eBay

sin-n-dex · ‎12-15-2017

So I'm having a back and forth with a buyer tonight about some proof sets... he asked me why I'm not using the flat rate boxes. (Simple answer is because I live in Canada and use courier to get my items to New York).

The courier doesn't care if I have flat rate boxes, as long as the postage is right.

Can someone fill me in? If I go to my post office in Niagara Falls New York, do I just ask for them? Is there a limit on what I can take? Do I pay anything for them? Do I need to show them anything to prove they are intended to be used for mailing?

We've got lots of toys (and proof sets and things that weigh a little over a pound), and the flat rate boxes sound like a good solution to getting a box and putting as much as I want in the box for a flat rate.

But before I spend $30 in fuel to go to New York, I'd like to know how to go about this.

Thanks folks!

C.

sin-n-dex · ‎12-17-2017

@a_c_green wrote:
The Flat Rate Priority Mail boxes are freely available at post offices, generally just sitting on a display in the lobby, so you can take what you need. However, if your items are only around a pound in weight, Flat Rate would be a complete ripoff; they'll only save you money if the item is a few pounds in weight or more (depending on how far it's going).

If the package weighs less than a pound, it could go First Class Package instead, for which you can purchase labels on-line up to 15.999 ounces. (The weight limit for FCP postage purchased over the counter at the post office is 13.0 ounces.) For either First Class Package or non-Flat Rate Priority, you can use your own packaging. Only Flat Rate shipping requires its own special packaging from the USPS.

I do have some proof sets under a pound, but I'm thinking if a buyer wants several, sometimes I get a series.

I've taken advantage of eBay's free items four times to get two sizes of boxes, and two sizes of bubble mailers (for anything bigger than the #0's I buy in bulk).

Sounds like I really only need a half dozen of some different sizes.

Cheers, C.

sin-n-dex · ‎12-17-2017

@thallidguy wrote:
Others have already given you a good explanation of Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes and how they work, but I just want to make sure I understand your situation: You live in Canada but you do your shipping by USPS out of the Niagara Falls post office? I know that many Canadians who live near the border do this because it's cheaper; just want to make sure I understand.

I actually live 100 miles from the border. I have those big eBay boxes, and pack them up with my items once or twice a week (every Monday, and if on Monday and Tuesday I sell a lot, or something expensive, I do a second shipping). FedEx takes the box to a location near Toronto and for 65 cents a parcel (for the first class ones) they courier them over the border for me and drop them off at a post office in Niagara, New York.

Sounds like a hassle right? Well each week I sell something costly that I want tracked for sure, and that's $14 from Canada (or something like that). For $13 FedEx takes a whole box, usually 5-10 items, my expensive item is in there, so there's my $14 in shipping. But all the others sold this week go along with it. And I get tracking to other countries, which I don't get in Canada. So my Malaysian buyers can buy my expensive Malaysian coins, and get tracking. The buyer pays me $3.70 to ship a coin, which covers the courier's fee per parcel, eBay's fee, and the $2.61 paid to USPS.

As for charging $14 to ship the one expensive item... no one pays that, I had to increase prices to cover it so the buyer wouldn't feel ripped off on the postage.

Cheers, C.

sin-n-dex · ‎12-17-2017

@lookng2015 wrote:
Do you know anyone in NF that would be willing to let you have USPS ship some of the free PM boxes to them and you can go pick them up? I know USPS won't ship to other than a US address.

I know it's a little strange but you could also open a box with some Mail Box place in NF USA and get them sent there?

I have an address, but it belongs to the courier. The courier's purpose is to keep me at home in my house and not having to drive there. I figured I'd make a trip if I had to, but it's looking like I can get these supplies directly from the courier (if I'm up for driving there, that's just as bad).

Cheers, C.