What is best way to sell and ship quilting books?
01-02-2011, 08:36 AM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 853
Wow! That is a lot of helpful info. I just went through the process of setting up a business account with Amazon and put one book on there to see how it goes. By the time I was done, there were 6 emails relating to that in the inbox!
You guys are great. Thanks.
You guys are great. Thanks.
01-02-2011, 08:52 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Holland, PA
Posts: 4,157
I just went onto USPS.com website & the 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" Priority Flat Rate Envelope is still $4.75 & includes "free" Delivery Confirmation.
There is now a larger "legal" size Flat Rate Envelope - 9 1/2" x 15" for $4.95.
I printed 3 Shipping labels last evening & was charged the $4.75 for each label.
I'm curious to know where you are seeing that the Priority Flat Rate Envelope rate was raised???
Prices went up yesterday for Priority - check USPS.COM
There is now a larger "legal" size Flat Rate Envelope - 9 1/2" x 15" for $4.95.
I printed 3 Shipping labels last evening & was charged the $4.75 for each label.
I'm curious to know where you are seeing that the Priority Flat Rate Envelope rate was raised???
Originally Posted by Treasureit
Originally Posted by donnajean
Media mail is not as cheap as it used to be & sometimes can take up to 2 weeks for delivery. Also, you have the expense of packaging which has to be good as Media Mail is brutal. If you use USPS.com you can ship Priority Flat Rate Envelope for $4.75 & get free Delivery Confirmation.
01-02-2011, 08:55 AM
#13
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Holland, PA
Posts: 4,157
The cheapest Media Mail rate is for up to 1 lb. at $2.38 with no Delivery Confirmation
Originally Posted by MTS
A few other thoughts:
I don't think a buyer would have problem paying $5 for Priority for THREE books. I think that's a fine deal. And most quilting books are the same size. If you're particularly inclined, you might be able to stuff 4 books into a Flat Rate USPS Priority envelope for that $5.
And in case you didn't know, the tape is free also. Just ask at your LPO for a roll next time you're there. But it can ONLY be used on packages being sent via Priority. If you use it on the Media Mail packages, it will get kicked back to you.
Media Mail for a book will probably run around $2.00. I think the average quilt books weighs around 12-13oz. Add in some for packaging.
Also, you can check on Amazon, as they have the book weights listed (without packaging).
Media Mail is NOT available on USPS.com, nor is First Class. Very annoying. I guess they don't trust us to really only approved Media items via Media Mail.
And, fyi, Magazines are not allowed to be send via Media Mail as they contain advertising.
Even if they're 50 years old. So in the unlikely event that they open your package (which they never do), be prepared. I have heard it happen with someone who sold old LIFE magazines.
I don't think a buyer would have problem paying $5 for Priority for THREE books. I think that's a fine deal. And most quilting books are the same size. If you're particularly inclined, you might be able to stuff 4 books into a Flat Rate USPS Priority envelope for that $5.
And in case you didn't know, the tape is free also. Just ask at your LPO for a roll next time you're there. But it can ONLY be used on packages being sent via Priority. If you use it on the Media Mail packages, it will get kicked back to you.
Media Mail for a book will probably run around $2.00. I think the average quilt books weighs around 12-13oz. Add in some for packaging.
Also, you can check on Amazon, as they have the book weights listed (without packaging).
Media Mail is NOT available on USPS.com, nor is First Class. Very annoying. I guess they don't trust us to really only approved Media items via Media Mail.
And, fyi, Magazines are not allowed to be send via Media Mail as they contain advertising.
Even if they're 50 years old. So in the unlikely event that they open your package (which they never do), be prepared. I have heard it happen with someone who sold old LIFE magazines.
01-02-2011, 10:04 AM
#16
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,134
Originally Posted by carolaug
If you tell the post office its a book its a flat cheap fee...think its 2.77 it may have gone up...you must tell them its a book.
Do you have a link?
