"Dave" wrote in message
news.com...
There is no difference between Alaska, Hawaii, and New Mexico or
Maine.

Will someone please explain this 48 state stuff?

What's the story?

The 'story' is TIME. NO ONE in Alaska or Hawaii wants to
WAIT for 'ground' delivery, which is what is usually quoted
in the shipping price. Maine is 7 days TOPS. NOT weeks
like AK and HI are.

I asked at the Post Office, TODAY, in person, and found
that GROUND to Alaska is 4 weeks!!! So that means that
if I quote you 'parcel post' or 'Priority' - it makes NO DIFFERENCE
and will take a month to get to Alaska. Even WORSE for
Hawaii- 4 to 6 weeks.

So that means 'I'll pay the shipping at the rate quoted but if you
don't live in the lower-48, and you want it before summer, you
will have to cough up more money'

On the other hand, if I quote 'any state in the union' that means
that 48 states will get a VERY HIGH price just to make 'one price
for all' work for AK and HI.

Pretty simple. Go to www.usps.com and enter your own shipping
info and you'll see. It's really a simple issue.

Dave



While I agree with your timing on shipments to Alaska and Hawaii - been
there done that - I disagree on your theory of one price fits all. Simply
state - BUYER PAYS ALL SHIPPING. Then charge them what it is to THEIR
location.
By saying that - I'm NOT including any costs you may charge for packing, if
any. So for example... if I have a tube tester up for bids and let's say two
people are potential winners - one in Alaska, the other in N.C. - a dead
heat in bidding. They ask me the cost to ship. They supply the zip code, I
give them the cost to their respective locations - regardless what it is.
"I" do not charge to pack. So all I would bill them for is the shipping
which WILL include insurance. I NEVER ship without insurance and at least
Confirmation of Delivery. Now, having been given the cost to ship, it is up
to that bidder to continue to bid for a win. "I" will ship to the US or
Canada (if need be). I dislike the paper work of Canada, but I'll still ship
there. But I'm not a great fan of shipping to the other countries. I suppose
if they want to pay the price, I'll do it. But for now, I've done all of the
US with no problems. In all of my shipping quotes, usually I'm on the money
98% of the time. There are those few times I've been within a $1 plus or
minus on cost. If it is a $1 more, I eat it. I find the right size
container, packing materials and use a good postal scale. Prepack, weigh and
measure. Plug all info into the shipper's web site. I do pretty good. It
doesn't have to be rocket science. I've shipped many items and I have yet to
have any problems with a package getting to it's destination or any
arguments in cost. I did get thrown off with the deal to Alaska though... I
was told something like 8 days and as you pointed out, it was 4 weeks. A
HELL of a huge difference. I believe that was before the Postal went cyber.
MNS.