USPS Rate Hike: Your Reselling Business Can Still Come Out a Winner

[zskid00]

18 minutes ago, jerryherb said:

makes you wonder why every shipper raised their prices since their major cost - fuel is relatively cheap.

It is interesting how manufacturers of petroleum based products and companies in the transportation services sector have used the high price of oil to explain price increases in the past yet we get no relief on the flip side.

[midbenne]

15 minutes ago, zskid00 said:

It is interesting how manufacturers of petroleum based products and companies in the transportation services sector have used the high price of oil to explain price increases in the past yet we get no relief on the flip side.

Totally @zskid00 It's garbage if you ask me. I used to be in transportation moving truckloads of freight across the country and they always have a fuel surcharge which goes up and down accordingly and yet the airlines get away w/baggage charges still and fuel is below $2/gallon or $30/barrel. It's a joke. 

[ISO8T0]

6 hours ago, exciter1 said:

I'm not a fan of the USPS long boxes. Too thin and they bend, crush, & warp too easy.  Maybe you haven't received complaints, so I must not be your customer.  I know many folks here use them, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

I have actually become more of a fan of using the Priority mail boxes. Yes they are flimsy, but when packaged properly they are very sturdy and free AND don't require tape.

I used cardboard scraps to layer on top of the sets to fill the space so that there is no "flimsy/play" left inside the box.

[Brick_dad]

I will switch to FBA.

 

[dcdfan]

Lovin' the new 1st class...

[justapilgrim]

I will switch to FBA.

 

And everyone else.

[JRandall]

Actually in the last few days all of my shipping for larger items has gotten 5-10 dollars cheaper.  I think Amazon also cut new deals with shippers and things are cheaper.

[stackables]

So what is the cost of a 3oz small package now?  This might cut into my minifig trading

[minicoopers11]

6 minutes ago, stackables said:

So what is the cost of a 3oz small package now?  This might cut into my minifig trading

$2.60 printed at home 

[pete411]

Any ideas on how we can ship most of the $20 sets while being within the new 16 ounce USPS First Class limit? Most of these sets weight 12-14 ounces so the box should put you over the limit. This would give all of us an alternative to FBA for open box or dinged up sets and being on the west coast, this would save me tons of cash.

Edited January 20, 2016 by pete411

[stackables]

23 minutes ago, minicoopers11 said:

$2.60 printed at home 

Ouch!!!! Holy jump.  It just went up 10 cents a couple months ago.

[bigboy61]

Hey guys! There is a PayPal link that allows you to print shipping labels for USPS and UPS. I think it gives you a discount (not sure though). Unlike Click and Ship, it allows you to purchase a lot of different services (like First Class). Its quite convenient. Hopefully, you can find this useful! Here's the link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

[stackables]

14 minutes ago, bigboy61 said:

Hey guys! There is a PayPal link that allows you to print shipping labels for USPS and UPS. I think it gives you a discount (not sure though). Unlike Click and Ship, it allows you to purchase a lot of different services (like First Class). Its quite convenient. Hopefully, you can find this useful! Here's the link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

Welcome to the site

[bigboy61]

23 minutes ago, stackables said:

Welcome to the site

Thanks!

[JosephMali]

Great article. Very helpful.

I make all my boxes out of old boxes and I mostly sell now on Amazon. If done right they look like new and they are much stronger than a normal box. This way I never add filler and always get the smallest size box and weight that I can with any set. On Ebay I use the feature that lets the shipping be calculated for each buyer for items like 10697 since it can cost a lot to ship it to CA for me since I live in NJ. There are so many buyers on the East cost that I will eventually sell the set to someone close or get a crazy buyer who wants to pay a lot in shipping if it does to AZ or CA. Any tips on how to do something similar on Amazon? I am tired of shipping stuff to Alaska or North Dakota and I don't want to pay the price to open an account, which I think gives me more shipping options.

[JosephMali]

Great article. Very helpful.

