Newbie question: How do I determine shipping cost when selling something?

[sebezsales]

I have an electronic scale at home. I want to know how to determine ship cost on both USPS and UPS without having to drive to either. 

Thank you

[penguins_dont_fly]

---

@sebas_oter wrote:

Thank you! One more question.....utlimately is it simpler and cheaper to use Priority Rates and Boxes vs whatever non USPS boxes I may find? (at least for a newbie like me)

---

It's simpler and easier ... but I don't know what you are selling 😉

Packages under 16 oz can go first class .. but if the majority of your items are over 1 lb, and can fit in a box that is 12x12x12 or less ... then yes it will probably be cheaper and easier for you to stick with Priority. And your buyers will be happy with the speed.

[david*42]

---

@timemachine777 wrote:

---

 ... It doesn't cost me any more. One of my guys usually drops the pkgs off, and I stop in on my way to do my cash outs, and pay my bill and get my receipts. Even if they scanned my pkg's, there is no way that they can do them all at once. ....

Of course it costs you more. Online postage costs less than the retail that you're paying at the counter.  For instance an 11-pound Priority Mail package  to Zone 5 costs $15.93 online and  $28.00 at the counter.  5 pounds to Zone 3 is $7.99 online and $10.95 at the counter.

There sure is a way they can "do them all at once". When you print your postage online, there are services like stamps.com that you can use for any and all of your sites, and at the end of the day you print one Scan form, and the poor guy at your local PO get to to just one scan for your whole day's load.

[david*42]

---

@sebas_oter wrote:

---

 ... is it simpler and cheaper to use Priority Rates and Boxes vs whatever non USPS boxes I may find? ...

You don't have to use the USPS boxes to ship Priority Mail.  You can use your own boxes.

It's time for you to read up  on the basic help pages. Start here.

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/shipping-basics.html

[penguins_dont_fly]

One more argument for you. It's my bedtime 😉

If you are shipping more than one package, and use online labels ... you can print a SCAN sheet.

One scan for ALL of your packages.

If you ship from multiple venues, there are options like endicia and Stamps.com that will import your orders so that you can print them all together and get a SCAN sheet for all of them. Drop ALL of the packages and get ONE scan. The end.

You are saving nobody any time or effort the way you are doing it.

And online rates are cheaper than buying at the counter, so you aren't saving any money.

[yuzuha]

---

@sebas_oter wrote:

Thank you! One more question.....utlimately is it simpler and cheaper to use Priority Rates and Boxes vs whatever non USPS boxes I may find? (at least for a newbie like me)

---

You can ship regular Priority Mail in any box, not just the official USPS printed ones.  However, for Priority Mail Flat Rate, you MUST use the USPS boxes/envelopes.  I find that Flat Rate is really only economical when you're shipping something heavy that would be expensive if sent via regular Priority.

Personally, I never use the USPS boxes, as I don't tend to ship Flat Rate and I get free boxes of all sizes from my job (I work retail).  Whether or not it's simpler or cheaper for you will depend on the sort of access you have to boxes of the sizes that you need.

[sebezsales]

Awesome, thank you!!!!

[ritastore]

But what about art or furniture? I wouldn't know who buys it and where, how can I possibly figure out shipping!

[kh-ornesh]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!

[partial*eclipse]

@ritastore

The whole point of this ancient thread is that you dno't need to know the shipping cost when you list the item.

Set up the shipping calculator in your listing.   It will automatically figure the shipping cost from your ZIP Code to the ZIP Code of any member who looks at our listing.  You just enter the package dimensions and weight, choose which service(s) to offer, and the shipping calculator does the rest.  

I strongly recommend that you do not get involved with complex transactions like large pieces of furniture before you have a strong grasp about regular shipping options.  Or list it as "Local pickup only."