UPDATE ON SHIPPING

HI ALL!

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR POSTING AND EMAILS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A HELP IT HAS BEEN.

YESTERDAY I MET WITH 2 REPS FROM UPS. THEY DROVE ABOUT 1-1/2 HOURS TO MY HOUSE TO MEET WITH ME. I DEMONSTATED PACKAGING, DIFFERENT BOXES, INSULATION,
AND HEAT PACKS TO THEM. AFTER THAT WE WENT UPSTAIRS
TO THE ANIMALS AND MUCH TO MY SUPRISE THEY WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO HOLD SOME. I WENT OVER
THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF SNAKES THAT WOULD BE SHIPPED (BABIES - 2 YEARS OLD) ARE JUST THE SAME AS THE
LIZARDS AND FROGS THEY ALREADY ALLOW TO BE SHIPPED.
IN FACT AS FAR AS THE "WIGGLE FACTOR" GOES THEY ARE LESS A RISK. THEY HELD A COUPLE OF BALL PYTHONS, THEN HELD SOME GECKOS. THEY COULD EASILY SEE HOW THE BALLS SHOULD BE LESS A WORRY THAN THE GECKOS (AS FAR AS ONE GETTING OUT AND SCURRYING UP A DRIVERS SHIRT, HEHEHEHE). WE THEN TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLE VERIFICATION SYSTEMS THEY COULD USE, AND I RECOMMENDED SOME GUIDELINES TO THEM AS FAR AS PACKING GOES. I WENT OVER THE POTENTIAL REVENUE IT WOULD CREATE, ESPECIALLY IN THE PEAK HATCHING SEASON.
THIS IS WHAT REALLY HAS THERE ATTENTION.
THEY TOLD ME THAT MOST LIKELY IT WOULD COME TO A "TRIAL PERIOD" WHERE EITHER A HANDLE-FULL OF PEOPLE, OR ONE STATE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SHIP OUT TO ANYWHERE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. AFTER THE "TRIAL PERIOD" IF THERE WERE NO "MAJOR" MIS-HAPS THEN IT WOULD BE OPENED UP NATION WIDE FOR EVERYONE!!
THE MAIN THINGS THEY ARE LOOKING AT ARE:
POTENTIAL REVENUE
UPS WORKER SAFETY
AND ANIMAL SAFETY (IN THAT ORDER)
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO THEM BUT I STILL HAVE SOME MORE INFO I NEED TO GET TO THEM TODAY. THE TWO REPS THAT CAME OUT SAID THEY ARE TOTALLY ON OUR SIDE AND BOTH THINK THAT UPS SHOULD SHIP SNAKES JUST LIKE THEY DO OTHER REPTILES. THEY SAID IN THEIR OPINION THAT TURNING DOWN REVENUE DUE TO SOME PEOPLES COMMON PHOBIA AND PREJEDUCE (SP?) IS OBSURD TO THEM. THEY NOW HAVE TO CONVINCE THEIR BOSS OF IT (THEN THE BALL STARTS ROLLING!!)HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE WORD IN THE NEXT WEEK OF EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. SOON AS I HEAR I WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW.
THE MEETING WENT EXTREMELY WELL AND I DO EXPECT GOOD THINGS TO COME FROM THIS!

BTW, ONE OF THE REPS LEFT WITH 2 FREE HAMSTERS FOR HER KIDS (EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS YA KNOW! HEHEHE)

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT.
KEEP THE FAITH!
GOD BLESS
BEN SPARKS@C.R.C.
CUSTOM REPTILE CARPENTRY
TAHLEQUAH, OK <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

GOOD JOB, Ben!! You are definitely going to become a MAJOR asset for the Herp Community, and if there's ANYTHING I can help with ....just ASK!! ....Neil

Way to go Ben!!! I really hope this works out! &nbsp;It would be absolutely wonderful (and in my case very time saving) to have a legal door-to-door shipping service. &nbsp;Do you know yet if we'll have to set up a special business account with them to utilize the service or if it will be available at all times to anyone (this is assuming they approve it, which it sure looks like they may) &nbsp;I'm looking forward to find out what the final decision is.

