Pros and Cons of Shipping Eggs.

I am very discouraged at shipping eggs and thinking of not doing it anymore.
First off, if they arrive broken, who is too blame?
The price is very high, is it worth it?
Do you take out the insurance, if they get lost?
What if nothing hatches, whose fault is that?

This stems from me sending eggs to Terrace on Tuesday, X-prss post, and they can't find them anywhere!!
So do I lose out on the cost of shipping and 18 eggs?
Would love to hear what you all think, and any expierances that you've had.

Sending eggs seems to be a risky business but it can be very beneficial because even if you hatch a small # you have succesfully seeded your genetics in widespread locations and at a very small cost in my opinion(in comparison with driving chickens/eggs to the people)

I too have looked at various packing methods and found some foam shippers in the US. They are still in transit to me but look to be very good. They are 2" foam with egg hole cutouts and 1/2" top and bottom foam pads.
I may still add more foam top and bottom...to fill a 6"box.

I would not ship eggs until I had been paid in full. I figure my responibility is to provide fresh, uncracked eggs in good packaging from pure bred breeding birds. The buyer should be willing to take the risk involved with shipping. If the parcel is lost or late delivered you should get your shipping refunded in full which you can pass on to the buyer. I do not think the sender should be out the cost of the eggs and packaging if they were sent in good faith.

I have found if you choose priority post with 1 day guaranteed you often get it delivered in 2 instead but then if you claim you will get your shipping refunded. (Sender has to claim)

I still think it is worth the risk to buyer and seller as long as the seller is paid for his/her eggs and packaging/handling.

I had 30 eggs mailed to me from N.S. last year, managed to hatch 15, culled and lost some in the Fall and now I only have 1 breeding pair left but at least I did get that genetic material that I couldn't have gotten any other way.

(My thoughts)
Irene

I completely agree, I have shipped eggs already 4 times this year and broken eggs every time. There is no insurance (I have been told) for improper handling by the post office or Purolator...Unless the outer box is smashed the inside contents are not covered.
Now as for lost in the mail, had that happen already this year too. I always ship express post or purolator so I can track the packages, that way they are not completely lost. If they are then you will definately get your shipping refunded.
I think Miry is right in saying we are all doing our part as shippers to ensure the eggs are packaged as securely as we can, having clean fertile and undamage eggs to start. The rest is left up to the receiver. They need to realize that we cannot be out our genetics, our time, and our goods if they arrive there damaged or not at all. If a shipping refund is issued then yes the receiver should be refunded that amount.
I think all shipments should be paid in full prior to shipping, no stores in the world offer "payment if you are happy with delivery"...
And if people do not want to pay express post, priority or some sort of tracked shipment then they do not get my eggs.

I don't ship eggs anymore....way too many complaints. I have had great success in getting eggs to the recipient intact and in good time BUT lots of folks just think they should get a refund or more eggs if they don't hatch well for them. I know my eggs are good or I wouldn't send them. I always test hatch and when I get 100% fertility and 90% hatching then the eggs are good to go. I still have folks coming back to me this year and saying things like "remember last year, those first 2 batches didn't hatch well and you should send me more free eggs?" Or, my favorite, "well I hatched 8 of the 15 eggs but they are all roosters....would you replace that batch for free" Or "I couldn't get to the post office for a week and none of the eggs did anything, can I get more or my money back?" If I have eggs to sell then I will deliver them en route to where ever I am heading.....no more mailing.
I know most folks are great but I just don't want to deal with the 'bad eggs'.

That is weird that boxes of anything can get lost in the mail......

I am not saying that everyone who buys hatching eggs are cheapos but I think they tend to attract people "who love a good deal"....
I think it may be a good idea to charge a reasonably high price in order to weed out the "bargain hunters".

I still think if you hatch 1/3 of the eggs you are getting a good deal...

I have never shipped eggs, but as a buyer, I feel it is a risk that I must assume. I don't expect anyone to replace eggs that have arrived broken! I buy the eggs pay the shipping and hope and pray they arrive safely!! I have had some arrive damaged badly, and some arrive in great shape. I honestly feel this is my choice to have them shipped, so it is up to me to accept the risks of having them shipped. Insurance only covers late arrivals. One of my batches of eggs arrived late, so the shipping was refunded.

I don't feel I would have the right to complain. I have let the sellers know that the eggs arrived damaged, but not with the expectations of getting more eggs for free or to be reimbursed for them.

