Asked on Aug 29, 2017

Help! I need helpful suggestions about shipping online sales

Carol
by Carol
I am thinking about starting up an online crafting business. I have been doing a lot of research and making lots of crafts, but I am hesitating because of the shipping . I am very daunted by thinking about how to ship things. Also just need some encouragement about how hard or easy it is to do.

  5 answers
  • Dianacirce70 Dianacirce70 on Aug 29, 2017

    Shipping is actually very easy, once you get the hang of it. You can get priority boxes for free from USPS, heavier things are cheapest through UPS and anything under 13oz is considered a 1st class parcel, so pretty cheap to ship, and can go in a bubble mailer, which is also pretty cheap. You can go to USPS.com and get shipping prices. Make sure to accurately measure and weigh, if you don't purchase enough postage your buyer could end up paying that extra on their end, and that would just probably make someone mad. I usually offer free shipping and build that cost into my price, which is another big reason to make sure you accurately weigh. You don't want to charge someone $5 for shipping and have that cost double and have to eat the loss, since the last thing you want to do is go back to a buyer and demand more money. Last piece of advise, a postal scale is a must. You can usually find them for $5 or $10 and they will save you a ton of headache, and help you know for sure what to charge.

  • Sunny C Sunny C on Aug 29, 2017

    Hello Carol; Shipping costs are crazy.

    They are getting worse, if that is at all possible!!!

    Aside from that, I would suggest visiting your local Post Office.

    There are papers which the Folks whom work there will be happy to explain to you.

    I would also suggest visiting EBay. Please click where it says to calculate shipping charges.

    Please read what EBay has posted.

    Furthermore, I would suggest that you read online, as much as possible.

    The Post Office has free boxes, and they are shipped by the weight/ size of the box for X price.

    It is easy to have things weighed, to determine shipping costs.

    You might wish to try a dry run with your Crafts, and set up at a Craft Fair locally. That could be a good way to gauge what is hot and what people seem to be interested in!!

    I hope that this helps you, and that you will be sending your Crafts out soon!!

    Have fun and Take Care!


  • Sharon Sharon on Aug 29, 2017

    Cheapest way to post is Post Office Priority Mail, and the boxes are free, they have lots of sizes. And if you use a lot, you can order them to your home.

    And if you are shipping enough, then try to negotiate a flat rate with UPS or Fed Ex. If you drop ship it at a local drop off business, its cheaper than them picking it up.

  • Sharon Sharon on Aug 30, 2017

    PS I used to use mostly Priority Mail for my business, so I got Stamps Online where I could print out the postage stickers online on my printer, and I brought the small scale too. So when I dropped them off at the post office, I just had to hand them to them. Best investment of both money and time.

  • Sunny C Sunny C on Aug 31, 2017

    You are so Welcome, Carol!!

    I hope that your Business does really well for you!!!

    Take Care!