I REALLY have to reassess postage fees!

[mickeyc]

Sold a kick stand for $20., put it in a box that it JUST fit in, no extra space, (11 1/2" X 6 1/2"X 3 1/2"), checked 4 different shippers....Shipbikes -$17.42, Bikeflights,- $15.95, UPS - $13.61 and post office - $12.98.
If I listed it for $33.00 would anyone have bit? Gotta figure out something else......

 

[Gordon]

I think the last one I sold I put in a flat rate padded envelope. I think those have gone up in price too, but at the time it was cheaper than anything else I could find.

 

[Jay81]

My general rule of thumb, big stuff always goes either shipbikes (used to use bikeflights but shipbikes I've found to be cheaper so far)
and I always ship small stuff with USPS. I've found, in my experiences, UPS isn't even worth bothering with.
Sometimes for smalls, the free "flat rate" boxes are a better deal, and sometimes it's cheaper to use your own box. All depends on size and weight.

USPS also has what's called "regional rate" boxes, and those can be cheaper than the "flat rate" but the catch is you have to order the boxes online (still free just like flat rate boxes) and you have to buy/print the label online. Regional rate box A is just a hair smaller than a medium flat rate, and I've found I sometimes save several dollars using them when I can.

I buy bulk bubble wrap and packing tape which helps cut costs, and reuse any used packing material and boxes that I can. The downfall is that stuff takes up extra space over and above all the bikes and parts.

I kind of hate including shipping in the price, but you almost have to, just because everyone else does. Then you gotta figure in the recent rate increases.
It's a headache for sure.

 

[Euphman06]

It's becoming impossible to sell things that aren't big bucks when the cost of shipping is beyond the value of the item

 

[Sevenhills1952]

The least expensive by far is USPS media mail rate. A 2# package is $3.27, 5# is only $4.83. It's supposed to be for books, CD, DVD, etc...but how would they know? Wrap a kickstand in a newspaper.

Sent from my Bell candlestick

 

[Jay81]

The least expensive by far is USPS media mail rate. A 2# package is $3.27, 5# is only $4.83. It's supposed to be for books, CD, DVD, etc...but how would they know? Wrap a kickstand in a newspaper.View attachment 986840

Sent from my Bell candlestick

They can, and will open it and check if they want to. It's probably illegal too, since you're screwing the government out of money.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

You may be right...but in a way that's money they wouldn't have otherwise, and what's the difference between mailing a one pound rolled up magazine and a one pound Delta light in newspaper...same size package?
I feel screwed by the government in various ways with my tax dollars all the time.
Just a suggestion.
We get stuff mailed via USPS all the time from China in plastic bags for pennies.
How do they do it? Isn't that screwing our government?
The OPs (and others) dilemma is selling a $20 item then paying $13 shipping or $7 "profit". I'm just thinking of an alternative.
This is from USPS site...
"The drawback of Media Mail is that USPS has a right to open and inspect your package to check for abuse of the system. Therefore, you will risk having your package sent back to you for insufficient postage."
So worse case you then have to pay standard rate. I don't imagine too many packages get opened and inspected.

Sent from my Bell candlestick

 

[mickeyc]

Thanks for the input folks, appreciate it.

Mike

 

[TieDye]

The least expensive by far is USPS media mail rate. A 2# package is $3.27, 5# is only $4.83. It's supposed to be for books, CD, DVD, etc...but how would they know? Wrap a kickstand in a newspaper.View attachment 986840

Sent from my Bell candlestick

It won't make it through. They busted a guy that sold me something on eBay. He wanted to gouge me on shipping, so he sent it media mail. X-ray showed it was metal. They opened it, and a postal inspector showed up at his house. I eventually got the item, but he got fined and kicked off eBay too.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

I think an issue is, there are a lot of buyers, that aren't sellers. As so their perception of shipping cost isn't always up to par.

I try to included shipping cost when I list something for sale to avoid a dozen messages asking shipping cost to so and so zip code that won't pan out to a sale.