awc380

Hey C&Vers,

I'm thinking about making the leap from local CL sales to eBay, and I'm a bit nervous about it.
Mostly the administrative details, and especially shipping.

I always see people complaining about how the shipping costs are so high for whatever bike, but how do people normally ship bikes from city to city? I've never known it to be particularly cheap...what method do you guys use when you're selling your 1969 PX10s to Japan or whatever it is some of you do.

I'd be shipping from Canada, so anyone chiming in with ebay experience shipping from Canada would be appreciated.

thanks!

Old Fat Guy

Check with the Canadian Post on what they charge to ship to various countries.

If you are selling a bike or a frame rather than small parts, you will pay by dimension, rather than weight. The smaller the box, the cheaper.

Some countries can be very expensive to ship to, Australia, for example.

treebound 

Start with smaller items until you get a feel for ebay, much better to have a deal go bad on a $5 hat than a $205 bike.

When I've sold a bicycle on ebay I will sell as only shipping to the 48 contiguous U.S.states. If someone wants it shipped to Alaska or Hawaii or outside of the country then I'll offer to deliver it to a local bike shop and let the buyer sort out the shipping with them. Nothing gets shipped with an ebay sale until I have cash in hand.

phoebeisis

Fedex used to have the best prices.
On expensive bikes/frames sometimes you might want to actually build a box/crate with 2x2" and cheap paneling. You can build a crate to smaller dimensions than a cardboard box, since it is rigid and offers more protection.
Find out what the effective dimensions(or dimensional weight) will be before putting up a shipping price. On bulky things like bikes, you are charged by size not so much by weight.The crate allows smaller dimensions.

Like others said-start small.
Luck
Charlie

Bianchigirll 

Hi I havent sold a whole bike yet but I have sold a frame, wheels and dozens of smaller items both on here and eBay. and even some items to CA and one across the pond somewhere. like treebound says start with small stuf. it won't take long to get a handle on about how much shipping coast. here in the states we have this new priority one price shipping so I find I can ship alot of small stuff for 5 and it arrives in a day or two. sometimes I just figure a rough shipping price into my starting price then offer free shipping.

yes bikes are expensive but anyone charging a flat rate of 100 for US shipping better do a real good packing job.

ottothecow

If you are doing a buy it now, consider free shipping and raising your price

You can usually get a little more combined (and ebay sorts buy it now by "price w/ shipping" anyways so people will understand the higher price) and you will be far more tempting to anyone buying with live/bing cashback. Sure, bing cashback is only at 8% now (aww...I remember the ebay rush back when it was 25-30% sometimes) but if you include shipping in the price, smart buyers will get cashback on the total bill rather than just on the item price.

I bought a couple bike parts the other day, I saw an item I was interested in, searched for it again and found the same item for only like $2 more total with shipping included. Cashback was more like $7.50 so both the seller and I came out ahead (and I guess I got some "ebay bucks" or whatever that is as well)

RobbieTunes

Size limit before the costs jump is 108 length + girth. I stay below that, I ship for $20-$30. Go over, and triple it.

Shipping to Canada, reduce the 108 to 84, and it's nearly impossible to do it cheaply. Same standards apply to overseas.

I last sent a bike to Australia for $292. Their market is so small, it may be worth it (this was a Merlin, nearly unobtainium over there, and we maximized the efficiency by loading the box with all kinds of stuff they can't buy there because eBay sellers won't ship there. My garage looked like a clearinghouse, but for $292, we shipped 39 eBay orders, including the bike. The box weighed 60 lbs)

Avoid printing your own shipping lablels if there's any chance your box is close to oversize. You'll get audited en route, and even if it's not oversize, shippers are all about revenue and they can sock you with extra charges. Go to the terminal, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc, and I've found all their counter folks to be very helpful, and once they determine the size and rate, it's in stone.

For USPS, small stuff in flat rate boxes, don't ship in a box if a padded envelope will do. Parcel post can save you big unless you go over the size (balloon charges, they call 'em). For some bikes, you can ship the frame and bits in a cut-down box for Parcel Post rates, say $20, and the wheels and other bits the same way, $20, and you've shipped the whole bike for $40.

Bike shops get INbound bikes at ridiculously low rates from private shippers, as the bike makers have contracts for shipping nearly at cost. Sometimes you can have them delilvered to LBS and save some money. Sometimes, the shop has an account, also, and you can pay them to have it picked up and get their discount.

This stuff is all over the map, and experience is the best teacher. Pack right, Pack to ship cheap, and you'll be OK.

Old Fat Guy

The OP is IN CANADA, our Ameri-centric rules do not apply.

I have had things sent to me from a good friend in the GWN, It's more expensive than USPS.

