Why is shipping so cheap for amazon, but not for us?

[thisisall1word]

I don't get how they can ship us bulky items for nearly ten times cheaper than it would cost me . Often my shipping costs alone can exceed the NEW price from Amazon with free shipping! Something is seriously messed up for that to happen so often.

I get they have economies of scale. But they also have huge overheads with those economies of scale. And once I drop off something at the USPS/UPS/FEdex location then it enters the same channels all our Amazon packages use . So why would simply dropping something off raise the costs so much?

[ward_warehouse]

If you sell something direct on Amazon, you're paying the same prices as on eBay and getting the same shipping speed. If you sell it through FBA, Amazon takes a significant portion of your profit and stores it in warehouses near the buyer so they aren't traveling very far. Most places now also have Amazon delivering it, not the three others. 

[simba6]

They built their own shipping company. I see their trucks all the time.   They can even deliver into outer space.  Yea, were at a serious disadvantage I say.

[mrdutch1001]

you do realize that buyers who get "free" shipping on their Amazon purchases PAY a yearly membership to get that "free" shipping...

[justafemster]

I get a lot more than free shipping for my amazon prime membership.  

The streaming TV is worth what I pay yearly, books, audio books and gift certificates.   the free shipping is just an added bonus. 

[thisisall1word]

Here's a typical example that makes no sense:

$34.99 Kids plastic basketball set

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Tikes-EasyScore-Basketball-Exclusive/dp/B01C5A2WJO/

7 pounds

24" by 22" by 61"

USPS won't even give me a quote for that large size box. I had to reduce the highest dimension 61" to 40". Then it says ~$150 to ship !!!

[ward_warehouse]

Have to pay a monthly fee for Prime, it's stored in a warehouse an hour away, most likely delivered by an Amazon van.