500 GB External Hard Drive

any chance of free shipping if the GIN is not used

Feb 1st, 2012 at 10:41:39 PM PST by

My current quote from UPS to ship this approximately 3lb. package is between $14.26 to $16.49. The final price depends, of course, on where I am shipping this to. I am asking the winner to pay a little less than half the minimum cost in shipping.

Feb 2nd, 2012 at 10:49:31 AM PST by

you might want to check out usps medium flat rate/one price up to 7o ibs. pack it with some padding you might pay 10 dollars. that might save you and and the buyer some money. i use them - ups and fedex they by weight and other things. i found out it was cheaper to go to the post office for flat rate boxes or envelopes

Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:33:04 PM PST by

I did look into flat rate with USPS before because it is so cheap, but the downsides in service vs. what I get from UPS were too big for me. My past experience with lost packages and USPS is pretty grim. It would be hard to put an exact number on it off the top of my head, but it would be safe to say that USPS lost at least 100+ packages I shipped with their UPS Mail Innovations service in the first 9-10 months of last year. It's always the same thing when it happens, the UPS part of the shipment and tracking are fine, but then the package disappears when UPS hands it off to USPS. In that same period of time, UPS lost one package of mine and they paid me back $100 of the value of it.

The low cost for shipping with USPS almost makes it worth the trouble, but causes delays when packages are lost. They also provide no liability at all for lost packages, unless you pay for insurance, which typically makes shipping an expensive item not worth the cost difference.

When I post something for auction, I like to find the cost of shipping from me to a random zip code at different distances from where I live. This will give me a high and low value, to get an average cost. If the cost is $7 or less, I package and ship for free. If the cost is higher, I pick the lowest estimate I got from UPS and ask for about half of it to cover the cost of packaging and shipping. This allow me to pack as needed, For example, hard drives are notoriously sensitive, I always package them as carefully as possible, inn boxes with packaging that is designed to hold hard drives. This does provide more packaging cost, but also helps to assure me and the buyer that the hard drive will still work when they receive it from me. I like them for letters and postcards, but I just don't feel I can trust them with my packages right now.

Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:25:19 PM PST by

To be 100% fair about the shipping, I went to USPS and checked the rate for a flat rate shipment with $250 insurance, delivery confirmation and a return receipt and got a cost estimate of $19.30. I picked those 3 things because they are all part of my current UPS account coverage right now. I chose the flat rate box that is just slightly larger than the boxes I package my external hard drives in now. Just the flat rate shipping cost was $11.35, without any of the extras I added. It also doesn't include the cost for any packaging materials to properly pack a hard drive.

They do have a smaller $5.15 flat rate box deal that looks good for a lot of other items I ship but I wouldn't be comfortable shipping this external hard drive in it. This one is a little on the larger side and the smaller box doesn't provide enough extra space for proper packaging.

Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:52:45 PM PST by

can u check the zip code 93301

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 10:12:13 AM PST by

Sure, the flat rate quote from USPS for anywhere in the U.S. is $19.30. UPS Ground quote is $16.67.

UPS Ground 16.67 USD *

Days In Transit: 4 Schedule by 3:00 P.M. Monday February 13, 2012

Billable Weight: 3.0 lbs.

Result estimates calculated by UPS: Friday, February 3, 2012 1:47 P.M. Eastern Time (USA)

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 10:51:02 AM PST by

I have had no problems or issues with USPS via shipping and their tracking system is a good option as well for about 70-80 cents more.

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 12:28:56 PM PST by

I wish I could say the same.

Feb 4th, 2012 at 10:11:08 AM PST by

What's a giin winner

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 1:47:51 PM PST by

Gin is get it now

Feb 4th, 2012 at 7:49:53 PM PST by

I mean gin

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 1:58:03 PM PST by

Gin is get it now

Feb 4th, 2012 at 10:13:53 AM PST by

guess the shipping to that zip code will not be under $7.00

Feb 3rd, 2012 at 2:59:16 PM PST by

Half the shipping for USPS would be around $9.65, not counting packing material for the flat rate box. I like my $6.95 for UPS better.

Feb 4th, 2012 at 7:58:54 PM PST by

What kind of payment on shipping do you prefer? Is paypal an option?

Feb 4th, 2012 at 6:25:28 PM PST by

PayPal is my preferred method of payment.

Feb 4th, 2012 at 7:33:39 PM PST by

Fanned and watching would it be the same shipping to birmingham alabama 35214

Feb 4th, 2012 at 8:18:37 PM PST by

Yep, it's all flat rate cost. Doesn't matter where it goes in the U.S.

Feb 4th, 2012 at 8:52:18 PM PST by

To bad you dont offer free shipping for high bidding

Feb 4th, 2012 at 8:27:02 PM PST by

I prefer to offer free shipping no matter what the bids I get for something, but every time I go to ship an external hard drive it's expensive. But, I don't think that $7 for shipping to get a barely used $150+ external hard drive is too bad, though.

Feb 4th, 2012 at 9:01:42 PM PST by

Do you know the model number for the internal drive? Also, did you check the drive for any SMART errors?

Feb 5th, 2012 at 11:08:13 AM PST by

how much is the gin i use a mobile app and cant see it

Feb 5th, 2012 at 12:43:51 PM PST by

12000

Feb 5th, 2012 at 1:50:53 PM PST by

FREE: 500 GB External Hard Drive