I make all my boxes out of old boxes and I mostly sell now on Amazon. If done right they look like new and they are much stronger than a normal box. This way I never add filler and always get the smallest size box and weight that I can with any set. On Ebay I use the feature that lets the shipping be calculated for each buyer for items like 10697 since it can cost a lot to ship it to CA for me since I live in NJ. There are so many buyers on the East cost that I will eventually sell the set to someone close or get a crazy buyer who wants to pay a lot in shipping if it does to AZ or CA. Any tips on how to do something similar on Amazon? I am tired of shipping stuff to Alaska or North Dakota and I don't want to pay the price to open an account, which I think gives me more shipping options.

[minicoopers11]

6 hours ago, stackables said:

Ouch!!!! Holy jump.  It just went up 10 cents a couple months ago.

First class rates didn't change much, except the new minimum charge is for 8 oz, not 3 oz.

[lodibricks]

Well that's cool that it's $2.60 all the way up to 8oz, but that still sucks for shipping a single minfig. Had a few cheapies listed for $3.49, will get $0.50 back after fees/ship now. :|

[minicoopers11]

6 hours ago, lodibricks said:

Well that's cool that it's $2.60 all the way up to 8oz, but that still sucks for shipping a single minfig. Had a few cheapies listed for $3.49, will get $0.50 back after fees/ship now. :|

Even worse for international. Shipping a single minifig used to cost about $6 to $7. Now it's $12 to $13.

[mudcatsfan]

On 1/19/2016 at 11:25 PM, justapilgrim said:

The Game Board shipping box with outside dimensions: 24-1/16" x 11-7/8" x 3-1/8" is one of my stand by for those medium sized sets. 

 

Thanks so much for pointing out this size box. I had no idea it was available. I just ordered a pack of them, but i noticed it says "FLAT RATE" on the site, yet i don't see this box size as an option when paying for postage on ebay. Is this truly a flat rate box, or can i use it for any Priority Mail option with custom weights? 

Great article and thanks!

[ISO8T0]

The Priority Mail Game box is the same price as the Large Flat Rate Box. (interchangeable)

However, depending on where you ship the package to it might be cheaper to telescope two Priority Mail Mailing Boxes. USPS allows the modification of PM Mailing Boxes, but not Flat Rate Boxes.

If the box is marked "Flat Rate" then it needs to be shipped Flat Rate.

[jerryherb]

sounds like its time to order a ton of USPS PM/FR boxes to offset the new increase. gonna make my rounds around POs and snag all the freebies i can get my hands on 

 

is there a list of what sets would fit what size USPS boxes?

Edited January 20, 2016 by jerryherb

[jerryherb]

14 hours ago, JosephMali said:

Great article. Very helpful.

I make all my boxes out of old boxes and I mostly sell now on Amazon. If done right they look like new and they are much stronger than a normal box. This way I never add filler and always get the smallest size box and weight that I can with any set. On Ebay I use the feature that lets the shipping be calculated for each buyer for items like 10697 since it can cost a lot to ship it to CA for me since I live in NJ. There are so many buyers on the East cost that I will eventually sell the set to someone close or get a crazy buyer who wants to pay a lot in shipping if it does to AZ or CA. Any tips on how to do something similar on Amazon? I am tired of shipping stuff to Alaska or North Dakota and I don't want to pay the price to open an account, which I think gives me more shipping options.

if you have an amazon subscription account (at least $40/month) you can adjust your shipping costs depending on weight/price/delivery address type (POBOX/residential/business), but have not seen the option for distance/zipcode. if you sell at least 40 items a month you can break even as the subscription eliminates $1/item referral fee amazon charges on top of $15%.

Edited January 20, 2016 by jerryherb

[ISO8T0]

12 minutes ago, jerryherb said:

sounds like its time to order a ton of USPS PM/FR boxes to offset the new increase. gonna make my rounds around POs and snag all the freebies i can get my hands on 

 

is there a list of what sets would fit what size USPS boxes?

I would recommend ordering the PM Mailing Boxes. I think the post offices only carry Flat Rate Boxes in stock. (ymmv so call first).

 

[Darth_Raichu]

Technically the rate change is good news for people selling 14oz-16oz items.  These can be shipped First Class instead of Priority (save you $2/item).

Yep, it is the only positive thing that can be said about this change