, I had a postmaster tell me that insuring a package for more than the actual value is technically mail fraud. Now, if the piece is a gift, then the value should be based on the actual cost or the normal retail value (the table price). But, if it is a sold item, in a business transaction, then the actual value is the selling price...not what you think it is worth or what another one sold for elsewhere. If you sold it for $100, then it is worth $100.

Also, You may be asked to have some sort of proof what the item was and the value. (That is the biggest reason to call it a knife on the paperwork.) You will need to show a sales receipt,invoice, or other paperwork to prove the value if it seems high for the claimed item. Keeping records and taking photos is always a good idea with knives.
Stacy
 
Thank you all for your replies. The concensus seems to be that the United States Postal Service is the best outfit for shipping and that their Priority Mail with insurance and delivery confirmation is their best product. They offer flat rate envelopes and boxes. I started to post prices, but, for future readers of this thread, the prices may change. Instead, I will post the current (Jan '09) link to the USPS Priority mailing page.

http://www.usps.com/shipping/prioritymail.htm

Your guidence is appreciated.
Regards,
 
I've never actually shipped a knife, but when shipping bows (for violins etc) or arrows a section of PVC tubing with two endcaps is a very cheap and very robust container for your goods.

Cheers RODY
 
Shipping to Canada, you definitely don't want to misrepresent what's in the package, Customs opens everything and if they get any surprises, your buyer probably won't be getting his product anytime soon, if ever.
 
bladsmth said:
As far as the insurance goes, I had a postmaster tell me that insuring a package for more than the actual value is technically mail fraud. Now, if the piece is a gift, then the value should be based on the actual cost or the normal retail value (the table price). But, if it is a sold item, in a business transaction, then the actual value is the selling price...not what you think it is worth or what another one sold for elsewhere. If you sold it for $100, then it is worth $100.

Also, You may be asked to have some sort of proof what the item was and the value. (That is the biggest reason to call it a knife on the paperwork.) You will need to show a sales receipt,invoice, or other paperwork to prove the value if it seems high for the claimed item. Keeping records and taking photos is always a good idea with knives.
Stacy
Click to expand...

I don't believe it's fraud to insure for the actual value of the knife, think of a situation where you sell a Randall to a friend for a "friends only" price. Now, if this item is damaged and needs to be replaced, you can't do so for the money you sold it at. You can do so for the actual value of knife, however.
 
AcridSaint said:
I don't believe it's fraud to insure for the actual value of the knife, think of a situation where you sell a Randall to a friend for a "friends only" price. Now, if this item is damaged and needs to be replaced, you can't do so for the money you sold it at. You can do so for the actual value of knife, however.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. I recently was given the opportunity to help a friend by buying a Daniel Winkler Hunter at 'a buddies price'. Daniel has agreed to refurbish the knife to 'like new'. It seems some previous owner, before my friend, used it and sharpened it. I will insure it for what Daniel says is the replacement cost, not the 'buddy price'. And, I have an email from Mr. Winkler as to what that cost would be - for insurance purposes.

Regards,
 
One thing that could solve the documentation problem with the value issue is to have a "List" price and a "Net" price sections on the invoice with a column for the specific discount.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top