Asked on Jan 09, 2015
Needing to know what the best way to ship outdoor furniture is
by
Addam Holder
+17
Trying to sell items and offer shipping on Easy, but I have no clue what service to use. Any ideas or does anyone do this? Thanks!
18 answers
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Depends where to. I have sold outdoor sets on ebay and the buyer pays the courier costs. Hope you find a solution.
Carole
on Jan 09, 2015
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Nice furniture! If you find any info, please share! Shipping is a mystery to me too! Living in a rural area, we don't have many options!
Adrianne C
on Jan 10, 2015
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http://www.uship.com/ Apparently shippers compete for your bid on this site. You might be able to save if someone is already going to a particular location and can pick up along the way.
Diana Susoy
on Jan 10, 2015
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I ordered an armchair from ebay several years ago. Much to my surprise, the seller shipped it by Trailways Bus! He made a "box" from 2"-thick sheets of Styrofoam to cushion it and put that inside a huge cardboard box. Then he delivered it to his local bus station and I picked it up at mine two days later. The bus company does have rules as to size, but they allow larger items than you would think. You can also ship by various trucking companies.
MagnoliaMama
on Jan 10, 2015
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Another solution: Is there any way you can make and finish the main pieces but leave the furniture unassembled ... in knock-down form? The buyer could put the pieces together with a few bolts (included) but the piece would be MUCH easier to ship. This is how Ikea furniture always arrives!
MagnoliaMama
on Jan 10, 2015
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Sadly, I've learned that even my lamps which are relatively small are a hard sell on Etsy. Like Like Like... but no sales however selling locally, word of mouth, displaying at local art shops for a minimal fee. Thats how I make it happen...
Tim D. (The Retro Den)
on Jan 10, 2015
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You could check what some of the other etsy sellers are doing, I think some have a preferred carrier/moving company they know but state that buyer is responsible for and can arrange their own freight, bus company idea is a good one, I too would like some ideas.
Kathryn MacMillan
on Jan 10, 2015
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I like Mama's Miracle idea. Also, my husband once shipped an air airplane propeller by building a crate. It's a labor intensive process, but like creating a box. The buyer would be responsible for the expense of not just freight, but the packaging as well. Call different carriers, ask for details of what they can or cannot handle, weight restriction and so on. Good luck.
Liliana Wells
on Jan 10, 2015
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Having had the same need for very large odd shaped objects to be sent all over the country. It took me about a full year of doing just what you're doing ASKING around. I hope like for me this works out for you. My solution formulated in a co-op of sorts where as many of 20 or so of us in same situation got together to rent out a large trucking container whose load might have been empty if not otherwise co-opted by us.You may want to contact Truckers who are independent and never ever want to drive anywhere with an empty bed. This mode of getting our things from one place to another worked and very affordable as well. There are always huge rigs that are never quite filled these guys are your ticket to delivery. Or at least that is my hope for your request. Good Luck and keep us all posted.
Suzette Trimmer
on Jan 10, 2015
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I agree with Mama's Miracle, for using the break down method. It may mean changing to bolts instead of screws, or counter sinking all screw areas, include a set of directions,(use "sketch up"), the correct screws with extra few. Then packaging will be much easier. Think about it, you could have stacks of each part separated by colors, and when it comes to shipping time, have a check list of every part, nut and bolt or screws included with each particular chair, would go into a heavy bag.(Bags can be bought in bulk on E bay) and build a container to ship it in. If this is going to be a regular transaction weekly, work with a Marketing Employee with the USPS and they will help you and custom make your boxes for your item if you ship priority mail. I'm a former USPS Sales employee with the USPS and the company is moving into the packaging shipping area, and may have even more opportunities than I mentioned.
Dolly
on Jan 10, 2015
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You can buy large rolls of cling wrap. Wrap the item over and all over. It should ship safely.
Dorothy
on Jan 10, 2015
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I don't feel like reading through all the posts but if it were me, I would only offer it locally. Ebay has local only and there are the Yard Sale sites on Facebook that you could use to sell locally.
Mcgypsy9
on Jan 11, 2015
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The thing with Etsy is that you have to specify shipping costs at the time that you make the listing. I have no idea!
Adrianne C
on Jan 11, 2015
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Big stores like IKEA sell all of their furniture unassembled. Sell it assembled locally and figure out an easy way to for your customer to put it together. Weigh your unassembled chair, have an accurate package size and get bids from carriers. Initially you can make your cardboard packaging. As your sales increase, get prices from local packaging companies. There are solutions to all of these challenges that can be solved by some more research on your part.
Theresa
on Jan 11, 2015
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It IS hard, but certainly not impossible, to determine the correct shipping cost in advance. Wrap safely, as someone suggested, and pack one up in a box meant for a washing machine or something else similarly large. Then weigh the box and measure it. Find out the zip codes for various cities in different parts of the country and see what it would cost to get it there. If your customer is paying for exact shipping, that's what you charge. When shipping my own product, I figure out the average of these costs and that's what I charge if I have to list a set figure up front. I sometimes make a few cents, sometimes lose a few, but mostly it works out.
MagnoliaMama
on Jan 11, 2015
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I would also suggest renting a booth at an antiques mall that allows newer or hand-crafted products too. Many charge as little as $50 month for booth space plus 10% of your sales. Paying someone else to "mind the store" will free up your time from worrying about selling and shipping to build your products. It also frees you from having to do sales tax, etc. because they do it. One final thought: You are certainly very creative, but not every design you can think of is a good product to sell. Some take too much time or money to make. Stick to your proven best-sellers, refine your process, and grow your business. Taking a ton of time on a custom order is not necessarily the best way to make money. Instead, figure out other ways to make each order have extra value. Label each piece with a "Made by ..." tag (your own name) to show pride of craftsmanship, or attach a coupon for a discount on a future order, or something else.
MagnoliaMama
on Jan 11, 2015
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Sadly I can't advise on shipping - but I love the bold colours you've used. You will surely sell your outdoor furniture.
Vetinia gorman
on Jan 11, 2015
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I sell on Etsy and have a large item listed. I call the closest UPS Pack and Ship place. Told them as close as I could what I needed shipped when it sold.. roughly what it would cost. The dimensions of it are 80" tall and about 40" across. If I could take it there one of these days they could give me an exact price but they were not unwilling to do it even after hearing it's size so you may try that if you have one close. Our closest is 30 miles away from my house so hence I have not gone quite that far with it yet. Good luck!
Becky D
on Jan 13, 2015
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