Shipping

[frrobin]

Shipping,

I was wondering how you ship your products,

I just opened shop in October, and made my first sale yesterday..
I had my shipping rate 2$ and shipping time 3-4 days figured I could mail a small bow under that.
I shipped it out at ups, it shipped at 3.49 ground rate..and averaged 7-10 days...

I would like to have the etsy shipping affordable and reasonable, but I dont want it expensive for me.

Any tips?  

[aufdeutsch]

frrobin

Shipping,

I was wondering how you ship your products,

I just opened shop in October, and made my first sale yesterday..
I had my shipping rate 2$ and shipping time 3-4 days figured I could mail a small bow under that.
I shipped it out at ups, it shipped at 3.49 ground rate..and averaged 7-10 days...

I would like to have the etsy shipping affordable and reasonable, but I dont want it expensive for me.

Any tips?

First off, congrats on your first sale!

I always use USPS and send things first class. Depending on what envelope I use (or how big the item is) it ranges around $1.80 for it. I use a 7.5x9 mailer (a DVD mailer) for most things (and that is usually under $2), and then a size 5 for everything else. I pretty much just mail everything in a padded envelope, so then I don't have to worry about finding boxes or buying a ton of boxes. It also usually only takes 3-4 days to get there. Sometimes it's two depending on where I'm shipping it to. But the average run time has been 3 days. So fairly reasonable.

I ship USPS so much that the two main clerks recognize me when I walk in.  

[frrobin]

aufdeutsch

frrobin

Shipping,

I was wondering how you ship your products,

I just opened shop in October, and made my first sale yesterday..
I had my shipping rate 2$ and shipping time 3-4 days figured I could mail a small bow under that.
I shipped it out at ups, it shipped at 3.49 ground rate..and averaged 7-10 days...

I would like to have the etsy shipping affordable and reasonable, but I dont want it expensive for me.

Any tips?

First off, congrats on your first sale!

I always use USPS and send things first class. Depending on what envelope I use (or how big the item is) it ranges around $1.80 for it. I use a 7.5x9 mailer (a DVD mailer) for most things (and that is usually under $2), and then a size 5 for everything else. I pretty much just mail everything in a padded envelope, so then I don't have to worry about finding boxes or buying a ton of boxes. It also usually only takes 3-4 days to get there. Sometimes it's two depending on where I'm shipping it to. But the average run time has been 3 days. So fairly reasonable.

I ship USPS so much that the two main clerks recognize me when I walk in.

Oh cool, yeah I was just worried it would take a week x.x"  

[aufdeutsch]

frrobin

aufdeutsch

frrobin

Shipping,

I was wondering how you ship your products,

I just opened shop in October, and made my first sale yesterday..
I had my shipping rate 2$ and shipping time 3-4 days figured I could mail a small bow under that.
I shipped it out at ups, it shipped at 3.49 ground rate..and averaged 7-10 days...

I would like to have the etsy shipping affordable and reasonable, but I dont want it expensive for me.

Any tips?

First off, congrats on your first sale!

I always use USPS and send things first class. Depending on what envelope I use (or how big the item is) it ranges around $1.80 for it. I use a 7.5x9 mailer (a DVD mailer) for most things (and that is usually under $2), and then a size 5 for everything else. I pretty much just mail everything in a padded envelope, so then I don't have to worry about finding boxes or buying a ton of boxes. It also usually only takes 3-4 days to get there. Sometimes it's two depending on where I'm shipping it to. But the average run time has been 3 days. So fairly reasonable.

I ship USPS so much that the two main clerks recognize me when I walk in.

Oh cool, yeah I was just worried it would take a week x.x"

Oh no, the only time it would take closer to a week is if you were sending a big package 4th class or media mail or something like that.

Also, the shipping time options on etsy are for when it's going to be sent out, not actually for when it should arrive. That way it gives you (the seller) a bit of wiggle room to wait for either another purchase or if you're busy/gone. I usually ship my stuff out within 2-3 days of purchase, unless it's a custom made item. Then it's a bit more.

http://postcalc.usps.com

This can be handy to find out when approximately things will arrive/a rough cost. Unless you have a scale to actually measure your package, you can do a rough estimate.  

[frrobin]

aufdeutsch

Oh no, the only time it would take closer to a week is if you were sending a big package 4th class or media mail or something like that.

Also, the shipping time options on etsy are for when it's going to be sent out, not actually for when it should arrive. That way it gives you (the seller) a bit of wiggle room to wait for either another purchase or if you're busy/gone. I usually ship my stuff out within 2-3 days of purchase, unless it's a custom made item. Then it's a bit more.

http://postcalc.usps.com

This can be handy to find out when approximately things will arrive/a rough cost. Unless you have a scale to actually measure your package, you can do a rough estimate.

Thank you,

I'm actually looking to buy my own scale off amazon lol. :]
sorry I'm still really new at this. x-x  

[aufdeutsch]

frrobin

aufdeutsch

Oh no, the only time it would take closer to a week is if you were sending a big package 4th class or media mail or something like that.

Also, the shipping time options on etsy are for when it's going to be sent out, not actually for when it should arrive. That way it gives you (the seller) a bit of wiggle room to wait for either another purchase or if you're busy/gone. I usually ship my stuff out within 2-3 days of purchase, unless it's a custom made item. Then it's a bit more.

http://postcalc.usps.com

This can be handy to find out when approximately things will arrive/a rough cost. Unless you have a scale to actually measure your package, you can do a rough estimate.

