Box Brothers

The Importance of Proper Shipping

Box Brothers — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:21:27 +0000

Shipping may be overlooked by many small businesses and individuals, such as eBay sellers and other e-commerce businesses. What you charge, how quickly it arrives and how it looks on arrival all reflect on your brand – and your chances for repeat purchasing. Here’s how to ship more quickly and cost-effectively and look better than your competitors.

1. Boost sales with “free” shipping.
This past holiday season, 56 percent of online transactions included free shipping, according to digital business analytics leader comScore. Free-shipping orders were 30 percent higher in value. And, the free-shipping phenomenon is not limited to online retailers.
You don’t have to give away the shipping, though. Consider utilizing one of these ideas:
Create VIP clubs with free shipping for high-value shoppers; offer free shipping only intermittently or only for high-margin products; or set a minimum threshold higher than the average transaction size.
Since free shipping drives revenue and loyalty, some businesses allocate shipping to their often-larger marketing budgets, instead of operations.
Pad a little extra onto product prices to offset much of the shipping fee.

2. Pack shipments sustainably.
Thoughtful packaging makes a big impression. A customer who sees a neatly and safely packaged item is sure to notice the care put in to their purchase. It also gives a sense of professionalism and commitment to your customers.
3. Prepare shipments better.
Shipping is actually a multistep process: selecting the right size box and packaging materials, confirming order accuracy, generating and applying packing slips, sealing, applying labels and so on. It’s easy for one poor decision – a box too-small for the weight, for example – to drive up costs. The solution: Ensure that your packing team is equipped with the highest quality materials, including boxes, tape, loose-fill, bubble wrap, and any packaging other materials they may need. If you are a one-man show.. such as an eBay seller… and you need to ship something fragile, consider taking your item to a professional packing and shipping store. You can have your item professionally packed and shipped, saving you the time, worry, and hassle of doing it yourself.

The Reason We’re in Business

Box Brothers — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:06:37 +0000

The following is a review posted on YELP about our Box Brothers Las Vegas location. Such customer satisfaction is what we’re in business for.

”The only time I recall moving far distance was when we moved from the Philippines to Australia and then from Australia to the USA. All these moves were coordinated by my mother who was our rock and who kept us together making sure we had everything we needed.Less than two weeks ago Joe and I decided to move cross country from Las Vegas to the Midwest. We didn’t know whether we should have used a U-Haul or just dump all of our stuff, or use Allied Van Lines. I decided to call a Van Lines company and explained to them what we needed transporting. Because we had a budget and did not have a full house-load to move, the representative of Van Lines suggested Box Brothers on Sahara and ask for Chris Best.Chris was very patient with us and advised us of how much we would be expecting to pay. I honestly thought we didn’t have that much to bring and said we may only have about 12-14 boxes, a dresser set, and our couch, flat screen TV, and TV stand. Amazingly enough we ended up with a little over 1200lbs. Who would have guessed? We had to give up our bedroom set because we couldn’t afford the extra poundage. Blah. All good though. My fault for not being realistic.Upon arrival, we received three pallets of our goods. They packed our sofa perfectly, our flat screen TV was bubble wrapped some more for protection, amplifier was boxed and protected with bubble wrap as well, and TV stand was also boxed well. All the important stuff was in tact and working well. I do have to say, some things were broken but my boyfriend and I agree that was our fault since we did not pack them well.What you have to expect when using box brothers is they place your boxes and items packed together and boxes may squish. So, be sure to bubble wrap everything you think may break. Even though they will pack things you can’t pack yourself, it’s just best to be safe than sorry.Also, the movers that came to the house to pick up our stuff were so professional and kind. We are only sorry that we didn’t have much money for a tip and we seemed very cheap with our tip. I’m really sorry about that guys. Be sure to give a good tip if you like how they handled your belongings. Plus, it helps with them taking better care of you.Lastly, I must have called Chris Best a thousand times over and over again. My constant worry must have drove him crazy. But through all the phone calls, Chris did not, once, sound impatient or annoyed. It’s also his customer service that made me believe in their company to do a more than awesome job.
All we have to say is thank you Chris Best and Box Brothers for making our move an easy one. You’ve not only saved us money but worry.
Kudos to you guys!”

