Over priced shipping for eggs!

[artathart]

My guess is sellers are jacking up their shipping fees to off set lack of bids on eggs. I have received two shipments of hatching eggs. Both charged either $12-$14 for shipping. Both sellers we from One state over. Both shippers shipped in flat rate PO boxes. Both marked with the exact postage it REALLY cost to ship the eggs. One was $6.40 and one was $6.90. One has newspaper as padding, a used egg carton and shredded shavings as padding around the eggs. Packing cost.....$0.00. The other seller did bubble wrap the eggs. Bubble wrap is cheap and even FREE if you hold on to it from other things you have received in the mail. So is anyone one else frustrated with shipping costs that are way over priced? No seller even asks my Zipcode to calculate shipping which can be done on USPS online. I really think sellers should leave the shipping field blank and ask everyone their zip to calculate shipping. I won a purse/tote a seller on BYC and she did just that. Shipping is going to be $2.75. Now that is a honest seller!!!!

Unless you are going out and buying tape, bubble wrap, padding or a bunch of other supplies.....I think the shipping fees of hatching eggs is really too high!

 

[annageckos]

I use to sell a lot on EBay and stopped estimating the postage based on their zip code. More often then not the actual shipping cost were more then quoted, so I was losing money. Add in that packing supplies, time and gas to get to and from the PO. It all adds up. Even if you are just using newspaper, that cost money. Unless you got it from the trash. My advice, if you feel the shipping is too high either don't bid, or maybe try contacting the seller before bidding. They may work with you. I do understand the frustration though. I had bought some plant fertilizer for my planted fish tank once. The quoted shipping was about $8, when I got the package the actual shipping was less then a dollar. I could see paying 3 or 4 dollars, but 8?

 

[babymakes6]

I agree with you there-I shipped eggs the other day to Georgia-7 LF chicken eggs, packed securely with LOTS of bubblewrap and plastic grocery bags, and it cost less than $6. I will not buy from someone if I feel their shipping is too high.

 

[SparkyCrows]

I've had to build the eBay and paypal fees into my shipping and handling charges because I was giving eggs away. Sometimes I was ending up paying to give my eggs away plus getting the privilege of spending a minimum of 45 minutes getting out all the wrapping supplies and wrapping them all.

I know a lot of sellers are starting to use foam inserts to reduce the time and mess of wrapping eggs but those are expensive...an expense that gets passed on to the customer. As with most things, you get what you pay for.

 

[Katy]

I mailed a box of eggs last week. The actual shipping was $15.45 plus another .70 for delivery confirmation. I generally charge $15 per box. I've averaged in the past what it costs me to mail eggs over a selling season and it was over $13 per box. The boxes are free from the USPS but the bubble wrap is not cheap and I won't use recycled stuff. By the time I figure in something for my time and gas money for driving 20 miles to the PO that cuts into whatever I recieve for the eggs......plus it did cost me something to raise and feed the hens....not to mention my initial investment in good breeding stock.....I'm not exactly making any money. Making money is not why I have my hens tho.....I have them because I enjoy them.

 

[emvickrey]

I concider everything into the shipping fees. There is the careful handling and care of the eggs to help the buyer have a better chance of a good hatch. The time it takes to carefully pack a box to try to keep the post office from scrambling them. The time and gas to take the box to the post office. How many eggs are being packed goes in with the time and handling. Even using reused packing materials takes time. To remove tape or labels from the bubble wrap carefully to be able to reuse it takes time. I also make several visits to the coop and pens to gather any eggs before they get soiled.

I've also lost money in shipping cost at the post office because when I put up eggs in an auction, I don't know who is going to get them. The farther away they go the more they cost. I participate in alot of swaps and it can get costly even though i'm only paying shipping. I've gotten several packages where the eggs where packed just in the carton with newspaper stuffed around the carton in the box. And I send mine out individually wrapped in bubble wrap. I may use different things to make sure the eggs are secure in the box but I take the time and use anything or all from shredded paper, plastic bags, padding, peanuts.

So if there where some eggs I wanted and I paid for high shipping, as long as the eggs arrived mostly or all unbroken and damaged I won't complain. If I pay alot for eggs and shipping and get a box of yolk I won't buy from that person agian especially if they refuse to change the packaging.

 

[lockedhearts]

Personally $12-$15 for shipping is about right. The PO is going to all Flat Rate, or the new Regional Rate , right now I only have Flat Rate , I double box and wrap the eggs in bubble wrap. Since I double box I have to use the Large Flat Rate box which cost $14.95 , so I am actually losing money because I am using bubble wrap and shredded paper plus twice the tape.




BTW, just had a customer hatched 9 out of 12 eggs I shipped in this way, so really is $15 too much when you get 9 babies out of 12 eggs?

 

[klf73]

My time is extremely valuable. I don't sell eggs but have shipped eggs for free before. I know that it took me time to package them and go to the post office in town....so while the supplies may not cost much, my time isn't free to anyone unless I choose to give it free. If I looked at this from a business standpoint I would not just charge actual postage, my time, gas, etc all deserve to be reimbursed...IMO

 

[Stacykins]

I think the cost is reasonable. It is definitely a leap of faith when buying shipped eggs, on whether they will hatch. But you can't always find what you want locally. I was super lucky to find some great heritage turkey hatching eggs locally, but everything else going into my 'bator is shipped. But I will be getting a variety that I just can't get local. To me, it is worth it!

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I had never sold eggs before so had no idea on shipping. I put 15.00 down to see what it run. Next time i sell turkey eggs thoughj I will put 10.00 down. I think shipping was 8.90. I just didn't know. I would never try to do anything but be honest and expect to be treat same.