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 249109 times)

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #180 on: January 08, 2014, 12:35:57 AM »
That was after he dropped off 79 boxes by me.
Nothing less by me....... And he still had to come back to pick them up at night  ;)
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline beeweegee

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #181 on: January 09, 2014, 01:02:57 PM »
I shipped something (heavy and expensive) using USPS, and it arrived damaged (The corner of the box and the corner of the product were bashed in). I did not buy insurance. Can I still hold them accountable?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #182 on: January 09, 2014, 01:41:09 PM »
I shipped something (heavy and expensive) using USPS, and it arrived damaged (The corner of the box and the corner of the product were bashed in). I did not buy insurance. Can I still hold them accountable?
Only for $50


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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #183 on: January 09, 2014, 03:30:54 PM »
Only for $50
Thanks. Do I do that on their website? How do I prove it?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #184 on: January 12, 2014, 09:30:15 PM »
Does anybody know the cheapest way or agent (not by freighter pls) to send items to another country from the US? i am looking to send weekly over 100lb

Offline Saver2000

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #185 on: January 16, 2014, 01:38:47 AM »
@meshugene,  you were right about the 99 cents tracking on a first class package.  I got it yesterday. 

My question is,  I brought in 2 first class packages to the post office. 
On one of them I  paid for tracking,  and on the other I didn't. 

The one that I didn't buy tracking -  they anyways put on a tracking number ,  but it's an "internal number only". 

What exactly does that mean? It's on my receipt,  and I'm able to track it online. 
Why would I ever pay for tracking?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #186 on: January 16, 2014, 08:23:44 AM »
Anyone have experience shipping to Egypt?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #187 on: January 16, 2014, 09:34:26 AM »
Anyone have experience shipping to Egypt?
Yes, I have shipped in the past

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #188 on: January 16, 2014, 01:19:34 PM »

Yes, I have shipped in the past

Did they have to pay taxes on the other end too? What did you use? I've been comparing fedex ups and the reg post office...

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #189 on: January 16, 2014, 01:57:13 PM »
Did they have to pay taxes on the other end too? What did you use? I've been comparing fedex ups and the reg post office...
I use Fedex. They will have to pay import tax.

I have very good rates with Fedex, cheaper than USPS

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #190 on: January 23, 2014, 09:47:08 PM »
What is the downside of shipping to POB?
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 #191 on: January 23, 2014, 11:39:55 PM »
What is the downside of shipping to POB?
UPS / Fedex don't deliver to PO Boxes, which a lot of sellers only use.

Also even if you require a signature, not necessarily will a signature be on file with a PO Box.



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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #192 on: January 24, 2014, 09:50:04 AM »
How long would it take for a item to ship from NY to PR using USPS Parcel select?
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 #193 on: January 24, 2014, 10:52:21 AM »
How long would it take for a item to ship from NY to PR using USPS Parcel select?
2-3 weeks

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Shipping non books media mail?
« Reply #194 on: January 28, 2014, 09:00:11 PM »
I sold a game on ebay, would it be an issue if I ship media mail?

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Re: Shipping non books media mail?
« Reply #195 on: January 28, 2014, 09:29:45 PM »
Your post belongs here

http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=28357.msg483766#msg483766

Games do not qualify for media mail.

Besides that ethically its wrong, I would not suggest it, as you run a risk of USPS returning to you (which is not that likely)

Also, Media Mail is a slow service, and the recipient may get annoyed that you are using this service when it is wrong to.

Offline ilherman

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #196 on: January 29, 2014, 07:01:09 PM »
Can I send out an envelope with FC Mail, or does it have to be a some kind of box, or dimension?
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 #197 on: January 29, 2014, 07:04:31 PM »
Can I send out an envelope with FC Mail, or does it have to be a some kind of box, or dimension?
Yes, Envelope is fine

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #198 on: January 29, 2014, 07:13:43 PM »
Thanks. I remember someone posting that the post office rejected to accept his envelope because it haves to be a package, something like that.....
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 #199 on: February 02, 2014, 01:20:19 PM »
Thanks. I remember someone posting that the post office rejected to accept his envelope because it haves to be a package, something like that.....
That's to get parcel add-ons such as tracking.