–Sarah N.

Shipping & Package Tracking

Box Brothers — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:46:27 +0000

Continued growth of business to consumer (b2c) e-commerce has increased demand for low-cost package shipping services. Demand for inexpensive parcel shipping is especially intense for online and catalog retailers, as well as for private online sellers (such as Amazon and eBay sellers). These merchants face consumers keen on being able to follow their package at all times throughout its trip via a “track and trace” system. Therefore, a growing number of businesses (and individuals) are shipping with the two largest private parcel carriers, FedEx (Federal Express) and UPS (United Parcel Service), for their far superior package tracking options. For most, purchasing something online and awaiting its delivery is an anxious experience; especially if whatever is being purchased is something greatly desired. If you have recently bought something online, you too may be eager to determine its location and estimated delivery date/time. There are a number of ways to track a package:

Call the carrier by telephone and have them track it over the phone.
Verify which carrier your package was shipped with and visit the carrier’s website.
Go to a multi-carrier tracking site, such as http://boxbros.com/tracking

The benefit of using a multi-carrier package tracking website is that you need not concern yourself with finding out which carrier your package was shipped with. Furthermore, many 3rd party package trackers come with additional features not found in the official carriers’ trackers, such as viewing your package’s progress on a map. When tracking your package, keep in mind the following factors which may affect your package’s progress, as well as the freshness of the tracking data you receive:

Various factors such as weather conditions and natural disasters may affect your package’s delivery time.
During the Christmas holiday season, shipping times are NOT guaranteed. For example, a package that generally takes 3 days to arrive may take 4 or 5 days.
KEEP IN MIND that tracking data is NOT instantaneously available right when a UPS or FedEx driver scans the package. The scan data is uploaded to the web just once or twice a day, and may therefore NOT be current. For example, if you track your package and find that your package is in California, it may have already left California, but the scan data may not have been uploaded yet.

The US Postal Service (USPS) offers low-cost options for small package delivery to the home, such as Parcel Select and Parcel Post. However, many merchants prefer low-cost shipping options without sacrificing the ability to track the parcel while in transit. The US Postal Service does offer a limited “Delivery Confirmation” for even their lowest-cost package delivery services, but more robust tracking is currently only available for Express Mail service and some international services. The individual sorting and handling systems of small parcel carriers can put severe stress on the packages and contents. Shipments need to be packaged in anticipation of the potential hazards which may be encountered in parcel delivery systems. Professional packing and shipping companies have trained packaging-experts that provide packaging services, guidelines, and sometimes package design and package testing services.

Shipping Golf Clubs

Box Brothers — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 01:04:52 +0000

Whether on a family vacation or business trip, countless people enjoy golfing when traveling. Unfortunately, traveling with golf clubs can be difficult and a significant hassle. If the clubs aren’t adequately protected and cushioned, they will likely knock into one another on the flight, possibly damaging them. Carrying a golf club bag around airports and through security checks is complicated, especially when traveling alone on a business trip and carrying other luggage. A number of people may decide to purchase a hard case for their clubs to protect them from getting damaged when tossed around by baggage attendants. While this may protect your golf clubs from physical damage (and even so, it won’t protect the clubs themselves from coming into forceful contact with one another), it does NOT solve the issue of having to shlep your golf bag through the airport and airport security. When going through security, golf bags are nearly always opened and checked for any suspicious/dangerous items. Unfortunately, some of your golf bag’s contents, such as golf balls and ball markers, are likely to get lost during this security check. If that isn’t problematic enough, keep in mind that your golf club bag along with the equipment it contains (including clubs, balls, gloves, etc…) are considered NO DIFFERENT than any other baggage. Just as ordinary luggage is oftentimes lost or misplaced by the airline, your valuable golf clubs are equally likely to get lost. Furthermore, you will have to pay an extra baggage fee, just as you would if you were bringing regular luggage/suitcases. American Airlines, for example, charges $25 for the 1^st checked bag (each way), $35 for the 2^nd, and $100 each way for a 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th bag. IN ADDITION to the extra baggage fee, there is a $60 charge for bags weighing between 51-70lbs, and a $100 charge for bags weighing between 71lbs. and 100lbs.

