Is printing a UPS Label from PayPal cheaper than The UPS Store (Shipping Amp) (2024)

I'm shipping an amp via UPS and would like to know two things. Is printing a label through PayPal cheaper?

I looked for the appropriate forum to post this thread, and it this thread seems the most appropriate. Thanks

dcbc said:

Yes. It's a bit cheaper.

Click to expand...

Thanks.

I've run into the same thing shipping guitars. I've sold them, given a reasonable amount for shipping, based on what I have paid in the past to have guitars shipped to me, only to find the UPS store wanted 2 to 3 times as much when I showed up with a boxed guitar ready to ship. It was very frustrating.

Interestingly enough, I had lunch with a buddy who is high up at a big box retailer a few months back. He told me one of the ways they can offer free shipping is they don't buy insurance on what they ship. The accountants did the research, and it was determined that the amount of product that was damaged in shipping was far less than the wholesale replacement cost of the product, in the rare case that actually happened.

As a consumer, and private seller, most of us just can't afford to take the risk, so we insure our shipments.

That being said, it's a bit of a quagmire trying to determine shipping costs for the "average joe". Ebay/paypal says one thing, then the UPS store says something far above the quote we used to make the transaction. I wish it we're easier.

The UPS store is not UPS. They mark up the actual shipping cost that UPS would charge. They need to make a profit.

If you take your packed item to a UPS customer counter, you'll pay the actual UPS charges. The cost will be much higher if you have them pack it. You can also create an account on UPS.com.

If you do your own packing, and use UPS.com, you can insure the item (declared value) and print a shipping label. If the item has a declared value of over $1,000, the workers at the UPS store cannot sign for it. You will have to give it to a driver or bring it to a UPS hub's customer counter.

slider313 said:

The UPS store is not UPS. .

Click to expand...

RCCola said:

I'd recommend creating an account on UPS.com or FedEx.com.

Click to expand...

The two things I came here to post.

RCCola said:

I'd recommend creating an account on UPS.com or FedEx.com. If it's a big item, you can schedule a pickup for a few bucks. It's usually $2-3 or so for me on FedEx. The FedEx price I get quoted is much cheaper when I'm logged into my account than if I'm not logged in.

Click to expand...

Setting up an account is free and easy and saves you a ton over the marked up UPS store price. I usually just drop off at a UPS store with everything already packed and labeled.

fisticuffs said:

Setting up an account is free and easy and saves you a ton over the marked up UPS store price. I usually just drop off at a UPS store with everything already packed and labeled.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I drop my prepaid packages at the UPS store also. I have my UPS drivers cell number in case I have a package valued $1,000 or more.

I though UPS actually bought the UPS Store a while back and the shipping prices are the same now?

I use my online ups account to print the labels and drop stuff off at the ups store nowadays.

A possible way to save money on shipping an amp via UPS is to create a free UPS account online and print the label yourself. The UPS Store charges more than the online rates because they are a franchise and not owned by UPS.

You can also get small business discounts if you have an online UPS account. The UPS Store also offers flat rate shipping for different box sizes, starting from $10.85 for extra small to $27.60 for extra large.

However, these rates may not be cheaper than the online rates depending on the weight and destination of your package. You can compare the online and flat rate shipping costs using the UPS shipping cost calculator.

SonexReducer said:

I'm shipping an amp via UPS and would like to know two things. Is printing a label through PayPal cheaper?

And when I declare the amp's value when printing a UPS Label through PayPal, is it automatically insured for that value?

I looked for the appropriate forum to post this thread, and it this thread seems the most appropriate. Thanks

Click to expand...

Gets quotes from Pirateship.com before you commit to using UPS or PayPal's site, they save me a ton of money.

techi_hamza said:

A possible way to save money on shipping an amp via UPS is to create a free UPS account online and print the label yourself. The UPS Store charges more than the online rates because they are a franchise and not owned by UPS.

You can also get small business discounts if you have an online UPS account. The UPS Store also offers flat rate shipping for different box sizes, starting from $10.85 for extra small to $27.60 for extra large.

However, these rates may not be cheaper than the online rates depending on the weight and destination of your package. You can compare the online and flat rate shipping costs using the UPS shipping cost calculator.

Click to expand...

Welcome to TGP!