USPS Large flat rate box price vs entering dimensions price?!

[ragtagrenaissance]

I'm sending out a package and I planned to use a large flat rate box because it's the perfect size for my item... The price for the flat rate box is $18.63 but if I just enter the dimensions of the box and use priority it's $9.64... it's 2 lbs, 7 oz. I guess my question is at what weight does it become worth it to send flat rate?? I did not expect that big of a discrepancy! 

[nobody*s_perfect]

The break-even point depends on what Zone you're shipping to.  For 3 pounds, the regular rate will always be cheaper than a flat rate box.  You're a Top Rated Seller, so you get a 3% discount on the Priority Mail postage that you purchase through eBay, so the prices below don't match what you're charged, but the proportions are the same.  The regular online rate for a Large Priority Mail box that you should use for comparison (ie., not discounted for TRS) would be $19.20. So the Large FRB would be cheaper if you're shipping 4 pounds or heavier to Zone 8, 5 pounds or more to Zone 7, etc. For Zone 1&2, the cutoff is 24 pounds!

[richard1rst]

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@ragtagrenaissance wrote:

I'm sending out a package and I planned to use a large flat rate box because it's the perfect size for my item... The price for the flat rate box is $18.63 but if I just enter the dimensions of the box and use priority it's $9.64... it's 2 lbs, 7 oz. I guess my question is at what weight does it become worth it to send flat rate?? I did not expect that big of a discrepancy! 

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To a large degree that depends on the distance and the weight. I have a shorthand cheat sheet set up and I find that for a cross country trip somewhere around 5 pounds is a break even point. Best choice would be to enter it by weight and size. If, when you go to ship, you determine that the flat rate is a better deal you can always change it.

[onefootflipper]

I live in the middle of the country and I have only used a flat rate box once in the last 9 years. If you are willing to use all carriers and also check Pirate Ship you will find that the flat rate box rarely wins the price battle.

Flat rate boxes are more for casual postal customers who don't look at or think about options, that is why those are the only boxes they put out at the post office.

[a_c_green]

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@ragtagrenaissance wrote:

I'm sending out a package and I planned to use a large flat rate box because it's the perfect size for my item... The price for the flat rate box is $18.63 but if I just enter the dimensions of the box and use priority it's $9.64... it's 2 lbs, 7 oz. I guess my question is at what weight does it become worth it to send flat rate??

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I know you didn't ask this, but: if you're using the Flat Rate Large box, you have to buy a Flat Rate Large label; you cannot use a regular Priority label for the weight/price savings (if there are). Just wanted to be sure that was said. You can use a plain box of comparable size if its dimensions and weight make for a lower cost to your destination than the Flat Rate Large.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

They must be in your zone, a 2lb 7oz pkg for $9ish is pretty low.  But the answer is it depends on the zones involved.   I virtually never use a LFRB, but I am located fairly centrally in the US. 

ETA:  Just in general, the FRB's are NOT a good deal, unless your item is quite heavy.  Otherwise, almost always it will be cheaper just doing regular Priority.  The exception is the PFRE bubble envelope, that one is often a good deal. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

They must be in your zone, a 2lb 7oz pkg for $9ish is pretty low..... 

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Take a look at the image I posted.  For a 3-pound package, the online Priority Mail postage is under $9 up to Zone 4. OP mentioned $9.64, which is the discounted TRS price for 3 pounds to Zone 5.

[12345jamesstamps]

I mailed a box going out yesterday USPS. I prefer doing my own shipping in person at the post office.

When asked by clerk how soon I wanted box to arrive, I said the cheapest way. Cheapest way would take a long time. But for .15 more it would arrive very quick. Of course I paid the extra .15 cents for it to arrive quicker.

Would never have known this if I didn't walk in person in my post office. Didn't think .15 cents would make such a difference in travel arrival. The box was the size of a barbie box : 13.30 oz. cost was $10.15 with tracking.

Could I have gotten it cheaper? Don't know. Expected box to arrive this week.

