Ohio Travel Bag ... Has Anyone Else Used Them Lately? *rant*

[TomG]

Agree totally with Ferg. We charge by the item, based on weight, because that is how our costs are calculated by the shipper in most cases. Plus our direct costs.

On our Etsy shop, the majority of our items are $3.50 in the US. Items we know cost more are charged appropriately. This covers our USPS costs ($1.93 minimum to around $3 max) for 1st class mail. Add $.50 to $1 for an envelope/box, plus the label, etc. Like Ferg said, some you come out ahead, some you lose a bit. It averages out.

On our regular website, the shopping cart can directly calculate the costs for USPS and UPS and the customer can select the method of shipping they want to pay for. We add $1.50 to that calculated cost to cover the envelope, labels, ink, padding, and labor to put it all together. We basically break even on website S&H.

Unless you have a small, limited product line, rolling the S&H costs in are not really practical for most of us. Unless you overcharge for the S&H <g>

[ChuckBurrows]

yes it can be done either way - include handling in the cost or into shipping and yes if you use a software and weight you are limited to including in the base price - when included in the price the handling fees are "hidden" - bottom line the final price is still the same and needs to be considered. Or as 50 Yr Leather mentioned you can average the shipping/handling costs.....

and no not everyone includes hazmat fees in the price - I buy blackpowder, caps, and primers online for instance and most places the hazmat is an extra charge.....

[RoosterShooter]

There are a lot of good points being made here, but the reason I do good business is because I charge 'Flat Rate' charges on my shipping. Granted there is nothing I make that would be more than 5 pounds ... unless they ordered bulk. However, those USPS Flat Rate boxes can get anywhere in the Continental US in 2 days now for a very small fee compared to UPS which can be 5x the price depending on the weight.

[TomG]

Speaking of flat rate boxes, allow me to introduce a USPS service that I'll bet the majority of users are unaware of...

Regional Rate Boxes. They come in sizes like "A", B" and "C". All are supplied for free by USPS, and ship Priority mail. They are not truly flat rate, but ship at a cost based on the "A", "B", "C" size and distance.

And you can see the rates on the USPS site, just like other services. Sort of a cross between 1st class and Priority mail... Much cheaper than parcel post for larger packages. And no box costs.

But you will need to order your boxes in advance in a lot of places. I was told, but have not confirmed, that some PO's do not stock the Regional Rate boxes.

[veedub3]

Speaking of flat rate boxes, allow me to introduce a USPS service that I'll bet the majority of users are unaware of...

Regional Rate Boxes. They come in sizes like "A", B" and "C". All are supplied for free by USPS, and ship Priority mail. They are not truly flat rate, but ship at a cost based on the "A", "B", "C" size and distance.

And you can see the rates on the USPS site, just like other services. Sort of a cross between 1st class and Priority mail... Much cheaper than parcel post for larger packages. And no box costs.

But you will need to order your boxes in advance in a lot of places. I was told, but have not confirmed, that some PO's do not stock the Regional Rate boxes.

I was about to use a Regional rate box today for the first time until I found it was the same price as sending a regular box priority mail. The package was being shipped from GA to California. Weight 1.3 lbs. Regional rate A $9.97, Regular Priority Mail box (7 x 7 x 6) $9.97.

You are correct though the post office does not stock them, they have to be ordered. I have had these Regional boxes for nearly a year and never used them.

Karina

[TomG]

You are right that you have to price each shipment individually. What I've found is that the Regional Rate boxes have their place for larger, but lighter items that fit into that niche of too big for the Flat Rate small box and RR are less expensive than the flat rate medium.

[RoosterShooter]

With the items I ship, holsters, I just order 100 USPS Padded Flat Rate Envelopes at a time, and they all come at once. If I start getting low I just reorder, and they arrive before I'm finished with the previous box. I can fit 2 good sized holsters, wrapped in butcher's paper, in each padded flat rate envelope and ship it from my door for $5.15 a package online. You can't beat that.

Also, they now offer $50 insurance for FREE on each package, and if I recall correctly the additional insurance is along the lines of 10 cents per dollar additional insurance. I can't beat that with a hickory stick!

If I were to send the same package through UPS it would cost me around $12 to $14.

I do this all from the comfort of my computer screen and my USPS.com account. I order supplies, and ship all from the same interface, and it's free of charge to use it! Batch orders are a piece of cake! All I do is choose "Batch Order" and it automatically plugs in my shipping information for each label, and gives me the option to 'Add to Batch' after each form.

Edited April 26, 2014 by RoosterShooter

[electrathon]

You may be familiar with mechanics and Hasmat shops but you are a little less informed for shipping product.

We ship between 25,000 and 30,000 packages per year via USPS. To make things easy for our customers we average the shipping costs over the entire spectrum for USA only. Person packaging, checking address for mistakes, printing the label, applying label is paid $20,00 per hour. Some packages we make a few cents on, some we lose a few, it balances out. I guarantee you, we don't make thousands of dollars on the shipping.

ferg

This attitude has always flabbergasted me, to say the least. What possible justification can possibly be used (aside from increased income) fits the above statement. But let me finish. You pay someone to answer the phone and do not gouge your customer for that. You pay someone to sweep the floor and do not gouge your customer for that. You pay someone to web design but do not gouge your customers for that. You pay someone to (on and on and on).....

Bottom line is that "handling is totally and always a gouge fee (the real truth is a less polite word) unless you also add for the dozens of other costs that have nothing to do with production of your product. It is both dishonest and unfair to blindside customers with this extra prophet margin money grab.

But then, you get more money but doing it.

+1

+2

[Ferg]

My wife orders boxes from USPS several times per month, several hundred each time. Best thing ever happened to UPS for us Shippers. They are totally over priced. Sad part is, they know it but had very little competition until Post Office came up with their newest system.

The system I have incorporated into our shipping gives us great rates for all First Class and Priority. We have a credit card on file and pay the balance every month. Never have had to pay fees.

We are also set up with the Post Office and their internal system. We printout a sheet that has all packages we ship in one day with all info. Take the load to them, hand them the printout and leave. Can't beat it.

ferg

[LTC]

i agree with electrathon's post above. very well put.

grossly inflated "shipping" fees (and "handling" fees) are just trickery to pocket more money.

i was going to say something about paying someone $20 an hour to ship stuff, but i'm trying to be nice.