Newb selling questions: Shipping

[NoPonySpecial]

(Is that filter against the word "shipping" still in effect? )

Anyway, I'm making preparations to sell my excess ponies, but I have the typical questions:

I'm mostly concerned about how to figure out a package's weight to calculate shipping. How much does a typical pony weigh? I know I've seen a list of MLP weights before, but Google has yielded no results. in fact, some of the results were disturbing fanart. 

When you guys calculate the shipping cost of a package, do you weigh the pony/package first, or just kind of guess based on how many ponies you're shipping? I have some non-pony items, too. Should I invest in some kind of scale? I know I can aleways take it to the post office and have them weigh it, but do they care if you just go in and say "Can you weigh this for me? 'K thanks!" 

I know these questions have probably been asked here hundreds of times, so thanks for putting up with them!

[Rhubarbpie]

I pack em up and plunk them on the kitchen scales 

Of course the PO's scales will be more accurate, but it give you a good idea of what price to expect!

[sweetlittlejenny]

If you are selling to a particular person then you can pack everything up and take it to the PO for a quote. I wouldn't ask them just for a weight though.

You can buy a scale to weigh your packages. Always weigh after the item is packaged so you have a total weight. I just use a food scale I have.
There are specific postal scales though. I'm not sure how cheap they are though.
Near me I think the cheapest I've seen was about $40 which is what my food scale cost, too.

ETA: Most food scales should weigh in ounces well enough to get you a correct quote. I've never had a problem.

[hannaliten]

I got a digital food scale from Walmart.  They're less than $20 and very accurate.

[bluerose9978]

Amazon has some digital package/kitchen scales. That's where I got mine. It goes up to 40 lbs and also weighs in ounces.

[NoPonySpecial]

I'll have to look at what's available when I do errands this weekend. Thanks, guys!

[Ringlets]

*nods in agreement*     Its best to get yourself some digital kitchen scales - the one I bought was very cheap but its very accurate too   I think there is plenty of choice out there without paying expensive, and having your own scale will save you from having to make extra trips to to post office (you can do this of course, but with fuel/time etc I found getting a kitchen scale works out cheaper in the end, unless the PO is within close walking distance or you are shipping is to another country and you are unsure of the costs or best way to send, even if you know the correct weight).

Also you need to pack your pony/ponies/whatever you are selling in a box or whatever you are going to ship in  (you dont need to seal it up, just add a bit of extra weight for any brown paper or tape you'll be using once the item is really getting shipped)  

Thats what I have done for many years and it save a lot of trouble. Hopefully it will make selling a bit easier for you too   If you need more advice its good to post here - there are a lot of experienced sellers on the Arena 

[Ligress]

I personally bought a cheap scale off ebay, it cost all of 20 dollars and not sure how but I recall getting free shipping.
If you are shipping more then twice a month I'd say: ITS WORTH IT!
 Especially if you sell on ebay I was told you can put in weight etc and preprint your label and then just drop it off instead of standing in line. I still end up standing in line because I'm paranoid but that's just me, but could be a real timesaver. Especially if you arranged a postal carrier to come get packages ( I believe in the us if you send over a certain number of packages within the country a week regularly you can arrange a pickup day if they are all ready to post...just what I've heard, I haven't ever had that many packages out). Good luck on deciding if you need a scale