Box Weight?

[SweetJeanShop]

Maybe I missed it but shouldn't there be a place to enter the box weight? Shipping price is coming out too high when ordering multiple items as the box weight is included in the weight of the item. Thanks!

[Former_Member]

Ashley - there is no place to enter box weight. It has to go into the item weight in case you only sell one, you need the correct weight for the correct shipping for one.

There are ways to adjust certain items so the weight doesn't go too high for multiples.

For instance - if you package up 2 items together - take slightly less of that for 1 item, if it is still enough to ship one.

I do this often. I have an item that weighs 9 ounces if shipped alone but 2 of them together only weigh 14 ounces - so I put the weight of the item at 7 ounces. That way, when someone buys 2, they can still ship first class.

Also, be sure your dimensions in your listing are for the item only (plus packing material around it) but not the box. You want multiple items to fit into one box for the best shipping price.

Make sure also that the dimensions fit into the boxes you have selected or added in Package Preferences - you need boxes big enough to fit multiples.

[custompetandtack]

Ashely, I wanted to add that on some items in my shop I have to adjust the weights.

On my winter goat coats on some sizes 1 with a box weighs 1 lb. 10 to 12 oz.

If I put that weight in the listing and someone buys 2, shipping will calculate at over 3 lbs.

But I can get 2 in a box and the weight is only 2 lb. 12-14 oz.

So what I do is put no more than 1 lb. 8 oz for each coat so shipping 2 will calculate on a 3 lb rate "not" a 4 lb. rate.

It won't matter if I put 1 lb. 8 oz or 1 lb. 12 oz if someone just buys one coat, shipping is the same 2 lb. rate.

[Former_Member]

Sooooo, I can see how that methodology could work if the average weight of the items you're selling is in the lbs. The average weight of my items in a box or flat ready ship is usually only 3-5 oz...

I only ship using first class USPS specifically to keep the costs low.

There seems to be two options.

1. Include packaging weight in the weight of the purchased item.

(if someone buys multiples their shipping cost will quickly escalate).

2. Option two I thought would solve everything. I use my own packaging so I included the cost of the oz. rate for USPS shipping in the package fee in the package preferences which is different than shipping preferences. It only gets charged once per order if you set it up that way. I thought that would at least solve for the U.S. purchases.

In theory this should work if the Etsy algorithm puts the item in the correct box or flat.

IT DOES NOT WORK

Somehow when I test putting just a single item that doesn't even weigh an oz on it's own in my cart I get a higher shipping rate than any of the shipping costs I've added into the package preferences. So I don't understand where the algorithm is getting this shipping rate (and I double checked the rate with the Etsy shipping calculator).

In one test I was getting a shipping estimate of $11 for shipping 2 cards USPS.

I had wanted to use the Calculated Shipping to make it easier for calculating international shipping because that's held me back from offering my stuff to the international market. But I'm at a loss.

Any thoughts/suggestions/solutions for shipping low weight items?

thanks!

[Former_Member]

Just want to clarify, that's USPS first class mail.

[SweetJeanShop]

Thanks! I do that as well my biggest problem is I can't lessen or average the weight too much because we get a lot of International orders (20%) and if the weight is too low it won't work for international orders. Anyway, it would be nice since you enter in information about the box already. Best of luck!

[vintageNCtreasures]

Shasta says "2. Option two I thought would solve everything. I use my own packaging so I included the cost of the oz. rate for USPS shipping in the package fee."

If you put the ounce shipping rate in your package fee that is added IN addition to the fee calculated for the item. So basically you're getting double shipping.

You don't want to put the shipping cost in your package fee,
This fee is for supplies, mailers. tape etc.

I sell a lot of items in both shops that weigh 2 to 5 oz.

And I can get multiples to work out exactly right.

This is what I do.

If I have a dog belly band that weighs with a mailer 2 oz, but 2 in a mailer only weighs 3 oz. I ONLY put 1.5 oz in my listing for the weight.

That way, 2 are calculated on 3 oz. NOT 4 oz.

On other sizes that weigh 2.2 oz with a mailer and 2 will weigh just under 4 oz with a mailer, I put 1.75 oz for the weight instead.

That way, 2 will calculate at 3.5 oz and the 4 oz rate.

It won't matter on that single item if I put 1.5, 2 or 3 since all those first class rates are the same.

I do the same on items weighing 4 or 5 oz with a mailer.

I put slightly less for that 1 item. Like for the 4 oz item I'll put 3.25, 3.5 or 3.75 oz. depending what I need to get multiples to come out right.

It won't matter on 1 item if I put 3.5 oz or 4 oz. both are calculated on the 4 oz rate.

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Also if you're getting $11 to ship 2 cards I suspect this has to do with your mailer size if you have these in Package preferences.

CS is figuring on 2 packages, seems like a Priority price NOT a first class.

If you have mailer sizes listed, you need to put more than 1".

Same with the Priority flat rate envelopes, you need to put more than 1" for the height.

If you can get 5 cards in one of them you need to put 5".

CS does not read fractions less than 1" in your listing. So if you have .5 for the item height, CS is calculating on 1".

[Former_Member]

Thanks this is helpful. Good to know that it doesn't recognize height less than 1 inch... which is odd since for a flat envelope you obviously wouldn't have anything very high.

I don't have any priority mail preferences. Double checked they were all just first class mail.

I only have 5 package types I use so things really seemed odd when I was just test ordering 1 card. Without doing an actual purchase I can't tell what box Etsy was putting it in but it didn't feel like any of the packaging I use.. (and I didn't have common Etsy sizes chosen.)

so I'm thinking maybe it was the 1" as height thing.

I'll try it out.

[vintageNCtreasures]

You can either logout or use another browser to add items to the cart to see how shipping is coming out on single or multiple orders.

You can't however see what size mailer is chosen.

But you should be able to tell if CS is combining items ok.

Just because etsy picks a mailer or box size, does not mean you have to use it.

But you do need sizes in your custom sizes for the calculator to pick from not only for singles but for multiples.

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About profiles:

On your profile if you ONLY have first class profile, and if someone buy's enough items to go over 13 oz or 16 oz (retail or Etsy postage rates) then CS is going to figure on several first class packages.

If you have a first class and Priority profile together and if enough items are bought to go over the 1st class limit, CS will bump the shipping up to Priority.

[SweetJeanShop]

Thanks Pat! my problem is that my items are heavy. For instance our most popular item can vary from 2 lbs 10 oz to about 2 lbs 15 oz with box. That is fine for US as priority only changes per lb however First class international changes about ever few ounces so having the box weight (about 8 oz) makes a huge difference when calculating multiple.