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

[minicoopers11]

21 minutes ago, jerryherb said:

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

I understood Amazon had negotiated 2015 rates for 2016 for their sellers...

[jerryherb]

22 minutes ago, minicoopers11 said:

I understood Amazon had negotiated 2015 rates for 2016 for their sellers...

not with the USPS as far as i know as the shipping prices are inline with what USPS charges on their website. amazon also charges a $.07/label referral fee for using USPS through sellercentral.

Edited January 20, 2016 by jerryherb

[brickolodon]

crazy, switching for more large sets (aka more expensive) and bundles....

[Kenxxx]

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 10:44 AM, pstebbing said:

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.

I've wrestled with this before... sometimes a flat rate box is a perfect fit (or near perfect with a little trimming)... keeping me just at 2 lbs 15.5 oz, instead of 3 lbs, 1 oz... for example. Yet using the flat rate box would raise the shipping cost by $5. And sometimes the difference isn't much, but it's a question of using a "free" flat rate box vs. a new box I had to pay for, on a sale that's low profit to begin with. Do I risk it? Just print the std Priority Mail label (by weight) and stick it on the flat rate box? Will they "catch" me? I've done it a few times (literally.. could count on one hand) and have not had a problem.  I think the US Post Office - with all their competition and pressures to reduce cost and stay viable - probably is not paying for an automated system to scan each box and to try and catch flat rate "scofflaws". It's pretty much up to the postal carrier, or the counter attendant who accepts the package to check that a flat rate box has a flat rate label on it.

I've inquired about this at the post office... "Hypothetically, what if I had used a std Priority label on this flat rate box? I mean... do people do that sometimes?" The counter attendant gave me a stern look and said, "Well... it might go through...or it might not. It could get returned to you, or the difference may be billed to the recipient.  It depends on who catches it."

[hockeyweasel]

The USPS maximum weight for First-Class Parcel Package was quietly reduced back down to 13 ounces on August 28th.

Although eBay knew about the 1-3 oz. increase from $2.45 to $2.60, they apparently don't know about this change at the other end, because the shipping labels service still allows you to select First-Class for packages weighing between 13+ to 15.99 ounces.  Stamps.com also has a table of first-class rates for 2016 that includes 14, 15, and 15.99 ounces

This is a shame, because that $3.45 to the minimum priority mail postage can really be a killer on profit margin for small sets or when you split sets.

[zskid00]

3 minutes ago, hockeyweasel said:

The USPS maximum weight for First-Class Parcel Package was quietly reduced back down to 13 ounces on August 28th.

That really stinks.  I have been shipping a lot of action figures that weigh 14-15.9 oz and was able to take advantage of the lower First Class rates for these packages.  USPS must have been losing money on this.

[Darth_Raichu]

1 hour ago, hockeyweasel said:

The USPS maximum weight for First-Class Parcel Package was quietly reduced back down to 13 ounces on August 28th.

Although eBay knew about the 1-3 oz. increase from $2.45 to $2.60, they apparently don't know about this change at the other end, because the shipping labels service still allows you to select First-Class for packages weighing between 13+ to 15.99 ounces.  Stamps.com also has a table of first-class rates for 2016 that includes 14, 15, and 15.99 ounces

This is a shame, because that $3.45 to the minimum priority mail postage can really be a killer on profit margin for small sets or when you split sets.

Where did you see this?  Can you provide a link?  My quick research showed Commercial First Class Package price table that included 15.99 oz.  This was effective 8/28/16

[ISO8T0]

3 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Where did you see this?  Can you provide a link?  My quick research showed Commercial First Class Package price table that included 15.99 oz.  This was effective 8/28/16

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#_c037

 

[Darth_Raichu]

Just now, pstebbing said:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#_c037

 

That is RETAIL price.  Ebay and Amazon were able to negotiate COMMERCIAL price for their users:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#_c104

[KShine]

[ISO8T0]

That explains the difference then. B/c Ebay and Amazon have Commercial contracts with USPS the First Class pkg wt. goes up to 15.999 oz.

Thanks for clarifying @Darth_Raichu & @KShine

Carry on.

Edited September 2, 2016 by pstebbing

[Phil B]

Moral of the story is: Shop around and DO TRY to use Paypal/Ebay's negotiated shipping options (holds for UPS, USPS and FedEx). If you really cannot find the right price through those tools, or cannot use them, use USPS Click-and-Ship. Often online features are better than retail (Post Office counter) services, especially tracking on international shipments (a free feature on the cheaper international shipping options online, but not available at the counter).

[exciter1]

Coincidentally, Office Depot changed over from UPS shipping to FedEx shipping around the same date.  You can no longer use Office Depot as a UPS drop-off center.  I'm not sure if this has something to do with the Staples takeover.