Using stamps to mail low cost item

[hajbo]

I have two Parker pen ball point refills that I would like to sell.
They will fit in a standard #10 envelope between two sheets of cardboard. I weighed them, they were one ounce and some change, less than two. I went to the USPS.com site to get a postage rate, for 1.5 oz letter I could mail it with two postage stamps.

Started a listing, under Shipping Details I want to use Free Shipping, under Services there is no USPS First Class Letter so I pick USPS First Class Package, and entered the weight and envelope dimensions, ebay rounds up dimensions to the next inch.
But now I will be paying 3.50 to mail a First Class Package, instead of .94 for a First Class Letter. I want to keep free shipping, and keep the listing price close to my cost, couple of bucks, I just want to send these to a loving home and be rid of them, 3.50 shipping will make it that much harder.
If someone buys this should I just skip the label and put on a couple stamps? I have bought button cell batteries on ebay that have come this way. Problem is, no tracking with regular mail, won't be able to show that the buyer got the mail, I would lose an INR case. But for such a low cost item what is the risk of that?

[ted_200]

---

@hajbo wrote:

Well I sold them and put them in my stamped envelope between two pieces of cardboard. They didn't get rejected for being too stiff/too thick, but they did get damaged (bent) in transit making them unusable, so I am going to do my first refund.
I read that with Paypal refund, Paypal gives back the variable portion (the 2.9 %) of their fee but keeps the fixed portion (the thirty cents).

Am I obligated to set my refund thirty cents higher, so the buyer is made whole again? Or set the refund at the original purchase price and he has to eat the thirty cents?

Lesson learned, cereal box cardboard is not very stiff

---

I was wondering about that... if they were plastic refills, they should ship OK that way.  If they're the metal ones, probably not.

Letter mail has to be flexible (go around a certain radius curve, with the long dimension at the top and bottom), and excludes rigid objects.  People have talked about stiffening envelopes to prevent bending, but if it won't bend at all, it won't go through the equipment.  Any "Letter" or "Flat" that won't bend is considered a "Package" by USPS, and is supposed to pay the $2.66/$3.50 rate anyhow.  Letter mail / flats are also supposed to be uniform in thickness, or nearly so - otherwise, it's a "Package" again. 

Those are USPS rules, btw, Canada Post or other systems may be different. 

[ispy06]

I ship a lot of low cost trading cards this way and I’m moving a lot more using free ship in PWE rather than tracking package. People don’t want to pay 4 dollars to ship something that’s worth a dollar. eBay is full of **bleep** using tracking as a means for top rated seller status.  I’d rather move more product than have their status.  This isn’t fair to the seller. I have 100 percent feedback despite using tracking on about 50 percent of my items. No need to change.

[kh-vince]

Hello Everyone,

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

Thanks for understanding!