Can anyone explain how FED EX is supposed to be cheaper when getting cards returned from PSA?

Mickey71

I sent my last 6 card re up sub to PSA and opened a FED EX acct. I had the cards returned ground service. I think it took twice as long to get to me any I saved about $1. I don't see the big savings. Some folks were talking like ground service with only a handful of cards was like $8 or something...I got news for you...IT AINT.

hhmag70

Not enough info provided to give you an answer.

Indy78

I had an 11 card sub shipped back to me last month by FEDEX Ground. The weight for the 11 graded cards was 2 lbs, and I declared a total value of $120. Here is the cost breakdown:

Transportation charges 7.13
Volume Discount -0.57
Declared Value 2.25
Fuel Surcharge 0.59
Direct Signature 3.25
Total charges $12.65

I didn't ask for direct signature, but this was the way PSA did it.

Had I gone with USPS through PSA, the shipping would have been $22.50, so I saved about $10.

I purposely kept my declared value low to keep the cost down. $120 was the lowest I could tolerate if the cards were lost or damaged.

Editted to say that I live on the East Coast, so the delivery went cross country.

Indy78

Because the cards were shipped by truck rather than air, the delivery took about 7 days rather than the normal 3 days. This was no big deal to me.

ga5150

I've been using Fed Ex for a while now. My last sub was 40ish cards and my numbers were very similar to Indy's above quote. I chose ground shipping and also tried to keep the declared value low to save money and had them shipped to my place of employment so there would be a signature. I've ran the numbers on my last three subs and saved a nice chunk of money. I also live on the east coast so they had to go cross country.

Rodney

EagleEyeKid

I guess Fedex is an option if you have a small amount of cards with low value. I've never tried it myself
cos my subs are always in the 50 -150 card range with values in the thousands. I personally don't mind
their priority service. I'm also in CA and I have been getting my cards back in 1 day from the time they ship.

Mickey71

Indy,
Was the amt. you declared at $120 on the fed ex line on the sub form? Did you declare $120 for your PSA submission also for the declared value total....or can the 2 numbers be totally different. I live in Washington State. I'm thinking the part to dismiss signature doesn't matter as PSA does what they want to do on that part even though I said signature not required i still had to sign.

alifaxwa2

<< <i>Indy,
Was the amt. you declared at $120 on the fed ex line on the sub form? Did you declare $120 for your PSA submission also for the declared value total....or can the 2 numbers be totally different. I live in Washington State. I'm thinking the part to dismiss signature doesn't matter as PSA does what they want to do on that part even though I said signature not required i still had to sign. >>


From my experience, I have to sign if the declared value is more than $500.

RonBurgundy

What Indy said, plus I get a discount as well. And generally, I know exactly what day my cards will be delivered.

Once PSA went away from registered, I switched to FedEx & am quite happy.

Indy78

Hey Mickey,

Yes, the $120 was what I put on the sub form on the line "Insurance Limit (required)" under the section entitled, "Alternate Return Carrier" (I'll call it the "FEDEx part" for clarity). My "Total Declared Value" under the main section of the sub form where I listed each card, min grade, etc., was $110. The reason these two are not equal is that when I filled out the FEDEx part of the sub form, I was planning on submitting 12 cards at a declared value of $10 each (for a total declared valule of $120); however, when filling out the rest of the form, I decided on 11 cards and forgot to go back and change the FEDEx part from $120 to $110. In any event, PSA went with what I put in the FEDEx portion of the sub form - $120. I hope this makes sense.

packCollector

no need to declare anything over 100 bucks , you are throwing away money as fedex will not cover collectibles over 100(included free with shipping cost)

Griffins

<< <i>no need to declare anything over 100 bucks , you are throwing away money as fedex will not cover collectibles over 100(included free with shipping cost) >>



Exactly. Paying FedEx insurance is a total waste- they don't pay off when (not if, because it will happen eventually) they lose the package.
FedEx has lost numerous packages to me in the last decade- from a $1700 card to a $15k prototype toy my client sent.
The service was designed to send escrow papers, not anything of value. If you want to make sure it gets to you, send it USPS registered.

corvette1340

I'm opening a Fedex Pack n Ship store (Sept. 12 Open date), to facilitate backend operations for the other business.