[d.amber]

Weight and zone does make a difference, but the flat rate medium boxes are a good deal if you shipping anything from 3lbs and up.  It gives you a solid price you know will be the shipping costs and if you live on a coast like me, most zones are far enough away that regular priority will be more expensive then flat rate.

The boxes the USPS supplies is nice as well.  Another option that can save money is 'A' and 'B' boxes which can be ordered online as well as other size priority mail boxes from the USPS.  

free Priority mail supplies from USPS 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote: .... I prefer doing my own shipping in person at the post office.

... The box was the size of a barbie box : 13.30 oz. cost was $10.15 with tracking.

Could I have gotten it cheaper? Don't know. ....

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Wow, you sure could.

If you had mailed that through eBay (or any other online postage provider) you could have mailed it as a First Class package for $5.96.  The weight cutoff for First Class packages is 15.99 ounces when purchased online, but 13 ounces at the Post Office counter.  That extra .3 ounces cost you a few bucks because it meant that the PO could only offer you Priority or Retail Ground.

Did you know that there's an online discount when you purchase postage online (except for Media Mail)? The online postage cost to mail that package via Priority would have been $8.59.  

All USPS package postage automatically includes tracking (formerly known as Delivery Confirmation) at no additional cost.

[dhbookds]

In addition to what Nobody said (I just love saying that).......when you go to print the label and put in the weight and dimensions, you can scroll down the list of shipping options to check prices.  We do take packages to the PO to get the receipt. 

[dbfolks166mt]

      As others mentioned there is no way to tell where the break even point is due to size, weight and zones. Flat rate is always cheaper for very heavy items and I have shipped 50+ pounds of  lead a couple of times in a medium and/or large flat rate box. 

     There is another option called priority mail cubic which is good for smaller heavy packages up to 20 pounds but you have to use another shipper like Pirate Ship to purchase and print the label since eBay does not offer it. You can then upload the tracking information into the order. I have used it several times and Pirate Ship's rates are close to the same as the eBay discounted rate. I always do what dhbookds     suggested and that is once I have the shipping address I look at the various options available and may change the method of shipment without changing the class. I.E. I still use priority mail but may switch from calculated priority to a regional A box, a padded flat rate envelope or just a regular envelope. 

     If there is a significant difference in what the buyer paid for the shipping and what it actually cost I have refunded several buyers for the shipping overage. 

[dbfolks166mt]

@ragtagrenaissance wrote:

I'm sending out a package and I planned to use a large flat rate box because it's the perfect size for my item... The price for the flat rate box is $18.63 but if I just enter the dimensions of the box and use priority it's $9.64... it's 2 lbs, 7 oz. I guess my question is at what weight does it become worth it to send flat rate??

I know you didn't ask this, but: if you're using the Flat Rate Large box, you have to buy a Flat Rate Large label; you cannot use a regular Priority label for the weight/price savings (if there are). Just wanted to be sure that was said. You can use a plain box of comparable size if its dimensions and weight make for a lower cost to your destination than the Flat Rate Large.

     Excellent point. As a side note USPS does have large priority mail mailing boxes that are just slightly larger than a large flat rate box. One caution with using those is to highlight the Large Mailing Box. I had one returned to me once because some postal worker could not tell the difference between their Large Flat Rate box and their Large Mailing box. 

[tarbucky]

Postage is calculated not only by weight but by package dimension and region / where it is traveling to in relation to where you are.  If you are going to save that much money, it would behoove you to use a standard box and not a flat rate box.  

[chapeau-noir]

I actually use flat rate boxes extensively, particularly the large flat rate game box, particularly in the winter.  It makes a lot of sense for shipping heavier items when you live up where I do - the population distribution decrees that, save for California (fortunately something like the 8th largest economy in the world), not a whole lot of people live in the zones closest to me.  Most of my heavier items end up shipping to the east coast (particularly coats).

If one lives in the midwest, then flat rate isn't as needed.  After you have been pricing things out for a while (look down the list as mentioned above), you get a feel for it.

And yeah, the flat rate boxes as the choice at the USPS is kind of a racket.  I've saved a few people from using the medium flat rate to ship something that can go first class.