Priority Mail Confusion

[toysandfiguresstore]

Which one do I pick?

USPS Priority Mail

1 to 4 business days1 - 4 business days

$11.15 - $25.45

USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box

1 to 4 business days1 - 4 business days

$17.10

USPS Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box

1 to 4 business days1 - 4 business days

$21.20 - $22.80

The confusion is, why would it say "USPS Priority Mail" for one option? What does that mean? Does it mean I can choose any priority mail box if I tick that option? Like even a large or a small without specifying? Or are there just boxes called "USPS Priority Mail" with no large, medium, or small options?

Yeah, confusing. I'm sure they've annoyed me at the post office before about me putting it in the wrong box and such because it didn't specifically say "small flat rate box" even though it was the exact same size as one. I want to make sure I do the right thing so the post office doesn't annoy me again and make me change boxes in front of everyone like last time. Pretty embarrassing.

So what option am I supposed to pick?

[candd205]

If it will fit in a medium flat rate, then there is no need to choose large flat rate. The post office has multiple sizes of regular priority mail and they also have specific flat rate boxes. You can order all these boxes for free from USPS.com

You can offer multiple shipping options and allow the buyer to choose which one is cheaper for them. If they are clear across the country from you, then the flat rate box might be cheaper for them than the regular priority box.

Make sure you actually have medium or large flat rate boxes in hand if you offer that as a shipping option.

[toysandfiguresstore]

I don't understand what the first option is: Priority mail. Are they not all priority mail? Why does it not specify the size? That's what I'm confused about. Please reread the question...

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@toysandfiguresstore wrote: ... The confusion is, why would it say "USPS Priority Mail" for one option? What does that mean? Does it mean I can choose any priority mail box if I tick that option?  ...

So what option am I supposed to pick?

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 USPS provides specific boxes that can be used at a flat rate.  These special flat rate boxes can be ordered at usps.com and they say "Flat rate" right on them.  If you are using one of the specifically printed Flat Rate boxes, then you check off that flat rate option.

If you are using any other box, you check off regular plain "Priority Mail."  You can use any brown box or you can order Priority Mail boxes from usps.com which are not flat rate boxes.

[natoman777]

@toysandfiguresstore 

The Post Office workers are rarely helpful.  They are out to make money so they don't give the best advice.

1. Priority mail is simply for items that are over 1 pound.  The price goes up based on the weight, package dimensions and the kicker... location.  I live in IL and shipping to California, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington State can be crazy high. 

2.  Only flat rate option I use is the flat rate padded envelope which you can order free online here

The flat rate boxes are something that often costs you money as a seller.  Also, ship from home and you will save a ton of money in a year...especially on priority mail.  Hope that helps!

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@natoman777 wrote: ...The flat rate boxes are something that often costs you money as a seller.  ...

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The flat rate boxes often do cost more than the regular Priority rates.  

For instance,  if you're shipping a 4-pound box, the eBay postage cost for Priority Mail ranges from $7.00 up to $21.60 depending on Zone, and the eBay postage cost for a Medium FRB is $14.00, so for closer Zones the regular Priority rates are lower, but for farther Zones the flat-rate box is cheaper.

[1tuna]

I would go with priority mail since most of my items are hardly every over a pound

I never ever use flat rate boxes so they are out of the question

i hardly ever use priority either since all my items weigh 6 ounces most of the time

go with what you normally do or whatever is cheapest.

your other options are EMS/express or the new ground thingy

@toysandfiguresstore 

[candd205]

There are lots of sizes of regular Priority Boxes that you can order for free from the post office. There are lots of sizes of Flat Rate Priority Boxes that you can also order free from the post office. In addition, you can use your own box as a regular Priority Box. I don't interchange regular with flat-rate. If I pay for regular Priority, I use a regular Priority Box. If I pay for Flat-Rate Priority, I use a Flat-Rate Priority Box.

If you go to USPS.com, it specifies the sizes of all the Priority Boxes and also the Flat Rate Boxes as well. I made a list of all the sizes I have on hand and exactly what size they are, so when I am listing or shipping something, I have that paper on hand to know what size I will need to use. 

If this doesn't answer your question, I will keep trying if you continue to help me understand your question.

[rudy2828]

The small flat rate box does not have the same dimensions as their small box.