Shipping airguns you should be using ...pirateship.com

ok.. you are extremely helpful.. so for instance I'm selling a rifle and here's how I think I'd like it to go, ship it and tell the buyer to check for damage and if it is damaged and he's not totally happy with it it's damage then refuse it ..
you said that it comes back fob.. so I assume that it would come back to me and I would then sort it out with the local place..
that said I assume that they will cover the amount of insurance.. and then I don't care, I can take the rifle for parts or I assume they own it since the insurance basically bought it.. so rightfully it's theirs..
so does the insurance cover the shipping? or will I be paying for shipping two ways?
thank you for the very thorough explanation..
Mark
 
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FYI Pirate Ship does not use the shipper's insurance. They used to use Shipsurance but now they use a UPS Capital product called InsureShield. (Seeing UPS did not put me at ease either) I read the exclusion list and airguns are not mentioned. But it seems the Insureshield insurance is a very recent change and there isn't much collective experience with it yet.

Pirate Ship really only manages your shipment data and produces a label. The actual shipping is 100% by the carrier you're purchasing from. I believe Pirate Ship is effectively a corporate shipping account that we all get to enjoy their corporate shipping rates.

I generally use Pirate Ship. Many days if I have an item being delivered I leave the box on my porch with a note saying "UPS Outbound" and the driver picks it up when they're dropping off. For items of real value I take it to the post office or UPS store and get a receipt. Knock on wood I've not been forced to chase the insurance claim trail yet...

It's unfortunate that all shipping options are fraught with risk of theft, loss, or gross mishandling. I really do wonder how airgun retailers deal with it.
 
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Ive been using pirateahip since 2023 and really enjoy the service. Now on the other hand I have a recent string of package getting delivered to wrong house by UPS. I was lucky there are still good honest people left and they brought the package to my house. Not everyone out there will do the right thing even when No one is looking
 
I always recommend them, so much so, that I recommended them for my last job, as the price was better than we could get for our small volume.

I have never had a single issue, and I have never had them come back asking for a higher price.

Someone mentioned that they changed out their insurance provider, and it seems to be less restrictive than the prior one, but I am unsure.
 
I've seen a few posts on here in the last little while griping about shipping, and I have some advice.

1) USPS Ground Advantage, it's ok, but in my mind not really worth the, sometimes, long delay in delivery. I've used it a time or two, but have sworn off it.
2) USPS Priority Mail, it's their best option, but mail service is getting worse every day. My last incoming shipment took 9 or 10 days and was 60 miles form my home for over 3 days. Then the funny story is... when you come to my house, my driveway is roughly 300 feet long, and then it splits, you go right into my garage, on that side you could conservatively park a dozen cars. If you go left, you could literally park a 747 in front of my house. But, and this is the great part. If a delivery is on saturday, (not my normal mailman), I will almost always get a notice, "driveway inaccessable" HOLY COW! how much room do they need!!!!!?

So, I'm not using USPS any more than is necessary.

I've had good luck with both UPS and FedEx, so when one of the service techs at AOA had me send in my Impact for work, he said use pirateship.com and save a bundle. He was right. You can ship a gun, which normally would cost something on the order of $60-100 for around $35, it's amazing and they use UPS or USPS, and there may be another too, I can't remember. So that's what I use and it's amazing how much you save and I've never had a problem and when you go into your "free" account, you get a history of all shipments and tracking numbers. So if you haven't give it a try.
Pirate Shis is great. I use them all the time. Good Recommendation
 
so a couple questions..
can you buy the additional insurance for the gun on pirate like you do at UPS or USPS?
so since they damaged the shipment, does the company return the damage item to the shipper? otherwise how would you know if everyone met obligation.. maybe the receiver just said it was damaged and you give them the money back but then UPS doesn't cover it because they kept it?
I remember when I was just a kid Mom got a grain grinder and UPS had ran the forklift right through the center.. totally destroyed it.. I'm not sure but I think my parents left it at UPS and said no point in taking that home..I think it was a warehouse pickup.. anyway another one came and it was good..
Mark
You can purchase insurance on PirateShip.
 
I had a nasty go around with the PO over an AA S400 MPR that got broken in shipping. To say it left a bad taste in my mouth is an understatement. So much so, I promised myself, I would never lose that kind of argument again. It's true, they take everything that was in the package, damaged or not and won't compromise in any way. It's true, they won't tell you right then if you'll get ANYTHING, and you have to forfeit everything. They can deny the claim at a later date, and you get nothing, not even your damaged goods, NO THANKS! I declined.
Later, when another carrier, which I can't mention, damaged a flintlock that was packed will enough to drop from a plane, it took me six months and having two lawyer friends waiting in the wings, to get full restitution and money for my trouble, so I'm at least as good as my word. I'm told that has never happened before.

