How NOT to get burned on outgoing shipping costs?

[Kango]

Hi guys...

I just started selling stuff on eBay and today I had to ship my first order. I was selling a Netgear MR814 Wireless Router on eBay, and similar auctions were charging around $10 for shipping/handling so I thought I'd charge the same. The auction finished up for $50.01 (item cost me ~$10 after rebates), so with the $10 S/H charge I was paypal'ed $60.01. This pricing SEEMED to make sense.

I took the item to Mailboxes Etc. today to ship it... UPS ground shipping from Michigan to Indiana was $17.25 on a small 4-pound box! That strikes me as HUGE. Then there was the cost for the box I shipped the item in... an additional $4.50!

Is there some better, cheaper way to ship that I'm missing out on? Some better place to buy boxes? Yikes. :brokenheart:

 

[ddwbi0]

dont go to mailbox etc, they charge their own fees on top of Ups/usps regular rates.

 

[Lucky]

Is there some better, cheaper way to ship that I'm missing out on?

Uh yeah. Anywhere but Mailboxes etc.

 

[Lucky]

dp

 

[ThisIsMatt]

1) Don't go through a 3rd party shipper, go straight to UPS, Fedex, USPS (probably the best for smaller packages).
2) Don't buy boxes unless you enjoy throwing money away. USPS provides free priority mail boxes, and supermarkets, automotive stores, etc etc provide free boxes behind their buildings

 

[DanJ]

Mailboxes Etc. should be burned to the ground.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: DanJ
Mailboxes Etc. should be burned to the ground.

Aren't they any different now that they're the "UPS Store"?

amish

 

[DaveSimmons]

Office Depot for boxes -or- ship via Post Office and get FREE priority mail boxes and package tape (but you can only use these for Priority not media mail, etc.). www.usps.gov for rates.

ed: don't forget the insurance and delivery confirmation so the ebay customer doesn't lie and say the box never arrived.

 

[aphex]

I only use 2 ways to mail products i sell...

1) USPS Priority (If the product is under 1lb ($3.95 anywhere in the US) or going a short distance....) - 5% of the time
2) Fedex Ground (by FAR the cheapest going long distances or with heavy weight) - 95% of the time

Only go directly to the shipper as well (Fedex Ground Location or Post Office)... DO NOT use the local pack mail/malbox etc/UPS Store locations... They will RIP you off!

 

[dakata24]

uh. i shipped a router back to d-link for RMA service like for $4.50 fedex ground.

and goto target/walmart for a box. about a buck or so..

 

[amnesiac]

I just shipped a 25 pound box for $11 via Fedex ground.

Shipped a 7 pound box for $6.95 at the same time.