"WHY IS YOUR SHIPPING SO EXPENSIVE?"

Updated 1-07


I have been asked why my shipping is so expensive compared to other poultry fanciers. First let me say that I think some who ship hatching eggs may either sell themselves short on shipping, or they must not pay for packaging material (or postage), they re-use packaging material, or maybe they haven't figured up the actual costs. I will explain more below, starting with HOW I package eggs, and I have a breakdown below of my costs for shipping. Sometimes I come out a little ahead, it's usually pretty even-steven, and sometimes the extra postage or packaging materials comes out of my profit.

I have been asked why I can't combine shipping. When I can, I do. I know that I can safely and economically ship in three ways, in three size boxes. In a 12x12x4" box that I buy (which is superior to the shirt-box Priority Mail shipper I used to use), I can ship 24 or 48 eggs, I tried 60 in it once but never heard how that works, so I don't consider it a good option. My other options are the 12x12x8" Priority square box, and I can place 144 eggs in that IF they aren't large XLD1 or CBF SuperQuail Cross eggs. I can only put 96 of those in that box, as they require a different type of carton (a taller and longer carton). If I take TWO of the 12x12x8s and safely tape them together, making a taller box, I can ship up to 240 quail eggs - even the bigun's. The shipping on the 240 is $25 whereas any other shipping charge is $15. (It weighs A LOT more!)

For either scenario, as eggs are gathered into disinfected egg baskets, they are carefully inspected for excessive dirt, unusual shape or size, holes or cracks, or anything else that "doesn't look right". Then they are transfered into disinfected egg incubating trays for holding and re-inspected and any eggs that don't meet our high standards are destroyed. These eggs are held in our hatching egg cooler at a safe temperature which is cool enough to suspend the embryos from continued growth but not cold enough to kill them.

In preparation for shipping, freshly gathered eggs* are slowly brought up to room temperature from my holding cooler. They are brought into my very-clean kitchen/work area where I cut small strips of paper towels to line the bottom of each egg cup with in a quail egg carton. Each egg that is shipped is inspected once again for excessive dirt; cracks, breaks or holes; shape and size, or anything else that just doesn't look right. As I select the best eggs from the available inventory, they are packaged in quail egg cartons and left open until ready to be boxed, the morning they are to be shipped.

*That reminds me, my eBay auction eggs, along with any other order, are a priority to ship the freshest eggs available. When I run an auction (I do not use auto-listing), I commit to shipping each potential customer that certain number of the freshest eggs available. Eggstras are incubated at home, refrigerated and cleaned as eating eggs, or any old or questoinable eggs are destroyed.  Occasionally I will run super-low prices on older eggs, and clearly state that the eggs are older but still hatchable. (We usually incubate these at home with no difficulty.)

The day of shipping, or after an auction ends, we double-check that payment has been made or that we have a check or money order. When PayPal is used for payment, we use PayPal to pay for postage and print an address label for a PayPal user with a verified address to affix to the box. If a payment has not yet cleared, like when using an echeck, PayPal will not allow us to generate a shipping label.

For batches of 24 eggs that are large, a flat-top quail carton is used and additional strips of bubble wrap are carefully cut and placed over the eggs, to prevent them from having room to jiggle or shift in the carton. Smaller eggs in 24s are packaged in egg-cup-top cartons, and secure shut without the need of the bubble wrap. 48s are done in a similar manner, with one carton on the bottom and another on the top. Egg cartons are secured with tape carefully so as not to keep the eggs from breathing altogether. The carton is then carefully wrapped in bubble-wrap and taped to secure.

NOTE: We never, ever re-use bubble wrap or other packaging materials and do not ever re-use egg cartons! It is not sanitary to do so, (especially if shipping in packaging materials that you received someone else's hatching eggs in. Icky.... 'specially if that's sat around for a while. Sounds like a bacteria-haven!) All of our shipping boxes, packaging materials, etc. are new and have not been exposed to other eggs.

Each box is taped at all edges and surfaces to withstand shipping and come out in as good of shape as possible. I pay close attention to attempt to place the egg carton(s) as close to the middle of the box away from the sides, and to put a little more bubble-wrap on the bottom (I think where it is most likely to be dropped) than on the top. Realistically, if it gets tossed that badly, NOTHING will save those eggs!!! I try not to give the egg cartons any "room" to move. If they don't shift, they will travel better.

