USPS RAISING RATES AGAIN

[mvls1]

One of the sellers on the power sellers board posted this for everyone today.

The U.S. Postal Service announced its proposed new prices for 2020 on Wednesday. While the price of a first-class stamp isn’t changing, the prices for flat-rate Priority Mail packages are going up across the board. The prices, which still need to be reviewed by the Governors of the Postal Service, would rise by about 1.9 percent overall. The average Priority Mail Express price would increase 3.5 percent, and Priority Mail would increase by 4.1 percent, according to the USPS. Rates for sending letters would remain flat at $0.55 for the first ounce and $0.15 more per additional ounce. Outbound international letters would go up from $1.15 to $1.20.

Postage increases, sale taxes, new Paypal fees, new managed payment transaction fees - up, up and away. That about covers it. Brick and mortar looks better for buyers with each increase. Change is inevitable, but so is the collateral damage that it causes some businesses.

[lja440]

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@muttlymob wrote:

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@mvls1 wrote:

Postage increases, sale taxes, new Paypal fees, new managed payment transaction fees - up, up and away. That about covers it. Brick and mortar looks better for buyers with each increase. Change is inevitable, but so is the collateral damage that it causes some businesses.

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some problems with this statement.

1)  if you are selling something that is easily available at B&M stores, why would you expect to be able to compete online?

2)  online sales are not going away, because B&M is not available to everyone.  In many rural areas there is no access to even the basics, much less anything that is rare or hard to find even in more populated areas.

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Muttly is totally right.  I do eBay but I also am in a B&M. 

In my B&M I pay $400/mt rent and the shop gets 10% commission on sales. Last year wee moved from a small town (pop 2608 on the 2010 census) to a larger town (73007 on the 2010 census). I am so rural that I can't even have a garage sale, the shop is over an hour away from my home. 

I do really well at the B&M but the shop while open 7 days a week, 10-6 Monday through Saturday, 10-5 on Sunday, we on eBay are open 24/7/365. 

Frankly between listing and shipping costs here and the rent and commission at the B&M its a wash. The biggest deal now is determining which item is best served at which point of sale. Currently the only categories that  have a set location are clothing and books here. There are too many book sellers at the B&M and we do not do clothing there. And furniture, I rehab beat up old furniture and stereos, things I would only list as local pick-up, which with my rural home would greatly limit the buyer pool so they are at the B&M and I don't have to work pick-up around my schedule. 

[lja440]

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@mvls1 wrote:

Small world isn't it. From what you said, it sounds like you do have 1st hand knowledge of the construction situation and requirements here in California. For the last 15 years, we have been involved in constructing high end, one of a kind architect designed residences and commercial construction. If you did any cabinet work for one of a kind residences, you know what I am talking about. Our average residence was an 18 - 24 month project. I don't blame you for moving. We are actually considering it ourselves.

We started our Ebay business for my wife and added accounts as it grew. Having been in construction yourself I am sure running your Ebay business is NO problem for you. You probably adapt to the changes fairly easily. Some of the post I read here are sad. Sellers just trying to earn enough money to make ends meet are getting killed by all these cost increases.

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It's tough everywhere. I'm in rural Ohio and have a good job (USPS mail carrier). Our office has 7 routes covering 2 zip codes. EVERY ONE OF US, has a second job or some sort of side hustle. In fact after work yesterday the city carrier with the largest (best paying) route was crunching numbers to see if he wanted to work Saturdays' or continue to work at his firewood business on Sat. He makes more money with the wood but it's harder on his body and of course it has more dangers.  We also have a referee, 2 farmers, daycare, 2 accountants, a mechanic, I do eBay and a B&M antique shop, and Shane or other sub is a teacher during the week and works just on Sat at the Post Office. 

[johnrj1226]

@mvls1 

One  major  thing you are neglecting to consider and that is the added value  convenience  factor of on line buying.  Shoppers  can buy  24/7/365 or 366.  They don't  have to  drive and  hunt for a parking place  or wait in  a check out line.  We all have experience a  shopper that   refuse to  believe all of their 10  credit  cards failed to approve the  purchase.   Or people just sneezing all over you during flu  season. Heck you  can shop  naked on line  if you choose.  Shopping  best  value (price) is easier /faster.

