Originally Posted by jaciqltznok
Originally Posted by topper1
I found out 10 50 flat rate box can be replaced by using a similar box that says mailing box on it for 5 dollars and some change...the nice old lady waiting on me told me. so i took quilt out and put it in new box almost same size for half price....something to ask about.................
yes, most people just ASSUME that flat rate means cheaper...it most certainly does NOT....it usually means Rip-off!
Take media and first class...most people will ship Cd's, Dvd's and books media thinking it is the best rate....it is not. Not only will take it longer, but if it less than 13oz it can usually ship first class cheaper and gets there quicker!
Flat rate is good for items over 2 pounds. Usually if it is less than 2 pounds you can get a better rate going reg. priority.
It is all a weight game and you have to use a postal scale and know the measurements that are on the pages I linked to in my earlier post.
Whether flat rate saves money or not also depends on where you're shipping from and to.
Since shipping rates depend on zone and weight, if you're in the center of the country, like you are, you'll have less occasion to use flat rate since regular priority mail or parcel post rates to most of the country will often be lower than the flat rates.
If you're in one of the coastal mail zones or another, like we are, priority and parcel rates to the opposite ends of the country will be higher, and will often exceed the flat rate charges.
Living in a coastal mail zone, we use a lot more flat rate than we would if we were living in the center of the country. For us it often is a big savings, not a rip-off.
So, it's really a "weight and distance" game.
And it's just like anything else, practice makes perfect so those of us who ship a lot find it easy, people who don't do it a lot find it (rightfully) confusing.