Hey, I've cruised the threads a little bit here on t-shirtforums.com and I haven't been able to get a clear answer for my situation...
I am starting a secondary business, that will operate mostly through e-bay ordering... I hope to keep my 9-5 and earn a little bit of additional income by selling shirts.
I have locked away a couple of really good suppliers and tested a couple of the products and found some that I am ready to sell and ship... I have actually stocked my first set to sell...
I want to sell these either individually - for the higher quality shirts, or in lots of 2, 3, or 5...
Being as how I've never shipped a t-shirt, I am trying to find the most cost effective way to ship 1, 2, 3, or 5 shirts to an individual.
Shipping Method:
On the way to my 9-5, I pass a USPS station, and it would be very convenient and workable for me to use said station. I've read that they provide some free shipping containers, but I don't know if that is for the cost-effective shipping or not.
I would like to ship them the standard way (Not sure the terminology here)... not the bleeding fast overnight, or the "charge me extra and it might get there a day or two faster" methods...
Items:
T-shirts and polos, L-XL, in individual bags. Q 1-5
I know similar questions have been asked, and a couple key e-bay sellers show up for bags and boxes, as well as a couple sites... but, I wanted to post my own topic to make sure that... with direct access to a USPS station 3000 feet from my house that I wasn't buying a bunch of unnecessary boxes, etc.
hmm, that just gives me:
"We are sorry that the information you are looking for is no longer available.
The good news is, the U.S. Postal Service® is introducing new products and
services every day and may have something else that can help you "
Shipping Method:
On the way to my 9-5, I pass a USPS station, and it would be very convenient and workable for me to use said station. I've read that they provide some free shipping containers, but I don't know if that is for the cost-effective shipping or not.
They only provide Tyvek envelopes and flat-rate shipping boxes for USPS Priority shipments.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JudgeX
I would like to ship them the standard way (Not sure the terminology here)... not the bleeding fast overnight, or the "charge me extra and it might get there a day or two faster" methods...
Then you're talking about USPS First Class.
I agree with Rick that Priority is more economical ... but only for shipping the larger quantities you mentioned – say 3 to 5 shirts per shipment because you can use one of their free flat rate boxes (I think it's like $9). If you're just shipping 1 or 2 shirts technically it would be cheaper* to send First Class. Shipping 1 or 2 shirts Priority will set you back almost $5 whereas sending them First Class would be half of that (not counting shipping supplies).
{Suggestion: If you have the shirts in hand, weigh them and then go to Postage Price Calculator and calculate the postage. Use a zip code that's far from you just so you get the worst case scenario.}
Honestly I'd rather pay more to ship Priority for several reasons:
I can create the labels and pay for it from the USPS website right here at my computer (at a slightly discounted rate, too.)
The postman will pick it up, so I don't have to drive to the post office and risk standing in a long line.
You get free track & confirm if you create your label on the USPS website.
*Keep in mind that if you decide to go with First Class you'll have to purchase some sort of envelope or polybag. I buy mine here: eBay Store - ValueMailers: poly mailer, mailers, bubble mailerEven if you're going to use their Priority shipping I'd still recommend that you buy your own bags because there's nothing more frustrating than going to to the post office to find that they are out of Tyvek envelopes.
One thing to look for as well is the nice bubble wrap envelopes. They have a size, 9"X12" I believe, that fits one to three shirts nicely folded, protects them, and if you look around, can be bought in a reasonable number for less than .50 a piece.
Generally, we us priority for low number orders. It is worth the extra money for piece of mind.
I would suggest using USPS - go onto thier website at USPS - The United States Postal Service (U.S. Postal Service) and sign up. Then you would use the click n ship option, print the postage straight out of your computer and even request free pickup. You can also order free shipping supplies - envelopes, boxes and priority stickers etc.... Shipping USPS priority you can ship using a flat rate for as low as $4.75 - and I believe you can ship upto 1 lb. (you can check on the website to make sure), which is quite economical. You also get free confirmation by e-mail (you just have to request it)as well as a tracking number. Shipping time is 2-3 business days.
I used to sell on Ebay, and shipped through Paypal. Priority shipping is more expensive than First Class for shipments under 13 oz. The free supplies from USPS are for Priority shipping only.