I would have to change my mind and agree, to not using Ground Advantage for anything worth any real money. I've lost a magazine for an Impact, and am waiting on some other packages shipped that way and it sure looks like it's going to turn out sour, but I have faith. Priority Mail is ok to good, and usually, even during the holidays, reliable. Don't fall for a few buck less and take a chance of losing things, it's not worth it, and I've been guilty of it myself, so I'm preaching to me as well.
 
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I had a nasty go around with the PO over an AA S400 MPR that got broken in shipping. To say it left a bad taste in my mouth is an understatement. So much so, I promised myself, I would never lose that kind of argument again. It's true, they take everything that was in the package, damaged or not and won't compromise in any way. It's true, they won't tell you right then if you'll get ANYTHING, and you have to forfeit everything. They can deny the claim at a later date, and you get nothing, not even your damaged goods, NO THANKS! I declined.
Later, when another carrier, which I can't mention, damaged a flintlock that was packed will enough to drop from a plane, it took me six months and having two lawyer friends waiting in the wings, to get full restitution and money for my trouble, so I'm at least as good as my word. I'm told that has never happened before.

I would have to change my mind and agree, to not using Ground Advantage for anything worth any real money. I've lost a magazine for an Impact, and am waiting on some other packages shipped that way and it sure looks like it's going to turn out sour, but I have faith. Priority Mail is ok to good, and usually, even during the holidays, reliable. Don't fall for a few buck less and take a chance of losing things, it's not worth it, and I've been guilty of it myself, so I'm preaching to me as well.

Never had an issue, I'll continue to use the shipping available until a concern arises.
 
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Is pirate ship really less costly than just having your own USPS personal account? Has one (likely still do?) back when I was selling a friend 30 year collection, no cost for the account but did need a scale & label printer-you could find a work around if only using it once in a while- all shipping supplies delivered to your door, home pick-up Low cost.
Just wondering.


John
 
Is pirate ship really less costly than just having your own USPS personal account? Has one (likely still do?) back when I was selling a friend 30 year collection, no cost for the account but did need a scale & label printer-you could find a work around if only using it once in a while- all shipping supplies delivered to your door, home pick-up Low cost.
Just wondering.


John

About 1/2 the cost on average with heavier packages realizing the greatest savings overall.
 
Here's my interesting PIRATE story it starts with never ever having a problem, I mean smooth as glass operation every time. On my last shipment of a spare cherry AAA mini22 the shipper's truck catches fire three blocks from it's delivery point. The truck and it's contents are totally destroyed so they dump contents they said? This non governmental shipping service pays off on their $150 end within three days of lost without any further updated information? But collecting an extra purchased $2300 from the pirate's insurance carrier at the time will take almost nine arduous months.


Caution now entering the twilight zone of wild insurance conspiracy theories, it seems some pencil necks found it strange a fire destroyed a shipment so close to it's delivery. One theory was perhaps I over insured then shipped an empty box to a buyer? Why you may well ask, simple I just knew a random truck hundreds of miles away was gonna catch fire. :rolleyes:


Needless to say I raised holy hell with those pencil neck bastards even threating legal action. Now I must say those pirate folks were most supportive during the ordeal, but their hands were somewhat contracted third party legally duck taped. Yesterday upon returning to shipping, I see PIRATE now has a NEW insurance carrier who promises three day payment on lost shipments.(y)


Bottom line: Prior to entrusting any blind three legged camel delivery service, take item pictures while packing as proof that you did indeed ship an insured item. Also insure higher than item's worth to compensate waiting for your held up frog skins cause really it's a crap shoot, no matter the camel or what you pay. :cool::cool::cool:
 
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Pirate ship just offers labels online. As long as the label works, their job is done.

UPS still insures all shipments up to $100. You can declare a higher value. If the goods are received damaged the receiver files a claim with UPS and notifies the sender.

UPS pays the claim to the sender. Not the receiver with the damaged goods. Their contract is with the purchaser of the label.

The receivers contract is with the sender. If you get goods damaged in shipping, you have to deal with the person who shipped them to you. They are the ones that get paid for the damage. (Unless it's COD)

The person that pays the shipper is insured based on the declaration of value. They follow up on the claim and make it right with the receiver. Sooner or later UPS writes them a check for the damages.

The sender needs to have photos of the damaged boxes and merchandise. And the receiver has to notify UPS so they can inspect the damage. Everyone has to work together or someone gets the forked end of the stick and UPS gets off the hook for the damage.
Ask for the policy covering Airgun shipments “in writing” as pirate is a discount carrier.