General shipping questions, tips and answers

[stackables]

2 minutes ago, SLL said:

you will pay through the nose using usps to ship a big dimension package. Typically, fedex and ups are the right way to go. 

and yes, Fedex will have a surcharge for shipping to a residence versus businese address, there is nothing you can do about it.

For shipments without a declared value, FedEx's maximum liability is $100 for damages or losses at no cost.

With usps priority mail discount, I am looking at basically the same price for fedex and usps.  That seems weird.  Getting both right around $20 to ship from MI to TN.

[SLL]

1 minute ago, stackables said:

With usps priority mail discount, I am looking at basically the same price for fedex and usps.  That seems weird.  Getting both right around $20 to ship from MI to TN.

in this case, if I were you, I will probably go with fed, for

1. a bit more security. In my own experience, I had issue (lost/damage package) with usps, but never had problem with fedex.

2. even through you are shipping with priority, it's still not guaranteed will be delivered in said window in the current climate. fedex, on the other hand, still appears to be on time.

3. fedex comes with the default $100 for D&L whereas priority only gives you $50 by default.

[jbacunn]

32 minutes ago, stackables said:

With usps priority mail discount, I am looking at basically the same price for fedex and usps.  That seems weird.  Getting both right around $20 to ship from MI to TN.

It's usually going from coast to coast where you get killed by USPS.  If you live in the middle of the country it's probably not that big of a difference unless it's a huge box.  

[stackables]

48 minutes ago, SLL said:

in this case, if I were you, I will probably go with fed, for

1. a bit more security. In my own experience, I had issue (lost/damage package) with usps, but never had problem with fedex.

2. even through you are shipping with priority, it's still not guaranteed will be delivered in said window in the current climate. fedex, on the other hand, still appears to be on time.

3. fedex comes with the default $100 for D&L whereas priority only gives you $50 by default.

If I go through pirate ship, I get 100 insurance. 

[SLL]

30 minutes ago, stackables said:

If I go through pirate ship, I get 100 insurance. 

I was referring to the default coverage directly from usps, just like $100 from fedex.

any additional is offered for free or purchasing at discount by the third party portal you are using

[skinsfan0521]

1 hour ago, SLL said:

I was referring to the default coverage directly from usps, just like $100 from fedex.

any additional is offered for free or purchasing at discount by the third party portal you are using

Priority Mail is always $100 of free insurance in my experience.

[SLL]

11 minutes ago, skinsfan0521 said:

Priority Mail is always $100 of free insurance in my experience.

you sure you are not mistaken it to priority mail express?

https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail.htm

https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm

[Darth_Raichu]

2 minutes ago, SLL said:

you sure you are not mistaken it to priority mail express?

https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail.htm

https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm

It is $100 insurance for Priority if you purchase Commercial Plus prices (ie buy discounted USPS rates via eBay)

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm#ep1233501

[SLL]

12 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

It is $100 insurance for Priority if you purchase Commercial Plus prices (ie buy discounted USPS rates via eBay)

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm#ep1233501

good to know.

Is Commercial Plus prices started higher? I never purchased priority label off ebay, even with its discounted rate, I still found it's expensive than the portal I am using.

[Darth_Raichu]

21 minutes ago, SLL said:

good to know.

Is Commercial Plus prices started higher? I never purchased priority label off ebay, even with its discounted rate, I still found it's expensive than the portal I am using.

There may be different discount rates depending on who negotiated the discounts 

[skinsfan0521]

I've always found that the USPS prices through ebay or Amazon or Paypal or PirateShip are the same. I can't say that I compare every single package, but when I was doing comparisons previously, they were always the same and they each come with $100 insurance. I didn't realize that it was due to the Commercial Plus pricing, but that makes sense. I would have no need to buy Priority Mail outside of those 4 options I listed, so I didn't know that there would be a different amount.

[trstnkn]

I had 4 items supposedly stolen from my mailbox after I arranged house p/u.  Had my PO investigate they confirmed my assumption.  I refunded everyone's payment after I had them first initiate a "did not receive" on eBay.  Well lo and behold over 3 weeks later, the items suddenly appear in tracking and are delivered.  One customer has already reached out and offered to pay.  Is there an easy way to direct them to do this since I've already refunded?

For the remaining customers, I will give them the option to pay or return the item at my cost.  Any other things to consider?

Guess I'm chalking this up to a DC issue due to Covid or the packages were stashed in the truck and not offloaded?  Thanks as always for advice.

[stackables]

35 minutes ago, trstnkn said:

I had 4 items supposedly stolen from my mailbox after I arranged house p/u.  Had my PO investigate they confirmed my assumption.  I refunded everyone's payment after I had them first initiate a "did not receive" on eBay.  Well lo and behold over 3 weeks later, the items suddenly appear in tracking and are delivered.  One customer has already reached out and offered to pay.  Is there an easy way to direct them to do this since I've already refunded?

For the remaining customers, I will give them the option to pay or return the item at my cost.  Any other things to consider?