THANKS NEIL AND HI KARA!

ODDS TO NONE WHOEVER WOULD SHIP WOULD NEED TO HAVE A ACCOUNT WITH THEM SO THEY COULD VERIFY THE PERSON WHO IS SHIPPING. THE GREAT THING IS (AND I DONT THINK MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THIS) THAT YOU CAN GO ONTO UPS'S WEBSITE, OPEN A ACCOUNT FOR FREE, THEY SEND YOU SHIPPERS, FREE SUPPLIES, AND A RATE BOOK. WITH HAVING A ACCOUNT WITH THEM YOU GET A DISCOUNTED RATE THAT IS A GOOD BIT CHEAPER THAN JUST GOING TO THE COUNTER SOMEWHERE- AND FREE SUPPLIES!
THIS IS THE CASE WITH ANY SHIPPER THOUGH. I HAVE ACCOUNTS WITH UPS AND AIRBORNE. ALL SUPPLIES ARE FREE
AND I GET DISCOUNTED RATES WHETHER I SHIP EVERYWEEK OR NOT. IF I NEED A PICK-UP I JUST CALL.
AT ANY RATE THEY WILL PROBABLY DO THIS LIKE I SAID SO THEY CAN VERIFY THE SHIPPER. IF THE SHIPPER IS CAUGHT IN VIOLATION (SHIPPING VEN. OR NO INSULATION ETC..) THEY WILL BE BARRED FROM SHIPPING WITH UPS AND UPS
CAN GIVE THE INFO TO ALL THE OTHER SHIPPERS ALSO.
THAT WAY IF SOMEONE BREAK THE RULES WITH ONE, THEY WILL PRETTY MUCH SCREW THEMSELVES WITH ALL THE SHIPPERS! (UPS, FED-EX, AIRBORNE ETC..)

THANKS AND GOD BLESS TO ALL!
BEN SPARKS@C.R.C. <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Great job Ben
Just wanted to thank you!!!! And if there is any thing i can do to help let me know.
Craig McMurtrie

That is Great news Ben!!! Even though I don't ship snakes as often as most of the big timers but I ship at least 1 or 2 packages a month maybe more on certain months. I usually do it throught airborn but if there is a legal way to ship it I would prefer that <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>.......Let me know how it goes

Thanx

Winston

Wow that is awesome Ben! &nbsp;Kudos to you for taking
the initiative to get the ball rolling! &nbsp;(don't forget to
mention that all shipments (will be/should be) sent overnight..
that might raise the level of "profit" a bit in their eyes if
you hadn't already mentioned it. <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;Thanks for the update!!!

Ben,
&nbsp; Thumbs UP !!!!!! Thank You!!! &nbsp;I hope this works out for everyones sake. &nbsp;You know once I hit the road. I won't be on line as much. But if there is anything that I can help with just use that cell #!!!!
Thanks again,
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Tom

Glad to hear there's progress on shipping. &nbsp;It's about time UPS came to their senses. &nbsp;Having just experienced our first problem in trying to get snakes shipped through UPS, it will be nice to have something in our favor.

We've always slipped them under the door with UPS, so to speak, and our last shipment which went out Monday didn't make it under the crack. &nbsp;They discovered the snakes before they got on the plane, and returned them to the local center here. &nbsp;What puzzled me was that they put them under a Fish and Wildlife Hold, then closed up the box after verifying there were no venomous, and sent them on their way to the buyer. &nbsp;Seems to me like they aren't really worried about anything other than venomous. &nbsp;Haven't heard anything from UPS about it. &nbsp;Found out what I know from a friend who works for the Conservation Dept. here in Missouri.

Keep up the good work!!! &nbsp;Let's get this deal done!!

Thumbs up to you Ben
I too have been using UPS[got permission from the rep up here in Mi.]
I guess it's about time It was everywhere <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>