How do I ship something like a thimble as cheaply as possible?

[barry408]

I've been trying to read up on this...

I have small items I would like to sell.  One is a small engine part which is the size and shape of a small thimble.  It's made out of soft plastic and hard to damage.  It weighs a fraction of an ounce.  Another is a rubber grommet with a metal sleeve in the center.  It's about the size of a quarter in diameter and perhaps 1/4" thick -- also less than an ounce.

From reading up, putting something like this in a paper or poly envelope is going to cause trouble with things getting stuck in USPS machinery.  At least with the first item, the package would be over 1/2" thick even with a thin envelope.  So, it seems that a small padded envelope ("thick envelope" category) and first class postage is the best way to go for both items.  I think that's a little over two dollars which seem insane to ship such small, light, and durable items.  But nothing else comes to mind.  

Time to ask the gurus.  I've been reading this forum for many years but never posted.  Looking forward to your responses.

Barry

[buyselljack2016 · Accepted solution]

1-4 ounces $2.66 to $3.09 online price for a tracked FCP depending upon distance.

Pack it to make the journey.

Sometimes selling multiples of small/lightweight items is more cost effective.

[nobody*s_perfect]

To be mailed as a letter, a piece must be not over 1/4 inch thick.

To be mailed as a flat (AKA Large envelope), a piece must be no more than 3/4 inch thick, flexible, and literally flat -- a variation in thickness not more than 1/4 inch.

So both of your items must be shipped as First Class packages. As noted in the other post, the online postage cost  for a package of any weight up to 4 ounces will range from $2.66 to $3.09, depending on distance. Since you have to pay for 4 ounces, you might as well not skimp on the packaging!

Paying that much for shipping a small lightweight item might seem insane, until you consider that almost all of USPS's costs for delivering it would be the same for a 1 ounce package as for 4 ounces -- handling, sorting, transport, carrier, etc. And the sorting machinery for packages has to be more complex than the machinery that can sort letters and flats.

[a_c_green]

I'd do as above, shipping either one in a #0 padded envelope. If there is any risk of damage from crushing, I would surround the piece with a ring of cardboard, either with or without gluing the ring to a flat piece of cardboard as a backing. It doesn't add any appreciable weight.

Note that the cost of shipping has no connection to the value of the item, so if it's worth listing in the first place, it should be worth proper packaging to protect it.

[dtexley3]

Consider the ebayshippingsupplies 6x4x4 box, it weighs 1.1 oz  about the same as a padded envelope with cardboard inserts.  The last batch I bought were from a different seller and I was able to get them for about .25 per box.

[barry408]

Great and speedy responses.  Thank you very much.  I figured I was in the "about three dollars" padded envelope category.  But, you showed me that other options were not workable.

[johnrj1226]

Small items like that I ship in a  small jewelry box.  Reason crush protection and the cotton like stuffing keeps it from rattling around.  Now I got the boxes from folks sending my purchases in same type boxes - e.g. I bought my son a Masonic ring once  he was  accepted into the lodge.

[castlemagicmemories]

I have never received thimbles in an envelope; a small box was used, with adequate packing to protect them.