Tips for keeping the cost of shipping and packaging low

[signalsurreal]

Wow I can't believe I've been a member since 2004 and haven't posted anything 

Anyways, would like to get tips on getting price breaks on shipping through USPS and packaging materials. I'm always shocked that some people can offer free shipping and I'm wondering how I could do the same. Also are there any good sites for purchasing discount packaging material (I create jewelry FYI, but also looking into reselling vintage items)

Thanks for the tips!

[sugarshoxcrafts]

Here are a few things I do to keep shipping and packaging low:

-Reuse boxes or make your own box if you have an oddly shaped item.  You can turn a box inside out to reuse for business purposes (just don't do this with a Priority Mail box--that's illegal).  The worst thing to have to do is buy boxes. 

-Reuse packing materials, like packing peanuts, paper wrapping,  bubble wrap--as long as it's clean, dry, and odor free no one will know where it came from.  Also use newspaper or dollar store plain tissue paper.

-Use the smallest size box or envelope possible.  Bubble mailers rock!

-Ship First Class instead of Priority whenever possible--ESPECIALLY internationally!

-Get Delivery Confirmation.  Yes, this is an extra 80 cents, but it's proof you sent the item in case your buyer would say they didn't get the item.

-I also don't sell things that I know will require a lot of postage (big stuffed things, mostly)--if you want to make pillows, just make the cases and have the buyer stuff it themselves. 

-Use Parcel Post for big packages unless they need to be rushed.

Good luck!

[surrealsignal]

Thank you for the tips!

I'd also like to know about any good wholesale sites out there for packaging. I'm sure I will have to buy this stuff at some point

And am I living in a fantasy world or is there a way to get a price break from USPS if you do a lot of shipping??

[Toney]

Hi surrealsignal

What sugarshox said is generally correct, be efficient with your packaging, width, height and length all matter if you are trying to post for as cheap as possible.

I would say if your products have a general size go onto Ebay and get a bulk deal on say 50 or 100 small bubblemailers or boxes, there are LOADS of suppliers on Ebay for packaging.

USPS is just a standard mailing service so you wont get a break from them, doesn't matter how much you ship, they charge per package.

It is possible to get a good deal from a proper courier, but it would probably only be in your interests if you were shipping tons of goods every day, I assume you are in the beginning phases of business so you have a while to go yet for this to apply to you.

But don't worry about all that start slow & choose a good price for your products, if you incorporate packaging in your pricing then you can ship for free also.

[CraftyChef]

Uline.com has shipping stuff for the best prices around. You might get a deal on ebay, but make sure they don't kill you on shipping and find someone you can go back to and get the same stuff. Searching around for bargains sometimes takes more time than it's worth.

If someone told me I had to stuff my own pillow, I'd leave their shop immediately...

[metalsmitten]

My personal favorite for shipping supplies: www.lintonlabels.co m

A lot of those places that always offer free shipping have actually increased their prices to totally cover shipping, then just dropped the shipping. (Not all, but many do this.)

Are you charging actual shipping cost or are you charging for the mailer, packaging, etc also? Make sure all your costs are covered!

If you use Endicia or some of those other online postage printy sites, they'll often give you a small discount on shipping price. I use Endicia, and not only does it hide the actual shipping cost on the label (so that customers don't think I'm overcharging when I'm actually just charging shipping + packaging) but it gives a small discount and free delivery confirm. It does cost on a monthly basis, but I ship a fair amount so it's totally worth it for me.

Hope some of this helps!

[sugarshoxcrafts]

Uline.com has shipping stuff for the best prices around. You might get a deal on ebay, but make sure they don't kill you on shipping and find someone you can go back to and get the same stuff. Searching around for bargains sometimes takes more time than it's worth.

If someone told me I had to stuff my own pillow, I'd leave their shop immediately...

The only reason I am contemplating selling pillow covers instead of actual pillows is because of the shipping and cost of materials.  I just can't find a way to make stuffed pillows both affordable to the buyer and cost-effective to me to sell.  Both shipping & material cost (we're not even talking about labor)are so high that I would have to charge a lot to just break even on the sale--I don't think a customer would want to pay $8-$10 in shipping costs (my regular size stuffed guys cost about $4 to ship, and pillows would be 2 to 3 times bigger). Stuffing is also expensive with the cost of that material in itself--unless you're using fiberfill (which loses its resiliency after a month or so), pillow forms are expensive to be buying, especially for larger size pillows!

[MissMalaprop]

USPS actually does offer a slight price break if you set up a business account and have it so that you can calculate and print out your shipping labels online. You need a shipping scale, because you'll need to enter the weight of the package. It makes it easier because then you don't have to stand in line at the post office either, and you can actually schedule for the postman to pick it up from your house.

USPS also offers some free shipping supplies through their website. I know you can get most of the flat rate priority mail packaging for free. You just have to set up an account and order it through their site.

[surrealsignal]

Thanks for all the great tips and sites everyone. I can tell this is a topic on everybody's mind, not just my own And Sugarshox I totally agree with you, the idea is to sell the highest quality product without getting hammered by shipping expenses (from both the seller and the buyer). I firmly believe that if you make something to sell you should make a profit (unless its a trade with someone)

[HardLuckGal]

I sell and ship mostly clothing items so I always ship priority. The boxes are free and the actual cost to ship priority vs. parcel post is never more than it would cost to purchase boxes/packaging to ship it in. Also, as a bonus, the USPS will deliver the boxes right to my home and pick them up for me.