Well, I just sold a bow to a gentleman in NY. He asked that I ship it UPS and I said sure.

I went to my UPS shipper and one package that weighed 3.1 pounds from Iowa to New York cost me $47.98. THAT'S NUTS

You can bet Amazon doesn't pay those kind of rates. So the little guy is forced to pick up the slack.

I do believe USPS would have been cheaper

USPS should be cheaper, but not 100% guaranteed. I don't believe they even have consistent rates. When I lived in Navarro County I could use the local USPS and it was always 10-15 dollars cheaper then the main USPS location in in the county seat. identical bows, same boxing. Shipping is a fickle beast at best.

-Bones

Yes, for sure. I ship my way and that's that!

I know a person that works for UPS and he told me to use the USPS to ship things. I haven't had any issues sending bows for less than $20 until I add insurance for higher priced bows.

I hope you passed the shipping costs on to him , since that’s what he wanted !!

I find USPS to be the cheapest. IF!!!!! you find the right one. I took a package to a P.O. & the shipping was more than the item was worth. I told my wife I was going to try another P.O. She said but it is all on computer. Bottom line 3 different P.O.'s 3 different prices. $15 from the least to the highest. Their tables are so complicated and the training so lax you can never tell. Now I go to the same P.O. every time and to the same guy. That helped a lot. They want a length,width,diameter,& circumference for a PVC tube. Too many measurements for a circle. Yes Sir they sure need to be in charge of our health care. >>>>-----> Ken

I recently shipped a bow from PA to Ohio USPS. It was half that if I recall, though the milage traveled was also much less. This is good to know as I am going to be putting up a #45 recurve and don't want to get killed on the shipping.

No, I had agreed to send UPS and wouldn't think of not doing what I agreed to. I've just come to the conclusion that in the future nothing I sell will include shipping.

Go price shipping a handgun with UPS. last I checked they wanted over a hundred bucks. There may be cheaper options with them but it is unlikely the counter clerk will know about it. Can't ship handguns as a non-ffl last I knew through USPS so you have fewer options.

I try to use USPS even with their known issues for bows and rifles.

I just shipped a bow from Southern Indiana to Michigan via USPS for $15. And that included extra insurance.

i'm selling a bow and the buyer sent me a box to ship it back to hhim,,, he the (buyer) paided over $70 to send me a empty box. it is coming from oregon to ohio, after i recieve this box ,, i have to send it back to him for the same $70 shipping cost,, i did get the box in 3 days,,,,,,,,,,,

I just shipped a used compound that I had laying around , from Illinois to Nevada it was $21.30 with insurance. That was through USPS , shipped last Wednesday tracking shows delivery for tomorrow!!

I just shipped a used compound that I had laying around , from Illinois to Nevada it was $21.30 with insurance. That was through USPS , shipped last Wednesday tracking shows delivery for tomorrow!!

I've found the USPS on line shipping calculator to be very accurate to my actual shipping cost. Sold three bows in the past 2 months. Once I had them boxed up, I weighed,took length, width & height measurements...entered into USPS calulator and each time quoted cost was within 50 cents of actual cost. I only live 3 miles from post office so that may help with accuracy. Oh, UPS wanted about twice as much to ship.

What Pa Steve said, and like I've been saying here for years. Use the online services of USPS, or if you have to ship UPS you can use their online site I'm sure. You can measure, weigh, and print your own postage and the price is reliable. Last bow I sent was a 60" bow, sent to Minnesota and the cost was $22.00 with insurance, priority mail. If someone asks for a specific carrier, then they are paying the difference if it's more.

I SENT 2 BOWS TO or TOGETHER WAS LIKE 75.00 WITH INS.

how is it that when on line service is so much cheaper are you guys ripping po off or is the po ripping us off?

UPS can/will hammer you. I once ordered a pair of Glass Eyes for a deer mount. The eyes were 12.00 and the shipping was 15.00. That was from Southern WI to Central WI. I use Speedy Delivery up here now when I order. I can get 3 deer forms and a few supplies for the same shipping cost as the eye's were.

UPS cut one of my good friend's pension by one third. Never had a problem with USPS,and shipping is always reasonable at my local post office.

With whats happened in the world one wants to support western businesses so for me it means buying from usa rather than china but the postage cost on 12 shafts is the same as 6 and from america to nzd is 47$ and some cases up to $96.00.The same packets out of china $10 TO $15.00.iT is just insane.Yet 3 rivers can ship for around similar prices as china and just as quick.So why is everyone else not the same???.

The Postal Service receives NO tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. https://facts.usps.com/top-facts/

I always ship USPS !!!!

There are 2 ways to ship by UPS. Most of the drop off places are privately owned, not by UPS. If you take an item straight to the terminal it is usually one third to one quarter the price of the privately owned stores. A taxidermist friend of mine got quote from a private own store. He then took it to the terminal and saved 50.00 on shipping a mount. wpab

If you can keep the total measurements, Length plus width x2 plus depth x2 to under 80” it is much cheaper to ship. Weigh matters also, so pack with lite weight material. USPS has always been the best choice for me. Thanks John

UPS BUsiness rates are much lower than individual rate by about 75%.

If you use USPS, use pirateship.com, they get a pretty good discount. USPS used to give a good discount to use usps.com, but that pretty much is gone

I sent a bow to 2Bears for re-work a while back, and shipping each way was about $21 via USPS, in a 5+ foot long box.

Not sure how UPS measured your box, unless they didn't take the smallest 'girth' measurement.