Thank you,

I'm actually looking to buy my own scale off amazon lol. :]
sorry I'm still really new at this. x-x

No problem! Depending, your local office supply store will have a basic scale as well. Good idea: buy your padded envelopes in boxes, as you get more and will thusly have to go to the store less often. I finally started doing that with the two main sizes I use. Yay being smart about something! Plus, Office Depot/Office Max usually have some type of rewards program (that's free) so you can earn 1% of what you spend there back as a reward certificate to use in store. Every little bit helps!  

[frrobin]

aufdeutsch

No problem! Depending, your local office supply store will have a basic scale as well. Good idea: buy your padded envelopes in boxes, as you get more and will thusly have to go to the store less often. I finally started doing that with the two main sizes I use. Yay being smart about something! Plus, Office Depot/Office Max usually have some type of rewards program (that's free) so you can earn 1% of what you spend there back as a reward certificate to use in store. Every little bit helps!

Thanks again! sweet yeah I saw amazon sells them for 20$ not sure if thats good or not...
Yay for envelopes!
ah i didnt know that I should get the office depot out here then I usually never go there.  

[Sailor Blue Rose]

I haven't sold anything yet from my site.... I'm slightly jealous.

If and when i do, I will use USPS First Class. My stuff is jewelry so it fit's nicely in a padded envelope. I also include a storage pouch.  

[frrobin]

Sailor Blue Rose

I haven't sold anything yet from my site.... I'm slightly jealous.

If and when i do, I will use USPS First Class. My stuff is jewelry so it fit's nicely in a padded envelope. I also include a storage pouch.

Oh cool Yeah I went to the post office yesterday and mailed two bows and it was only like 2$ shipping time about 3 days.
Never going to ups again x-x;;;

where do i get
storage pouches eek  

[Sailor Blue Rose]

frrobin

Sailor Blue Rose

I haven't sold anything yet from my site.... I'm slightly jealous.

If and when i do, I will use USPS First Class. My stuff is jewelry so it fit's nicely in a padded envelope. I also include a storage pouch.

Oh cool Yeah I went to the post office yesterday and mailed two bows and it was only like 2$ shipping time about 3 days.
Never going to ups again x-x;;;

where do i get
storage pouches eek

Craft stores have them... They are organza gift bags. But sometimes you have to hunt and peck around for them. Also try ebay.  

[spoofete]

frrobin

Shipping,

I was wondering how you ship your products,

I just opened shop in October, and made my first sale yesterday..
I had my shipping rate 2$ and shipping time 3-4 days figured I could mail a small bow under that.
I shipped it out at ups, it shipped at 3.49 ground rate..and averaged 7-10 days...

I would like to have the etsy shipping affordable and reasonable, but I dont want it expensive for me.

Any tips?

Well friend-0-mine

It's not like me to start anything with a negative note but I do have to say that I lost a sale in October because I was not prepared to ship out Federal Express to a woman in the Caribbean. I was swamped with orders and I didn't have time to go out to a Federal Express office nor was I familiar with the process and in that week every minute was key.

I ship USPS because I print my labels straight out of Etsy but if I had known how to use the other services (and be already connected to them like have an account and paperwork) i would have saved a sale. I still haven't shiped out with UPS or Federal Express. To that lady next day air with USPS was not good enough.  

[frrobin]

spoofete

Well friend-0-mine

It's not like me to start anything with a negative note but I do have to say that I lost a sale in October because I was not prepared to ship out Federal Express to a woman in the Caribbean. I was swamped with orders and I didn't have time to go out to a Federal Express office nor was I familiar with the process and in that week every minute was key.

I ship USPS because I print my labels straight out of Etsy but if I had known how to use the other services (and be already connected to them like have an account and paperwork) i would have saved a sale. I still haven't shiped out with UPS or Federal Express. To that lady next day air with USPS was not good enough.

Ah. Yeah I was scared of that.  

[spoofete]

I am quite lucky for now. I get my storage manilla pouches with bubble wrap for 99 cents and I get two of them 8.5 x 11 inches. Normally they cost like 1.50 to almost 2.00 each at any stationary store.

Let me know if you would want me to buy you a stack, I can wrap them with store paper bag and ship it out to you. This would work out good for you if you buy a bulk order and save on the shipping.

If I sell something smaller than the size I cut it in half and tape it on the edge with the thick shipper clear tape.  

[StarMasayume]

UPS = expensive

What everyone else has said, USPS first class is your best choice and another thing I highly recommend that I think is new and makes things super convenient, is their shipping label service. Just print your own label and if it's small enough for your mailbox you don't even need to make a trip to the post office.

I've found 1-3 ounces costs 1.64 no matter what and than I believe it's 20 cents more per ounce.

Also it's much cheaper for mailing envelopes to by a lot in a pack on amazon. I got almost 250 small ones for 25 dollars. Which is more than I need but the longer it lasts the better right. smile  

[WhisperingHeart]

☊ т н є я є’ s α м є т н σ d т σ м y м α d и є s s ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ~▼

this is all great advice but when I used that link it kept giving $20-30 prices and I read what you pay and I'm thinking I'm using it wrong?
I think I'd use the padded envelope for jewelry which is what I plan on making.
For the USA what is a good shipping time? 3-5 days?
And I plan on having a shipping fee of 1.00.
That's good for a beginning shop..??

▲~☊ s є є? ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