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Thread: Sun Delivery Service has increased their rates Sept 1, 2020

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Alexandria VA
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    Default Sun Delivery Service has increased their rates Sept 1, 2020

    One of my customers that lives in New York State placed and order today and the new delivery rate quote from Sun Delivery was significantly higher than when we rated it in August. He was curious why and here is my reply to him. I will post it here, because I think it's good to know your options.

    *****

    "They had a rate increase that went into effect today (Sept 1, 2020) and we added an ottoman to the order. Sun uses estimated weights and sofas are 225 lb each, ottomans 50 lb and so that comes out to 500 lb on your your order, here's a screen shot of the rating.

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    I don't make a commission on this at all, so you can use any service you like. Sun is one of the more expensive companies however they do answer the phone and don't have equipment that is leaky or breaks down. Plus they go 48 state so I don't have to spend hours chasing down someone less expensive that may or may not go into a region. You have plenty of time if you would like to source another carrier, my recommendations are :

    1) Accept at a commercial loading dock in your area. I can ship that via 18-wheeler to you for around $ 250 as a guess, but it has to go to a dock/warehouse area and then you have to get it home from there. Some of my customers contract with local moving and storage companies to accept delivery, unpack it, and bring it the final mile. That typically can shave off several hundred dollars but requires some work on your end.

    2) Go to www.uship.com and put it out for a bid. You are contracting yourself and can accept the bid you like. Use 435 lb for the weight, photos of the pieces help, and origin zip is 28681. For dimensions take the published size of the piece and add 6" in each direction for the sofas, 4" on the ottoman. BE SURE TO BUY FULL INSURANCE. My liability and H&M's ends when it leaves the loading dock at H&M.

    3) You are retired, make a road trip! Will be ready in the most beautiful time of the year in the Blue Ridge Mountains where H&M is near. Get a rental truck (A Ford Transit 150 with a high roof is ideal) and self-haul. We can fix you up with a tour at Hancock and Moore, and they will load it for you. Then spend a night or two in Asheville NC, a reasonable drive from the factory. This would be what I would do myself, it's a great trip to that part of the Carolinas."

    *******

    In-Home delivery is expensive. I've tried most all services and a lot of them are absolutely horrid, nightmare stories about them showing up at 1 a.m. in the morning and it's either take it or leave it. Trucks with holes in the roof and water leaked onto your new furniture. Delivery people that haven't had a bath in a week and reek of alcohol. Smoking while unloading your new expensive leather sofa. No one answers the phone at the main office. Have damage? They say it came from the factory like that. None of that happens with Sun Delivery.

    Option 1 is a very valid option. But no tricks like saying its a commercial address and by that you mean you're working from home and it's your house. They will survey on Google Maps and if residential or a place where a 53' trailer cannot access they will refuse to transport and call me and ask me what to do with it? And they want to get paid from the factory to their terminal, too. Be smart and don't try to game the system on this one.

    Option 2 can be a very good experience, or a very bad one. You don't know who you are dealing with. One of my customers contracted a low bid on USHIP, didn't take insurance to cover the items, and his pieces were stolen. Be careful and vet your carrier.

    Option 3 is the BEST. So much fun to take a private tour of the factories and meet the people that made you furniture. And that part of the country is really spectacular. My joke with Hancock and Moore is when I retire I'm moving there to Taylorsville and I want the truck driving job that goes back and forth from the frame factory in Taylorsville to Plant 1 in Hickory. It's the prettiest 2-lane country road you can imagine for the 20 minutes each way.
    Last edited by drcollie; 09-01-2020 at 08:02 PM.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
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    16,023

    Default Re: Sun Delivery Service has increased their rates Sept 1, 2020

    An update to this thread. I called around to several people in the industry to see if there is anyone as an alternative to Sun Delivery. There is not - at least no one that I have not used before. White Glove services are going to be slow and expensive, there is just no way around it. For the quickest shipping and lowest rate, arrange a delivery to a commercial address with a loading dock near you. Otherwise there is not a viable alternative to in-home delivery at this time.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    16,023

    Default Re: Sun Delivery Service has increased their rates Sept 1, 2020

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    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

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