Topic Wiki

Shipping Domestic

WeightUSPSUPSFedEx
13oz and UnderItems under 13oz are usually able to be shipped USPS First Class Mail. By far this is the cheapest option.
Weekly Pickup CostUPS charges $22 for weekly pickups - if you are not shipping with your own UPS account (e.g. Amazons account) If you ship with your own account at least $75 weekly then the fee is $11.It is about the same rates as UPS.
Who Pays When Refusing a packageNo oneShipperShipper
Ship to a PO box?YesNoNo

Need to ship a package with tracking?
Login to paypal and then click this link https://www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create/
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_bulk-ship

Knowing which shipping service to use and when could be tricky. It depends on items weight, how fast needed to be delivered, contents value.

Here are 2 free tools I found that can answer many of the pricing questions on this thread:
1. Fitshipper is for when you know the delivery address, size & weight.    2. Fitshipper for listings is when you are not your sure of the destination (eBay etc.).



Items 1-5lbs is when it gets tricky.

For Fedex and UPS there is a Home Delivery charge of about $3 for all shipments that are delivered to a residential address.  This is what will usually make the rates with Fedex or UPS a lot higher than USPS Priority (on low weight packages)

The base rate - commercial address for shipping zone 1, 1lb with Fedex is $6.65, with USPS it's $5.05

With Fedex or UPS the rate increased much less per additional lb

Shipping Insurance with Fedex/UPS is a lot cheaper than USPS. This will be a key factor on deciding when to use USPS over Fedex

Direct Signature Requirement comes standard with $300 of USPS Insurance, and $500 of Fedex insurance

•°•°For Decently priced USPS labels see this post  Or this updated 8/2/21.•°•°

Latest 1/10/22 the best labels so far.
For insane rates.
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=28357.msg2538377#msg2538377


Q: Under 1lb what is the best service to use?
Typically USPS Priority Mail

Q: What is flat rate? When will it give you the best price?
Flat Rate is a specific size box that does not have a weight limit, and has the same rate for most of USA. Usually this will be the cheapest when shipping to the farthest zone.

Do all companys offer flat rate?
USPS has the best flat rate service. Fedex offers "One Rate" but that will only be a savings on Express shipments. If you have discounted rates with Fedex, the "One Rates" will not be cheaper, unless the box is heavy.

Q: If you don't have a shipping scale available, what would be the best website to find out the weight of a specific product?
Amazon has the shipping weight for most items. Add an additional lb or 2 for the weight of the box.

Q:When shipping to an apt building, will the package gets left in the hallway of by the recipients door?
A:It depends on the delivery driver. I would recommend requiring a signature when shipping to an apartment so that it will not get left outside.

Q:If USPS loses a package that wasn't insured, has tracking code. Can I get money from them?
A:$100 of insurance is included in Priority Mail Express service.
$50 insurance is included in Priority Mail service.
https://www.usps.com/ship/insurance-and-extra-services.htm

Q:What Carrier is the cheapest to send packages 1LB - 5LB NY to Canada?
USPS Priority likely will be the cheapest. If you have discounted rates with Fedex or UPS they may be cheaper.

Q:Items that I am shipping that the item is packaged in a box; is it necessary to put it in a shipping box or a shipping bag is good enough?
A:Depends what you are shipping. A bag is fine for items that wont get damaged in a bag. I use a bag all the time for such items.

I buy small boxes at Uline, its about $0.30 for a 7x4x4 - which in dimensional weight its 1lb.

You could also consider bubble envelopes ...

Q:How well priced is amazon shipping?
For having inventory shipped to Amazon using their UPS account, by far that is the cheapest option. For having an item shipped to a customer using Amazons shipping rates, they are not the best rates. If you ship enough to get discounted rates with UPS of Fedex you will be bettor off using your own account.

Q: How much does it cost for UPS Pickup?
UPS charges $22 for weekly pickups - if you are not shipping with your own UPS account (e.g. Amazons account) If you ship with your own account at least $75 weekly then the fee is $11.
It is about the same rates with Fedex.

How Much is pickup for one package?

Q: How can I get around it? Flag down a driver
Flagging a driver down not necessarily is the best way around the daily pickup fee. If you are shipping daily for the convenience it should be worth to have a daily pickup.
With Fedex if you do not have an daily pickup and give the packages to a driver you will be charged $3 per box.
Additionaly many drivers do not like accepting packages from people that do not have a daily pickup, as they have to save room on their truck for their daily pickup customers.


Q: What Are the flat rate sizes?
« Last edited by myi on January 10, 2022, 02:13:34 AM »

Author Topic: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When  (Read 204929 times)

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #80 on: November 05, 2013, 06:52:47 PM »
Make one, I'll put in edits. I belive NC can do the same.