DO THE MATH: If you are already checking (the usual) two (2) suitcases, and are planning to bring along your golf clubs, you will be paying a $100 extra baggage fee EACH WAY. Golf clubs usually weigh around 60lbs, but if your golf bag contains just a few more items, OR if you are placing your golf bag in a hard-case for extra protection, it will likely weigh over 70lbs. As a result, you’d be paying a $100 extra baggage fee AND a $100 weight fee each way.
Baggage Fee + Weight Fee x Each Way
RESULT: $100 + $100 x 2 = $400

The most convenient and reliable solution to the problems listed above is to avoid them altogether by SHIPPING YOUR GOLF CLUBS. With one phone call to a professional packing and shipping service, you can have your golf clubs/bag picked up from your home, office, or hotel, professionally packaged, and shipped to wherever you’re traveling via ground or air shipping.

TIP: For an insurance claim to be honored in case of damage, your golf clubs MUST be properly packaged (packed in accordance with the shipping carrier’s “proper packaging guidelines“). For this reason, it is strongly recommended you have your golf clubs professionally packed.

Furthermore, when shipping your golf clubs, insuring them is a breeze! Checking your golf bag on a flight, however, subjects it to the same insurance policy as standard baggage. Federal regulations require airlines to compensate you for up to $3,300 if they damage your baggage or its contents. HOWEVER, according to an article on the official Frommer’s website¹, “the airline will attempt to depreciate the value of your loss.”

Avoid dealing with unreliable insurance, negligent handling of your clubs, and the headache of airport security! Don’t risk your precious golf clubs getting lost and ending up on a baggage carousel in Siberia! Whether it be in Las Vegas, Hawaii, or any other city, the next time you wish to bring your golf clubs along on a family vacation or business trip, ship your golf bag/clubs rather than taking them on a flight… you’ll be happy you did when they arrive safely and on-time at their destination.

¹ – http://www.frommers.com/articles/6210.html

International Shipping Experience

Box Brothers — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:36:13 +0000

The following was submitted by a Box Brothers customer:
International shipping is no big deal. At least it’s no big deal if you are just shipping the occasional gift or eBay item overseas. Just box up the item, fill out a very simple customs form, pay the postage and you are done! It gets a bit more complicated if you are in the import/export business like I am. I ship to multiple countries every day and some of my shipments are quite large. I buy and sell antiques, some as small as a Faberge egg, others as large as a Queen Anne sideboard. Because the items are all unique, valuable and sometimes quite fragile I rely on the help of a professional crating, packing and shipping service. I use a firm that has a wealth of experience shipping art and antiques. Once I have an order they pick up the item, and pack it professionally so that it is safe and secure whether it’s in a box or a crate. They use state of the art packing materials and, if necessary, they’ll construct a special crate with a custom foam inlay. They handle the insurance and customs forms and make sure the item makes it safely to the buyer. And they work with a variety of carriers – marine, air and ground based – to make sure I always get the best shipping deal. Using a professional packing and shipping service insures that all my shipping needs are quickly and efficiently met. With the hassle taken out of international shipping, I can concentrate on the fun part of my business – tracking down those one of a kind antiques. Thanks Box Brothers!

Containerized Storage

Box Brothers — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:13:30 +0000

Every day, people around the world pack up their belongings into moving boxes and move to a new home. Oftentimes, however, a person will find themselves lacking the space necessary to store all the packaged boxes. Containerized storage, or storage “pods,” has been growing in popularity as a solution to this lack of space. The service, which is becoming increasingly popular as a solution to regular storage needs, begins with the service provider bringing a storage container to the customer’s residence. The customer fills the container with the items/boxes to be stored and, upon completion, the company retrieves the container from the customer’s residence. The container is usually transported to one of two locations; either the customer’s new home, or, if the customer is not moving, to a secure facility where it will remain until the customer request it be dropped back off. The increasing popularity of containerized storage is a result of peoples affinity for convenience.

