WTTF (US) 79003 - Unexpected Gathering - Used/Loose w/Minifigures

SumoLego

Aloha Bricksetters:

Due to a stupid oversight on my part, I am looking to trade for a complete #79003 - Unexpected Gathering.  

Happy to trade a new/sealed bags #10218 Pet Shop, but without the box. (As the box is cost prohibitive to ship.)

I am also happy to pay cash for the set at a reasonable amount.  I have a litany of other sets, which I can happily share on PM.

Please PM me!

bluedragon

PM sent

BrickDancer

I don't mean to derail your Ad @SumoLego but your detail of "Without Box, as the box is cost prohibitive to ship." got me to wondering why that would be?

I've seen it mentioned many times here over the years as well, so this seems to be commonly held belief that box size will increase the shipping cost. Where some folks are asking to have their items de-boxed for shipment. I kinda just took it on face value as fact that it did in fact impact the shipping cost, even though my own experience in shipping orders should have raised this question much earlier and challenged this idea. So instead I took your offer on the single Petshop as good exercise example =)

I set up an estimate on USPS using the weight of 100 ounces (~2,820g) along with its approximate measurements to fit in a shipping box of 23"x19"x4" dimensions. Shipping would be from NYC (10022) to LA (90277) and the estimated costs were:

Express = $69.70
Priority = $38.60
Regular = $25.03

I then re-entered the values of weight and destination, but changed the package to reflect a deboxed Petshop that was placed into a shipping box of dimensions 13"x10"x3" only. I still then got the same estimated costs to ship as before:

Express = $69.70
Priority = $38.60
Regular = $25.03

So why are folks thinking that shipping costs would be cheaper just simply because its without the original box?

catwrangler

It can depend on the postal system in different countries, and (in the UK at least) on whether a box happens to be the thing that tips the weight into another category - I've had large Christmas parcels (UK to Netherlands) where the post office staff have advised me to go home and split it into two packages in order to make a considerable saving. Of course, this won't be true everywhere, but I wonder if people have seen the problem referred to and generalised about it...

MattsWhat

Courier companies seem to have moved a system where box size doesn't matter up to a certain point (giving the even pricing as weight doesn't really change). But in the UK at least, going without a box allows it to slip from having to go with a courier to fitting into a standard parcel, dropping the cost by 50% or more. 

BrickDancer

^^Yes this might be different in the UK or other varying countries. For simplicity sake I'm only using my own country of the good ol' USA for this example, specially since Sumo is also shipping it within the US.

But if shipping by the most common courier of USPS, the Regular 1st Class shipment parameters are <70lbs (max of 31,000 grams) and max package size of 108" total girth. So we are nowhere even close to hitting any limits whether by weight or package dimension size.

The weight of the Pet Shop box itself is 450g and you can calculate the exact savings if you deleted this weight from the previous 100 ounces. It would save a whopping $2.05 from the initial cost of $25.03 ($22.98 is adjust price without box). But then again, you might find folks out there that would prefer the $2 change than want the original box.

wrangler6915

I'll jump in and say cost prohibitive refers to the value of ones time in finding a large external shipping box, packing up so inner box won't get crushed, etc.  It takes very little time to put sealed Lego bags into a flat rate USPS box.  In other words, it is a huge hassle to box up large sets when you are already making a more than compelling trade offer such as offering a new pet shop for a used unexpected gathering.  That's a great deal so not unreasonable to not want the "costs" of shipping the box

SumoLego

@BrickDancer - a medium flat-rate box is $13.45.  There's your savings.  I also wouldn't ship in the original box, as they are not balanced and the contents slide around.  The boxes are also not hearty for shipping.  Plus, I just assume someone would steal it.

@wrangler6915 - exactly true.  The few times that I've shipped larger sets, the girth was over 108".  I have shipped a few sets in the Lego shipping boxes, and I was terrified that one stomp would damage everything.  Proper reinforcement of the box requires a fair amount of space - pushing the cost ever skyward.

SumoLego

I will respond to PMs tomorrow AM.  Thanks!  I appreciate the interest.

graphite

@BrickDancer you didn't account for the weight of the box.  I got the same numbers as you for a 6.5lb box of the size you mentioned.  For me shipping a modular set, I have Uline 24x20x6 boxes and total weight for a pet shop boxed up is in the 7.5 lb range which is $28.01 ground, $50.80 for priority.  Using your box size and 7.5 lb weight it is still $28.01 ground but $38.60 priority.

So compared to $11.95 for commercial base medium flat rate box it is a big difference.  Even a 12x12x8 box (non flat rate) priority at the 7.5lb rate is $28.61 for those zip codes, which makes a large flat rate still a better deal.

USPS does pricing based on "dimensional weight" so even if it doesn't max out the 108" limit the price does start to go up drastically based on weight and distance.  

I can send a like 4lb 8x8x7 box anywhere from NY/PA up through New England for like $7 since I'm in the Boston area, but that same package to CA is $17.  So even if the flat rate boxes are overkill on size they are cheaper.

All of this is one reason why the USPS never seems to make money.  Their pricing is way too complicated and it changes like every 6 months and never makes sense.

SumoLego

Deal consummated.  Please close this thread.  @drdavewatford; @Huw; @CapnRex101

Thanks!

(And for record keeping purposes: @kiki180703)

@BrickDancer - I always appreciate the discussion.  And any opprotunity to hijack a thread!

CCC

And that's another Dildo for the collection (and in before thread is closed). Just a grumpy evening one rather than a good morning one.

MattsWhat

^is there such a thing as a grumpy bilbo - all the women on here seem to love him.