Karaoke Forums

I am having VERY mixed feelings right now.  My wife said I could use my dividend to buy karaoke gear!!!

Now I see that the music companies want to FORCE me to use UPS (U Pay S*@$head) to ship here and they won't deduct their "free" shipping from the amount!  That means that I can buy 1 speaker for $400 and then pay $200 to have it delivered!!!!!  What do they think?? USPS isn't good enough for 'em.  Sheesh!!!

AceKaraoke is the only one that will let me use USPS for shipping but they don't carry the mixer or speakers that I want.

You give up a few perks when you abandon the lower 48, ya know?...Do you have any idea what it costs to use pack mules and bush planes to tote your stuff up there?

Well, at least you are closer to Santa.

I was born and raised here ... never 'left' the lower 48

My problem is when I talk to a customer 'dis-service' person who tells me they only ship to the United States and not to a foreign country.  Another shining example of the inadequacy of our education system.  I grew up ordering stuff regularly and had no problem having it mailed Parcel Post.  Now most idiots don't even know that that option still exists

I've run into the same problem....I kept getting my audio stuff banged up by UPS, so I told my etails either USPS or FedEx or they would lose me a s a customer. My accounts are now flagged in their computers that all audio electronic equipment goes USPS or FedEx.

I just recieved my exhaust pipe via UPS and I cannot believe they didn't bend it.

Are there no music equipment stores in your country?    What about close to you in Canada?    Won't cost that much in gas.

One real music store left in town and they're remodeling so no new stock for 6 months.  ~450 miles to Canadian border ... 724 miles to Whitehorse ... 1975 miles to Edmonton.  Don't think I'm going to drive anywhere to get equip.

you are NOT part of the CONTINENTAL United States, and neither is Hawaii. You don't live IN the mainland... therefore your shipping options are limited because of Customs, or the airfreight to be flown into Alaska.

Hey, it sucks, but it's also where you're from.

I deal with Alaska and Hawaii all the time, and yes, they're considered "out of the united states" when it comes to such matters, as well as travel TO them.

My main complaint is no one will ship parcel post or barge.  Cheapest shipping options but no one, retail, will ship.  I'm willing to wait 4-6 weeks for delivery, heck, when I was a kid it would take up to 6 months.  Don't see why I should pay the price of a passive speaker to just ship an active one!  Also, customs isn't an issue if shipped on a line direct from west coast to Alaska, it's done every day by container vessels traveling between Seattle and Anchorage.

oh I agree... the problem is the "port" issue... ever since 09/11, they get so antsy about wanting to use the ports for mere "shipping"! A friend of mine is in the shipping industry, and tells me about some of their horror stories dealing with the new port regs.

So....let me pass this by you and see what you think.

How about if you had someone in the cont US purchase it for you, then they shipped it to you via USPS parcel post? And you repaid them the shipping cost?......TA-DA!

And yeah, I volunteer, cept you would have to trust me to use your money to purchase the items.....So, do you trust me?

Or.....do you already know someone down in the real world that would do that for you?

I moved to Florida once back when I was 20 and had several boxes that needed to go with me. I didn't have a car at the time, so I had to put on my thinking cap as to how I could get my personal belongings down with me. Okay a side note- I wanted to take the Amtrak train down, so I could enjoy the country side and take a bit of time to sort some things out. Amtrak was going to charge me an arm and leg to ship them along with me.
So here's what I did. I was going to have to take a bus to Nashville from Chattanooga to meet up with the train. While at the bus station purchasing my ticket, the sales person informed me that they ship personal belongings all the time with their customers.
You pay for the price of the ticket plus an extra charge for each additional item.
They didn't bother with the weight of the items, just how much space it was gonna take up in the storage compartments. So what I did, was buy my ticket, claim my boxes as personal luggage, and all my stuff was sent down to Florida for 50 bucks. Oh did I tell you I had 15 boxes, most of it books and clothes. It would have cost me out the wazoo to have shipped it by mail and at the time UPS wasn't even the major competitor that it is now. So by using a simple technicality, I was able to ship my stuff, while I enjoyed my train ride. In Lakeland Florida, where I was headed, the bus station was right next door to the Amtrak station(at that particular time), so it was waiting for me when I arrived.
Not that this helps out in your situation, but sometimes you have to get creative to get what you need. Good luck to ya, hope everything works out.

James
Maninblack

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

Ok, i just went here:

http://postcalc.usps.gov/

And it says if I sent you a 10 lb package from my zip to yours, it would cost 19.12 parcel post, or only 20.25 3 day priority mail....TA-DA!

Not bad, huh?

You would of course lose what it cost for the etailer to ship to me. In other words, find what you want on the net in USA....order it and have it shipped to me at regular low in-continent rates....I reship to you via UPSP and you repay me my shipping costs.

And best of all, it is legal.

Worst of all, I rip you off and keep your gear and you file police complaint and they come to my shipping addy and arrest me  :(

Thanks Keith I appreciate the offer  :handshake:   Don't know why I didn't think of it but I'm going to start using my son to do just that!  He and his wife are moving to San Antonio next week and he's going to be working from home so he'll be there to accept any 'free' UPS deliveries  :dancin:

Funny how getting so p%*(#&ed off can cloud one's thinking!

That was so nice of you Keith.  Can I ship myself to you free of charge and then you can pay to ship me back???  

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Don't count on it.....I'd rip you off and keep you hostage against your will.....Then you would be forced to pay a ransom to be released....That is, providing I don't get attached to your cooking and other redeeming qualities.

I would consider using Pro Sound pssl.com or Musician's Friend they both have different shipping options.

Yeah, they have great customer service, but that only helps when the sell what you are looking for.

I've recieved bend-over-backward service from Sweetwater when it came to shipping solutions. Those guys really treat you personal and jump thru any hoop necessary to get you what you need and ship it however you desire.

But dsharrow might need something the good guys don't stock.

P.S.....I know why he turned down my offer.....He recalled my previous offer to ship him snakes seeing how they don't have any in Alaska....He figured I would toss a few in the box.

What might one want to buy that either Musicians Friend or Pro Sound and Stage Lighting does not stock other than CD+G's?

He wants to buy speakers and mixer, I'm sure that either of the retailers I suggested will have the best price one whatever he wants to buy, in fact if they don't they will match it!