The ability to store various belongings (esp. larger items such as furniture) without having to transport them yourself to a self-storage facility is what attracts so many people to containerized storage. However, storage pods do have a number of disadvantages that many people are likely unaware of. Before deciding which storage solution is best for you, consider the following points. First, the individuals and/or families living in most major metropolitan areas are unable to make use of this service. Nearly all the inhabitants of cities such as Manhattan live in apartment buildings with nothing but a slim sidewalk in front of them. To take advantage of containerized storage, there must be property belonging to you outside your house on which to place the storage container. Additionally, having your belongings inside a container sitting outside your house raises the question of security. Although the “pods” have a security lock mechanism, the security of a container sitting outdoors is uncertain and questionable. This may leave your belongings vulnerable to theft and possibly even extreme weather conditions. Finally, people using pods as a regular storage service do not have the ease of access that comes with a storage facility. Obviously, there is a measure of time involved in requesting the pod be brought back to your home. With a storage facility, if you need something urgently and immediately, you need only make the trip to the storage facility.

Containerized storage has a number of advantages and disadvantages in comparison to other storage options. Ultimately, it comes down to the customer and his/her needs. Consider what you will be using the “pod” for and why you need it (i.e. moving, storage, etc…). Also take in to account your location, the nature of the neighborhood you live in, and, if you are moving, don’t forget to consider whether or not the neighborhood you are moving TO can accommodate your storage container.

Automobile Shipping Services

Box Brothers — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:15:09 +0000

Car Shipping Guidelines

Make a copy of all keys.
Have your registration and title.
Have your proof of insurance.
Disable the car alarm.

TIP: For liability reasons, you may NOT place clothing or other belongings in the car for shipping.

Countless people require a packing and shipping service nearly every day. A number of customers visit Box Brothers on an almost daily basis to fulfill their shipping needs. One of these Box Brothers “regulars” is an eBay Powerseller named Greg who comes in almost every day to ship his sold items. Greg recently visited us, and was excited to report that he’s moving to Hawaii to start a new job as the assistant manager of a beachfront hotel. He decided to ship his belongings to Hawaii rather than deal with the hassle and expenses of checking several bags. We happily packed Greg’s belongings into an assortment of shipping boxes, but one thing remained unclear; what was Greg planning to do with his car? From the moment we met Greg a few years ago, one thing became very clear about him; his car was undoubtedly his most prized possession.

We were surprised to hear that even an avid car enthusiast such as Greg was unaware of auto transport and car shipping services. A few days later, Greg’s ’67 Camaro Rally Sport was arranged to be shipped from his nearest port aboard an ocean freight liner. Greg describes the process as being “as simple as can be” and “truly convenient.” “Although I opted to drive the car to the port myself,” says Greg, “I was given the option of having it picked up right from my house.”

Evidently, the existence of automobile transport services isn’t widely known to the general public. More precisely, most people assume that shipping a car is a painfully complicated task. This is simply false, as a number of car shipping services are available, some of which put a strict emphasis on convenience. To the right are a number of points to remember when shipping a car with an automobile transport service.

Valentine’s Day Shipping

Box Brothers — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:20:23 +0000

- Distance Can’t Stop Love –
Shipping Gifts & Treats for Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, couples throughout the world are scrambling to find the perfect gift for their significant other. Unfortunately, many couples are physically separated by great distances. Some people live in different states, some in different countries, and some are in a relationship with someone serving in the military. The high level of military activity overseas has left tens-of-thousands of couples separated by vast distances and oceans. This Valentine’s Day, don’t let physical distance stop you from giving something special to that special someone. You and your loved one can celebrate Valentine’s Day over any distance by shipping your Valentine’s Day gifts! Nothing says “I Love You” like receiving an unexpected package and opening it to find that someone out there is thinking of you.

