DawnM Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Good gracious but postage has gone WAY up. I charged $3 for shipping a 5 ounce purse. It cost $8 to ship! I charged $7 to ship a heavier purse and haven't gone in yet, but my guess is that it will be around $12 to ship. GRRRR. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 What a nuisance! If the purses are small, will they fit in Flat Rate Priority Mail Boxes? The larger one will probably still cost more than $7.00 to ship, but I have found that flat rate is often cheaper than both parcel post and regular Priority Mail. Postage costs are so expensive -- and confusing. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarlaB Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I've had to start weighing them w/ packaging prior to listing because I kept losing money with the shipping..that or stop advertising Priority Mail shipping and just ship parcel post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I bought a scale to weigh everything a few years ago after seriously undercharging on a couple of packages. I have saved way more money than the scale cost. I am constantly surprised at how much more some things weigh than I thought as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Another idea, I have one seller I purchase from who charges quite a bit for shipping (he's shipping plants) - and refunds the difference, both for individual and combined items. I've purchased from him a number of times, and have a few more things on my list I want . . . the refunded difference has always been very prompt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in LV Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 You might want to consider shipping in polymailer bags rather than boxes. Just wrap the purse or other item up really well in bubble wrap. (I wouldn't do this with something breakable, of course.) The polymailers are so light, and I really keep my shipping costs down using them. They can be purchased on Ebay for a very reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 The five ounce purse; was that the total shipping weight, or did the purse itself weigh five ounces? 'Cause you can ship lots of packages up to 13 ounces first class. According to USPS.com, a five ounce package (up to 108" in combined length and girlth) costs $2.29 to ship. If you could've fit it in a large envelope (up to 12" X 15"), it would've been $1.70. Of course those prices are without delivery confirmation or insurance. I'm assuming if it cost you $7, you sent it priority mail? The small flat rate box is $5.15, without tracking or insurance. I try to remember that if what I'm shipping is gonna be 13 oz. or less once packaged, it's cheaper to send it first class; 13 oz is $3.30 for a large envelope, $3.65 for a package. Of course, you have to *list* it as first class. I won't list something as priority mail, then ship it as first class because I figured out after the auction that first class is cheaper. That might make a buyer mad, since they DID pay for priority shipping. (Even though first class is usually just as fast, but whatever). HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 There is another option for shipping Priority. They are called Regional rate boxes. They come in several sizes and there is a weight limit for each size. The price per box changes depending on where you are mailing it. You can only order them online thru the Post Office, but they ship them rather quickly. It can be a couple of dollars cheaper than the flat rate and it's still priority mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I second the polymailer. It should only cost a few bucks to ship a 5 ounce item. I ship little kiddos shirts that weigh about that much in polymailers for around $3. Even buying a bubble mailer at WM and shipping first class would cost about $4 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 There are also flat rate bags (bubble wrap envelope things) you can order from the PO website. But do consider a scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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