"Pirateship", is that a website?

Bows always ship USPS and rifles UPS at the terminal. Never use a 3rd party UPS shipper. I’ve shipped probably 75 rifles in the last 5 years without an issue. I ship pistols via UPS also. But, I cheat a little. Pistols have to go overnight after someone broke in and stole over 100 Glocks (inside job). That is why pistol shipping is so high. Had a lady at the post office tell me she couldn’t ship a fixed blade knife because it was a weapon. Asked her if I could send my aunt a box of steak knives for Christmas, she says “Sure”. I ask what’s the difference and have never been back. Their loss. Once you find a good post office you stay with them.

T4

I have used USPS for many years with out an issue. I have sent bows and arrows to Iraq and Afganistan using USPS with no problems.

Couple of things you need to watch out for. Oversize shipping costs. I had to take one packaged bow back home and nock off an inch from the package to avoid that cost which is high.

Stay away from mom and pop shipping centers and go to your favorite post office. The mom and pop stores have a tendency to go with whats easier for them rather than check out all mailing options. I go to a liquor store with my flat rate boxes but go to a small town post office for other packages where I know the worker by name.

Pack the bow like you are the person receiving it.

I have had the same experience of different prices for the same package at different post offices.

I have had the same experience of different prices for the same package at different post offices.

The differences in charges between carriers may be a few dollars but that's not even close to being the point. I have placed on the back of my condo in 2 places signs stating "do not leave packages here, deliver them in front"! One of these signs is on my garage roll up door because of the numerous times packages have been placed on the ground here to be backed over when we exit the garage. The other is on the 7' high wooden fence at the small pad where my garbage cans are. UPS but far more often FedEx has left packages here in the open and unprotected from weather. On a couple of occasions FedEx has outdone themselves and thrown packages blind over this seven foot high solid wood high fence into my garage. The Post Office is not so imaginative and simply delivers packages to my covered front door where I believe they are supposed to be delivered.

Not available everywhere, but SPEE-DEE is WAY CHEAPER than UPS on shipping bows...ridiculously cheap!

I have noticed the shipping rates climbing across the board. I am watching a bow on the e-auction site that the insured shipping calculator on the site said would be $47 from West Texas to me in western North Carolina . I was shocked so I checked USPS and with insurance it was $43.

I just sold a Thunderhorn going from WNY to UT, UPS $54.00 before ins. USPS $33.00 with $600.00 worth of ins. Package was recieved in three days minus the holiday.will probably never go back to UPS.

Best, Dave

TODAY I sent a DAS riser with limbs from my south central Iowa location to Knoxville TN, insured for $700, USPS Priority Mail, $26. It will land there Monday. Seems respectable to me. I have had good luck with USPS Priority mail.

I only us USPS priority 2-3 day with tracking and haven't had any issues.

usps on line is cheaper because they are cutting out the middleman.

mine yesterday is in person at the Post Office, just for clarity.

Your box may have been oversized. I found boxes that I can cut down and are no wider than 5 inches I can ship anywhere in the US for $15 or less . Check your sizes with the P.O. before you ship and stay away from plastic or cardboard tubes !

Just shipped a bow yesterday with a cardboard tube 70" length and 2.5" diameter. Cost was 20 bucks with some extra insurance on it through USPS. I actually got the tube for free from Lowe's. They have carpet that comes in on huge rolls so I asked the guy walking by what I could buy it for. Told me I could have it for free and even cut it in half so it would fit in my car. With how long that tube was I have an extra tube from the other half. The tube itself was durable but very light. Had my concerns on cost of it but figured it would be at least 20 without insurance so I was pleased.

I’ve used the carpet tubes from menards, free or $2, depending on who ok’s the purchase. Either way, it’s a strong light tube. There are also heavier(thicker) ones. Those are rare bc they’re only available if they sell a roll of sheet goods(linoleum). In all my years of shipping with USPS, I’ve had one thing I shipped get damaged enroute, and it was a chipped corner of a vinyl sign. I had my first torn, triangular Priority Container arrive with the POC shafts I just received. USPS did tape the tear, and the shafts weren’t even scratched. USPS is still #1 in my book.

Just an FYI that may be an option for someone. I wasn't aware that all the "UPS Stores" that we have on every corner in my neck of the woods are independent "middle men" and affiliated with UPS in name only. They mark up UPS rates to cover their services and you pay dearly for the convenience. I made a trade where the other party wanted to expedite my item and gave me their UPS business account number and told me to use it and ship to his business. I knew something was amiss when the "UPS Store" couldn't find his business address. This had me suspecting they didn't even share the UPS shipping database. I went to an actual UPS shipping hub. The paperwork went smoothly and the rate for 2-day delivery was very reasonable. I know, not everyone has a UPS business acct. but if you do, it's a good option. IMHO these stores hurt UPS's reputation but as has been pointed out, business shipping is their mainstay.

Shipped one to Ireland cheaper than that. USPS Priority way to go. Most bows $15 - $25 bucks CONUS depending on how many zones ya cross. Of coarse a 70" long bow will get ya in a "balloon" rate most likely.

Buyer pays or splits shipping with seller. Provide USPS and UPS rate. Ask them which one they want.

I make a box and ship it from home. I have a USPS account and can pay and print my label. You put the dimensions and weight in. I then request a free package pick up the next day. Last week I shipped a bow from IL to MT with $650 in insurance for $30. I have yet to experience these inflated rates and hope I don't.

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