No matter the distance, you can always ship across even the greatest stretches of land and ocean. There are a number of shipping carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, as well as the United States Postal Service, that can be used to ship gifts and treats to your loved one. Men and women serving in the military will be especially grateful to unexpectedly receive something special this Valentine’s Day. Although it may seem complicated at first, shipping to a military base or APO/FPO is a simple and hassle-free process. If you are unfamiliar with the process of shipping to an APO/FPO, come in to any Box Brothers today for convenient and reliable military shipping services.

Always keep in mind that shipping certain perishables, such as chocolate, is sometimes a bad idea. Chocolate, especially, can melt depending on the weather conditions throughout transit. An easy-to-prepare gift is to send cookies! You can even put the cookies in a box filled with real popcorn (NON-BUTTER) to prevent moisture from spoiling the cookies.

TIP: Ship your Valentine’s Day gift as soon as possible; don’t wait until the last minute! Weather conditions, international customs laws, and other factors may affect transit times, so act fast.

Other food items requiring special packaging can be placed in styrofoam-insulated box with dry ice, or in a bag with “cold-packs” and then placed in a box. You can purchase cold-packs at any pharmacy and even some markets.

This year, show your significant other how much they mean to you by shipping them a Valentine’s Day present. It is a simple and hassle-free way to show them how much they mean to you this February 14th.

Senior Citizen Moves

Box Brothers — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:51:43 +0000

Packing Up and Moving To A Retirement Community

A User-Submitted Post

Packing and moving! It should be a breeze by now after a lifetime of following my husband Jack from one military post to another. I’d gotten the packing and moving process down to an art in those days. I was familiar with all the moving and packing tips ‘n tricks. We lived lean, even with two small children, and I could pack up the entire household in a matter of days. Then he retired and we settled here, just in time for the kids to go to high school. They’re all grown up now with kids of their own. And Jack’s gone too, leaving me alone in a house that’s just too big and hard to care for. I talked it over with the kids, of course they both asked me to come and stay with them, but I like my independence. My sister helped me find a nice little condominium in a retirement community in a warmer part of the country and now that the house is sold I’ll be moving down there. That is once I’m packed! I’ve been through everything, and had the kids come and pick up the pieces of furniture and art they wanted. But I still have all sorts of things to move – antique furniture, dishes, books, clothing, bedding, pictures – the list is endless. Why I’m even planning on taking my washer and dryer since the condominium doesn’t come with one. My son’s off on deployment again, but before he left he set up an appointment with a packing, moving and shipping service. I find I’m grateful to be able to hand it over to moving and packing professionals. They came last week and made a list of everything I wanted moved, and promised to crate up the appliances so that they don’t get dented or scraped. They are going to bring wardrobe boxes so I don’t even have to fold all my clothes, and special moving boxes for my china and other dishes. They will do all the crating, packing, and loading on this end and when we reach my new home they will unload and unpack it all. I just need to be there to tell them where everything goes. I think I’m ready.

