Shipping/Profit questions

Hey Everyone



I'm in a more remote part of Alaska. I have a small computer shop and, as all shops do, receive a LOT of 'junk.' Most of it I just toss, or tell the customer to toss. Shipping on and off our island is pretty expensive. So let's say my only REAL option is the post office. Do you think there is any chance of any profit, or even break even margins, in disassembling equipment, loading up flat rate boxes, and sending them south? What parts might I focus on? Ram, CPU's, and motherboards from what I've read here. Would it be smarter to send full hard drives or just the boards? Batteries? Cable ends for fillers to the boxes? The large flat rate boxes are 12x12x8 I think, and cost 16.00 to ship anywhere in the US. Max weight is 70 pounds...for whatever that's worth. Shipping anything larger would require barging it to Seattle and having it picked up there, then transported. Seems pretty cost prohibitive. Am I on the right track in thinking that I should be able to make anything of this?

Welcome from kansas city. Yea all of the parts you mentioned and a whole lot more are worth pulling and seperating out into different grades. Alot of the buyers on here will gladly cover the shipping costs even from Alaska by the way. The buyers on here will also buy by the gaylord/pallet if you have freight terminals in your area.

Originally Posted by dbalaska

The large flat rate boxes are 12x12x8 I think, and cost 16.00 to ship anywhere in the US.

USPS-Produced Box: 23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" or 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"
$15.45 at the counter or $14.65 buying the postage online

if USPS is your best shipping option, I'd get on their website, and toy around with package sizes/weights, from your location(zip code) to a central zip in the lower 48(should give you an idea), and see what sizes and weights will more greatly effect your shipping. Then use that basic info to determine your own parameters, as far as size and weight restrictions, will be. I'd guess computer boards (motherboards,add in (finger) cards, CD/DVD & HDD boards) would be your largest, most bulky, but still, cost effective items. Older CPUs and Memory, and newer memory,(among other more specialized pc parts) would definitely pay. You'll also find other, more profitable items here on SMF as you read other threads. Anyways, welcome to SMF

Originally Posted by Bear

if USPS is your best shipping option, I'd get on their website, and toy around with package sizes/weights, from your location(zip code) to a central zip in the lower 48(should give you an idea), and see what sizes and weights will more greatly effect your shipping.

Being they are in Alaska
Anywhere they ship out of State will be a zone 8
So if the package weights in over 3 pounds
Large Flat Rate box will be there best bet
Large Flat Rate box ships at $14.65
3 pounds 1 ounce ships at $15.46
Those prices are for Alaska to anywhere else

I think if I was you I would deviate from the norm a little. Ship the high dollar small stuff - cpu's ram drive cards maybe pci cards gold fingers. So for the mother boards and stuff well I would take off every gold pin and socket and all the IC chips then throw the board. I would get some flat rate boxes and see what I could fit in them verses the cost. If you put card and all the small stuff in a box you should be able to make it almost a solid block. You may be able to get a buyer to give you a better rate on some things because of the quality you are sending them.

Thank you for all the replies. I have already packaged a couple large flat rate boxes and sent them to a buyer from this board. I'm extremely curious to see what he will give me for them. I sent a hand full of motherboards, laptop motherboards, ram, cpu's, hard drives, floppy drives, dvd drives, cable ends, a bigger transformer, and a battery. There is no Fedex out from the island. UPS is extremely expensive. The other option is to barge stuff out but unless I can work something out with someone in the Seattle area...well, you get it. Maybe I'm just too far north to make this all work but it's worth a try. I managed to get 26 pounds in one box and 17 in another. If i worked at it for more efficiency I think I could get more. As for the left-overs, our community of 3000 bails most everything and ships it south(garbage.) So after I've stripped what I can I will have to pay to bail the rest.

Flat rate boxes are good, but you may be able to ship cheaper via parcel post, even with your remote location.

CPUs, RAM, motherboards, even finger cards can be worth shipping. Hard drive boards are worth shipping, but you won't make money on a box packed with boardless hard drives - bring them to a local scrap yard if you have one. Gold-tipped connectors are worth shipping, insulated copper probably isn't worth the effort to pack into a box - you'll need to figure that out on your own.

Originally Posted by dbalaska

Thank you for all the replies. I have already packaged a couple large flat rate boxes and sent them to a buyer from this board. I'm extremely curious to see what he will give me for them. I sent a hand full of motherboards, laptop motherboards, ram, cpu's, hard drives, floppy drives, dvd drives, cable ends, a bigger transformer, and a battery. There is no Fedex out from the island. UPS is extremely expensive. The other option is to barge stuff out but unless I can work something out with someone in the Seattle area...well, you get it. Maybe I'm just too far north to make this all work but it's worth a try. I managed to get 26 pounds in one box and 17 in another. If i worked at it for more efficiency I think I could get more. As for the left-overs, our community of 3000 bails most everything and ships it south(garbage.) So after I've stripped what I can I will have to pay to bail the rest.

Been awhile since I looked at a flat rate box. I didn't think you could hardly fit motherboards in em

Originally Posted by Sagan

Flat rate boxes are good, but you may be able to ship cheaper via parcel post, even with your remote location.

The Large Flat Rate box's ship for $14.65 online price
Since the OP is in Alaska >> Anywhere they ship to out of state will be zone 8
The 26 pound package would be $31.66 Parcel Post >>$17.01 more expensive
The 17 pound package would be $23.55 Parcel Post >>$8.90 more expensive

And that is not even mentioning how slooowwww Parcel Post can be ESPECIALLY from a remote location in Alaska

Originally Posted by Bear

Been awhile since I looked at a flat rate box. I didn't think you could hardly fit motherboards in em

One of the choices of the Priority Large Flat rate box is a game box
That should take a couple mother boards
Inside Dimensions: 23 11/16" x 11 3/4" x 3"
Outside Dimensions: 24 1/16" x 11 7/8" x 3 1/8"

Priority Mail Board Game Large Flat Rate Box

USPS supplies the Priority box's for FREE delivered to your door

Originally Posted by JohnC4X4

One of the choices of the Priority Large Flat rate box is a game box
That should take a couple mother boards
Inside Dimensions: 23 11/16" x 11 3/4" x 3"
Outside Dimensions: 24 1/16" x 11 7/8" x 3 1/8"

Priority Mail Board Game Large Flat Rate Box

USPS supplies the Priority box's for FREE delivered to your door

that's what i've been talking about John, 2 or 3 boards aren't worth $15 in scrap?

haha! get busy filling up shipping containers! I'd best most of those which arrive there are full, and when they leave? yep, empty! probly get a hek of a price if you made the right contact ; )