B & M stores have  limits -  out of stock issues, distance from shopper.

Not  certain what my time is worth but it is worth something- some  say I'm not worth a plug  nickle but that is just my good friends.  Don't  have to wait  for some stores to open sometime after their  posted opening time but  seem to close a few minutes before the  posted closing time.

Personally I hate  shopping - but when I do I go early as possible to avoid the  less than courteous  crowds.  I do most of the shopping for our house - groceries, etc.  We watch our grandson - aka free day care- we luv it.

[myvger19]

and check out the USPS fantastic delivey job on this item, going from WI to IL first class(you would think it would be delivered in couple of days, right?) USPS tracking #9400109699938795773588

i am not only concern with potentially upset buyer because of long delivery time, but to think of ALL the handling this poor item went through, it makes my skin crawl. 

[no_zero369]

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@myvger19 wrote:

and check out the USPS fantastic delivey job on this item, going from WI to IL first class(you would think it would be delivered in couple of days, right?) USPS tracking #9400109699938795773588

i am not only concern with potentially upset buyer because of long delivery time, but to think of ALL the handling this poor item went through, it makes my skin crawl. 

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I try to manage the buyer's expectation or nervousness when a package takes an around the country tour by communicating what I am seeing and what actions I am taking to get the USPS to deliver it.  I have found that "doing nothing" and leaving the buyer wondering tends to fuel buyer concern or a false conclusion of "scam!"

[myvger19]

Thank you, i am going to contact buyer, just finished contacting by email USPS with inquiry about why the package is bouncing across the region. Just not much positive to tell the buyer yet 😞

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@no_zero369 wrote: ... the buyer's expectation or nervousness when a package takes an around the country tour ...

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Well,  it was mailed at 4 PM just 3 days ago. IMHO babysitting the tracking can only produce anxiety, not anything positive.  Has the buyer complained or inquired about it?  I'd be more concerned about the route it has taken: Wisconsin, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and then back to St. Louis.  Why did it go back to St. Louis? Probably Pgh was an accidental side trip on the way to IL.

[myvger19]

i don't normally babysit tracking, just always checking if item went from "accepted" to "moving" status, but this little item went from WI to IL and it should not take the route it is on.  the Holidays with rush and USPS not scanning are not even here yet, and i have a second item wondering around already in the same week. It is disheartening. 

[tsme35]

I ship one or 2 packages a year that like to go site seeing, I only find out when the buyer lets me know. I explain what happens, on one item the buyer was pretty cool and we made a game of it, he only lived 3 hrs from me in the same state, but the item traveled about 600 miles in the state before he got it. Luckily it wasn't damaged and he's still buys from me.
Yes USPS does rate increases every year but I wish I got 5-50% raise they received this year. I sell fishing gear, fishing rods jumped 30%, MO to CA was $9.85, Jan. 17th it jumped to $13 and I pulled all my tackle boxes because USPS rates double in June. The fishing gear I sell you won't find in a B&M but there comes a price index people aren't willing to pay anymore and I know that's a fact. Case in fact, international shipping hit $12.50 for 4 oz, my sales dropped 99%, 50-80 items a month to maybe one or 2.

[johnrj1226]

@tsme35 

There a tons of people that make fishing tackle of all types.  Kinda like golf clubs -, golf ball brands/makes.  Each  say this is the one that will "git er dun".

My son 33  years is an avid freshwater bass  fisherman.  Fishes jon boat tournaments - his go to places for tackle is Bass Pro, sometimes Academy and one independent  guy in Alabama.

[tsme35]

I usually don't buy newer stuff unless its super cheap, people won't sell cheap because they just bought it at BPS for high dollar, I go for the 60's to early 90's stuff, guy caught his biggest fish on a lure or someone's 1st fishing rod, memory stuff.