Storage Unit Auctions

Box Brothers — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:02:14 +0000

Packing and Shipping Items Bought Online

Everyone knows someone with an amazing storage unit auction story… people have acquired ancient artifacts, civil war guns, and celebrity possessions. These peoples stories, along with shows like A&E’s “Storage Wars,” have led to increased interest in storage unit auctions. A Box Brothers repeat customer wrote about their experiences attending storage unit auctions, as well as how it led them to us. He loved going to auctions, and decided, along with his wife Jeanie, to start a business out of it. “We started with estate auctions,” he writes, “picking up small stuff that we liked and some things we thought might make us a profit. Then we caught the storage auction bug!” “You never know what you’ll get in a storage auction,” he explains, “it can be anything from antique china or jewlery to books and furniture.” He would most often sell these items online, on both eBay as well as his own website. They quickly found that “the problem was packing and shipping these items” and that they “needed to find a packing and shipping store or service that had EVERYTHING!” That’s when Ron and Jeanie became our customers. The most important thing to them, as a business that constantly needed to pack and ship items to their customers, was to find a single place for all their packing and shipping needs. As they describe it, “we took advantage of everything they had to offer – bulk sales of boxes, and packing material like foam, bubble wrap, and shrink wrap… mailing tubes and padded envelopes – and even surfboard boxes!” “When it comes to larger items such as furniture,” Ron writes, “a consistently reliable shipping service has been a lifesaver. There’s nothing easier or more convenient than being able pick up a phone (or go online) and schedule a time and date, have professionals come and pack the item we sold, and then have them take it with them right from our home and ship it.” A few times, an item Ron and Jeanie listed on eBay was purchased by someone in the military. “We were at a total loss,” Ron says. “We had no idea if we had to pack the item in a special way, or if there were size/weight restrictions. We even spoke to the two LARGEST shipping carriers in the world, and both said that they couldn’t ship to the military base.” Our military shipping service was designed for these exact situations, as shipping to a base can be a complicated and (oftentimes) seemingly impossible task. “Box Brothers told us not to worry about it… that we could just bring it in to any of their locations or that they’d come pick it up, and that they would ensure that it’s packed and shipped properly and according to any regulations. Sure enough, positive feedback from that customer came three days later on eBay.” “We have found that storage unit auctions are an excellent source of profit. However, without a consistently reliable packing and shipping service, especially one that also carries all kinds of packing supplies, we’d be unable to efficiently ship to our customers and our business could not function.”

Auction Fulfillment

Box Brothers — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:02:46 +0000

Packing, Shipping, and Storage for Auction Items — Anywhere in the World!

A visitor-submitted article

I’m just a kid at heart! That’s what I tell my children when they fuss at me about my toy collection. I’m talking real toys here, handcrafted, and not a one of them needs a battery! So what if nearly every room in the house is filled with toys? I’ve got Lionel train sets, antique toys, one-of-a-kind pieces, toy soldiers, 3-story dollhouses with electric lights, wind-up cars, and cast iron banks. Visiting Grandpa is like going to Disneyland! Why, nearly two rooms are dedicated to Mickey Mouse himself. Speaking of Disneyland, or rather Disney – there’s a humdinger of an auction coming up at the end of this month. Bonhams auction house in San Francisco is going to be auctioning off some real choice Disney toys, including some rare celluloid pieces and a Mickey Mouse Circus Train set. I can’t miss it. I’m going to take the Coast Starlight up to Oakland and BART across the bay. I prefer to travel by train, as I find it much more relaxing than driving the freeways these days. My sister up in Oregon has been pestering me to come visit her. She’s got a new grandchild she wants to show off. Everybody thinks since I like toys I must like kids as well, and to tell you the truth, I do! She says I can just hop back on the train when the Disney auction is done and come stay for a spell; I’m thinking I will. Which leaves me with a little conundrum, I don’t want to be carting all my auction purchases up to Oregon with me. And I certainly don’t want to have to try and pack the toys (and any other items I may buy) up in my hotel room and haul them to the post office. Working with with bubble wrap, foam peanuts, styrofoam, and shipping boxes in a hotel room sounds like a major pain! I gave the auction house a call and asked them what they recommended. They gave me the name of a an shipping company that specializes in auction fulfillment, as well as packing and shipping antiques/valuables. I just got off the phone with the shipping company and I must say I’m pleased with Bonhams’ recommendation. This shipping firm is going to work directly with the auction company; when it’s all done and paid for they’ll come by, inventory my purchases, and pack them up securely. When I say “securely,” I mean the whole nine yards- bubble wrap, styrofoam, stretch wrap… and, if I end up getting any high-value or fragile toys, they’ll even build a custom wooden crate for them! They offered me several different ground and air shipping options, each with a guaranteed delivery time/date and tracking number, so that I can make sure to be home when my items arrive. What really blew me away was the incredible focus on CONVENIENCE… because let’s be honest, packing and shipping (especially while traveling) can be a nightmare. They seem to really go above and beyond to help make this a hassle-free process for me. They even offered me temporary storage for my items at one of their secure warehouse facilities… just in case my shipment arrives before I do. I’m pretty impressed with this. Now I like to go to auctions, see the things in person, and give them a good looking over. But I’ve been thinking about trying some of these online auctions, you know, on the computer. If this packing and shipping service works out I just might give it a whirl. Just think how many more auctions I’ll be able to get to! Maybe I’ll go clean out that spare bedroom to make a little more space for my collection.