RonBurgundy

Who would rely on FedEx's insurance anyway? If you're not insuring items yourself - especially items of high value - you assume the risk.

stown

<< <i>The service was designed to send escrow papers, not anything of value. If you want to make sure it gets to you, send it USPS registered. >>



+ 1,000,000

Was at a Kinko's FedEx the other day sending some documents overnight and an older woman was trying to decide on a declared value for her "priceless" family dress. I suggested she should seriously consider registered and fully insured via USPS, and guy behind the counter agreed.

CrazyMind2017

Fedex allows for a declared value up to $1000, not $100.

I agree that it doesn't make much sense to pay $2.25 for a declared value of $120 when it would cost $0 to have a declared value of $100.

packCollector

<< <i>Fedex allows for a declared value up to $1000, not $100. >>



you can declare it and they will take the insurance premium from you without any issue but if your package is lost and you tell them it is collectibles, then you are sol and they will send you a check for 100 bucks which is the policy limit

WinPitcher

Yup 100.00 is the max they will pay out.


I also think the insurance is part of the fee.

Indy78

Yep, I agree that the $2.25 wasn't worth it. The question I have is whether the $2.25 was charged for the full declared value of $120 or if it was for the incremental value over $100 (i.e., $20)? I suspect it was for the full value of $120 and that I still would have paid around 2 bucks had I put down $100. Anybody know/have experience with this?

The sub form said insurance was "required," so I felt the need to put something there and the declared value seemed reasonable. The bottom line though is that going FedEx, even the way I did it, was still $10 cheaper than going USPS, and it worked fine for the cheaper cards that I submitted for my registry set.

Mickey71

So with FED EX....you are basically rolling the dice with anything of value. Doesn't sound good for anything more than $100. My last sub was just to try it out and like I said...saved about a dollar. Thing is I was obviously charged for more insurance as I declared the value at $500 and would have received $100 had it gone bad???

Griffins

In my experience they won't even pay the $100, they will just credit you for the shipping for that package.

CrazyMind2017

Sorry guys, you're wrong. They cover up to $1000 if you declare up to $1000.

2011 Rates & Service guide PDF

Page 123, left side column, Section F, Line 11

The only significance of the $100 figure is that $100 of liability coverage is included in the delivery price for all Fedex, UPS, and USPS Express Mail shipments. If you want additional coverage, you have to pay for it, but it's available.

WinPitcher

I think the confusion here rests with the fact that Fed Ex express is limited to 100.00, isn't that what PSA uses?

Section A states that they don't provide any
insurance coverage.

hhmag70

<< <i>Sorry guys, you're wrong. They cover up to $1000 if you declare up to $1000.

2011 Rates & Service guide PDF

Page 123, left side column, Section F, Line 11

The only significance of the $100 figure is that $100 of liability coverage is included in the delivery price for all Fedex, UPS, and USPS Express Mail shipments. If you want additional coverage, you have to pay for it, but it's available. >>





This is completely correct.

Indy78

For Fed Ex Ground, which is what I used, one has to scroll down to page 151, paragraphs A-G. Perhaps somebody smarter than me can better interpret what it says, but by my read, FedEx liability is limited to $100 unless one declares a higher amount and pays an additional charge "as provided in the FedEx Service Guide" (paragraph A). Even paying the additional charge, the maximum liability for sports cards is $1,000 (paragraph D, no. 5). Page 106 has the Fed Ex Ground additional charges for declarations above $100: $0.75 per $100 of value for shipments valued in excess of $100 ($2.25 minimum).

Based on this info, it looks like I cost myself an extra $2.25 by declaring $120 instead of $100. Live and learn, I guess.

Thanks for the link to the Service Guide.

Indy78

I think the confusion here rests with the fact that Fed Ex express is limited to 100.00, isn't that what PSA uses?

The FedEx choices on my PSA submission form were Saturday Delivery, Priority, Standard, 2-Day, 3-Day, and Ground.

thenavarro

If you do a lot of buying/selling/grading, then it might be in your best interest to take out a 3rd party insurance policy with someone like collectinsure.com If you are a high volume shipper then you will more than make your premiums back by not purchasing USPS or FedEx or UPS insurance. Plus, you will have coverage for your own collection in whatever dollar amount you buy. You may or may not have coverage for your own collection via your homeowners policy so it's nice to have the "for sure" coverage.

Mike