<p>I’ve got a brand-new unopened printer that is being requested on the other side of the country. Since it’s safely nestled in its factory packaging, can I slap an address label on it and just have UPS or FedEx ship it? Or do I need to put it in additional protective packaging? </p>
<p>The printer was a real bargain (as in paying only 1/3 Amazon price), but I hate hate hate having to deal with packing, so if this is going to be too much bother I’m more inclined to just buy another printer from Amazon or Staples or whatever and have them deal with the packaging issue.</p>
<p>The manufacturer usually protects those printers pretty well. S2 forgot his (despite several reminders), so if he wants his, he’ll have to take it back after Yom Kippur. The PO does ask if the package is fragile, so they will slap on more labels if you want.</p>
<p>Am about to get one for a nephew for a graduation gift – his housing was in flux til pretty late, so we didn’t know what he’d need.</p>
<p>I got a free printer when I purchased a MacBook for college in CA - I go to school in PA. My dad shipped the printer in its original packaging, no problems. It arrived just fine.</p>
<p>Now, I never ever use said printer, and it was totally pointless to ship it, and now I have to lug it around every time I move, etc. etc…but that’s another story ;)</p>
<p>It should be easy to ship that way. If you take it to a fedex center and ship fedex ground, its usually remarkable cheap. They have an online estimator that will tell you almost exactly the cost if you know the weight and the dimensions.</p>
<p>I would use FedEx to ship. They tend to be gentler with packages than UPS. I’ve had some well-packed things arrive pretty worked over. If it’s in the original packaging, it should be fine. Make sure to insure it for what it costs, so if it arrives damaged, you can get it replaced.</p>
<p>Just a few more thoughts. Sometimes the cartridges you get with new printers only have “starter” amounts of ink in them rather than being fully filled because they make so much on ink sales. Just saying & have found that with some of the printers we’ve had. This means if a REGULAR purchased cartridge is supposed top print say 500 pages, the one that is sold with the printer might print 250-300 pages not the full 500.</p>
<p>Also, if you purchased printer with a CC that comes with an extended warranty that includes losses and breakage, you may not need insurance as the CC insurance may cover that. We have never bothered shipping a printer–just buy it wherever it’s needed and sell on Craigslist or donate when done with it.</p>
<p>I shipped D a printer via UPS that was still in its original packaging. The printer had come with a new computer purchase, and we didn’t think it “worthy” of schlepping on the plane. No problems. For what it’s worth. Yes, they just slapped a label on it.</p>
<p>If the cost of shipping is extravagant, I would rather just send cash and have the recipient get a new printer locally. There are always sales on printers at the major office supply franchise stores. Also, buying direct from the manufactuer can save $$ through discounts and free shipping (at times). I get email discount offers from HP weekly.</p>
<p>One more thing, HiMom is right about “lowball” ink cartridges. Often the starter cartridges have much less ink than the separately packaged cartridges.</p>
<p>I can’t believe how expensive it is to ship even the smallest little package! We live in CA and also opted to just buy a new printer for our D in PA, rather than to ship. Has anyone here come up with any brilliant ideas to ship things less expensively??? When our D went back this time, we bought an extra large suitcase at a thrift store for $5, filled it to the 50# limit, and paid the $35 to send it with her on the airline. It was less than shipping. Of course the problem would be solved if our D would streamline her belongings down to one suitcase- especially since she left a lot of her stuff in her apartment over the summer!</p>
<p>takeitallin - We are in SoCal and have to ship items to our D who is in college in NYC. When she travels home and back to school we always put here on Southwest so that she can take two bags for free. I am fortunate to be able to use FedEx throgh my work and get the corporate rate. I have sent her several boxes via FedEx ground and although not super cheap it is much less than any other way. I need to send D a box of books which I am going to ship through the USPS using their media mail rate since it fits the criteria. Looking at their website it appears this will be an inexpensive way to send these items to D.</p>
<p>Data point on costs: I took the printer over to our local Staples, which is a drop point for UPS and which hasn’t lost anything I’ve sent via their service over the years. The printer weighed 11.1 pounds in a rectangular box whose longest dimension was 18". UPS ground shipping from Southern California to the Boston area was $22, which included insurance up to $100. The printer’s purchase price was $27 on deep deep discount from my local store, so the purchase price was still narrowly more than shipping. I would have felt silly if the shipping cost more. ;)</p>
<p>Your mileage, as they say, may vary. </p>
<p>Cheapest option would have been to have hauled the printer with us as a carryon when we flew out with D1 on Southwest. But we didn’t know if it would fit in D1’s room, and I didn’t want to face lugging it back cross-country. </p>
<p>One of D1’s classes this semester allows her unlimited free printing in the computer lab. Since she will be the one paying for replacement ink, it behooves her to use that benefit as much as possible. :)</p>