Measurements?

[GardenGateDesign]

I am trying to understand this calculated shipping. I am suppse to measure the item including any packing and Etsy is going to pick the size box it is to go into and calculate a shipping fee based on that information?

[Former_Member]

Hello John. Yes basically - by providing the dimensions of your item (not the box) the calculator can fit things into various box sizes. I see you sell candles and ornaments so I'm sure you sometimes sell multiples and put them all in the same box. That is what the calculator can do.

You need to add the weight of the item boxed and ready to ship because you might just sell one and want that to be right.

The calculator bases the shipping charge on the zip code of the person you are shipping to and the weight of the package.

If you use Flat Rate boxes, there is a place at the bottom of the Shipping Profile page where you can add Preferences - you can choose from various Flat Rate boxes, or add your own custom size boxes that you want the calculator to use. Or you can just go with the Common Etsy Box sizes - or you can use both.

[GardenGateDesign]

I was wondering how Etsy calculate for multiples. I am going to have to play with this a bit before I get comfortable. I mostly use USPS Prioruty boxes as the are free and includes some insurance but sometimes they do not work and I have t go with brown corrugated box. Does Etsy have the ability of take something like a ceramic plate, platter or lidded box and any combination and sizes of my candle and figure out what box to use and what shipping to charge based on zip code?

[Former_Member]

Yes John. That is why you enter the dimensions of the items - the calculator fits items into boxes.

I personally only use Package Preferences. I have the box for Use Etsy Common Box sizes unchecked.

In Preferences I have all of the Regional and Flat Rate boxes I use added, plus I have input (Custom boxes where you enter your own box sizes) and I too use Priority Boxes so I've added 7x7x6 and 12x12x8 for those Priority sizes, plus I've added other sizes of plain corrugated boxes that I buy for their particular size.

I only want the calculator to use the boxes that I have and use which is why I've set mine up this way.

When I get a multiple item order it fits my different items into a box from my list that they fit in. For instance, last week I had an order for 12 sets of votive candles plus 2 pens. It was shipping all the way across the country so it used 2 flat rate boxes. Once it filled up the first large flat rate box, it started using other smaller boxes until it settled on a Regional B box for the rest.

[Former_Member]

Let me add that for that particular order, I found that using 2 Medium Flat Rate boxes was a better and cheaper option so that is what I did and I refunded the customer $5. Like I said, the calculator will keep filling boxes until it gets to your biggest option and then it will start over. It can't really "think" like I can that it would be better to split the items evenly between 2 smaller options. But in the past, and order like that would have calculated such a high shipping charge that my refund would have been close to $30.

The calculator gets pretty darn close though.

[DaxMajik]

Sometimes items won't fit in one standard box, which means I have to scrounge for a box, or often, "create" a new box by cutting down a large one, or taping parts of smaller ones together. I'm guessing the shipping calculator would conclude they wouldn't fit in a box, and charge for them being in two boxes, which would result in a much larger calculated fee. There is just no way I could list the size of a larger box.

[Former_Member]

Mark - you do not have to enter every package you use. That really only applies if you use Package Preferences exclusively and have unchecked the use Etsy common box sizes.

This is from the articles on CS:
"We will automatically calculate the smallest and cheapest package to use for each order based on the selected mail class and the total weight and dimensions for the order."

The only time the calculator will split up an order into two boxes is if you only have First Class listed and it has to split it up in order to keep it FC. As long as you have Parcel Select or Priority to jump to after the FC threshold has been met then it will keep it together.

And it will split up an order is you only use Package Preferences and have use Etsy Common Box sizes unchecked. I only use Package Preferences and when my largest box listed gets filled up, it starts over again with another box.

But basically if you don't use them, the calculator will go by dimensions and weight only - if it can't fit it in a box it will just base it on the size and weight.
This can run the risk of an oversized package, but if you are not concerned with that happening then you should be fine.

[DaxMajik]

Thanks, Kathy. I'll have to look at it again and see if I understand it better. I'm pretty sure I don't want to use Etsy Common Box sizes, because I use two or three sizes of Priority boxes, and once in awhile a customized box (along with bubble mailers). I didn't realize you could use Calculated Shipping without it determining what box and how many of them.

[Former_Member]

Mark it is always best to test. Set up some listings then either sign out of you etsy shop and go back as a shopper - or you can open to your shop in another browser and not sign in. You can put in different zip codes and add stuff to your cart and see exactly what a customer would see. It's very helpful when setting it up. Instead of guessing what will happen and not knowing until you get a sale.

[POPLARHOLLOWSTUDIO]

Hello...I want to make sure I'm understanding this. I entered custom box sizes that I typically use for priority shipping. So I enter weight of item WITHOUT packaging and height, length, etc WITH bubble wrap? Does that include extra bubble wrap in the box? Does etsy include the weight of the box? I.e I sell gourds...a bit more difficult to estimate in advance because of the roundness of the object and a lot of taping (which I don't want to do in advance for estimates). Also it prompts me for length, width, height. I normally refer to height as base to stem but ETSY prompts me to put the longest measurement under length. I have a diameter measurement at the widest point (ie 6" I diameter) so I guess I put that down as height and width with perhaps another inch for bubble
wrap. So is it safe to estimate a 12 x 6x 6 gourds measurements are 13 x 7x 7? But again what about the extra bubble wrap around the bubble wrapped gourd. So hard to estimate everything. Especially when every gourd is a different size. If I estimate 1.5 lbs for a bubble wrapped gourd...in a box with extra bubble wrap will put it over 2...does Etsy calculate the box weight? Also to be safe is it ok to overestimate weight (ie 10 oz rounded off to a Lb). Sorry for the rambling...

[Former_Member]

For dimension you measure the item itself (plus packing material around it - but not the box.)

For the weight you need to put in the weight of it all packed up ready to ship in the box.

[vintageNCtreasures]

Kim.... you do not do it like this. IF you enter item weight only and it's 12 oz that is all the buying is paying shipping on....... but when you get it packed it's 1 1/2 lbs. you are going to pay shipping cost for the 1 1/2 lbs box NOT a 12 oz. box.

The weight is the item + packing + box.

The info is above on one of Kathy's first post at the beginning of this thread.

You need to put item SIZE plus any bubblewrap if needed....not box size.
It doesn't have to be exact.

Most times you can NOT round off to the next pound because for multi items purchased the calculator will figure too much.

[Former_Member]

For your gourds you should wrap them in bubble wrap. Measure the length of it - longest measurement. If it is round then the width and height would be about the same measurement.

I ship round jars. I wrap them in bubble wrap and then the dimensions entered are 5.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 and weight is 1.8 pounds.

Shipping one jar is actually 1.12 pounds, however if I mail two jars the weight (and this is all packaged up in the box ready to ship) is 2.15 pounds. Since I want the shipping price for 2 to not go over the 3 pound threshold, I put the weight in the listing at 1.8 pounds. You sometimes have to weigh 2 and split that in half.