Shipping in USA

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jttheclockman

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
OK I need help because I think I want to try shipping some items by Priority mail but I have no idea what to do. Can someone walk me through the process of setting up to do this please?? I have always shipped things using my own boxes and all. I am thinking priority mail is cheaper and safer. I am starting to downsize a few things and need to ship more often. Have no idea about shipping labels and all that stuff. Also getting boxes to ship in. I will go to the USPS site and start reading but would help if some of you have done this many times could clue me in and help. Thanks in advance. Right now I want to stick with shipping just in the USA to get my feet wet.
 
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rherrell said:
USPS will send you free boxes or you can pick some up at the PO. Click here for mailing supplies

I use a regular printer to print the labels on paper and then cut them out and tape them on the box.

I use Pirate Ship to make the labels, it's real easy to navigate and it's sometimes cheaper than the USPS.
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I second pirateship. Super easy, you can set up common packages. It will also give you prices for UPS
 
I have always used stamps.com. Usually cheaper rates and the label you print is your choice for type of service (priority mail, standard ground, UPS or whatever). Ditto the information above on getting the boxes.
 
Pirate Ship also offers UPS discounts. I find UPS more reliable and generally cheaper than USPS. Drop off at either the UPS terminal customer counter or a UPS store.
 
jeff said:
Pirate Ship also offers UPS discounts. I find UPS more reliable and generally cheaper than USPS. Drop off at either the UPS terminal customer counter or a UPS store.
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OR hand to any UPS driver if neither of the other options are convenient. In our case, the nearest UPS dropoff is 35 miles away but our UPS driver is in town every day.

Sometimes, using Priority Mail with your box (recycled Amazon box) or padded envelope is less expensive than a FlatRate box.

USPS insurance is a joke or good marketing verbiage. Good luck collecting in any reasonable amount of time. Most of the shipping services like Pirate Ship, ShipStation or Stamps.com offer very reasonable rates ($1.10 ish per $100) that pay claims quickly and will insure packages that USPS will not insure.
 
UPS stores charge for their services plus you pay for the UPS charges. Wife took a package to the local UPS store and it cost almost as much to use their services as it did to ship it. We have a UPS facility in town. Only way you would save if the UPS store is closer and figure the amount of gas used.
 
OK now I am confused. Most of you are saying that shipping UPS is cheaper than USPS? What makes it so? Can I ship USPS boxes with UPS? 2 years ago I sold all my shipping boxes because I never really did get into shipping my scrollsaw work out like I thought I would if I set up a web site. I have 2 UPS stores within town or just outside. One is within walking distance. I thought USPS has a one price for each size box no matter how much weight you put in them, is this correct? And it does not matter where you ship? How does UPS figure price? I can not really go to my post office and ask questions because there is usually just one person working the desk and if 2 are there that means they are really busy. They will just refer me to their web site which I started reading last night. I did sign up and ordered boxes. They were free. Not sure how to do labels and things yet. Please keep the answers coming. Better talking with people who have done this before than trying to figure it all out on my own. Thanks

Also why do I see Ed from Exotics and just about every other vendor use Priority Mail from USPS. I thought they would be a good source to copy because of the amount of packages they deal with. What am I missing. ?

Oops one more question. What is the difference using Pirate Ship as opposed to using USPS Click-N-Ship method?
What is the total cost look like and what does it entail?
Why can I not purchase labels and just print on paper and tape to the box?
 
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  • UPS is only attractive IF you purchase labels from an online service and drop off/acceptance scan at a UPS store.
  • USPS priority mail flat rate is one price per box regardless of weight
  • USPS priority mail (not flat rate) is priced by weight so lightweight items that fit into padded envelopes or small boxes sometimes CAN be less expensive than the flat rate price.
  • USPS online purchased labels use a discounted rate table instead of retail priced labels purchased at the USPS retail counter.
 
I don't find UPS cheaper, USPS is cheaper and plenty reliable. I bought a bulk package of boxes to ship pens on Amazon and can pretty much ship anywhere in the US for under $6. I get the tracking and $100 insurance.

I bought my own boxes because USPS doesn't make a box that small.

I've not bought a label printer yet, but that will probably be my next step.
 
derekdd said:
I don't find UPS cheaper, USPS is cheaper and plenty reliable. I bought a bulk package of boxes to ship pens on Amazon and can pretty much ship anywhere in the US for under $6. I get the tracking and $100 insurance.

I bought my own boxes because USPS doesn't make a box that small.

I've not bought a label printer yet, but that will probably be my next step.
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Derek, thank you. Do you have a link to those type boxes?? Also you basically are shipping Priority Mail no flat rate and it is figured by weight, location and size of box, is this correct? I do this now for things I have been shipping but at times it is more than I expect.
 
The usps flat rate boxes can be mailed to you or you can just go by the post office and pick them up at no charge. Depending on what you plan on shipping, here are the sizes and prices for shipping.