Shipping Electronics To/From Las Vegas for CES

Box Brothers — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:18:43 +0000

The Consumer Electronics Show & The Importance of PROFESSIONAL Electronics Packing/Shipping Services

A Guest-Written Article

Las Vegas, here I come! This will be my year, I know it! Last year I was just one of the throng, stuck at the back of the room listening to Seidenberg give the keynote address, wending my way through the crowds at the exhibit hall, but this year I won’t be wearing a visitor’s name badge! I’ve got my own booth at CES! You know – CES – the Consumer Electronics Show! People and companies from all over the world will be attending; everybody who is anybody will be there. Microsoft, Sony, Vizio, Samsung, Celestron… you name them, they’ll be there. A year ago I was just another face in the crowd, but now I’m headed to the top! I got my ticket today, and a room at Circus Circus. Sure, I know it’s not the Excalibur or the Hilton. That’s for next year after I make it big. I’ve got my posters, my prototypes, brochures, business cards, software, hardware, cables, extra batteries… you’re probably wondering how I’m ever going to get all this on the airplane. No worries! I learned my lesson last year. Of course, last year it wasn’t shipping TO Las Vegas that was the problem. It was all the stuff I brought home from the show! It was way too much to pack, especially with the airlines charging incredibly high additional baggage fees. I found this great shipping place right there in Las Vegas that could ship all my items anywhere in the world! A representative of theirs came to my hotel to give me a free packing and shipping quote. They gave me a number of options to choose from in regards to packing and shipping everything. I didn’t want to lug all my stuff to their store (even though they have multiple locations there), so the representative suggested their on-site packing service, meaning they’d come to my hotel and pack the items right there! We went over my extensive packing and shipping options… I could have all my stuff crated, boxed together, or boxed separately in various size shipping boxes. They even had packing materials made especially for electronics shipping, such as anti-static bubble wrap to prevent my gadgets from going haywire! I opted to have my stuff boxed separately, but shipped together. How, you ask? Well, after they packed all my new toys up they would place all the shipping boxes on a wooden pallet, stretch wrap them all together (securing them to the pallet), and ship everything as a single freight shipment! Their freight service saved me a whole bunch of money on shipping… it was far more affordable than sending each box individually via UPS or FedEx. They told me they ship all sorts of things to and from Las Vegas – even props and costumes for shows and artwork for hotel art galleries. Their specialized electronics shipping service specializes in computer and office equipment packing and shipping, and it really shows! Everything arrived the day after I did, in PERFECT condition and fully functional. So this year, after I reserved my booth, I called them. They’ll be here in an hour to pick everything up. They say it will all be waiting for me when I arrive, and I believe them! I’ve just got my laptop and a carry-on for the plane. Now that’s the gotta be the most convenient way to travel!

Distributing and Shipping an Estate

Box Brothers — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:07:59 +0000

Distributing and Shipping a Loved One’s Estate Around The World

A Personal Account of Distributing and Shipping a Loved One’s Estate and Possessions

