how do you all do shipping

[SallySparrow]

when you sell something on here. I know I've never been charged that much for shipping, but I shipped something today and it was more than I thought it would be so I think I'm doing something wrong.

[zarapipe]

online through usps.com. I also use the poly bags which doesn't add weight. I also do it through the paypal ship site.

[ssmjlm]

Anyting 13oz and under can go first class package.

If it's over that I usually do priority flat rate, either a small box or the padded envelopes (you have to order those from the USPS though, I've never seen them in store).

I have a scale I use to weigh. If you google, there's a link to mail first class through paypal, although they don't advertise it anymore.

[rex]

Jan 26, 2015 15:47:16 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

online through usps.com. I also use the poly bags which doesn't add weight. I also do it through the paypal ship site.

all of this. i use it to estimate my shipping costs too.

sometimes i am a bit off but i just eat the cost instead of asking for more $. once you ship enough it becomes easier to estimate.

[SallySparrow]

Jan 26, 2015 15:57:56 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

With the buyers permission, I just ask USPS to ship it as cheaply as possible.

this is what I did and they had me use a padded envelope. I don't know anything about shipping so I assumed that was right.

[hermione]

Jan 26, 2015 16:06:51 GMT -5 SallySparrow said:

Jan 26, 2015 15:57:56 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

With the buyers permission, I just ask USPS to ship it as cheaply as possible.

this is what I did and they had me use a padded envelope. I don't know anything about shipping so I assumed that was right.

I use these for shipping. No padded envelopes which add weight and you probably have to buy.

www.amazon.com/100-10x13-WHITE-MAILERS-ENVELOPES/dp/B000HG9I5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422311262&sr=8-1&keywords=mailing+envelopes

[redheadk]

I sell some of DDs stuff on FB BST pages so I decided to get some supplies. I bought polymailers from Amazon, labels for printing postage, and a cheap scale. I ship through Paypal/USPS, which is the cheapest option and includes tracking, which is automatically sent to the buyer. It is normally just over $2 for something under 13oz, not including the negligible cost of the mailer and label.

ETA: You can ship through Paypal at www.paypal.com/shipnow even if you weren't paid through paypal.

[cricketwife]

Can I ask how you are all weighing things? Like a regular bathroom scale? I always ship cheapest way possible for the buyer but sometimes it's more than I would expect. You can only calculate shipping if you know the weight, right?

[pugz]

poly mailers definitely make it cheaper, weighing at home and printing a label through the paypal site also saves money because you get a tracking number for cheaper.

I always ship first class if possible.

[redheadk]

Jan 26, 2015 18:28:47 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

Can I ask how you are all weighing things? Like a regular bathroom scale? I always ship cheapest way possible for the buyer but sometimes it's more than I would expect. You can only calculate shipping if you know the weight, right?

I use this one but a kitchen scale would work, too. 

[cricketwife]

Jan 26, 2015 18:42:44 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Jan 26, 2015 18:28:47 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

Can I ask how you are all weighing things? Like a regular bathroom scale? I always ship cheapest way possible for the buyer but sometimes it's more than I would expect. You can only calculate shipping if you know the weight, right?

I use this one but a kitchen scale would work, too. 

Thanks. I wondered if people bought scales for just shipping.  That's way out of my league    I don't think I ship enough to buy a scale.  I'll just keep schlepping to the post office, lol. 

[mainelyfoolish]

I have a kitchen scale that I use to weigh items and I go on USPS to calculate the price. If it's over the limit for first class (13 oz.) I'll calculate a price to ship from my zip code to 90210 (ha ha) because that's all the way across the country and therefore the highest price, then I check what it would cost to ship somewhere else on the east coast (I use my mom's zip code in VA) and between the two, I can get a feel for the range of shipping costs I'm looking at. I've always printed my shipping labels through usps.com. You can pay for the postage on the USPS site via PayPal or a credit card.