Shipping from GA to CA

[apanda0622]

So I had a Popple on ebay that sold for $4.50.  The Popple in a box is over 1 lb so its falls in the 1-2 lb shipping rate.  The buyer is from California, and I am located in Georgia.  The buyer paid with shipping being about $8, but left a note that they thought the shipping was too high.
 
So my first thought it why did you bid on the item?  Ebay tells you the shipping price while the auction is up.  My second thought is why did you pay already?  If you want to try a different shipping option, ask me to figure that out before you pay. 
 
So I told the buyer I would not mind taking the Popple out of the box, and shipping it in a bubble wrapped mail envelope.  I have sent and received many stuffed animals in those bags and the stuffed animals arrive in the same condition as sent.  Shipping will probably be about $5 to CA in an envelope.
 
I hope the buyer lets me put it in an enevelope because if I have to ship it in a box, I'm afriad they will leave me neutral or negative feedback because of the price of shipping.  But its not my fault they live on the west coast and I live on the east coast.
 

[Maniah]

To be fair, shipping doesn't vary state to state really. Its outside the us that it matters. And I'll bet that when you get the exact weight of the parcel put in at the post office then it will be cheaper. Is that first class or priority?

[apanda0622]

To be fair, shipping doesn't vary state to state really. Its outside the us that it matters. And I'll bet that when you get the exact weight of the parcel put in at the post office then it will be cheaper. Is that first class or priority?

Its parcel post and I have scale--I know the exact weight.  And it does make a difference with price since she lives on the other side of the US.  I'm sending a package to TN with the same weight and its only like $5.

[ponylady]

I will never understand why people bid if they do not like the shipping charges.  If I don't like them I move on.  The item will come up for sale again. *shrugs*  I guess I don't have time to haggle sellers.
 
Anyways I have found that shipping Parcel Post is almost as much as Priority.  Plus it takes longer in my opinion.  I did a comparision check from GA to CA between Priority and Parcel for 1lb and Parcel was $5.70 and Priority was $6.30.  And for 2lbs it was $8.83 Parcel and $10.40 Priority.  So your shipping price seems very fair to me at the 2lb but at 1lb it is over $2.30 which wouldn't bother me but others get a little loopy when it's over by that much.
 
 

[Ringlets]

Y'know..  I dont get why buyers bid if they dont like the price. They should find out if there are other shipping options before they bid, not after     
Maybe you could say to the person that you believe the shipping quote is correct, but if the shipping cost works out to be less  than exepected at the actual time you ship the item, then you can refund the difference. You cant be any fairer than that since you already offered them a cheaper shipping option 

[RockinPrettyBeats]

To be fair, shipping doesn't vary state to state really. Its outside the us that it matters. And I'll bet that when you get the exact weight of the parcel put in at the post office then it will be cheaper. Is that first class or priority?

What are you talking about? Why would it be "cheaper" once you get it to the post office.

Furthermore, it can't be first class cause it's over a pound.

And yes, shipping does vary by state. Where are you getting your information?
 
$8 for a 1-2 pound package won't cover the entire cost. She'll be short a few cents.

To the op, I wouldn't have even offered the cheaper shipping. That encourages poor behavior and attitude. Most people that don't ship regularly have no idea how much it actually costs. Hell, even people who ship smaller items are at a complete loss when it comes to items over "first class" price.

I would have just told the buyer that the shipping price doesn't even cover the actual cost. You can't help the cost of shipping and you don't overcharge. Quite frankly, I think it's a little insulting how buyers are always complaining about the costs. Some people are so ignorant. They think if they sold a 5oz toy they know how much it costs to ship everything.

Ponylady - The op said it's 1-2 pounds. That means it's over 1 pound and under 2 pounds. So your larger quotes are what we are looking at here. And quite frankly if she over charged by $2 (if the item was under a pound) that would still mean the buyer needs to get a life. There is no such thing as "overcharging" by $2.

So I agree with you when you say it's "loopy".

Sometimes I wish there was a sticky that had some of this information.

 

[Maniah]

I'm getting my information through first hand experience. Maybe because I deal in smaller weights the prices don't change but shipping a rehairing tool from Arkansas to California costs me the same price as shipping one from Arkansas to Texas.

And I suggested it may be cheaper at the post office because the OP stated the weight was "in the 1-2lb" range. This lead me to think maybe they were estimating the weight. A post office scale can get an accurate weight and thus an accurate price.

