THANK YOU GUYS!!!! You did just what I figured and had GREAT ideas and suggestions based on knowledge and experience. You ALL are SUPER!!!!

Okay, I think I have missed something, can anyone tell me how they keep shipping cost down while selling, trading or donating? I went to PO this afternoon to ship one mag and one piece of material, turned out to be 4.95 each for flat rate envelope. What do you all find the best way to ship trying to keep cost to minimum for everyone's sake? I don't know if I should post this here or there or somewhere else but I need your advice, I've got lots of material to sell and want everyone to get the best deal! Thanks in advance.

I got the same shock when I sent out a bit of fabric and a couple magazines to different people-and I was just donating them. I guess the trick is to stuff the envelope or flat-rate box to the gills to get the best value!

Sometimes the flat rate is not the cheapest way to go. My experience is that it really has to be packed full ( I mean really full) to be of a cost savings. Every time I have used one I ask what the cost is if its not the flat rate. From experience I learned only heavy items are really worth it. Many like the convience plus the free boxes of the flat rate.
Remember , magazines, and books can go media mail ( much cheaper but slower) , so you may be better of sending two packages one media and the other with fabric regular first class or parcel post.

Yes, postage is awful. That is why I stuff the flat rate envelopes until I have to fight to close them! I reinforce the inside of the envelope to strengthen it and then I stuff it like you wouldn't believe!

I have sent single pieces of fabric in a regular envelope..legal size...also, if it's just a magazine you're better off to put it in a manilla envelope and mail it, not in a flat rate

My experience has been is that if your item is less than 13 oz., first class is the way to go, cheap and fast. Heavier items are worth the flat rate. I buy the clasp envelopes in multiple sizes from the office stores, and use them for shipping things like books, patterns, magazines and fabric. I actually shipped two yards of fabric to Canada for less than four dollars(first class) in one of those! I forgot to say that I remove the metal clasp and reinforce the seams with tape.

Sometime first class is cheaper than media!! I was surprised to find that out. I try to use my own packaging (from things I've received) and then ship cheapest way. Less expensive than using their flat rate boxes. I always asked the clerk to give me cheapest rate. I usually add on a delivery confirmation if I'm concerned about it actually getting to buyer.

HTH

Send it by "media" mail. You can look this up online, estimate your postage, but nothing but the book, no advertising allowed.

"http://www.usps.com/send/waystosendm.../mediamail.htm"

Send your printed or recorded material using this service.

Media Mail® service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, recorded video tapes, printed music, and recorded computer-readable media (such as CDs, DVDs, and diskettes). Media Mail can not contain advertising except for incidental announcements of books. The maximum weight for Media Mail is 70 lbs.

There are presorted rates available for bulk quantities of Media Mail (minimum quantity is 300 pieces).
A barcode discount is available for Media Mail.
Rates are based on weight and size.

You can go to this page and it will direct you to the next page to calculate postage.

A shipping scale is an essential tool to have on hand. I use mine for shipping, in the kitchen weighing food etc. They are cheap on ebay.
I use empty cereal boxes for small amounts of fabrics, shirts & any thing that is light weight. I wrap it in Kraft paper & address it. Always making sure it is 13oz or less. I may have to cut the box smaller to get it to the 13oz or less.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I really don't mind paying freight/shipping, as long as I don't feel like I'm getting gouged for it. Example...the other day I went to try to find a couple of the little quilt patterns only that come in the little plastic ziplock bags. It would be like mailing 5 pieces of paper. The company had the product on sale 1/2 off cause they were going out of business, but then wanted $14.00 shipping...NO WAY. I went to another company, still got them on sale (although only 10% off), but only paid $6.00 shipping...ended up being cheaper at the second company.

Moral of the story...watch the freight...you might be better off paying a higher price at a different store, depending on how much the shipping is...

Just sayin :)

sometimes doing flat rate is cheaper than first class posting.

first class goes up to 13 oz for $3.26. Flat rate starts at $4.95.
BTW, supposedly first class and Priority travel at the same speed, so don't let any PO clerk talk you into upgrading a light package to Priority to make it go faster. Priority is like First Class for heavier parcels.

Also - one tip I learned this past week.

Buy the poly-mailer envelopes (they don't rip or tear and are weather resistant). These are lighter than a large envelope and you can fill them with fabric or magazines with added protection against all the elements involved in the delivery process...such as gorillas throwing your package around....package getting ripped apart after being thrown like a frisbee...etc. etc. etc.