01-02-2011, 10:18 AM
#17
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 231
[quote=purrfectquilts]So media mail or parcel post with no insurance or delivery confirmation? How did the customers feel about that I wonder?
Did you use a padded envelope? Or wrap in plastic and heavy brown paper? Or something else?
quote]
I usually shipped media mail with delivery confirmation - it still came to less than the $3.99 credit. Plus I kept all my receipts from the post office in case the buyer questioned whether it had really shipped since media mail can sometimes take a longer time than most would think, other times it arrived as fast as Priority. That way I could scan and send them a copy of the receipt with their zipcode to "prove" I had in fact shipped their book. I only needed to do this once out of about 40 transactions, and the buyer notified me their book arrived the next day (after 2 1/2 weeks, which I agreed was a long time).
For packaging, I happened to have a lot of large size envelopes, some padded, so depending on the thickness of the book, I used what I already had. If it was a thicker envelope I didn't wrap the book. Otherwise I wrapped it in saran wrap, then packaged it.
Tanesha
Did you use a padded envelope? Or wrap in plastic and heavy brown paper? Or something else?
quote]
I usually shipped media mail with delivery confirmation - it still came to less than the $3.99 credit. Plus I kept all my receipts from the post office in case the buyer questioned whether it had really shipped since media mail can sometimes take a longer time than most would think, other times it arrived as fast as Priority. That way I could scan and send them a copy of the receipt with their zipcode to "prove" I had in fact shipped their book. I only needed to do this once out of about 40 transactions, and the buyer notified me their book arrived the next day (after 2 1/2 weeks, which I agreed was a long time).
For packaging, I happened to have a lot of large size envelopes, some padded, so depending on the thickness of the book, I used what I already had. If it was a thicker envelope I didn't wrap the book. Otherwise I wrapped it in saran wrap, then packaged it.
Tanesha
01-02-2011, 10:43 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Behind my sewing machine
Posts: 7,202
Just go to the post office...I have done it a few times to sent my daughter in-law books that I have read.
I've never heard of a flat Media Mail rate, where the weight of the book (or other items) is immaterial.
Do you have a link?
Originally Posted by MTS
Originally Posted by carolaug
If you tell the post office its a book its a flat cheap fee...think its 2.77 it may have gone up...you must tell them its a book.
Do you have a link?
01-02-2011, 10:53 AM
#19
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,134
Originally Posted by carolaug
Just go to the post office...I have done it a few times to sent my daughter in-law books that I have read.
And, quite frankly, I think the books you're sending are under a lb. and you're just getting charged the minimum rate. But it's not a flat rate.
01-02-2011, 11:10 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Royse City Texas
Posts: 2,870
The post office told me that. I do a lot of shipping. I also read it somewhere too. Just googled it and here is one source. http://www2.stamps.com/usps/postage-rate-increase/
Originally Posted by donnajean
I just went onto USPS.com website & the 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" Priority Flat Rate Envelope is still $4.75 & includes "free" Delivery Confirmation.
There is now a larger "legal" size Flat Rate Envelope - 9 1/2" x 15" for $4.95.
I printed 3 Shipping labels last evening & was charged the $4.75 for each label.
I'm curious to know where you are seeing that the Priority Flat Rate Envelope rate was raised???
Prices went up yesterday for Priority - check USPS.COM
There is now a larger "legal" size Flat Rate Envelope - 9 1/2" x 15" for $4.95.
I printed 3 Shipping labels last evening & was charged the $4.75 for each label.
I'm curious to know where you are seeing that the Priority Flat Rate Envelope rate was raised???
Originally Posted by Treasureit
Originally Posted by donnajean
Media mail is not as cheap as it used to be & sometimes can take up to 2 weeks for delivery. Also, you have the expense of packaging which has to be good as Media Mail is brutal. If you use USPS.com you can ship Priority Flat Rate Envelope for $4.75 & get free Delivery Confirmation.
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