Shipping discussions

[ConcinusMan]

The link I posted clearly says ALL SNAKES.... What more clarification do you need than that? To sum it all up.... what you are doing is not allowed, you continue to do it anyway because you are cheap and don't want to do it the correct way, and you have no respect for rules or regulations (which you made clear with your little "don't ask don't tell" comment)

There you go again. I didn't say anything about respect for the regulations. I simply meant to imply that they would have a hell of a time prosecuting (since you say it's "illegal") if they didn't ask. Plus, I already told you. They know what I ship. Yes, I see that "all snakes" are restricted. So what? That doesn't mean it's illegal and there are conditions under which they will mail restricted items. At my local post offices, apparently showing them that the snakes are for sure packaged securely and that they can't escape, is enough for them to allow it.

What more clarification do you need other than "conditions of preparation and packaging under which the USPS accepts for mailing potentially harmful matter"

This isn't about "what's cheap" it's about not using services that are clearly a rip off. Your "discounted" rates are still way higher than USPS express mail.

[twgrosmick]

There you go again. I didn't say anything about respect for the regulations. I simply meant to imply that they would have a hell of a time prosecuting (since you say it's "illegal") if they didn't ask. Plus, I already told you. They know what I ship. Yes, I see that "all snakes" are restricted. So what? That doesn't mean it's illegal and there are conditions under which they will mail restricted items. At my local post offices, apparently showing them that the snakes are for sure packaged securely and that they can't escape, is enough for them to allow it.

This isn't about "what's cheap" it's about not using services that are clearly a rip off.

What makes you so special that they would allow you to ship snakes when no one else is allowed too. Do you not think that everyone would be shipping through the post office if it was possible seeing as it is cheaper and arguably a better option (which is why I use it to ship geckos). It isn't like you are the only person who packages their snakes securely. The certain conditions are medical research, testing, etc. It also clearly says that. Not cause one cheap *** wants to ship through the post office so that he doesn't have to pay the extra $20 to do it the right way.

If it was allowed then the statement would read "Snakes are allowed only when x, y, and z conditions have been met."

Any I am not misquoting you at all. You said yourself that if they don't ask and you don't lie if they do ask you are not breaking the law. That is like saying that if you go drink and drive and no one stops you or pulls you over then what you are doing isn't illegal. I know that is an extreme comparison but it has the same basis of "It's only against the law if you get caught"

Who determines whether or not something is a rip off? I think that SYR and becoming certified to ship through FedEx offers a very reasonable price to ship. On top of that, the buyer is the one that pays shipping so unless you are trying to make more money on shipping which wouldn't surprise me why not just use FedEx like everyone else who ships snakes?

[ConcinusMan]

What makes you so special that they would allow you to ship snakes when no one else is allowed too.

I give up?

Who determines whether or not something is a rip off? I think that SYR and becoming certified to ship through FedEx offers a very reasonable price to ship.

Define reasonable. Is it reasonable to pay over $50 to ship a $25 snake (with no money back guarantee of on-time arrival, at that) when the post office will do the same thing for as little as $26? Is it reasonable when half of potential sales get killed when they hear the price of the shipping?

On top of that, the buyer is the one that pays shipping so unless you are trying to make more money on shipping which wouldn't surprise me.

Watch it. If shipping (including packaging) turns out to cost more than a dollar under what I expected, I call the buyer and ask if they want the difference back.

I don't get any complaints about the way I ship. From my customers or the post office.

I've said enough. This was about shipping and temps. Not arguing with you.

[twgrosmick]

Big bold letters on the box said "LIVE HARMLESS REPTILE". Funny it ships if it's illegal to do so. Always has shipped for me. No problem.

I ship lizards through the post office which are allowed and that is exactly what I write on the side so that means absolutely nothing

[twgrosmick]

If we get past the fact that clearly shipping through the post office is not legal/allowed... Why would you use a shipping service that doesn't even ensure that the animals arrive in the morning like FedEx does with their priority overnight option. I know that there are a few exceptions to this with FedEx, but the postal service Express shipping isn't even overnight to every area and to top it off many shipments arrive between 2-4 PM... How do you justify keeping snakes in the box the extra 4-6 hours even an extra day in some cases?

[guidofatherof5]

I would like to add something to your discussion but don't want to add to the derailment.

[ConcinusMan]

Just did a price comparison. Same package, same weight, same beginning and destination address.

USPS Express (1-day delivery) $36.45
Ship Your Reptiles $105.52 NOTE: The rates shown on this page do not include ShipYourReptiles On-Time and Live Arrival Insurance, delivery confirmation or all FedEx surcharges, the most common of which is for delivery to a residential address.

(All of that is included in the USPS express mail price)

Yikes. And with the latter service, I have to drive all the way to PDX to ship it.

That's just friggin' ridiculous any way you slice it. If my customers were buying $20,000 ball pythons I'm sure they would pay it, but that's not the case.

[ConcinusMan]

It's easy to complain about people not following the rules while a good majority of the garter snakes that are in the trade wouldn't be there if it wasn't for...

You know what. Nevermind. You go ahead and buy, trade and sell your pugets and concinnus' and all the while, you preach about following the rules. Nevermind how they got to be available in the first place. Everyone's jumping down my throat but it never occurred to people that there is no legal way, and never has been one, to get either of those species. That includes their captive descendants. They're all illegal if you want to get picky and follow the letter of the law, and I'm pretty sure that doesn't just apply to those two.

If my east coast customers are going to have to pay $105 + to get snakes from me, I might as well give them away for free so I'll just shut it down and quit doing it at all. In fact, I think that's exactly what I'll do. It's getting to be a hassle and I'm not making enough to be worthwhile anyway. Happy now?

[twgrosmick]

If my east coast customers are going to have to pay $105 + to get snakes from me, I might as well give them away for free so I'll just shut it down and quit doing it at all. In fact, I think that's exactly what I'll do. It's getting to be a hassle and I'm not making enough to be worthwhile anyway. Happy now?

It isn't a matter of shutting down. It is the fact that you know how to do it correctly yet you still cut corners. Offer incentives to purchase more snakes so shipping isn't as expensive in comparison to the snakes being purchased. Get FedEx certified yourself, you can ask anyone who is, they offer the same if not a better discount than SYR. It isn't hard to do it the correct way Richard and there is no excuse for it. I think this thread has said all it needs too and with Robyn chiming in confirming the fact that is is illegal we know can put this issue to rest and everyone knows that USPS is not an acceptable way to ship reptiles.

[ConcinusMan]

It isn't a matter of shutting down.

Yes it is. Nobody is going to pay that when they can just go to the next guy who's charging $40 for shipping. And as far as FedEx certification goes, I already looked into that long ago. You can only ship to a business so that's about worthless. I've only shipped to a business a couple of times in 3 years. Believe me, I've already looked into every other "right" way to ship. NONE of them are practical at all. I'm not going to sell a damn thing at those shipping rates. Maybe for you guys shipping $500 orders and nothing but high end snakes, it works out fine. I only ship perhaps a maximum of 10 packages a year, if that. So, I would never see those discounts they promise for volume shipping and I would never see a customer anyway at those rates. 20% lower than "retail" fedEx rates is still higher than hell. So, I guess I just won't do it at all.