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Need some help/advice on shipping items from home...

MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Driving to the postoffice is killing me. There are three local, full service ones here -

one is right down the street about 10 minutes away, but always takes 30-40 minutes to get through their line (they only have one person at the window)

the second is 10 minutes away in the opposite direction, but I have the same problem there as I do the above.

the third is 20 minutes away and I always walk in and right out, never have any problems waiting as they have always had about three people behind the counter.

I am considering not going to the postoffice anymore as I am selling mostly inexpensive books and the cards are rarely over 50.00/each.

Does anybody here send their items by printing out the packing ship on eBay's checkout?

If you do how does the process work?

Can you buy delivery confirmation?

Do you just go out and stick the items in your mailbox for the carrier to pick-up?

Have you had any trouble with the shipping costs, like has anything ever been returned for not enough postage?

Any other input/advice?


Thanks, I would like to do this but I am paranoid about the product getting to the customer and knowing how much to add pay for shipping.


Again thanks!


Patrick

Comments

  • lsutigers1973lsutigers1973 Posts: 11,093 ✭
    Paypal shipping will save you a lot of money if you are selling on a regular basis. DC is free on flat rate boxes and the price for delivery is lower. DC on bubblemailers is 60 cents cheaper too.
  • Bosox1976Bosox1976 Posts: 8,567 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Using paypal shipping is the only way to go. Buy peel & stick labels to make it easier. Get free priority boxes from USPS.com. Just throw them in the chute at the PO - no lines, delivery conf, and automatically emails the buyer.
    Mike
    Bosox1976
  • Bigjohn69Bigjohn69 Posts: 737
    best thing i ever did was to buy a printer so i could use the pay through paypal shipping label feature,, delivery confirm is free, and you can print it out on a normal piece of white typing paper and i put a little glue on the back and tape it covering the full slip, works great then no waiting just bring it in set it on the postal desk and say these are all pre paid when they say ok, just leave, saves time and money ,,,, bj
    imageimageimageimageimage
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the advice so far guy, one more thing I forgot to ask: Because I sell a lot of hockey - what about shipping from hom on international orders?
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭

    If you chat with your carrier, he may be willing - for a
    reasonable gratuity - to come to your porch and grab
    the packages, so you don't have to leave them in your
    mailbox.

    If you use Priority or Express, you can call the day before
    and the carrier will do a scheduled pickup at your door.

    .........

    If using PP DC, you might want to buy a roll of "Scan Me"
    stickers on EBAY. Or, you can write "Scan This Item" on
    the package in red marker.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • and5zacand5zac Posts: 492
    you can ship internationally from home now and print out needed forms.


    Lou
    Collecting Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell cards.
  • ga5150ga5150 Posts: 743 ✭✭✭
    The stick on labels work great, or you can simply print out on regular white paper, cut out the label, and tape on with clear packing tape. I may be incorrect, but I think if you use Paypal/Ebay shipping, it doesn't give you a choice on delivery confirmation. It automatically adds .18 cents to your package and includeds DC. With Priority Mail, it is included at no cost.

    I do all my packages at home, and just drop them in the chute at the PO, or leave them at the counter if they are too big for the chute.

    One other thing I did was to buy a postage scale that can go up to 75 lbs and be accurate to the tenth of an ounce. That way, I can charge and print out exact postage and not have to worry about postage due or screwing up the amounts. The scale I got came from Old Will Knott, or something like that and it came off Ebay. I've had it over two years and not had the first problem.


    Rodney
  • bziddybziddy Posts: 710 ✭✭✭
    I use a food scale that measures in 1/8 ounce increments. I went one step further and bought a thermal printer (brother ql-570) -- price per label is about 10 cents but is way easier to deal with than the labels that come out of the regular printer (for me).

    Using paypal multi-order shipping makes my job very very easy.

    (FWIW, when I sell, I will sell 100-200 different things at a time, so I am usually packing/shipping 20-30 items/day for a couple days once auctions end. Once I have them packed, I just drop them in a mailbox).

    ...oh, yeah, you can get DC, INS, all the bells and whistles thru paypal -- I remember the good ol days before that was an option...
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