USPS is usually cheaper up to about 5 lbs.  After that, UPS (or Fedex) starts to be the better deal.  USPS Flat rate is usually a rip off, unless you are really packing some weight into the box.  The reason is logical, if it's flat rate, they have to cover all costs with one charge, so lighter items will cost more and heavier items will cost less.  An exception to this is often international shipping, where flat rate tends to come out ahead for some reason.

There are other options like Fastenal or Greyhound which are cheaper but they tend to be slower and can require that the sender and receiver go to a location to drop off or pick up, which is not always practical.  This really is a great option for large items, if it is practical for both parties.

Lot's of considerations just for shipping, alone.


Lawrenceville, GA

I had the same problem with the UPS site.  I got one figure from the site and when I went to send it at the UPS store the amount was a lot more.   Went back to my old vendor, USPS..  I don't ship much big/heavy stuff, but I do find UPS cheaper on these items as compared to USPS

The UPS site was easy to use in the past.  The last time I used it it changed for the worse and was not as easy to use.





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

It may not be a rude awakening for them at all.  If eBay is how they conduct business, which means that nearly everything they sell ships, then they could have much better shipping rates than you or I would get for a package here and there.


Lawrenceville, GA

Yes, I was naive enough to use the shipping fee charged by other eBay sellers (exact same item) as a guide. I suspect THEY also got a rude awakening when actually mailing the package.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Shipping rates go up every year.  $75 for a box that big sounds about right.  That is large enough that the actual weight really doesn't matter - it is dimensional weight.  A good rule of thumb when shipping is to have the package as small as possible but as large as necessary.

It's definitely worthwhile to figure how much shipping will cost before listing a free shipping item.


Lawrenceville, GA

So, I recently sold an item on eBay using the ‘free shipping’ hook. It sold BIN about one minute after the listing was uploaded! But, when I shipped it UPS (local Napa store), the charge was over double what I expected (16 lb. box 47”x10”x20”.....$75 Indiana to Oregon). When I later went to the UPS website to get a quote and see if I had been overcharged, I found it largely inscrutable/unusable. I realize the shipping business is very good nowadays for UPS, due to increased online shopping, and it’s been a long time since I’ve mailed any large/heavy packages, but I wonder if ALL the carriers more than doubled their rates when I wasn’t looking? Is the UPS site intentionally designed to discourage carrier shopping, I wonder?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

I agree with You Paul. I don't know how they are even covering their Costs let alone make a little on Stuff they sell. Some Deals seem too good to be true.

  

Oldcarmark - I agree with you that very few thing in life are free, including shipping.  But how some of these vendors have low prices and free shipping is beyond me.  I have bought items that are a very low dollar value ( and the item alone is worth the price) with free shipping.  It seems that for the price they are asking, the shipping is actually "free"





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

The real question is the stuff that BIN costs $4.95 & "free" shipping from CN and once it arrives in the states it gets delivered through the US postal system. That has to just kill our catalog or online sales, to say nothing of brick and morter.
The posties gotta be losing money on the deal too.

Somebody said eBay is cleaning up at 23% of purchase price? Buncha crooks. I remember when it was a great way to make some cash.

I guess if U get something Free you can sell it cheap and still make Money. Haven't found the free Items yet.  In case anyone is wondering when I ad up all the Fees Ebay charges its about 23% of the selling Price.