Shipping Suggestions for FLAT Key ring /chain/fob: See photos and my description please
I made these denim key chains/ fobs last year but have been unable to sell them because the USPS Advantage is too expensive for a 3 ounce item. I'm asking for help with other acceptable shipping options. I got fooled recently with the USPS Standard Envelope debacle with another small item I sold . The ebay "helper" spoke to me by phone, and said that all I needed to do was to go to the post office and the people there can pull up my ebay sale and print my label. ??? What? OKAY SO I NEED TO KNOW what is the least expensive shipping option for this type of item here: A FLAT key ring/fob. See photo. Thank you! ~Peggy
9 comments
stacy_pme
·1 year agoIs there any way to improve them, and be able to charge more for them, thus to justify paying more in shipping? I suppose it depends on what you are currently listing them for... I had a quick look at your store, and you look to be listing lots of things for under $10.00 and many under $5. EBay is pretty harsh to sell things that low because my thoughts as a buyer is that it's hard to justify paying as much or more for shipping for an item... I mean if I buy a keychain for $5.00, I'm not going to be able to see paying $5.00 in shipping... I am moving more and more towards selling lots of items to keep my lowest amount at $20 or $25. I am doing lots of costume jewelry, and one necklace might be worth $2.00 or $3.00 but to ship it properly it's going to be $4 or $5... So I'm putting 10 necklaces together, listing them for $20 or $25, and then the shipping is like $6 or $8... and people are buying them... Some of the more valuable and expensive necklaces I list for $10 or $15 each... but I'm not individually listing $2 or $3 necklaces. I hope this helps. Sorry, I don't have the right answer for you... but maybe even just selling them in lots would help you? Do you have a cricket or something that you could use to print on the denim fobs? A his & hers keychains, or custom-named keychains for family members??? IDK what the best answer is for you, but I wish you lots of luck!
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoStamped envelope with perhaps something the consistency of a postcard inside on both sides and send as "non-machinable" (last I knew 44 cents extra) 1st class envelope.
No tracking, but that's what you need to deal with if sending "on the cheap".
bdmh-enterprises
·1 year agoI don't think those would even go in an ESE eligible category and the ring would definitely be problematic even so.
Best bet might be small cardboard or padded mailer with non-machinable postage from the PO or as a flat if they qualify. But again there will be no tracking.
onefootflipper
·1 year agoThey blew the categories allowed wide open to a few hundred categories nearly a year ago and the actual legal terms and conditions of the program only care about what category the item is listed in.
However that doesn't change the fact that the original poster is trying to sell a product that there is no demand for and that ring would definitely cause some standard envelope shipping issues unless she got creative with the packing. That would eat up more time than money was saved and it still wouldn't make anyone want the item in the first place.
tools*
·1 year agoPlaced in a folded 8-1/2 x 11 piece of paper in a #10 envelope, but you would have no recourse against proof of delivery claims.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 year agoDidn't you learn from your negative FB that selling cheap items and trying to keep the cost of shipping down below Ground Advantage is worse than not making a sale.
Bad business is worse than no business.
BTW Ebay has not changed anything about ESE. It is a very limited service, designed for flat flexible items and even when it should work it might not. Your FB response will not help you with potential buyers who understand the issues.
The only rates lower than Ground Advantage offered by USPS for 4 ounces or less are letter mail and they have the same limits as ESE without the pseudo tracking.
toomuchstuffagain35
·1 year agoMaybe add something to the demin like an applique or letter etc so you can enough to make the cost of a small padded mailer feasible?
As someone else said I can see the actual metal ring being problematical with a standard envelope.
gllifestyles
·1 year agoI send all sorts of keychains, pens, pipe tools all with paper and a stamp or two. Of the envelope is even all the way across then your good to go
onefootflipper
·1 year agoYou never want to involve anyone at the post office with anything to do with ebay, particularly standard envelope.
Your key ring looks like the sort of item that would usually make it through the standard envelope system. but you would still have a huge exception rate with them. That ring is going to jam the sort machines and get the envelope shredded sometimes.
Also, unfortunately, there is no real market for what you are wanting to sell there, I see a bunch of similar items listed and absolutely none of them in sold items.
I would cut my losses on them and sell them all in a single lot to someone else who perhaps has a better venue to sell them than mail order.