# shipping usps...wow - are the USPS rates good for shipping orders of 1 or 2 t-shirts?



## Binary01 (Jun 2, 2007)

just cost me $6.45 to ship 2 tshirts and a hat....priority mail in a tyvec envelop with confirmation 
.... am i missing something here?.... seems high to me

i just went to the usps office and mailed it out


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

Did you use the post office's envelope, or your own?


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## Binary01 (Jun 2, 2007)

i used their's.. i thought it was free...i think it is... too bad i didnt see a flat rate tyvec env.

there has to be a cheaper way.....


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Also,...does that price include insurance?


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## Binary01 (Jun 2, 2007)

nope.....

5.75 for zone-4 priority
.70 for confirmation


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

If you sign up with USPS to buy your postage online it will save you a little money - not much but it adds up if you mail a lot of stuff.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

No- thats not high. It would have been at least 12$ for UPS or Fedex.

I have switched to using usps exclusively but like it was mentioned before its better paying on line.

You are able to print out your labels and order supplies without going to the post office (only to drop them off)

Also, its free tracking information online...


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

High if it was a single shirt maybe, but for two shirts and a hat that doesn't seem bad.


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## ino (Jan 23, 2007)

I don't know your zone systems, but for an express delivery with confirmation for 2 shirts plus cap seems quite reasonable to me.


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

I mailed 10 embroidered tags using usps priority tyvec envelope and it cost me $5.95 with confirmation. I don't think it was bad. Usps also have flat rate boxes with no weight limit. Their motto is if it fits it ships.

You have to charge the customer shipping cost just like the vendors/suppliers do.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

If you ship alot you can receive special rates from ups.


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## greyhorsewoman (Jul 19, 2007)

Yes, look into USPS online clicknship. You get a discount and FREE delivery confirmation (which is probably 75 cents of your cost). Also, familiarize yourself with the assorted flat rate options. There are now several. All boxes & tyvek envelopes are free. I use paypal's multi-shipping option for one shirt and ship first class w/.19 delivery confirmation. 

Depending on the distance, priority rate will vary. I am on the east coast and shipping two shirts and a cap could cost an extra $1.00+ to the west coast. With clicknship you can quickly see your options and package appropriately.


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## GHEENEE1 (Jan 8, 2007)

What is the reason to ship shirts priority mail v.s. first class mail with usps? Thanks, Mike
P.S. Sorry to hijack your thread.


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## greyhorsewoman (Jul 19, 2007)

You can only ship lst class up to 13 oz. It is less expensive than the base rate priority package. Both are treated the same for travel time and handling.


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## TimeWithoutTheE (Mar 31, 2007)

I dont know what you are complaining about to be honest. Your paying barely over $2 per item.
Thats not bad at all.


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## artchitectii (Oct 3, 2007)

Nah that isn't bad at all. I only use USPS as well. The envelopes and the labels are free. Just go up to the counter and ask about them, they gave me a HUGE stack for free. I shipped my first item UPS and it killed me. It's been USPS. Only other thing I want to point out is if you have an order you are shipping internationally DO NOT USE THE FREE PRIORITY MAIL ENVELOPES they give you. I made that mistake and it cost me damn near $30. If you get an order from another country just throw that stuff in a small box and ship it USPS basic shipping. It will be MUCH cheaper


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## HMD10 (Feb 17, 2008)

We use stamps.com from Boston to LA 3 shirts $2.98...When we use Ups something it cost us $4.89...If you are shipping small order or samples stamps.com works best for us and they give you a free scale...


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

JMclothing said:


> We use stamps.com from Boston to LA 3 shirts $2.98...When we use Ups something it cost us $4.89...If you are shipping small order or samples stamps.com works best for us and they give you a free scale...


Yes, but don't you have a monthly charge from Stamps.com? The last time I used them it cost me $15 per month, then the cost of the postage.
If you ship a lot, this makes sense. Otherwise, it is too expensive.


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## HRClothes (Jan 19, 2009)

lizziemaxine said:


> Yes, but don't you have a monthly charge from Stamps.com? The last time I used them it cost me $15 per month, then the cost of the postage.
> If you ship a lot, this makes sense. Otherwise, it is too expensive.


There is a Monthly Fee but if u call them there is a cheaper one for US shipping only just ask them about it, I used to use it. I loved it! And does not only work if you use it alot.... if u think if u ship it will be cheaper in the end I payed 1.60 for alot of shipping on it... it really does help sometimes on shipping atleast call then and see if they have cheaper monthly fees like they did!


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Nice to know.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.


