can someone please tell me how to get cheaper shipping for customers?

[blink1822]

how can I get cheaper shipping rates for customers? this is my first time selling but its gonna be my last too if I cant figure a cheaper way to ship, its insane they want to charge more to ship then i would charge for the item usually 

[chrysylys]

Your buyers should be paying shipping, not you.

[thenobletuckylife]

Evening,

Others may come along with some other ideas but shipping rates have gone through the roof pretty much with everyone in the past 3 years.

I have found that using Ebay's shipping label service is the best bargain around.

Everyone has faced these tremendous increases and many of can no longer afford to sell things that we used to sell lots of just 3 to 4 years ago.

Mr C

[fern*wood]

We are all pretty much in the same boat.  Are you printing your labels online to get the best rates?  Are you shipping anything under 15.9oz 1st class?

[megadestroyers]

Some of your lighter weight clothes could probably go priority flat rate envelop for <8 bucks.  Some maybe even first class.  Some of the larger items might have to go retail ground, taking into account the free iron and ironing board you're sure to be sending, to deal with the wrinkles, for those finicky types.  😏

Might suggest going to your post office and get a few of the priority shipping supply options, and see how things would fit?  They are free to take.  Might help with deciding shipping choice.

And ALWAYS, remember, your shipping charge may seem high.  But, you also have to account for ebay/paypal fees, shipping supplies, actual postage, your time....... yeah.  It does add up!

[mokie11559]

13.75 to ship a cold water creek blouse? that blouse weighs less than a lb & can go 1st class in a polymailer for a heck of alot less. and padded flat rate envelopes from the usps website are your friend for jeans, sweaters anything over a lb

[victorjunkman55]

Many times buyers pay more for shipping then cost of Item. As a Glassware seller, My Items are not only heavy, but weight is added in the way I pack to avoid breakage. Printing your shipping labels on eBay / Pay pal will get you a discount on shipping rates. Know you must ship as posted in your listing. Postage rates are forever going up and not much sellers can do about this. Good Luck to you and Welcome to eBay.

[nicgola-0]

You can get eBay poly shipping bags free, if you have the cupon code and a store, or you can buy them pretty cheap from other sellers.
Printing shipping labels off eBay, anything under 8oz is 2.77 ( it's cheaper for 1-4oz, I believe) anything over first class weight, a flat rate padded shipping envelope ( free from USPS) is a great option, you'd be amazed at what you can get in them, clothing wise.

I offer "free shipping" but count the cost into my item price.  Good luck!!!

[pantlandia]

A lot of your lighter items (under 1 lb) can go first class. Alot of the heavier items can go Padded Flat Rate Envelope for about 1/2 of what you're charging. 

[femmefan1946]

Ask at your Post Office (or check the USPS.com website) for rates.

Buy a digital scale and a tape measure.

Use online shipping labels -- the Paypal ones have discounts.

Use the least packaging possible. For garments a pretty piece of tissue and a poly envelope work fine. And the tissues is just for pretty. You want unbreakable and waterproof.

Here in Canada on another ID, I sell discounted mint postage ($100 worth counted and all never hinged for $80.). But we don't have the advantage of cheap cheap cheap Confirmation of Delivery services,w hich US customers seem to demand. Perhaps an American seller can tell you if you can take in a stamped package and have the PO add the DC label for a quarter.

[blink1822]

I was reading up on it actually, this is my first time posting and its crazy to charge so much to deliver say a shirt or something. cant see how to offer free shipping if its way more then I m asking for things. making me wonder if this is such a good idea after all 

[ymeagainlord]

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@blink1822 wrote:

how can I get cheaper shipping rates for customers? this is my first time selling but its gonna be my last too if I cant figure a cheaper way to ship, its insane they want to charge more to ship then i would charge for the item usually 

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@blink1822 Okay first time seller....the first thing to get over is that item cost has ANYTHING  to do with shipping cost. I could (but not bleeping likely) ship a $10,000 diamond ring for under $3.00. But a $5 bowling ball is going to cost WAY more than item price to ship.

Go to the usps website and look at all the variations of FREE Priority Mail supplies available. Also get yourself some polymailers online for items that weigh under 15.99 oz (that can go First Class Parcel).

[blink1822]

thats what I m saying- i m trying to find the cheapest rate and their suggestions etc, some stuff also they refuse to acknowledge its less weight, I m very confused and this is why I m asking the community, I d like to be affordable, and a flat rate etc, so I m reaching out to you guys with experience to tell me how to bypass these problems. like is there an option to get them free shipping with a lower payout from my account? what do i do?

[blink1822]

Thank you. very appreciated

[ymeagainlord]

Secondly - there is no such thing as (actually) free shipping.

Someone (usually the buyer) always pays - carriers don't work for free (much as eBay and buyers would like you to think they do) = )