F/S thread sticky.. "Shipping weight"

[Mako18]

So I had an idea..... When selling and buying parts/items/products a shipping wieght is always needed for an accurate quote, right? Sometimes the buyer decides not to buy your particular item or part and flakes and as a result alot of time is wasted especailly when selling alot of different items, doing mulitple quotes is a pita for most people with busy lives. Yes I realize its part of the selling process but why not make things easier for everyone? I suggest making a chart/list of items and there wieghts this would serve two purposes. The first, it would keep the sellers honest since some people like to inflate the shipping costs and pocket the extra coin. Secondly, it would speed things up since you could just simply click on the sticky find the particular item and its weight then proceed to your preferred shipping company FEDEX, UPS, USPS or other...thus getting the quote back to the potential buyer quicker and sell your item quicker!!! This would be especially helpful for the larger items such as engine blocks, cylinder heads, etc things that aren't easy to weigh on your typical bathroom scale.

Now we will need to group this information in a organized and simple manner so thats its easy to find and add to, Easy!! How about by year and model?

Example of list:

1986 318 valve cover
valve cover = x-lbs

1987 325e front bumper
front bumper = x-lbs

1990 325is stock springs
Front = x-lbs
Rear = x-lbs

1991 325ic stock sway bars
front = x-lbs
rear = x-lbs

We can even add in aftermarket items in a sub-category. An added bonus to this is if two items are equal in every way except weight and your one of those people trying to shave every ounce then again this information is here for you to benefit!!

Sparco strut bar
front = x-lbs

Ebay strut bar
front = x-lbs

IE stage III springs
front=x-lbs
rear=x-lbs

Obviously no one person has this information laying around on a spreadsheet so everyone would need to chip in and input the data, I think with as much product that is sold on this forum we would build a decent database for this information in a very short period of time. I think this would be very valuable and desireable information!!!!

If anyone has anything they would like to add or modify about this idea please share... If you think this is a good idea and you would participate then let everyone know!!

[atomic]

Not a bad idea but...


The package being shipped also has to be measured by the shipping company being used, which also factors in to the price of that shipment. That being said the way I would pack a bumper to be shipped out will most likely not be the same size package someone else would use to ship the same item resulting in a difference in shipping cost. Same would go for anything else being shipped except for small items that would go through USPS flat rate priority mail service. Plus shipping charges differ depending on starting location and ending location as well, ie. the same item shipping from PA to NC will cost far less than going from PA to CA.

Plus if someone charges a bit extra to ship something is fine by me as they have to source (drive around to find or BUY packaging materials) to ship said items. I have done tons of internet selling in the past and it can be like having a full time job just doing the logistics to get the stuff out the door on a timely manner, so time=money and this is not to mention the cost of fuel to get you from point A to B to A and back to C before the item goes out to the person buying it. That being said I do not agree with extremely expensive shipping (way overpriced) either. It does have to be within reason but I am willing to pay a bit extra because of the hassle and costs associated with it.

I like the forethought you had but IMHO it would create much more hassle with shipping quotes posted in a forum, plus the forum owners and operators would then be liable for a pissed off customer being charged more for shipping or a seller being T'd off for not breaking even at least on what it cost to ship an item. Way to many variables and to much like what EBAY is doing with their F'd up shipping automatic calculator type system they have in place (don't even get me off on that tangent either)....


:mrgreen:

[Schniddy]

People have parts laying around.
People have scales laying around.

Both buyers and sellers get ripped due to not knowing how much parts weight.

So who's starting the thread?

[bmwpower]

weight of item x cost to ship per carrier/unit weight =/ cost for seller to ship item

[Mako18]

Ok the shipping "cost" wasn't my focus, I am mainly interested in the wieght of each item. I normally wiegh the item then ship it so I loose a bit on shipping by not wieghing the entire package and I pride myself in great shipping methods/packaging. I still think the wieght data is the most important aspect of this idea. If nothing else it would be a quick reference for most.. maybe turn this into a poll let the people voice their opinion. I don't see how more accurate information about or parts could be a bad thing.. maybe I am wrong..

Seems alot of people don't pay attention to this little sub-forum ....

[DCColegrove]

I can tell you that shipping a front stress, rear stress and lower X to Australia...

Even though it weighs less than 15lbs costs way over $400...

I almost spit out my gum when I heard that...