Shipping $2 items with USPS First Class?

[aliseexpress]

I bought something for $2.29 and was surpirsed that seller shipped it with USPS First Class shipping.

How does he do it to stay profitable? When I buy USPS First Class shipping it cost me at least $2.61

[kattinsanity]

I COULD send items like instruction books, etc. in an envelope with a stamp but I choose to send them 1st class parcel with tracking for my own protection.  There are a lot of scammers out there who know the ropes and get a LOT of free stuff just because their seller sent it in an envelope with a stamp.

[thatsallfolks]

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@wolf*song wrote:

Package, yes.  Envelope, no.

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When was the last time you shipped a FC item of any configuration, with tracking, for less than $2.61?

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@wolf*song wrote:

Package, yes.  Envelope, no.

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The first class envelope does not include tracking.  It's like putting a stamp on an envelope  that's it.  

And first class package does not automatically include insurance 

[3714508518]

Some sellers are just dumb. Like me. In a rush to crank  out listings I sometimes make stupid mistakes. I just sold an item, accepted an offer on an item with free shipping thats was lower than the cost of shipping. Thanks to the auto filled listing check boxes!!! 

[luckythewinner]

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@aliseexpress wrote:

I bought something for $2.29 and was surpirsed that seller shipped it with USPS First Class shipping.

How does he do it to stay profitable? 

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I think most businesses measure profitability by looking at their business activity as a whole, not by looking at a single transaction. Without a lot more context, we can only speculate what is going on.

Was it an auction? Was it a listing error? Do the seller's typical sales look like this? Does the seller slip his packages into his company's mail system?

[kattinsanity]

If it was the bedpan you would have lost money even if you hadn't accepted an offer.  Other sellers have shipping at $13.50 and you had a price of $13.95 with free shipping~~then took an offer below $13.95.

I'm never in a rush to crank out listings~~in fact I go back over each and every listing to check spelling and to make sure everything is as it is meant to be.  I don't dwell on quantity~~I dwell more on the items I'm listing being correct.

[wolf*song]

Monday.

[wolf*song]

Maybe the gal at the PO who calls me by name is fixing prices for me. I'll take it! *L*

[thatsallfolks]

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@wolf*song wrote:
Monday.

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Wrong. Not with tracking.

[kattinsanity]

Remember~~this is the person who thinks 1st class is $2.61 because you're paying extra for insurance.  Leave the insurance off and it only costs half that.  (???)

[thatsallfolks]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

Remember~~this is the person who thinks 1st class is $2.61 because you're paying extra for insurance.  Leave the insurance off and it only costs half that.  (???)

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Right, we don't seem to be making any headway. As long as their bad info doesn't confuse the OP.

[highdesertart]

To me, listing and selling a $2.29 item, even if I charged $5 for shipping, would be a complete waste of time, unless I just felt like giving something away.  A $2.29  item does not need insurance.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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lycan25 wrote (in response to "when was the last time you shipped a First Class item for less"):
Monday.

How much did you pay? ... and ... Tracking Number, please?