$10.20 - small box - 8 5/8" wide x 5 3/8" deep x 1 5/8" tall
$17.10 - medium - 11" long x 8 1/2" deep x 5 1/2" tall

$22.80 - large box - 12" long x 12" wide x 5 1/2" tall
They do include $100 insurance and tracking number.
 
Woodchipper said:
UPS stores charge for their services plus you pay for the UPS charges. Wife took a package to the local UPS store and it cost almost as much to use their services as it did to ship it. We have a UPS facility in town. Only way you would save if the UPS store is closer and figure the amount of gas used.
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You can prep for shipping, buy the label on line, and drop off at the UPS store. You don't have to use their pack and ship service.
 
jttheclockman said:
Derek, thank you. Do you have a link to those type boxes?? Also you basically are shipping Priority Mail no flat rate and it is figured by weight, location and size of box, is this correct? I do this now for things I have been shipping but at times it is more than I expect.
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You bet. Here they are. I can easily put 2-4 pens in if I wish. I use small bubble wrap to protect them.

Yes, priority male which is figured by weight, location, and size. I get tracking, and $100 insurance. I'm in N WI and have shipped pens to NYC, San Diego, Florida, and S. TX. All under $6. All deliveries this year have been as advertised by USPS.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KFK4SRG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
The best way to ship depends on weight.

USUALLY!! USPS is a little faster and costs less for packages under 5 pounds and stuff that fits in their flat rate boxes. Bear in mind, they provide the box as long as you are shipping priority (save about a dollar)

PirateShip is a good choice and they show the cost for that specific package being shipped several different ways.
 
ed4copies said:
The best way to ship depends on weight.

USUALLY!! USPS is a little faster and costs less for packages under 5 pounds and stuff that fits in their flat rate boxes. Bear in mind, they provide the box as long as you are shipping priority (save about a dollar)

PirateShip is a good choice and they show the cost for that specific package being shipped several different ways.
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Glad you chimed in. What are the exact costs that go into shipping a package that fits in their smallest box?? I assume the price of $10 is ship anywhere in the USA. But what is cost to make label and are there other costs? I also assume that $10 is paid when label is made. Walk me through a shipped box please.
 
jttheclockman said:
Glad you chimed in. What are the exact costs that go into shipping a package that fits in their smallest box?? I assume the price of $10 is ship anywhere in the USA. But what is cost to make label and are there other costs? I also assume that $10 is paid when label is made. Walk me through a shipped box please.
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You can set up an account on pirate ship for free. Then you can put in the information you are seeking (small flat rate for example) and see how much they are charging for the label. As to cost, if you use USPS packaging that is free. You can print a label on your printer and tape it on. Or you can get a label printer. I purchased a label printer on sale last year and 500 labels and my cost per label is $.20. You print directly to the label printer and your cost plus postage would be $.20 plus any packing materials. Hope that helps
 
Jeff, I packed the item in the original box, printed a label which I covered with clear tape, JIC. Wife took it the the UPS store three miles away...they charged for the service to receive the box plus the UPS charge. The UPS terminal is about six miles away.
 
I use a small USPS priority box about the size of a vhs tape, it can fit several pens. I then go to USPS online, i set up an account for free, put our address, the address it will be shipping to, print the label on paper, tape over it with clear packing tape, and off it goes to our mailbox or USPS. With priority your package is insured for up to $100 and you get a tracking number. Shipping runs a bit over $8.00 for that small vhs sized box.

Derek seems to send his a bit cheaper perhaps by buying his own boxes maybe, depending on what he spends per box. The USPS boxes are free at your post office or you can go to USPS and get them for free online. (It might take a while to get to you that way though.
 
You can use USPS.COM to print labels and pay for the shipping costs. You can create an address book that allows you to only have to enter an address one time and then use it repeatedly. Also, you can schedule a pick up of your Priority Mail flat rate boxes and they will pick them up at your house.
 
A USPS "hack" if you will is to get the priority box that is a little bit bigger than the small flat rate box. Get some of the small flat rate padded envelopes and the priority box will fit inside. That way you have a bit more protection and room and it is still the same as the small flat rate. If you look on the USPS website they have a few more flat rate boxes than what they usually stock at the actual PO.
 
@Hippie3180 and I just figured out it cost $3 more to ship using the smallest USPS box compared to the boxes I linked above from Amazon.

Considering the cost per box from Amazon in the above link is $.56 each, that means you pay roughly $2.50 more if you use USPS's free small box to ship a pen.
 
derekdd said:
@Hippie3180 and I just figured out it cost $3 more to ship using the smallest USPS box compared to the boxes I linked above from Amazon.

Considering the cost per box from Amazon in the above link is $.56 each, that means you pay roughly $2.50 more if you use USPS's free small box to ship a pen.
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I'm on it.

Thank you.
 
I use Ship Station connected to PayPal. NEVER use a UPS Store or PakMail unless you paid and printed your own label at home.
 
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