The box then gets completely sealed up and the address secured to it. Next comes the labeling, all of my labels are custom-made and purchased in quantity for better pricing. Each side of the box has a label that has arrows stating "This Side Up" and "FRAGILE: Live Hatching Eggs, Keep at Room Temperature". I have a label for the Bottom of the box which says FRAGILE and please turn package over. The top of the box also gets another "This side up" without an arrow, and "Do not x-ray" and if a return address need to be present, a VERY FRAGILE/CBF Super Quail address label is applied.

The vehicle is pre-heated or pre-cooled to room temperature before loading eggs, then any boxes being shipped that day are loaded carefully. All packages are dropped off at my local Post Office in Marianna, or occasionally from Aubrey or Forrest City if I am going that way. Because I use Delivery Confirmation, the boxes are scanned to show that they are "in the system" and I begin to pray for gentle handling practices.....

I try to email just before or just after to let each buyer know that the eggs are being shipped, and offer the Delivery Confirmation/Tracking number and (try) to wait patiently for a reply that the eggs got there safely.

IF EGGS DO NOT ARRIVE SAFELY - for some strange reason (shrugs) please take photos of the damage. I will offer reasonable and agreeable compensation for the price of the eggs. I cannot refund the shipping, as the shipping charge covers real incurred expenses and a service that was provided on my end. I cannot be responsible for what the post office does, however, if there is a problem I will try to work it out on a one-on-one, individual basis. If you are not satisfied for any reason, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! You may email me, call me, send me a letter, anything that is reasonable and I will try to work through any perceived problem with you. I have considered offering a $5 additional guarantee that the eggs will arrive 75% unbroken or I will totally replace INCLUDING the shipping, as with the number of total losses I have had, I would not sell myself short. I know of 1 box that just didn't make it, and it was literally busted wide open! One deluxe omelet.

Still aren't sure about my shipping? I can/will provide references, if you wish! Look at my eBay feedback as c-m-r-otter for more reassurance.

Realistically, here is a breakdown of my shipping expenses (keep in mind that I regularly charge $15 for shipping):

Postage - Usually from about $5-something and up to just under $10, average is about $8
Egg cartons - 40 cents each, total 40 cents for 24 eggs, 80 cents for 48; $1.60 for 96 or $2.40 for 144 eggs. 240 eggs are packaged in $4 worth of cartons!
Bubble Wrap - average $2 per box, $3 in larger boxes
Labels - app. 50 cents  for Fragile, etc. labeling
Gas for delivery to Post Office, 1/2 gallon, about $1.25

REALLY - I don't make a thing on shipping. I typically dip into my profit from selling eggs a little. This is why I can't refund shipping to you if the Post Office mishandles your package or if you are unsatisfied with a hatch rate.

AGAIN - IF YOU ARE UNSATISIFIED - Please let ME know. If I don't know, I can do nothing to correct the problem and I consider it the buyer's fault for not letting me know, not my fault because I was not given the chance to make it right. Please do not badmouth me, my family or my business unless you have given us the opportunity to correct any problem you might have.

Also, if there is a problem, we want to know so we can fix it and improve!! That information is priceless to us.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN CAREFUL SHIPPING OF LIVE, FERTILE, VIABLE HATCHING EGGS AND EGGSELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.....but it doesn't end there!

Tech Support! Yes, we offer tech support to all of our customers. There is absolutely no charge for this! Have an incubator problem or question? Have a bunch of babies hatching and you're unsure about something? Get a poor hatch and wonder why? Get a great hatch and need ideas of where to put more babies than you'd planned for? Feel free to contact us at any time and we'll always provide whatever assistance we can help you with. We won't put you on hold or transfer you to this department and that and play cheesey operator music or peppy self-advertising while you wait. If we ask you about the weather, it is because it is pertinent to your poultry. We are mostly at home most of the time, if you call and we don't answer, please always leave a message, we may be out with the birds and will get back with your shortly.

*Please note that I hope to update this page soon or add another with PICTURES of my packaging process*


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