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 249170 times)

Offline zw

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Offline BarryLincoln

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Small Business Shipping
« Reply #241 on: April 01, 2015, 11:28:23 PM »
Have been shipping roughly 50-75 packages a month via USPS (first class or priority), weight can range from 1lb to 5lb per package.  I also receive roughly 20 package a month (10lb to 20lb in weight).  Nearly everything is domestic.

I wanted to get a sense for what my options are outside USPS - either UPS, Fedex or DHL, or another national carrier.  Want to keep my costs as low as possible while also getting reliable service.

Anyone have insights to share? 

Thanks in advance...

Offline Saver2000

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Re: Small Business Shipping
« Reply #242 on: April 01, 2015, 11:43:27 PM »
This thread has a lot of good info
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=28357.0

Offline incendia

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #243 on: April 27, 2015, 03:41:05 PM »
I have a question for UPS.

is it ok to wrap a box in butcher paper? I sealed all the edges do you think it will rip and lose the shipping label or damage the box underneath ?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #244 on: April 27, 2015, 03:51:29 PM »
I have a question for UPS.

is it ok to wrap a box in butcher paper? I sealed all the edges do you think it will rip and lose the shipping label or damage the box underneath ?
try posting here: http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=51325.msg1127328;topicseen#new
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline incendia

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #245 on: April 27, 2015, 05:10:42 PM »

Offline Emkay

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #247 on: May 14, 2015, 11:12:42 AM »

"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."

What about 20LB? Any issues to be aware of sending to Canada?


Offline nocknock

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #248 on: May 14, 2015, 01:15:24 PM »
Anyone familiar with Shippingeasy.com

They introduced me to something called Flat Rate Green seems to be that you have your own flat rates till a certain dimensions.

Offline ckmk47

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #249 on: June 22, 2015, 08:55:00 PM »
Sending a package to Israel.
A small, light package - should get there in less than 2 weeks.
How about a heavy box? will that break the bank?
My favorite cause: cssy.org

Offline KidOOO

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #250 on: July 24, 2015, 06:08:20 PM »
"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."

What about 20LB? Any issues to be aware of sending to Canada?





1LB - 5LB NY to Canada - Proirity will be expensive usually,

I know DHL Global Mail has services which are much cheaper for international, not only Canada, i use them and am very happy
« Last Edit: July 24, 2015, 06:20:56 PM by KidOOO »

Offline KidOOO

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #251 on: July 24, 2015, 06:10:36 PM »
Have been shipping roughly 50-75 packages a month via USPS (first class or priority), weight can range from 1lb to 5lb per package.  I also receive roughly 20 package a month (10lb to 20lb in weight).  Nearly everything is domestic.

I wanted to get a sense for what my options are outside USPS - either UPS, Fedex or DHL, or another national carrier.  Want to keep my costs as low as possible while also getting reliable service.

Anyone have insights to share? 

Thanks in advance...

For domestic  below 15 lbs- mail consolidators (DHL Global Mail, UPS Mail Innovations / SurePost, FedEx SmartPost) will usually be the cheapest by alot,   

Offline itunes

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #252 on: August 06, 2015, 07:20:05 PM »
Anyone know what kind of shipping fee i am gonna have to pay, the machine is about the size of a standard keurig. Also which company should i use, fedex, ups or usps?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #253 on: August 06, 2015, 07:31:28 PM »

Anyone know what kind of shipping fee i am gonna have to pay, the machine is about the size of a standard keurig. Also which company should i use, fedex, ups or usps?

How heavy? 5lbs, 10lbs, 50lbs, etc.
From where? NY, Hawaii, Europe, Iran, Hong Kong, etc.
To where? Chicago, Israel, Sydney, Afritca, etc.

You may not hold me responsible for any actions taken that were recommended from my account or username.

Offline itunes

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #254 on: August 06, 2015, 08:55:21 PM »
Between 10 and 15 lbs. I will be shipping it from the USA to within the USA, not sure where exactly yet

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #255 on: August 11, 2015, 01:35:48 PM »
Between 10 and 15 lbs. I will be shipping it from the USA to within the USA, not sure where exactly yet

Don't use USPS. It will cost a lot.

FedEx will be a little more than UPS but they are a little more reliable in general.

I would estimate around $13-16 for ground shipping depending how far, if you don't add extra insurance.

Offline lunatic

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #256 on: August 11, 2015, 01:37:12 PM »
Which is best to use if I need insurance (like 5k),  staying in usa

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #257 on: August 12, 2015, 05:48:51 PM »
Which is best to use if I need insurance (like 5k),  staying in usa
If u use UPS you can declare value, I don't think it's full insurance but should serve the same purpose. I would double check on that first though

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #258 on: September 20, 2015, 08:08:31 PM »
Have some stuff comin yom kipur that require signature....Is there a way to leave signature on door?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #259 on: September 21, 2015, 12:49:06 AM »
Have some stuff comin yom kipur that require signature....Is there a way to leave signature on door?
Which carrier?