With the pandemic raging on, more and more people are turning to online shopping. Many of you may already be accustomed to buying on websites and apps. A good portion of you are also probably sellers, either big-time or small-time. As a buyer, the cost of postage is one of the biggest incentives — or deterrent — to a purchase. As a seller, that money may eat into your profits and selling success rate.
So today we’ll cover some tips regarding mailing items no matter if you’re doing the sending or you’re doing the receiving.
Sign Up For Notifications
All major carriers have ways for you to log in and track packages that are coming to you. Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery, UPS My Choice, FedEx Delivery Manager, and DHL On Demand Delivery and all the tracking numbers heading to your address will be in one place and/or sent to you automatically through your email. Informed Delivery will also show you all the mailpieces that is expected to be delivered to your house that day, so that’s nice as well. These allow you to check the progress of your package easily.
Buy Postage Online
One of the reasons buying online has become so popular is that the prices are often cheaper than when you head to your local store. Well, it’s the same for buying postage: rates are often lower when you buy online than standing in line at the post office. Plus, buying online gives you an easier way to keep track of what you shipped out, as you’ll have your tracking numbers all in one place instead of potentially losing your receipt.
You can buy postage online directly from the shipping companies, or you can use other platforms. Some places operate on a subscription model, but others like PayPal can be used on an as-needed basis. There are also sites like ShipGooder that will provide rate comparisons.
I do recommend purchasing a scale, which will set you back about $20-40 depending on what features you want. Some post offices have scales you can walk in and use. Otherwise, just ask them to weigh it and then get the postage at home. You do need a printer, obviously, but you can either spring for self-adhesive labels or use regular paper + tape.
Either way, make sure you weigh packages after they have been packed, and I even weigh them as I’m packing. In some instances, 1 ounce can make a huge difference in what you pay. Mail usually operates by the pound, so a 1 lb 1 oz package is the same price as a 2 lb 0 oz package. (First Class Mail is a notable exception.) If you have a scale, you can figure out the best balance between package weight and security.
Pirate Ship
You know how I mention buying postage online? If you do most of your shipping via the post office (which you probably do), I recommend Pirate Ship. You do need a debit or credit card, unlike USPS and PayPal where you can use a checking account. You do have the option of adding money to your Pirate Ship account (starting at $10) and deducting postage from your balance versus repeatedly charging a card. But the real reason to use Pirate Ship is that it offers commercial rates, which includes USPS’ lowest rates and $100 insurance with Priority Mail instead of $50. Priority Mail Cubic rate is usually the cheapest way to ship, as it factors in weight and box size. Plus, Pirate Ship’s third-party insurance is the lowest I’ve seen.
Meanwhile, although the same rates are available elsewhere, First Class Mail is simple. The only weights you need to be concerned about is 4, 8, 12, and 15 ounces, as anything at or below that range is the same price.
Regardless, if you underweigh your package, you will be automatically charged the difference, but if their system determines you overweighed, you can receive an automatic refund.
Free Shipping Supplies
All three major delivery services also offer free shipping supplies. This may include boxes, envelopes, and labels. However, most of these have restrictions on which shipping method you can use with them. For instance, USPS’ supplies are almost all for Priority Mail with some for one-day services.
So if you are sending something light (like a keychain or DVD) or something extremely heavy, you might be better off using packing materials from elsewhere. But if you know you are going to use Priority Mail, UPS Ground, or FedEx Ground (or faster methods), order some shipping supplies online at their websites. You may also be able to get a few if you swing by your local branch of these shippers, but no guarantees.
Of course, you can always reuse packaging. Instead of throwing away or recycling boxes right away, put them aside to be used later. If you’re selling on eBay or other similar marketplaces, most people don’t care that it arrives in an Amazon box as long as it isn’t beat up. Also, keeping a variety of boxes around is also nice when combined with Priority Mail Cubic.
PayPal Return Shipping
Have you ever been afraid to order something in case you wouldn’t like it but were worried about having to pay for return shipping? Well, if that store accepts PayPal, you have an option: PayPal Return Shipping on Us. As the name suggests, PayPal will refund you the shipping fee if you send back an item purchased with PayPal. Go here within 30 days of you sending the item back, submit proof that you paid with PayPal and either paid for return shipping or had an amount deducted from your refund, and you are eligible to get that money sent to you. You are limited to 12 times per calendar year and up to $30 in shipping fees each time, but I don’t think too many people would be pushing those limits.