The OP needs to check with Canada Post. It's not that difficult.

mainducoyote

I'm in canada and have sold quite a few 1000$ + bikes to the US . I usually ship with Fedex and charge about $130 to $160 for shipping to USA and your buyer has to expect $100 in customs duty, if you're honnest on the customs form there is no way to avoid customs duty . It's a PITA ... Parting out bikes is much simpler unfortunately.

Forget shipping complete bikes to Japan... Surface shipping is not recommended and air shipping is $600 + . People here are shocked when they here that but I have not heard of a better way of shipping from Canada.

mainducoyote

Canada Post won't be much help if he plans on shipping complete bikes , the box exceeds maximum dimensions and their freight service, purolator is ridiculously expensive

Old Fat Guy

I think TMB just shipped a f/f from BC to Oz for $350.

He shipped me a set of wheels, and they were around $60 from BC to MI, if I recall.

That's about 50%+ more than domestic USPS.

RobbieTunes

Hey, but they have universal health care.

Old Fat Guy

I'm trying to convince TMB to adopt me, it seems as though they don't have a good IPA there at reasonable cost, though.

randyjawa 

I have shipped several complete bicycles to Japan for approximately $200.00 each. The price is based on weight provided that the container does not exceed a certain dimension (length + girth must be less than 114" as I recall but check Canada Post to be sure). Also, to get the best rate, you will likely have to send the package via surface post and that can take quite a while to reach destination(from Canada to Japan often takes four to six weeks). Back to the mechanics of shipping...

To get a bicycle into a container that falls within Canada Post's and/or the receiving country's postal limit, you must take the bicycle apart(wheels, cranks, pedals, saddle, seat post, handlebars must all come off). You can test size and weight costs at the Canada Post website, as I do before each shipping quote. Usually, the on-line quote is very close to the mark.

To get a container that fits, I simply cut down a proper cardboard bicycle shipping box. I make the package as small as I can get it and I do not ship things like rotted tires for weight saving reasons. Take your time, learn as you go and will find that you can, indeed, fit that entire bicycle into that smallish space.

As for shipments with-in Canada, I use the bus lines. For shipments to the US, I use FedEx Ground.

Hope that is a help.

awc380

Yow! I though that might be the case...no good cheap way to ship this stuff from Canada, is there?
Hmm....maybe I'll stick to finding local buyers after all...

awc380

Thanks for the suggestion of the bus lines...I never thought of that, but I bet it's a good way to go.

gbalke

If you do in fact ship a dismantled bike, I would guggest that you make the extra effort to support the fork and rear dropouts. Cut a 2x2 to the correct lengths and bolt then between the fork and dropouts. This will prevent damage in these areas and a disappointed buyer.

Old Fat Guy

Maybe a good time for this handy link:
https://chainwheeldrive.com/page.cfm?PageID=286

Bianchigirll 

do they charge more in the winter up there for the dogsleds? *giggle*

Ronsonic 

And don't let the rear der support the back of the bike in the box. I once got a bike with a destroyed der that way.

mainducoyote

I don't mean to contradict you but I'd like to see a picture of that if you have one . I can hardy pack a larger frame to fit CanadaPost's size restrictions, let alone a complete bike. I do pack bikes and frame so they could survive WW3 though . Also, when printing labels through Paypal/Ebay international surface shipping is not offered as an option anymore I think.

To the OP , shipping is expensive, but if you sell high end bikes and parts , buyers usually have no problem paying for shipping as long as they know what to expect.

cb400bill

Thanks for the link as I'm getting ready to ship a bike to my daughter.

randyjawa 

In response to mainducoyote, I do indeed fit a complete bicycle into a container that most countries will accept through their postal service. Australia does not fit into this group.

So, if you cannot fit your bicycle safely into a container, please do not challenge me when I say that I can and do. If I felt the need, I could prove this to you but if you really feel the need, you will simply learn how to do it yourself.

All that said, my guess it that you will not be able to do this if the frame set you are packing exceeds 58cm. That just might push the limit beyond specification for most postal services but I have been successful with 56cm bikes.

As for supporting fork blades and rear drops. DO SO!!! I make my supports from 1x2 wood and securely attack them with screws fitted with home made plastic washers. The wood supports help to prevent bending and, perhaps as important, they also prevent the fork blades or rear drops from punching holes in the shipping containers, resulting in exposed drops and probably shipping damage.

For what it is worth, I have prepared a complete how to pack a frame set or complete bicycle for shipping purposes. I intend to upload the feature article to MY "TEN SPEEDS" soon. That might include the picture of proof that you feel you need.

mainducoyote

I was not challenging you , I am genuinely curious to see what it looks like and I have no problem fitting a bicycle safely into a container , just not in a frame box.

Old Fat Guy

I believe Citoyen du Monde posted a link on how to do it:

https://fotoalbum.virgilio.it/maasland/imballobici/