Guess I'm chalking this up to a DC issue due to Covid or the packages were stashed in the truck and not offloaded?  Thanks as always for advice.

I had something similar happen.  Bought some comics from Canada on ebay.  After a month, seller couldn't track down the books so he gave me a refund.  2 Weeks ago, he contacts me and says another buyer said his comics are being delivered. He sent out 12 packages and refunded them all.  So after 4 months, my comics arrived.  One wasn't in the condition that was described so I ended up paying a little less than the original amount.  Basically free shipping.  Now getting to the point, it might be hard to contact them through ebay.  Emails are blocked.  I for some reason had the sellers email that I saved during the initial transaction.  If I look now, that email doesn't show.  Not sure where that info goes.  Out of the 12 buyers the seller refunded only me and another buyer gave him any money.   You might be able to send a picture with your email or contact ebay. 

[MarleyMoose]

On 7/7/2020 at 4:59 PM, skinsfan0521 said:

Priority Mail is always $100 of free insurance in my experience.

$50 at the window.

[skinsfan0521]

16 hours ago, MarleyMoose said:

$50 at the window.

But who is selling online and not buying the postage online through that platform (ebay, Paypal, Amazon, etc.)? Prices are higher in person and less insurance.

[Shortbus311]

But who is selling online and not buying the postage online through that platform (ebay, Paypal, Amazon, etc.)? Prices are higher in person and less insurance.

I get a lot of my orders from bricklink that you can tell they paid retail at the window. Like you, I am not sure what their reasoning could possibly be.

[minicoopers11]

3 minutes ago, Shortbus311 said:

2 hours ago, skinsfan0521 said:

But who is selling online and not buying the postage online through that platform (ebay, Paypal, Amazon, etc.)? Prices are higher in person and less insurance.

I get a lot of my orders from bricklink that you can tell they paid retail at the window. Like you, I am not sure what their reasoning could possibly be.

Habit. Probably as simple as that. Maybe also unwillingness to invest in equipment (label printer, scale, etc) that would pay for itself rather quickly.

[Jackson]

3 hours ago, skinsfan0521 said:

But who is selling online and not buying the postage online through that platform (ebay, Paypal, Amazon, etc.)? Prices are higher in person and less insurance.

I asked someone once, and the guy said the reason was because he didn't have a printer at home.

[$20 on joe vs dan]

4 hours ago, skinsfan0521 said:

But who is selling online and not buying the postage online through that platform (ebay, Paypal, Amazon, etc.)? Prices are higher in person and less insurance.

I'm gonna go w/ really hawt postal worker...ala Bruce Willis character on RED

[this day and age...waiting in that line is alone reason to print at home...and this is the only reason I could think of that would trump all the reasons]

[L3GOaddictions]

Can anyone please help me with tips on the best and cheapest way to send minifigures. a lot of times they are sent one at a time. i would like to start printing my own labels and looking for some help with affordable shipping. thanks everyone 

[SLL]

1 hour ago, L3GOaddictions said:

Can anyone please help me with tips on the best and cheapest way to send minifigures. a lot of times they are sent one at a time. i would like to start printing my own labels and looking for some help with affordable shipping. thanks everyone 

bump up your price to accommodate the materials, and shipping. 

[damnsanders]

2 hours ago, L3GOaddictions said:

Can anyone please help me with tips on the best and cheapest way to send minifigures. a lot of times they are sent one at a time. i would like to start printing my own labels and looking for some help with affordable shipping. thanks everyone 

First Class vis USPS in the smallest padded envelope you can find?  Print labels from eBay or PayPal.  That's my go to anyways.

[L3GOaddictions]

15 hours ago, damnsanders said:

First Class vis USPS in the smallest padded envelope you can find?  Print labels from eBay or PayPal.  That's my go to anyways.

thankyou for responding, do you know the approx price? i was going to use 4x8 polybags, i’m just new to printing labels. when going to the post office, first class with tracking is about $4.50. would like to find the lowest possible. thankyou for your help

[Sauromosis]

Any suggestions for shipping single Nebulons? Is there a perfect USPS flat rate box?

[RightDwigt]

USPS one is free but a bit oversized for the Nebulon

https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/priority-mail-box-1095-P_O_1095#moreinfofooter

 

I have some of these that fit most sets under $30-40 MSRP, including the Nebulon with minimal wasted volume. 

https://www.staples.com/12-L-x-9-W-x-3-H-Shipping-Boxes-32-ECT-Brown-25-Bundle-PRA0049/product_426568

 

Edit, I just wanted to add that I read some advice here earlier this year that the best thing some sellers have done is to buy specific perfect size boxes for most of their inventory. I found three different box sizes from Staples that cover 99% of the inventory I have. A little less than a dollar per sale as far as cost goes, but well worth saving the headache of finding boxes or having boxes that are way too large. Just raise the price a dollar and you're good. No more the days of coming through my old Amazon boxes. 🤗

Edited November 18, 2020 by RightDwigt