Help me with shipping please :)

[theglasschameleon]

So, I sell fused glass jewelry and gifts..... mostly jewelry. I ship very small things, but they are very breakable! I noticed that $4.00 shipping seems to be average for jewelry. So, I set up my shipping at $4.00 in the US and $2.00 additional items. The first item I shipped cost me $11.00! So, I upped my charge to $6.00 an item in the US. And the second item I shipped cost me $9.50. I have tried pre-paid boxes thru the post office, fed ex and ups. I have tried small boxes that I buy. I can't seem to figure out the formula with shipping!!! I feel like if I could find a small box to package my jewelry in, then I might be able to put that box in a bubble envelope? I don't know! I want it as low as I can get it for the sake of my customers. Personally, I hate nothing more than high shipping and slow shipping! Any advice from those long term etsy shops out there???

[Former_Member]

what about wrapping your jewelry in a pretty tissue paper, tying with a bow, and then putting it in a smaller mailer bubble envelope? it would be both cute and relatively inexpensive!

[hydeandstitched]

Sounds like you are shipping priority? You'll need to provide some more detail if you'd like some extra help:

What size are your items?
How much do they weigh?
Do you want to pay for tracking or insurance?

[PersnicketyWorks]

Hi Cassi. How much do your items once packaged for shipping usually weigh? If they are under 13oz I have found shipping first class is usually the best option. However when you go into Paypal to prepare your item for shipping play around with different settings as far as parcel, priority, or first class and see what will be the best option. When I list an item I try to package it as I would for shipping and go to USPS and estimate shipping before I list the item. I will look up a zipcode that is a far distance from me and try to get the best idea of the most expensive destination and go off of that. That way I don't get a surprise when I go to ship it for real.
Also if you go to some paper supply stores online you might be able to order some small boxes to ship your items in rather than usuing pre-paid ones from USPS etc.
I hope that helps!

[MythOfTheWild]

I really don't understand shipping in the US, and why it's so expensive. Admittedly the UK is quite small, but having said that it still only costs me £2.50 to ship within the UK and £4 to ship to the US when I wander up to the post office!
A lot of sellers in the US I see only charge £4 (about $6.50) to send to me, but then the odd £12 one pops up and makes me wonder just what it is they're doing differently, and to be honest it puts me off. I honestly would rather see a £25 price tag and then see an extra £4 for shipping, because when it's £10 for an item then another £12 for delivery, I feel a little mislead and it makes me wary.

A lot of sellers do that on purpose (not the majority, but I've found a few), they charge £5 for a nice item then charge £30 for shipping. I think it might be to get around Etsy fees or something. Should I be reporting these people, do you think?

[theglasschameleon]

Thanks for the help everyone! To answer some questions....

I ship very breakable glass..... so tissue in an envelope isn't safe enough!

My packages are light as a feather..... usually the box and packaging weigh more than my jewelry itself!

My items are small..... At the biggest - a 2 1/2" square pendant or some earrings. I find most of my items are swimming even in the smallest boxes I can ship!

I have been searching for a small, flat jewelry box that I can package in and then put it in a bubble envelope! I am thinking that is my best chance!

[hydeandstitched]

Have you poked around on amazon? I buy my bubble envelopes in bulk quantities from some semi-sketch fulfilled by amazon company. They work great and I have seen other's ship with them as well. I looked around.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZQRAGS/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

These boxes may be a good starting place, they look a little bit too small though :-/

http://www.amazon.com/White-Swirl-Cotton-Jewelry-Display/dp/B002HIHA6A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=134391...

The combination of those two would allow you to ship first class for, by best guess, around $2.15?

[theglasschameleon]

Awesome, Brandon!!!! Thanks :) I am working on this now.... headed to your links on amazon!!!

[hydeandstitched]

Don't pay too much attention to the reviews unless they say that the boxes collapsed / smelled bad. Most people who leave bad reviews on shipping supplies just don't know how to use a ruler!

[theglasschameleon]

Hey Brandon - have you gone to ULINE.com before???

Boxes - 100 bigger ones for $39
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-10604/Retail-Boxes/5-1-4-x-3-3-4-x-7-8-Kraft-Jewelry-Boxes

Envelopes - 250 for $55
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-7543/Poly-Mailers/6-x-10-0-Self-Seal-Bubble-Lined-Polyolefin-M...

Seems like a good price :)