Cheapest ways to ship from the USA

[terri]

I’ve been reading the prices for shipping. When I went to ship the packets of USA, the price on the United States Postal Service website quoted 7.35 or the priority rate for a 15 ounce large flat. Whew! So I did some research and the prices jump dramatically once you hit 14 ounces. A 13 ounce flat costs $2.80, a 14 ounce bumps you up to package rates over $7.00! 

Well I’m stubborn, so I repackaged everything into TWO envelopes. One at just under 13 ounces, the overflow in a second envelope. They can’t exceed a certain thickness, I think it was 3/4 inch? 

The same is true for international - a big rate jump just before one pound.

Shipping internationally is just crazy expensive! I think I’m going to always limit books and bulky lots to USA addresses only. The shipping costs far exceed the value of the items being shipped! But as long as i can ship a flat under 13 ounce it is doable for me. 

[stampie78]

Nov 19, 2019 12:43:26 GMT -5 terri said:

I’ve been reading the prices for shipping. When I went to ship the packets of USA, the price on the United States Postal Service website quoted 7.35 or the priority rate for a 15 ounce large flat. Whew! So I did some research and the prices jump dramatically once you hit 14 ounces. A 13 ounce flat costs $2.80, a 14 ounce bumps you up to package rates over $7.00! 

Well I’m stubborn, so I repackaged everything into TWO envelopes. One at just under 13 ounces, the overflow in a second envelope. They can’t exceed a certain thickness, I think it was 3/4 inch? 

The same is true for international - a big rate jump just before one pound.

Shipping internationally is just crazy expensive! I think I’m going to always limit books and bulky lots to USA addresses only. The shipping costs far exceed the value of the items being shipped! But as long as i can ship a flat under 13 ounce it is doable for me. 

Postage woes - tell me about it.   I order from Swan stamps once or twice a year. Used to be more but the postage was getting too high.

One order was 10 lbs and the postage way over $70. Another was 5 lbs and postage was just under $50.00. At least he does use current postage and I get some nice high values and panes/booklets. (I also get some nice high values inside the box) Overseas is just plain crazy.

$2.65 for a "up to 30gm" letter. I can usually get 100 stamps in for under 30gm. Also Canada Post has the thickness thing. Irritating at times.

Happy mailing.

[jonesy]

It ended up costing me 65$ for a single stamp being sent to Japan. Was nuts. Fortunately I still made over 300 on the stamp with fees etc, however I have since had a confab with the local postmaster. They are going to stamp all of the FDC envelopes I want from now on They gave a first day cover stamp on the new Dinosaur stamps. So they are now postmarked. I used one of each (2 or 3 times and the 4 block on a few envelopes too all unaddressed and stamped on the first day of issue. So.. in the end, it ended up being worth it.

Thats it for my postage woe's for now.

Cheers all.

Jonesy

[youpiao]

International shipping rules are set by the UPU, and their rules state that only documents can be sent by letter mail. Anything of even the slightest nominal value, including a cancelled, torn, and creased postage stamp, must be sent as merchandise. That's when the postage rates start going crazy. I've eliminated international sales on my HipStamp store because of this. I had to charge a minimum of $7.50 postage, and I could not do that in good conscience, even though during the time I was selling internationally, I had quite a few orders for a single 15 or 20 cent stamp for which the customer paid that exorbitant shipping fee.

Ted

[I.M. DeBear]

A few years ago, I sent a stack of Ceresa's books to Brazil. It cost $73, so I put a large clear self-adhesive packing-slip pouch on the side of the package and had my fabulously accommodating P.O. clerk cancel full sheets of Star Wars, Comic Book Heroes and other great issues, and slide them all in the pouch unfolded, face up. Not technically permitted, because the stamps were 'covering' each other, but USPS got paid, and the recipient got some truly unique pieces for his money. It was the least I could do for $73.