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 204971 times)

Offline Lazegotit

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Re: Fedex, UPS, and USPS Shipping
« Reply #40 on: September 17, 2013, 10:41:13 AM »

When shipping to an apt building, the package gets left in the hallway of by the recipients door?
Only if there's no signature needed. If u want it to be left there regardless, leave a not by the door in the lobby saying so with your signature.

Offline Mark F

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #41 on: September 29, 2013, 12:58:46 PM »
If USPS loses a package that wasnt insured, has tracking code. Can I get money from them?

Offline yuneeq

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #42 on: September 29, 2013, 02:02:33 PM »
If USPS loses a package that wasnt insured, has tracking code. Can I get money from them?

$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
Visibly Jewish

Offline real-brisker

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #43 on: September 29, 2013, 02:07:35 PM »
When shipping to an apt building, the package gets left in the hallway of by the recipients door?
It depends if you put an apt # on it. It doesn't need to have signature confirmation.


Offline 972sg212

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #44 on: September 30, 2013, 04:09:28 PM »
New York - Illinois

Weight: 58lbs
Value: $160
Thanks in advance for your suggestions

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #45 on: September 30, 2013, 04:12:42 PM »
it might also be helpful to know the dimensions
were it 2"x2"x2"

usps flar rate priority is the way

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #46 on: September 30, 2013, 04:33:41 PM »
New York - Illinois

Weight: 58lbs
Value: $160
Thanks in advance for your suggestions
Home Delivery?

If not its about $35 including Direct Signature and $500 insurance

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #47 on: October 11, 2013, 12:06:08 PM »
Does USPS check Media Mail to see whats in it?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #48 on: October 11, 2013, 12:08:54 PM »
Does USPS check Media Mail to see whats in it?
Don't Defraud the Government. Not a smart move

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #49 on: October 11, 2013, 12:10:21 PM »
Does USPS check Media Mail to see whats in it?
Really you are trying to make your profit off the $3 you will save?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #50 on: October 11, 2013, 12:22:46 PM »
I'm asking for a friend of mine. He already shipped it. Do they check for whats in the box?

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #51 on: October 11, 2013, 12:40:01 PM »
No

Offline Tzadik Nistar

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #52 on: October 11, 2013, 01:41:03 PM »
What Carrier is the cheapest to send packages 1LB - 5LB NY to Canada?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #53 on: October 17, 2013, 01:22:52 PM »
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?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #54 on: October 17, 2013, 01:27:00 PM »
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?
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 ...

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #55 on: October 17, 2013, 01:28:00 PM »
What Carrier is the cheapest to send packages 1LB - 5LB NY to Canada?
Depends on weight, and service. USPS First Class mail will be the cheapest.

For me Fedex Priority is cheaper than USPS Priority

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #56 on: October 17, 2013, 01:30:58 PM »
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 ...

The box the item comes packaged in is 19x12x3. Can I put it in a bag?

Offline Yeki89

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #57 on: October 20, 2013, 12:29:14 AM »
In a bag that fits, I dont understand the question.

Offline elikay

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #58 on: October 20, 2013, 01:07:00 AM »
I ship on average once a week, 1-4 lb packages. What is the best way to go about it?

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Re: **Shipping Master Thread** What service To Use When
« Reply #59 on: October 20, 2013, 02:33:47 AM »
I ship on average once a week, 1-4 lb packages. What is the best way to go about it?
You probably don't do enough to get a good discount, find someone who does and pay him