First Class Parcel is how they can be sent if they are chubby packages and under a certain weight.

Yes, I can confirm that priority mail and first calss travel at the same speed from experience.

today I went to PO to mail a small box of goodies to my Dad for his birthday...a 1# box of Chocolates and a loaf of homemade Cranberry-Orange bread. From OR to AZ, the cost came to $12.70! More than I spent on the contents!! The postal clerk suggested I put it in a flat rate box, so it went for $10.95 instead. Saved a little bit.....

Always compare shipping rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Larger items and items that should be insured are cheaper to ship with Fed-Ex or UPS (insurance is included with the shipping charge).

Remember, magazines CAN NOT be sent via media mail as someone stated above. If a magazine has advertising-and they all do, they don't qualify for media rates. The P.O. does open media mail on occasion to do spot checks.

I use to think that I had to ship priority mail in order to use delivery confirmation, but that is not true.

You can ship, first class parcel and buy delivery confirmation.

Also, I keep track of the weight of my fabric when I send out fabric.

1yd of cotton fabric (on average) weighs about 6 ounces.

I've had to put out lots of money in shipping costs, because I wasn't charging enough, or I decided to add delivery confirmation to an order, just to be sure a large order arrived, or could be tracked if it didn't arrive.

When I buy things from others, I hate being overcharged for shipping, so I guess that's why I try so hard not to overcharge.

It's a learning curve...I think I'm finally in the ball-park of collecting the right amount for postage now.

I don't know if anyone said this already but the fabric probably wasn't what made the shipping so high, it was probable the mags or books that added the weight.

I think mostly from the Buyer's viewpoint: I Buy six-seven yards from a single seller, for Flat Rate Priority $4.95. Or, send or buy 12 ounces or less, in a First Class envelope, for a per-ounce rate. That means I weigh it at home on a little scale. I think the key for me is to find bargain price fabrics in the first place.

Books can go Media mail - which is a lot cheaper - but you need to buy your own envelopes

Insurance is included in UPS charges only up to $100...over that, if you want it, there's another charge...I don't know about FedEx.

i also found out from my local post office if you take the metal clasp off the manilla envelopes it is cheaper, i don't know why but it is....

Well, I've got to say that I've been mailing with the new padded flat rate envelopes for my larger orders and I LOVE THEM!

I can get more in the padded ones than I could in the regular ones. Keep that in mind when you do want to use the flat rate service. You can order these on-line at usps.com and they are shipped to your house for free...yippee!

My local dol$lar store has padded mailers and also carries clasp envelopes 5 for a buck. The clasp has to be removed or covered per postal regulations. This is because they are machine sorted.

I am in Canada and I find the whole shipping thing to be confusing and frustratiing ..I buy on ebay and I have seen the exact item with a shipping charge of $3.05 all the way up to $40 for same item..so I always have to ask...I bought 4 items...$16.50 shipping and yesterday I bought 5 more..similar items...shipping was $32...I know it goes by weight and size of package but today I called USPS and even the lady I was speaking to was confused...here it is very expensive to ship...I just paid almost 17 to ship a small box before Christmas..I wish they would make it even easier...and reasonable...Today i spent $57 on ebay and had to add over 30 for shipping..makes a deal go right out the window...

the most convenient process involves buying a good postal scale. make sure it can accurately weigh everything between envelopes up to heavy packages. check the product descriptions carefully before making your choice.

next, set up an account at a USPS-approved provider of online postage.

don't pack it up, but do weigh the contents and packing materials together. then go to the postal program to determine the best option. once you've done that, pack it up, and print the mailing label.

(i didn't say this was the least expensive option. it's the most convenient. you can't run back and forth from the post office at 4am in your jammies. :lol: )

magazines can be sent parcel post (any reading material) which is less expensive...depending on weight it is sometimes less expensive to use a different package than the flat rates...the flat rate packaging is great if your items weigh quite a bit, you save that way, if it is very light it is more cost efficient to use regular packaging since the flat rate is...flat rate...if your package only weighs 1 pound it would cost alot less to send it out of that flat rate box...but if it weighs 10 pounds you will save going that way.
the usps web site is user friendly and you can put in different size packages and weights and check all of the options available to see what is most cost effecient.