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## allhamps (Mar 15, 2007)

If you choose to go to the post office to ship your items, do not close your boxes until you check with them. I typically have used USPS Flat Rate Priority mail to Quinton, OK. The size of the box I use is $9.85 with delivery confirmation (online discount & confirmation is free). When I had to drop the box off at the post office, the clerk advised me that I might want to use a "regular" priority mail box because it was CHEAPER. The cost, including the delivery confirmation was $7.35!!. What she said was some zones it's cheaper to use the Priority Mail box and not the Flat Rate Priority Mail box, but you just have to ask. I've checked the rates for some of my more regular customers, and found out we could be saving a bunch on shipping costs.


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## Dennis Graves (Apr 27, 2009)

Was the box you ended up using free or did you have to pay for the box?

I thought the USPS only provides Flat Rate boxes for free.

Thanks,

Dennis Graves


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

That have several to choose from on thier web site.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Agree 100%, definitely do those transactions online, again, 100% on watching which box you use and which rate. Sometimes a flatrate box isn't the best choice (for me, it rarely was the better choice.)

Also, one thing to notice about the "free" boxes from USPS, notice how sturdy they are? That helps them weigh a ton, too. Choose the right size "free" box, to get your costs as low as possible. 

One might save $2 on shipping, which might not seem like alot, but multiply that by 100+ shipments a month, and when it really never needed to happen, that seems like such a waste. Could have been used for supplies or advertising instead. Best wishes everyone. =)


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

Dennis Graves said:


> I thought the USPS only provides Flat Rate boxes for free.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dennis Graves


I order the regular Priority Mail boxes directly from the USPS and they are free.
I'm not sure, but I think if you go to the Post Office to get a Priority Mail box it will cost you.


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## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

Crazy Question: If you use the Priority boxes..to ship..do you have to use thier lables with the bar code and other info on it? Can I just put my own labels on the box and go to the Post Office and they add the other necessary info?


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## allhamps (Mar 15, 2007)

The Priority Mail boxes, both regular (they DO NOT say FLAT RATE) and the FLAT RATE boxes are FREE if you pick them up at the post office. You do not have to use their labels. As a matter of fact, they only have the teeny, tiny priority mail labels, so I always print my own. Even if I'm not putting postage on using the online service, I still print my own label. As stated in an earlier comment, just note which box you use, and ask if one is cheaper than the other.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention they will also supply tape as well. (or atleast they used to)


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

AdVanceNetworks said:


> Oh yeah... I forgot to mention they will also suplly tape as well.


 
Wow, that is cool, I didn't know this, I'll be asking about that -- thanks.


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## greyhorsewoman (Jul 19, 2007)

> I forgot to mention they will also suplly tape as well.


Unfortunately, due to misuse, the tape has been discontinued !!  You can get stick on strips or rolls of singles.


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## TODOTOCREATETOBE (May 29, 2009)

I have been shipping my stuff with USPS since 1999. They have never failed me. That price is quite reasonable compared to others. Supplies are free. Some you do have to pay for. Priority supplies are free. I have lots of them. Tape was discontinued. I emailed them about this and I received the usual run around. But they still have plenty of free stuff. If you use Priority and print out your own shipping labels, DC is free. I highly recommend the USPS. They need all the support they can get.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Yep... I agree USPS is a good service for the cost, we use priority most of the time without issues.


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## Chaka (Aug 13, 2008)

JMclothing said:


> We use stamps.com from Boston to LA 3 shirts $2.98...When we use Ups something it cost us $4.89...If you are shipping small order or samples stamps.com works best for us and they give you a free scale...


How light are your shirts? Sorry but this makes no sense to me on how you can get this shipped for $2.98 via usps unless you are stating some weird book or media rate.


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## greyhorsewoman (Jul 19, 2007)

> We use stamps.com from Boston to LA 3 shirts $2.98...When we use Ups something it cost us $4.89...If you are shipping small order or samples stamps.com works best for us and they give you a free scale...


Exactly what postal selection gets you that rate? I really would like clarification on stamps.com. This is not the first time it's been suggested the rates may be lower than any other resource. 

~~ I just visited their website and it does not appear you can get any better discounts than by using USPS clicknship or PayPal shipping option. They have some perks to sign up, but you pay a monthly fee for the service.

They state : Stamps.com gives you postage discounts you can’t even get at the Post Office or with a postage meter. But the 'comparisons' are for a postage metal rental and trips to Post Office paying over the counter prices. All the listed discounts, etc are the same ones you get when you use Clicknship.

For folks with larger volumes of shipments in a more metro area maybe it makes sense, (as savings are figured in trips/time to the PO & what you pay your employees) but not for many small businesses.


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## mariuszb79 (Mar 3, 2009)

If its in a 12x16 envelope and its under 13 oz it shouldn't be more than 4 dollars FIRST CLASS, anything after 13 oz goes to priority automatically, $6 is not to bad, the hat must have put it over 13 oz. You do make the customers pay for shipping right? and yes if you went to UPS you would have paid $12 or $13.
We only charge $3.50 for shipping and $1.50 additional tee thats in the states.


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