And yes I realize that first class is 13oz only. I had meant to say Parcel. In my mind they are both the same thing because they are so similar in pricing and shipping times.

[ponylady]

The prices for First Class do not change much at all between states but Parcel and Priority do.  For instance if Panda sent me the same 2lb package from Georgia to Ohio it would cost $6.16 Parcel and $6.30 Priority.
 
And no matter if you print your labels online(which is cheaper) or take it to the PO they always round it up to the next highest weight.  So even if it only weighs 1lb 2 oz, it automatically gets bumped up to the next highest weight which is 2 lbs.  The same goes with First Class is always gets bumped to the next highest ounce, even if it is 1.1 ounces it goes up to 2. 
 
I have to say though that Parcel and First Class are in no way similiar in price or shipping time.  Parcel Post is the true meaning of Snail Mail, it takes forever and is pricey in my opinion for how long it takes.  I would rather spend a couple extra bucks and send Priority so it reaches them in an ample amount of time.   However  First Class has always been tops in my books!   I have had packages that reach customers before a Priority package sent the same day has reached a customer in a nearby state.   And it is affordable for the service.

[RockinPrettyBeats]

I'm getting my information through first hand experience. Maybe because I deal in smaller weights the prices don't change but shipping a rehairing tool from Arkansas to California costs me the same price as shipping one from Arkansas to Texas.

And I suggested it may be cheaper at the post office because the OP stated the weight was "in the 1-2lb" range. This lead me to think maybe they were estimating the weight. A post office scale can get an accurate weight and thus an accurate price.

And yes I realize that first class is 13oz only. I had meant to say Parcel. In my mind they are both the same thing because they are so similar in pricing and shipping times.

Right that's exactly what I'm saying. Many people that ship tiny objects think the cheap prices apply to all items.

Ponylady already said it but I'll say it again, it doesn't matter what it weighs. All that matters is that it's over 1 pound and under 2 pounds. That's how the post office and UPS ships items once it's over a pound. It's by the pound.

And yeah, you're getting your information from first hand experience from shipping tiny items. So that's really not first hand experience. That's actually exactly what I said the problem was because I see it so often. I see someone on Ebay who have nothing but tiny cheap items for sale and then they ask me why it costs $9 to ship a large Care Bear.

For the record, First Class Mail doesn't change at all state by state. Parcel post and priority vary by "zones".

I don't know why you consider parcel and first class similar since one is super fast and one is super slow and still dang expensive. Plus, many times, parcel can even be MORE than priority by a few cents. Parcel post is USUALLY only worth it once:

A. The package is over 4 pounds
B. The zone that you are shipping to is expensive for priority mail
C. The package has large dimensions

I'm actually surprised that ponylady's quotes vary so much cause it's usually not like that at all.

[ponylady]

I'm actually surprised that ponylady's quotes vary so much cause it's usually
not like that at all.

Check USPS for yourself 
 

[apanda0622]

Well, I took the Popple out of the nicely packed box, and weighed her.  She is 11 oz with the envelope and $3 to ship to CA.  So that is what the buyer wants, I will do it, but personally I would have wanted it in the box.

[ponylady]

I would have wanted the box too, people are strange I tell ya!
 
But I am glad to here that some sort of agreement could be made.  They have us at their mercy with feedback these days, so it doesn't pay to even argue with them over it.

[NinaMarie]

I do shipping at a small bookstore and because I ship mostly books i can use USPS Media mail. I occasionally have to ship non-book type items and I absolutely hate sending them Parcel Post. Sure UPS can be more pricey but USPS Parcel Post just plain sucks, it's slow. Also I really don't trust the post office anymore with all the Media Mail rate packages they've screwed up and the packages we've had returned in shreds.
If it's light enough hooray use 1st class if it's over a pound shove it in a priority box or envelope. The post office seems to take better care of Priority Mail items. The buyers need to just deal with it. Nothing over a pound is really going to ship for less than 5 dollars. Every year for the last few years i've been at my job the US Postal Service raised the price of postage. It all goes back to what was stated before if the bidder doesn't like the price of shipping don't bid!

[RockinPrettyBeats]

I'm actually surprised that ponylady's quotes vary so much cause it's usually
not like that at all.

Check USPS for yourself 
 

Oh don't worry, I believe you :-) Just surprised is all.