# shipping plants priority mail why?



## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

Hello
why is everyone paying so much (5.00-6.00) for priority shipping? you can send it 1st class and gets there just as fast or 1 day longer for 1.25 or less for a large padded envelope. i see plants going for more than any lps would sell them for because of the 5.00 and 6.00 shipping cost on top of the few dollars for the plant itself. i guess im just crazy and like cheaper shipping.and after ive sent things priority and it take 5 days to get somewhere and a regular envelope get there in 3. i know heat will kill most plants and some need be shipped quickly to avoid long heat exposure


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## frozenbarb (Feb 8, 2007)

Priority usually takes 3 days to arrive for me. It gives a sense to the buyer that you actually care about the plants by sending it priority.
And sometimes... We are just too lazy to find a box. Priority mail boxes are freeeeeeeeee.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

I suppose you could ask the seller if they would ship it 1st class instead to save some $.
Some may not because it is easy and many have the boxes already for priority.

I think it would be nice to see the sellers offering 1st class shipping (for the cost to ship plus the envelope) and offering upgrade to priority and most likely only replacing dead plants if upgraded shipping is chosen.

Just an idea


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

frozenbarb said:


> Priority usually takes 3 days to arrive for me. It gives a sense to the buyer that you actually care about the plants by sending it priority.
> And sometimes... We are just too lazy to find a box. Priority mail boxes are freeeeeeeeee.


yes i get free priority mail boxes to, i turn them inside out. i usually just stop behind a dollar general and furniture stores for free boxes and free packing material. dam on buying boxes and foam/peanuts thats dumb. i never charged anyone for packing materials when ive sold anyhting.

when i get paypal again i guess ill be the cheapest shipper ever lol.
only 1.25 for me to ship 2 lbs to calfornia from south carolina and usually takes 3-4 days just like 6.00 priority.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Sweet, what you selling


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

goalcreas said:


> Sweet, what you selling


only have a few hundred bacopa carolinia im tryin to thin out right now, i have alot of ludwigia repens and arculata im going to list in a week, i dont have paypal right now and gonna wait till the ludwigia gets alittle thicker before i sell or trade it. since no one likes usps money orders on here or aqua bid ill have to do paypal ( www.aboutpayal.com) even though i dont trust it!


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

3 words, click and ship.

'Nuff said


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

Minsc said:


> 3 words, click and ship.
> 
> 'Nuff said


Like he said.
Also, Priority Mail includes delivery confirmation. First class mail does not have delivery confirmation. The couple extra bucks are well worth it when you run into a less than admirable buyer who claims your package never arrived. With first class mail you have no choice but to believe them.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

I've gotten plants (non moss) shipped 1st class and they arrived mangled and 1/2 dead. I'd rather have someone ship with a box and I'll pay the extra $.60-1.60 for it. 

To each their own, but you get what you pay for.


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

mikenas102 said:


> Like he said.
> Also, Priority Mail includes delivery confirmation. First class mail does not have delivery confirmation. The couple extra bucks are well worth it when you run into a less than admirable buyer who claims your package never arrived. With first class mail you have no choice but to believe them.


delivery confirmation is not free with priority mail, maybe if you print of a shiping label form there website it is. but not here


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

you can ship a small box 1st class mail, i will when i ship plants, or put the box in a padded envelope.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

customdrumfinishes said:


> delivery confirmation is not free with priority mail, maybe if you print of a shiping label form there website it is. but not here


With Priority Mail delivery confirmation is free if you print a label throught the USPS website or if you use Paypal's Click N Ship. They are both extremely convenient to use and unless you don't have a printer I can't see a reason not to use it.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

A padded envelope is not enough protection from the rough handling most packages experience. 

Often times First Class mail can take 4-5 days and some of the more delicate plants won't look too great after that. Priority mail is garaunteed to take 2-3 days and you can track it to make sure it does get there in the alotted amount of time.

