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Author Topic: USBC shipping service  (Read 4440 times)

Tex

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USBC shipping service
« on: March 19, 2011, 05:03:26 AM »
Has anyone shipped using the service this year? If so, what were the costs. Thinking about shipping stuff home since may go down to Vegas for a couple days after bowling.


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Stan

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2011, 01:30:42 PM »
Just go onto the Bowl.com site, Open tournament section and go to the shipping section.  Type in your info and wait for the cost to come up.  There is no charge for this.



DrBob806

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2011, 08:53:24 AM »
I always use BBE, but UPS is gouging us with a "fuel surchrge" this year. Normally, from Cleveland to Reno, it's been around $60 to ship 4 balls each way. This year, the extra charge brought it to $80.

I don't like the extra fee, I thought UPS was in business to deliver packages, not make money off of petroleum products. I used the service anyway because I think it's better than risking your balls getting damaged by careless baggage handlers or losing them when you change planes.



Russell

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2011, 09:15:26 AM »
I must be honest I was VERY disappointed with how opportunistic USBC is being with this.  I have a FedEx account through my shop, so I shipped 6 balls out (3 mine and 3 for a teammate) ground.  The total cost was $76 (mind you I live near Atlanta GA).  I get there and missed the part where there is a $25 for each box if it's sent outside of the BBE service.  I made a face of disappointment...paid the fee because it was my fault for not reading the fine print...and went on with my weekend.

 

After finishing D/S on Sunday night we went down to ship our stuff back.  I don't bowl any leagues so I was going to ship all 5 balls I had back, and 7 more for teammates bringing the total to 12 balls.

 

Now mind you the FedEx ground charge for 6 balls was $76....so it would stand to reason that UPS ground for 12 would have been about double that....right?

 

No....the total was $241!!!!

 

Now I am no math genius...but I'm going to bet that the UPS portion of that is about $140....and I was thinking that USBC would be charging a modest fee for each box, and had prepared myself to hear something like $175.

 

But seriously....$241!!!!
 

Are you f'ing kidding me?

 

Well it was 3am...and our flights were in the morning...so I was kind of stuck and paid  the fee.  USBC is raping the bowlers for this service that consists of simply accepting shipping and holding the balls for a day or two.

 

What's funny is I did the math...and if I had shipped 12 balls FedEx out there...here is how it would have worked:

 

4 ball box = $53...times 3 = $159

 

$25 per box fee = $75

 

$159 + $75 = $234

 

Amazing how being penalized for not using their service would have been cheaper than shipping it through them.

 

Shame on you USBC.


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T C 300

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2011, 09:32:59 AM »
if your a diamond member at harrahs you can ship your balls to the hotel....
 
they may say no at first but ask for "some one to talk to".
 they want you to stay there and gamble, they WILL accept your package!!



AlBundy33

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2011, 10:34:45 AM »

 Out of curiosity, what were the size of the boxes that you shipped the equipment in? I do know for a fact that UPS rapes customers on shipping costs for oversized packages. I remember shipping a ball home when I bowled in Billings and it was something like $17 or so.
 
$241 is insane though, especially if FedEx would have been around $70 cheaper.
Russell wrote on 3/21/2011 9:15 AM:
I must be honest I was VERY disappointed with how opportunistic USBC is being with this.  I have a FedEx account through my shop, so I shipped 6 balls out (3 mine and 3 for a teammate) ground.  The total cost was $76 (mind you I live near Atlanta GA).  I get there and missed the part where there is a $25 for each box if it's sent outside of the BBE service.  I made a face of disappointment...paid the fee because it was my fault for not reading the fine print...and went on with my weekend.

 

After finishing D/S on Sunday night we went down to ship our stuff back.  I don't bowl any leagues so I was going to ship all 5 balls I had back, and 7 more for teammates bringing the total to 12 balls.

 

Now mind you the FedEx ground charge for 6 balls was $76....so it would stand to reason that UPS ground for 12 would have been about double that....right?

 

No....the total was $241!!!!

 

Now I am no math genius...but I'm going to bet that the UPS portion of that is about $140....and I was thinking that USBC would be charging a modest fee for each box, and had prepared myself to hear something like $175.

 

But seriously....$241!!!!
 