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #81 on: November 05, 2013, 06:54:26 PM »
When I wanna send out a bubbled envelop with lets say a pack of 4 batteries, do I select Package/Thick Envelope, or Large Envelope/Thick?
You might want to be careful wit batteries going USPS.
I belive that you can't ship Lithium On airplanes

i.e. express, international.

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #82 on: November 05, 2013, 07:13:27 PM »
You might want to be careful wit batteries going USPS.
I belive that you can't ship Lithium On airplanes

i.e. express, international.
Oyyyy...... I sent it out First Class mail, may it be a problem?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #83 on: November 05, 2013, 07:23:42 PM »
You might want to be careful wit batteries going USPS.
I belive that you can't ship Lithium On airplanes

i.e. express, international.
USPS took off the ban, as long as the battery is installed in the device or smaller than a certain cell size it should not be an issue.

IME I never had a package returned that contained a battery

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #84 on: November 05, 2013, 07:39:27 PM »
The package I sent was a pack of 4 batteries, I throw them in to the mailbox Sunday night, (was picked up Monday morning) when I track it online nothing is coming up... (I throw in together with that a different package via First Class mail that does show progress when I track) anything to be worried for? or with First Class mail it may take a few days till tracking start showing up?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #85 on: November 05, 2013, 08:24:51 PM »
The package I sent was a pack of 4 batteries, I throw them in to the mailbox Sunday night, (was picked up Monday morning) when I track it online nothing is coming up... (I throw in together with that a different package via First Class mail that does show progress when I track) anything to be worried for? or with First Class mail it may take a few days till tracking start showing up?
FC Mail tracking is very unreliable

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #86 on: November 05, 2013, 08:30:55 PM »
My second package this week is stuck somewhere in Trenton. Last tracking shows

Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility
Oct-28-13, 19:16 PM, TRENTON, NJ 08650

I called USPS and they "found" it.

GRRRR!

Offline Hamavin

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #87 on: November 06, 2013, 03:24:05 PM »
Any tips for opening a ups account?

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #88 on: November 06, 2013, 03:46:09 PM »
How long should it take for First Class mail (with tracking) to get from NY to CA?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline real-brisker

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #89 on: November 06, 2013, 03:55:15 PM »
How long should it take for First Class mail (with tracking) to get from NY to CA?
5-7 Biz days


Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #90 on: November 06, 2013, 04:02:54 PM »
5-7 Biz days
Tracking does not show up.... I drooped off the item at a USPS box Sunday night, is tracking for First Class mail, so not reliable?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline real-brisker

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #91 on: November 06, 2013, 04:05:00 PM »
Tracking does not show up.... I drooped off the item at a USPS box Sunday night, is tracking for USPS mail, so not reliable?
FTFY


Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #92 on: November 06, 2013, 05:00:57 PM »
FTFY
Explain? a different item that I throw it together with that item, was delivered already.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Jkhein

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #93 on: November 07, 2013, 07:25:07 AM »
Tracking does not show up.... I drooped off the item at a USPS box Sunday night, is tracking for First Class mail, so not reliable?
sure.
Not that priority mail is much better, I just had priority mail take 7 days to arrive to it's destination.

Offline real-brisker

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #94 on: November 07, 2013, 07:37:38 AM »
Explain? a different item that I throw it together with that item, was delivered already.
USPS tracking system is cr@ppy.
A package can be delivered and still show out for delivery.
A package can randomly get lost somewhere.
A package can show scheduled for deliver and that means nothing, it can take a vacation while your waiting for it.
All their methods, not just FC.


Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #95 on: November 10, 2013, 10:54:34 PM »
HELP...... I by mistake throw in a UPS labeled package together with some USPS packages in to a USPS mailbox... what's next?  PLEASE HELP.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Tzadik Nistar

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #96 on: November 10, 2013, 11:11:06 PM »
USPS will bring it back in a couple of days or weeks

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #97 on: November 10, 2013, 11:13:43 PM »
USPS will bring it back in a couple of days or weeks
Hmmmm yeah with USPS it may take months also.... Do I have what to go to the post office tomorrow? Or it's a waste of time?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #98 on: November 10, 2013, 11:22:45 PM »
Hmmmm yeah with USPS it may take months also.... Do I have what to go to the post office tomorrow? Or it's a waste of time?
Waste of time.

USPS will probable just hand it off to UPS. Not a big deal, has happened to me in the past

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #99 on: November 10, 2013, 11:32:30 PM »
Waste of time.

USPS will probable just hand it off to UPS. Not a big deal, has happened to me in the past
Ohhhh sounds better.... Thx @Name
You can say what you think when you think what you say.