When the weight goes over 13oz, you can use parcel post or priority. Most people don't like parcel post due to shipping times. If using priority, the free priority supplies are nice then. I like the tyvek envelopes, they are nice and light, and you can pick up at the local USPS office, but the boxes add a bit of weight.
Once you are familiar with the rates, weights and zones, you'll get a good feel for which method you should be using. When I sold on Ebay, I would list First Class, but if they combined, and it was more economical for me to ship Priority, I sent a message they were getting a free upgrade to Priority. You will get the feel of it.
One thing that helped was to make a chart of the rates on paper. I used Cali as an example shipping zone since it is furthest from me, thus most expensive. I wrote down what 1 oz cost, then 2 oz, etc, all the way up to 1lb 2 oz. Once I did this, it was easy to see that 5 oz to Cali was $1.81 (+ .18 delv confirmation) = $1.99 First Class compared to Priority Mail, which is $4.60 up to 2 lbs, and goes up once you cross over 2 lbs. (I think rates may have gone up since I wrote these charts and posts, but generally, same idea should apply.)
I always made priority an option for the buyer, but you lose a bit of competitiveness if you only offer priority. Shipping is a variable where folks may want to save money. If they don't need it sent priority, they may not want to pay for that shipping with you, and may choose to shop with someone else who offers first class. What you can offer over other first class shippers on Ebay is the delivery confirmation included. Not an option they have to add.
In the auction terms, I note that once the item is shipped, it is no longer my responsibility. I allow the buyer the option of adding insurance to protect themselves at their cost. It's simple, cheap and secure. I have had 2 packages go wayward, but with the 18 cent delivery confirmation, it proved I shipped it.
Poly mailers are very light and are the most economical to ship in.
I wrote a more detailed post on the how I process my shipping, including some of the things you need to do this on your own pretty easily. If you don't mind, to save time, I am going to give you a link. Your opinion on this shipping envelope?
^^I just re-read this whole thread and it is a good thread on shipping tee shirts. Worth the time to hear what folks are doing to send a nice product.
Good luck to you. Hope this helps. Things like rates and services do change in time, but hopefully this information is still relevant enough. Become familiar with your shipping zones, weights and rates, and it will make alot more sense to you. (Log onto USPS.com, and enter some sample weights and zones)
You used to be able to set up in Ebay to add a certain amount of handling to your actual shipping cost. I found that helpful to make sure I did not undersell my shipping costs, and start eating that cost. Shipping can cut into your profits if you are not on top of the actual costs. Good luck again.
Last edited by Girlzndollz; May 27th, 2008 at 10:15 AM.
One more piece of advice: If you find you're shipping the same quantity of shirts all the time, try to get some custom boxes or envelopes made to fit that quantity. Try to get them as light and as small as you can, and that may save you on shipping, once you have established rates with the postal service. Custom boxes and envelopes are not as expensive as you might think.
As a buyer, I also like to have lots of options for shipping. I'm not always in a hurry, and I find it annoying to only have an expensive, fast shipping option.
hmm, that just gives me:
"We are sorry that the information you are looking for is no longer available.
The good news is, the U.S. Postal Service® is introducing new products and
services every day and may have something else that can help you "
I looked in the other thread you posted above and found some pretty good info...
It wasn't exactly clear to me how many shirts can be shipped in one of those bags, though...
My shirts arrive to me in individually factory sealed bags, which I like because it keeps them clean and such...
I guess my "shipping" questions have been answered quite well, and I'm still just a little fuzzy on the whole "packaging" portion... I like the "bag" idea, just for space savings, but, what quantity of t-shirts/polos can you fit in one of those without SQUEEZING it in there...
I want my customers to get their product and pull it out and be happy, rather than a bit put off by the way it was jammed in there like some nylons . Is this an issue for anyone?
Again, thanks for the replies, this is one of the best communities i've come across online. I ask a lot of questions in other forums and I'm surprised at the lack of miscreants thus far .
I have 5 different size polybags, from 9x12, to oh geez, 19x24. For one shirt, I use the 9x12. I fold the shirt nicely, and when it is in the bag, I fold the excess portion of the bag over behind the bag, and tape it so the shirt is snug, but not squeezed. I use alot of 10x13 size bags for orders of a few shirts, or sweatshirts. Hope this helps you out a bit more.
Newbie Shipping Questions 
. Is this an issue for anyone?