This is my opinion and I feel that if you are an honest seller, you let the buyer know the risks and inform them that it is their responsibility, that you cannot guarantee the safe arrival or hatching rate!

I agree with you smoky and I so wish more folks thought that way! Don't get me wrong, I have had many thankful and great customers.....it's just that there are quite a few not so good ones and I don't have the patience or want to find out who that is I just would much rather deliver eggs when I go on the road. So when I do make a trip I will post what I have and if someone wants them then that works for both of us. Properly "shipped" eggs and no shipping charges Then I know the person received them and in good shape etc.....

Well the eggs got there fine and nothing was broke.
So does the post office owe me the shipping charges for not getting them there in two days?

Well the eggs got there fine and nothing was broke.
So does the post office owe me the shipping charges for not getting them there in two days?

They sure do owe you. Take your tracking number and call them, you may be on hold for a very long time, but once you get through they are good to deal with. Tell them the eggs finally got delivered but were late, they will refund you the money. Takes a couple weeks but you should get it.

Thanks Hidden, my faith in mailing eggs might be a little be restored!!

Thanks Hidden, my faith in mailing eggs might be a little be restored!!

Or you can create a service ticket for a postal refund at the Canada Post website....
They claim they will process it in 5 days.

Miry I did that one claim for the money order delay online and when I called about it she said, "well you need to give us 5 days to get someone to look at it, then they decide from there"...So processed must just mean look at it...grrr.

I have great faith in Canada Post losing things in the mail - 2 yrs ago they lost a rather LARGE blue container that said HORSE SEMEN on the side and a large sticker claiming it as biohazard - it was gone for 4 days!
As far as shipping eggs I feel it is a gamble on my part as the buyer and not that I have ever had any issue what so ever with the sellers but the gamble I take having the eggs shipped! I have had great hatches from eggs shipped from most of the members here and the next will arrive broke or chilled or late. As a buyer I will let the seller know what has happened and normally arrange to have bought more. The times that they have arrived with issues I must say Canada Post will give refunds - thats more then I can say for greyhound. I have had eggs shipped from Ont with no problem what so ever. But I also look at wether I really need those genetics in my flock before trying to get eggs.

I have had good and bad experiences from both sides of the shipping and receiving. To note, if a refund for damage enroute is expecte, the receiver must fill out the declaration of damage when the package is picked up. I have shipped and received boxes that were triangular upon arrival. Do not expect the cost of the eggs refunded unless insured, however the postage costs will normally be if there is exterior damage to the box. That being said when one box is partially squished (with tire tread marks on it) and the other box sows no outward damage, they only overed the damaged one. The eggs in the other box were intact, however the yolks were scrambled. Likely suffered almost the same fate as the other box, just missed the tires.
I agree as a buyer it is my risk. As a seller, I think it is my responsibility to package the eggs well, providing good fertility eggs of the specified breed, and delivering to the post office or courier. That being said, it is a rarity that you do not get requests for a refund from buyers when they receive a damaged box (which they refused to insure) and pretty much the same when they have a bad hatch. Unfortunately as we all know (or should) there are many more factors than just fertility that affect hatch rates. I have had eggs shipped in a joint shipment to one spot, then split into 5 groups end up with hatches from 0% to 83%. From that shipment I received 2 requests for refunds on their purchase price. Yes it is a hassle, but in many cases it is virtually the only (at least finacially viable) option to obtain certain genetics.

I was pleasantly surprised to get a cheque in the mail from Canada Post the other day, less than a week after I made a claim online for a priority parcel that was guaranteed one day delivery but delivered in two. The buyer was very pleased to get all his shipping refunded.

However Feathers has to make a claim now for an expresspost parcel to ON that was guaranteed 3 days and is now sitting in Missisauga over the weekend,,grrr.

I just shipped a baby gift to Lloydminster from here in Cranbrook. Shipped regular post it says on their sign there in 3-5 business days. The clerk told me at least 5- 6 business days and we can't go by what is 'posted' because we are not a major urban center. So much for getting anything anywhere on time! So a 2-3 day express post parcel from here can take up to 4 or more days???? Really? And "overnight" means over 2-3 nights.....

Maybe I will stick to greyhound, never a problem, never a 'delayed' delivery, and never a damaged package! They can get most places in 1-2 days...