Katrina, I think customers who buy your $100+ items would probably be ok with $5 shipping, but on the less expensive items, you might want to consider First Class. At least here in California, you can get small (4x4) boxes at Walmart for about 50 cents each. Add that cost to the postage and the postage will STILL be less than $5 Priority Mail. And, in case you didn't know, First Class mail and Priority Mail travel the EXACT same way from your city to the destination city; it's only once it's arrived at the destination city that it (supposedly) gets better service ... though it still gets delivered with the regular mail delivery. That's what postal clerks have told me over the years anyway; not sure how much of it I believe! If you buy your postage online, you can get delivery confirmation/tracking on First Class parcels for 19 cents.
dwrescue, postage shouldn't be anywhere near $3 for a 4 ounce item. Well, how much does your packaging weigh and/or what does your item + packaging weigh? Would your soap survive the postal system wrapped in bubble wrap and mailed in a vinyl envelope? The bubble wrap & envelope might cost 35 cents (include that in the shipping cost!), and U.S. postage on 5 or 6 ounces should be considerably less than $3, probably $2.50 or less.
