# Almost ready to start shipping...



## 2wicky (Jul 21, 2009)

Hey guys,
So I am almost ready to launch my store site. Still a few web things to wrap up but have my product and just working out the final details on shipping. I am operating out of Canada so instead of worrying about shipping rates scaring off customers I decided to take the advice off these forums and am going to add $2 to each shirt and then offer free shipping. I do have a few questions before I launch however.

I bought the 10x13 polymailers from ULINE (Valuemailers on eBay does not ship to Canada grrrr). Not going to plastic each individual tshirt, I am expecting 2 per purchase to be the norm. 

So my questions are, what do you use for the shipping labels? 

Can you get these from the post office or do I purchase a roll of these from somewhere? 

Do you print these or hand write the details? 

Do you always include an invoice in each order? I noticed MS Word has a template for these but wondering if any other suggestions on these.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Not sure if Canada has UPS, but in the states we do. You can print their online shipping label and if you don't have sticky labels, just print them and tape them on your mailers. 

You can buy shipping labels pretty cheap online. Put them in your printer, and print off the UPS label on to that label. One company that sells them is Avery Label. They're expensive though.


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## 2wicky (Jul 21, 2009)

I was planning to use Canada Post for shipping, so US Postal on the other end. 

I also use an inkjet printer that is such a piece of crap (brand new, rarely works with normal paper am scared to even attempt custom labels) but is it too unprofessional to handwrite the specifics?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

It's not Unprofessional in my Opinion. We get stuff in the mail from Vendors all the time with Hand Written Address. As long as you don't hand write the shirt. 

I thought you were using Online Postage, and that's why you wanted to print them.


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## 2wicky (Jul 21, 2009)

selanac said:


> It's not Unprofessional in my Opinion. We get stuff in the mail from Vendors all the time with Hand Written Address. As long as you don't hand write the shirt.
> 
> I thought you were using Online Postage, and that's why you wanted to print them.


I am going to look into it but I know pricing-wise out shipping out of Canada using 3rd party it's quite expensive, so better to let people wait a few days but keep the cost down. The key I have heard is that I keep the weight down so that Canada Post and USPS costs are low. To ensure that I used the Uline polymailers with no extra packaging so I can do 2 shirts and keep under the weight limit (hopefully).


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Why not have someone like myself print your designs and drop ship them for you? Do you use transfers or screen printing? 

The screen printing supply company I use has a friend down closer to the west coast that he allows to distribute his SP supplies. Allows him to ship fast and saves the customer on shipping cost.


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## 2wicky (Jul 21, 2009)

I thought about that when first starting out, but it's a streetwear brand that I am building and I've always felt you need to control your product as much as possible when building a brand. Sure I don't have everything where I want it just yet with custom tags, promo inserts, etc but I will get there once I have the basics down.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Double check your mailing costs........Most shirt orders can not be sent at 1st class rate in Canada because the packages will not fit through the post office template....So you are looking at over 8.00 (BC) to 12.00 (East) ship a parcel....If you sign up for a Venture 1 account at Canada Post you can do your labels online.....


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I think many people make the mistake of thinking they need to control their products. There are thousands of Street Wear Designers out there. 

You can control you product by copyrights, and contracts between you and other sellers. The point is to get your product to the masses, and not even the internet can do that as well as have many sellers selling to their local sources.


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## 2wicky (Jul 21, 2009)

I don't disagree with you, there's plenty of great services out there to help the process. I think when you start a small business that you focus on your strengths, I went that route when I planned out what I would do and what I would outsource.

I'm a video game designer by day so my skillset lies in using people to create what I want by laying out a specific concept. I outsource my art and screenprinting as is, I wanted to handle all product and market myself. Shipping out of Canada is a minor disadvantage to start with but I am relocating to San Fran next year so that can be solved. I guess my problem with having a company handle and ship all my product is that I don't get to ensure each customer gets exactly what I want them to get. Once i have a large base of product and have established the brand I definitely would look into these companies Selanac. Which would you recommend for streetwear distribution?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Yes, I didn't mean outsource all your products for you. Only distribute to make things locally to the distributor, and let them sell, and print your designs based on your specs. 

That'll cut down on shipping, advertising, and time.


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## emaugust (Sep 6, 2007)

Before adding $2 and offering free shipping, I would weigh your packaged goods and look up the postage online - $2/$3 was a fair flat rate for USPS in years past, but in the last 4 years, shipping has gone up about a buck for us across the board.


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