PSA: NEVER ship something at a shipping store (Pak Mail, etc)

[Q]

First off, yes I am mad. I shipped 2 textbooks via media mail at a shipping store. I knew it would be cheaper to print off the labels online via Paypal, but I didn't do it for some reason. Ended up costing me $10.50. I got home, went to look at Paypal rate, and if I did it using Paypal, it would have only cost me about $6.

This isn't the only instance of it being considerable cheaper printing labels online. So to make this short: ALWAYS print shipping labels off online, either from Paypal, USPS online, UPS online, etc. Going to a shipping store they always charge a good bit amount more, since they are the middlemen and you have to pay them too. Plus, they round up the shipping weights (which they don't have to do) and costs you even more.

/rant, but in all seriousness, to save a good bit of money, always print labels off online.

 

[txrandom]

I've had good experience with the one near me. The owner regularly posts on a college message board I use. I had to return some books on Amazon. I just took the books and the print offs from Amazon, and they did everything for me. Didn't have to buy a box or anything.

 

[Newbian]

/hug

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: txrandom
I've had good experience with the one near me. The owner regularly posts on a college message board I use. I had to return some books on Amazon. I just took the books and the print offs from Amazon, and they did everything for me. Didn't have to buy a box or anything.

I'm not saying the people there are evil or anything, just that if you compare the prices, printing off you own labels always saves you a few bucks. (usually more)

 

[rh71]

exactly how many did you send? Write the address on a box, media mail it at USPS for $2. And FYI it's even cheaper if you mail books to a library... useless fact of the day.

 

[Drakkon]

how do you get weights though? That is the only problem with printing online is unless you have a scale there is no good way to determine the postage needed unless you are REALLY good at guesstimating.
I usually just end up at the 24/7 PO machine. prints my postage without having to wait in line or dealing with inept PO people

 

[Elganja]

Originally posted by: txrandom
I've had good experience with the one near me. The owner regularly posts on a college message board I use. I had to return some books on Amazon. I just took the books and the print offs from Amazon, and they did everything for me. Didn't have to buy a box or anything.

usually that is where ups stores and fedex kinko's make their money from... the actual pacakging and materials to ship your goods.

I've had very good experiences at the ups store and fedex kinko's as long as I actually packed it up (so all they need to to do is weigh it, place the label and charge me). It never has been more expensive then printing a label online for me.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Newbian
/wrists

Fixed.

 

[everman]

The only time I have used a shipping store is to take advantage of their large insurance policies for very expensive items in the several thousand dollar+ range.
For books? heh well that's just stupid

 

[ebaycj]

Quintox just now figures out that pretty much everything is cheaper online. Talk about a revelation.