This is not to say that I never use First Class. I use it all of the time to ship plants to neighboring states or to ship hardier plants. I always make sure the buyer knows that it will be First Class and they are okay with that. This is the exception for me though.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

According to usps.com:
First-Class Mail Packages – a box, thick envelope, or tube weighing up to 13 ounces.

with insulation padding, amount of plants it can be more than 13 ounces.


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## MartialTheory (Dec 20, 2007)

It brings up a great point. I may give that option as long as they understand the risks. I have out fitted a prority box for first class. It worked before.


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

AaronT said:


> A padded envelope is not enough protection from the rough handling most packages experience.
> 
> Often times First Class mail can take 4-5 days and some of the more delicate plants won't look too great after that. Priority mail is garaunteed to take 2-3 days and you can track it to make sure it does get there in the alotted amount of time.
> .


Not to be an ass but priority mail is not guaranteed, when i do ebay ive sent things priority mail and take 4 days to get 4 states over. this is not common and probably a rare case but it happens.
next time you go to the post look at there price signs behind the counter. says priority is an Average of 2-3 days for arrival not guaranteed.

1st class is the same as priority if its close enough to you true, im just trying to ship plants cheap.

Last time i went to the post office a lady was raising cain that the letter she shipped priority mail had not arrived and it had been 7 days but i know priority is guaranteed right lol. wrong hey dont refund your money either! ask them! only guarantee is next day.

yes i see where some plants would be damaged or die in transit, when big companys ship plants they ship with no water in air filled bag with cold packs, ive seen plats that were 2 weeks old be like new if kept cold and not wet. just like the scientist that put there plant species in the fridge for 2 weeks. they will live if they are done right!

but no more arguing about priority mail, i see dumb people paying 6.00 for ship and 4.00 for plant hats not worth but 4.00 to start with,your local fishy store wil order you whatever you want usualy from sunpet in the south.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I'm not sure I get what the problem is. Ship how you want. If you feel comfortable then use first class. If you don't then use priority. It's certainly up to you. I don't think that I would call people dumb just because they don't agree with you. It's not polite. People live in different parts of the country, with different Post Offices, with different people working in each. All of us have different experiences. Sometimes people are willing to pay more for a quicker delivery because 1st class, and even priority didn't work in their area. I just shipped some plants overnight to one person because they had tried 2X's before to get them priority and the plants didn't make it. The plants they wanted were on their favorites list and so it was worth it to them. They couldn't get them locally. That's not dumb. 

As far as your local LFS ordering whatever you want - I'd say you are pretty lucky if that's the case. I live in the DFW area and the few good LFS I'm familiar with have to order a huge amount to get the pricing they can live with. They also have to feel that the plants will sell to the general public. What I want doesn't always fit their criterion. That's my two cents!


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

customdrumfinishes said:


> Not to be an ass but priority mail is not guaranteed, when i do ebay ive sent things priority mail and take 4 days to get 4 states over. this is not common and probably a rare case but it happens.
> next time you go to the post look at there price signs behind the counter. says priority is an Average of 2-3 days for arrival not guaranteed.
> 
> 1st class is the same as priority if its close enough to you true, im just trying to ship plants cheap.
> ...


Please refrain for calling others dumb.

Thanks,


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

customdrumfinishes said:


> Not to be an ass but priority mail is not guaranteed, when i do ebay ive sent things priority mail and take 4 days to get 4 states over. this is not common and probably a rare case but it happens.
> next time you go to the post look at there price signs behind the counter. says priority is an Average of 2-3 days for arrival not guaranteed.
> 
> 1st class is the same as priority if its close enough to you true, im just trying to ship plants cheap.
> ...


Wow, I don't mind a little friendly debate, but ease up there please. I don't appreciate being implicated as dumb for sending packages Priority Mail. If I see this attitude from you again you will receive an infraction for misconduct and insulting another member (a moderator no less).

That being said, perhaps Priority mail is no longer garaunteed. I looked it up on their website and it does say "average of 2-3 days". I know when it first started it was garaunteed though. They do change their policy from time to time.

I'm closing this thread because you seem stubbornly bent on changing everyone's mind. Please try to have more respect for other people's opinions in the future.


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