Mailing Holsters

[steelhawk]

Thanks for the help. I will be making the holster just as soon as my dummy guns and snaps arrive, hopefully next week. Then I will decide how I want to mail it.

[Lobo]

I package each item in a plastic bag, then use padded mailing pouches to mail them in. I purchase several sizes of the padded mailers (kraft paper with plastic bubble padding) in bulk quantities for about 30 to 40 cents each (eSupplyStore.com).

First class mail usually runs between $2.50 and $3.50 depending on parcel weight. Typical weight of a packaged single holster is about 4 to 5 ounces. Up to 13 ounces can be mailed this way; over 13 ounces goes Priority Mail.

Priority Mail travels with First Class, so there is no advantage in delivery times. Both services typically arrive in 2 to 5 business days anywhere in the US.

I send out 24 to 36 packages each week and the average mailing cost per package is about $3.50 including packaging materials. I have had only one incident of a package lost in the mail over the past 2 years. So, I do not use delivery confirmation or insurance. Delivery confirmation costs about 80 cents, which would add about $1200 annually to my costs. Insurance costs about $1.70 for a $50 declared value, which would add about $2500 annually to my costs. Adding delivery confirmation and insurance on each parcel would have cost me about $7400 to cover that one parcel that was lost in 2 years. I prefer to just make a replacement holster and send it out. I suppose we can say that I am self-insuring deliveries (at very little expense).

By the way, I include delivery to a US address on all orders and customers love that. I absolutely hate the inflated "shipping & handling" fees that so many companies like to tack on to every order, and I think a lot of customers feel the same way.

Customers outside the US are charged actual postage. Most parcels sent to European Union destinations cost about $5.00 to $7.00 for air mail service, again depending on weight.

So, this is what I do and why I do it.

[gregintenn]

I found some 6"x6"x6" boxes at Staples on sale for $0.50 each a while back. Don't bother looking, because I got em all. Now, if I could find a sale on bubble wrap.