My great aunt Jane passed away last month. She was in her 90s and had been ill recently so her passing wasn’t unexpected. But being appointed the co-executor of her estate was a surprise! It fell to me, her lawyer said, because I lived in the same town, while her children and grandchildren had spread out across the country. The lawyer would take care of the bills and paperwork but Great-Aunt Jane had decided it would be easier for me to deal with her household, including her two elderly Yorkshire terriers, than to ask one of her children to fly home to do it. Mind you I quite liked Aunt Jane (though the dogs were another matter), and when she had become housebound I had taken to dropping by and bringing groceries or driving her to the doctor or her hairdresser. I just wish she had mentioned it to me so I could have been more prepared. Thankfully, Aunt Jane’s will was quite detailed with instructions about which items would go to whom. Nevertheless, dealing with the distribution of an estate is not a simple task, and I was overwhelmed at first. I work full-time and have two young children, and I just did not see how I was going to manage going through everything and packing and shipping it all! I thought the small things would be easy, but of course those were the fragile Lladro figurines and the full 16-place settings of china, going to her daughter Laurie in Maine. What if something broke? Weren’t those figurines expensive? And then there was the lovely old, and quite large Queen Anne armoire to be shipped to Cousin Theodore in New York – surely the post office wouldn’t take that – and Jane’s extensive vintage hat collection to Cousin Sophie in Ohio. I sat at Aunt Jane’s kitchen table and made a list of all the destinations and came up with seven in the U.S., one in Japan and one in Europe! Those last two worried me the most as it meant dealing with international shipping and customs and insurance forms. I seriously considered putting the items in storage and asking Cousins Daniel and Emma to come pick up their inheritance for themselves! But that wasn’t the worst of it! Aunt Jane had left instructions that she was to be cremated and sent to her original home in the Midwest for burial next to her husband (poor Great-Uncle Joseph had died many years ago). How on earth was I to ship Aunt Jane? I was sitting at the table with my head in my hands when there was a knock at the back door. It was Jane’s long-time neighbor and old gin-rummy partner, Norman. “What’s up doll?” he asked. I spilled out my troubles to him just as Jane had done through the years and just as reliably he came up with a solution. “What you need is an estate shipping service!” he proclaimed. He went on to explain that a professional shipping firm could come to the house, inventory all the items, pack them all and ship them to the heirs – even the ones in London and Tokyo! He helped me look some up in the yellow pages and then it was a matter of a quick telephone call to arrange a meeting. The representative met me at Jane’s house the next day and, will in hand, we toured the premises and I explained where all the items were to go. He assured me it would be no trouble whatsoever to ship the armoire to New York and the book collection to Japan. They would even help with the insurance and custom forms, provide all the packing materials and do all the packing themselves! A week later all the items in Aunt Jane’s will were on their way to their destinations and Aunt Jane herself was headed home to Uncle Joe. As I stood in her doorway and watched the Queen Anne armoire, securely packed in a large wooden crate, carefully loaded onto a truck I was filled with a sense of satisfaction. My job as executor was done – and thanks to the shipping firm it turned out to be much less complicated than I thought. I locked the door of the house – tomorrow I would hand the key over to the realtor – and gathered up the leashes of Sporty and Sprite. The old yorkies would go home with me. Too bad the shipping firm couldn’t have helped me with them!

Old School Marketing

Box Brothers — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:12:34 +0000

Marketing the old school way. Going out, Parking, and walking, visiting any business that could benefit from our services, which is just about everyone out their, and talking to the owners, managers and employees (Once again) seems to be paying off. Since my first visit to Mini-pac, introducing myself as the new manager and our improved, reliable, consistent and always opened service, I have received around $300 in referral sales. So yesterday I showed up with two small platters of assorted donuts and crescents, Nothing extravagant, fairly simple, and you would of thought I was bringing them the million dollar winning lottery ticket. I said, “I’m here bearing gifts.” Told them who I was and Box Brothers, both the man and the young lady remembered me from the first visit, the other Women, the manager, I did not recognize. I said that this was just a little thank you for the referrals that had been coming from them, She said, “Oh you really didn”t have to do that.” I told her that I’m a big believer in working together with businesses, I said that there are services that you provide that our store doesn’t, like mail box services. I said that the occasion to send them referrals has not come up yet, so to show my appreciation in another way I brought food. And who doesn’t appreciate food. She said to me again, “Yes, but you didn’t have to do that.” I looked at her and said, “Yeah but that’s how we do it. “WE do it old school.” You should of seen the Smile come upon her face when I said that. She literally got up from her desk, walk over to me, shook my hand and introduced every body to me. We talked for a while, and then I left. Leaving with a really good feeling as well as a surprising one. It seems like standard business courtesy and old school marketing have become almost non existent. On another bit of news I had the Furniture store call me, told me that they were happy that I stopped in and invited me to a community mixer hosted by UFM Designs. In which I will be attending after work this evening. – Thank You Dave Collins Box Brothers – Lomita 310-530-8986 dcollins@boxbros.com