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How do you ship large items? Help

Yeah, I want to buy these very large speakers from someone in Audiogon, but he does not have the boxes or crate that they were shipped in. I talked to UPS frieght and they told me that large, heavy items must be on a pallet, secured and wrapped before they would accept it. How would i go about finding a pallet and then securing it to the pallet and wrapping? Is there such a service that will professionaly pack items like this? Ive never had to deal with something like this so im totally lost here. The speakers weigh 250lbs each and are over 60 inches high. I quess i could drive there myself, but its 1100 miles away!!
Not your average day trip ya know? Any help would be appreciated here. If i can't find a solution i just won't be able to buy them, but it is a good deal! Thanks all!
bathory_127
azjake's avatar
azjake
277 posts
 
Ask the seller to locate a "crate building" co. that can build to suit crates for the speakers and a pallet as well for about $250.00 imo
OR you can buy a pallet from his local grocery store and then have the crate company build it and strap it for you to the pallet.

Make sure you realize these prices before you negotiate on the final price :)
Good luck!
AZjake
kurt_tank
1,188 posts
 
Be very, very careful about doing this. Make sure that you get insurance for the speakers. A lot of freight companies, BAX Global for one, had a policy in place that limited the insurance to $500 per pair (for individuals). Make sure that the insurance will cover the cost to replace both of the speakers, including shipping, handling and tax. You should also have the seller put the insurance in your name, or else you'll end up having to use the seller as a middle man.

Another point is what happens if only one speaker is damaged? Some carriers will pay half of the insurance, and wash their hands of it. Leaving you with one speaker. (Try buying one speaker at a discount! Or worse yet, if that particular speaker is no longer in production, what then? Or, if that particular speaker model has been updated, so it does not sound the same as the remaining speaker.)

Driving there doesn't sound so bad now, does it?!
:-)

I am not trying to scare you out of buying them, (I did this same thing a few years ago with my Revel Studios). But, you need to go into this with both eyes wide open!

Good Luck!

PS My Studios did indeed come to me on a pallet, so using a pallet is a good idea.
usblues
1,216 posts
 
All good advice.Especially about the don't do it part.Best of luck if you do.I would rent a van and know its a sure thing,1100 one way is doable,2100 isn't.Thats just me,Bob
prpixel
826 posts
 
It is a day trip - a day driving there, a day driving back. Make a weekend out of it. Drive out on a Friday, relax Saturday, pick the speakers up on Sunday morning and drive back.
stuartbmw3
50 posts
 
I bought some decent sized speakers a couple of years ago. The seller built crates to ship them, and we used Greyhound to transport. Worked like a dream, and very reasonable price. You might look into Greyhound Bus Line.
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