Are you f'ing kidding me?

 

Well it was 3am...and our flights were in the morning...so I was kind of stuck and paid  the fee.  USBC is raping the bowlers for this service that consists of simply accepting shipping and holding the balls for a day or two.

 

What's funny is I did the math...and if I had shipped 12 balls FedEx out there...here is how it would have worked:

 

4 ball box = $53...times 3 = $159

 

$25 per box fee = $75

 

$159 + $75 = $234

 

Amazing how being penalized for not using their service would have been cheaper than shipping it through them.

 

Shame on you USBC.


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Russell

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2011, 12:11:52 PM »
I own a shop so I used standard packaging, a 4 ball box (9 x 18 x 18)....and a 2 ball box (9 x 9 x 18)...which is the same that was used on the way back.


Little known fact:  In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

shipper50

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2011, 12:58:55 PM »
I have used BBE in the past and thought it was a great convenience,  but I will take my stuff this time on Southwest as this will be my last Nationals. I am sure everyone is aware, they don't care about the bowlers one bit, if you think so, show me the special rates for rooms and shipping that saves us money compared to just doing things on line instead.
 
Shipper



Tex

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2011, 01:13:01 PM »
 I know from recent transactions that UPS is higher than Fedex to start. My deal is going out on Southwest, but may be flying back on American out of Vegas. We may make it a vacation and bowling. Who wants to stay in Reno any longer than bowling.  

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2011, 01:18:54 PM »
I remember buying a 15lb ball in Las Vegas and BBE wanted close to $50 to ship it back to PA.   I took it to a local UPS/shipping store and shipped it for $20.
 
See if you can find a UPS hub near where you staying, or a shipping store that accepts packages. Sometimes you can ship to these places instead.



icefiction

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2011, 01:40:47 PM »
Wow, did you talk to any of the USBC staff on hand at the event about the outrageous charges? I mean I have shipped stuff in the past, not to Nationals but to other events and I have never paid that much ever. It seems like our dues are not enough anymore, they need to make as much money as possible off of us at every chance they get. This is getting quite absurd, next year I bet there will be a fee for wanting to use your own shoes and bowling balls, o and maybe a fee for walking on their carpet too.






txbowler

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2011, 07:32:38 AM »
I agree with everyone here that the prices seem high, but USBC has to pay the employees who work the shipping service a salary + supplies they stock.  Those other business' are cheaper because the general public uses them every day.  Not just a few bowlers a day for a few months.  The employees and expenses must get paid whether no bowlers uses the service or not, and USBC is not going to give it away.


milorafferty

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2011, 08:01:10 AM »
Oh yea, I bet USBC is just breaking even on it too. They never try to find a way to extract a few extra dollars out of us do they? 

 



txbowler wrote on 3/22/2011 7:32 AM:I agree with everyone here that the prices seem high, but USBC has to pay the employees who work the shipping service a salary + supplies they stock.  Those other business' are cheaper because the general public uses them every day.  Not just a few bowlers a day for a few months.  The employees and expenses must get paid whether no bowlers uses the service or not, and USBC is not going to give it away.








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icefiction

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2011, 09:10:08 AM »
I understand that you might think that the USBC needs to find salary for those who are working the shipping department of the event however, I see no harm in paying them $8.00 an hour which is better than most people are making for very similar jobs. Also, don't our dues pay the salaries of USBC employees? Why do we need to pay them to find more people when they all ready have a staff?






txbowler

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Re: USBC shipping service
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2011, 09:54:14 AM »
If you think they had staff from Arlington go to Reno to work the shipping service, then add lodging and food for 6 months to those costs that were mentioned earlier.  Also, $8 an hour?  The local McDonalds here in Dallas starts the kids at $8.50 flipping burgers.  They are not paying that low.  And finally, if you haven't noticed, USBC as an organization, is LOSING money.  So yes, they may look at add profit at any place they can.
 
Yes, we as bowlers need to look to every means possible to save money when we travel.  But I don't fault USBC for profiting while providing a service to bowlers.  
 
You are paying a premium for a convenience.  Every business charges for it.  Why can't USBC?  They are a business.  Bowlers just don't like thinking of them as one.  A poorly run one.  But still a business.