USPS Rate Increase - Rate Charts?

[LaurasLastDitch]

USPS shipping rates increase toward the end of January. I am trying to prepare for this increase.

Has anyone found a rate chart that shows prices for labels printed online? I'm hoping for a chart that I don't need to download. I tried to download the one on the USPS site, but my computer couldn't pull it up.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Former_Member]

Someone started this thread two days ago: http://www.etsy.com/teams/5002/etsy-success/discuss/11486127/

I haven't seen any new info.

[LaurasLastDitch]

Thanks, Nicole! It looks like no one really knows what will happen to online rates. Someone must know, but I can't find it. I tried using the USPS shipping calculator with Jan 28 as the ship date, but that didn't even do the trick--it just showed the current rates.

[Former_Member]

Yeah, I'm thinking (hoping, rather) that the price increase will be small enough for my shop to absorb the extra cost. I currently add handling charges to the shipping cost so as long as it's a small increase, I'm not going to bother going through and changing all of my shipping prices. Plus, even if you find the rates on the website, purchasing through Etsy or Paypal has different rates too so there's that.

[LaurasLastDitch]

It kills me. I'm trying to plan for it. I sell on another site, too, that doesn't have bulk editing capabilities, and I have 600 items listed there in addition to the 600 items I have listed here. Whatever the increase is in the US, it probably won't kill me, but an international increase could potentially mean losing big money on shipping. I'm quite surprised that this info is so hard to find.

[Former_Member]

https://www.usps.com/new-prices.htm

I'm snooping around here right now...

[thunderrose]

This is a link to a thread about this in business topics

http://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business-topics/discuss/11477355/page/1/

On pages 7 and 8 Ivy has posted links that are very helpful. Shops that are made to order should think about changing shipping prices soon.
Domestic shipping is going up a little but first class international is off the chart.

[Former_Member]

Yep. I think that's it. You just have to fish through and find the right files to download and then find the right category for the prices we pay here on Etsy and at Paypal.

[thunderrose]

The links from Ivy don't have to be downloaded and translated. She has already done the work.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for this, and the link to the other thread as well.

[Former_Member]

FYI
I think the prices from Ivy are retail and not necessarily the discounted rates that MAY apply when you buy online
But its a great guide to get started on figuring out how much you need to increase by

[Former_Member]

Thanks Debbie and John!

Dawn's right- Ivy's pics are of retail prices and not the commercial base prices. You can find the commercial base prices, it just takes more looking around. I downloaded the spreadsheets to have for my own info, which I should have on hand anyway. It's easier than going to USPS and getting a price quote, for me anyway.

[Former_Member]

Marking this - thanks for all the helpful info about shipping price increases for the new year. Note to self: do my homework this weekend regarding shipping prices for 2013!

[LaurasLastDitch]

I'm distressed because I can't download those USPS files, so I don't really know what to do. I'd love to know the Commercial Base prices for all classes, both international and domestic. I'd love to get my shipping profiles right the first time. I love how Ivy did the charts, but since I don't pay the counter retail prices, I don't want to base my shipping profiles on it.

[TheDarkFen]

Last Ditch Laura from LaurasLastDitch says

I'm distressed because I can't download those USPS files, so I don't really know what to do. I'd love to know the Commercial Base prices for all classes, both international and domestic. I'd love to get my shipping profiles right the first time. I love how Ivy did the charts, but since I don't pay the counter retail prices, I don't want to base my shipping profiles on it.

----

do you have a spreadsheet program? openoffice.org is free. it opens csv files

http://pe.usps.com/

the files to download are on the left hand side labeled "pricing files"

[LaurasLastDitch]

Thanks, Katie! I went to download that, and it is a huge download. Does anyone know of any other way to pull it up in a usable format without having to use up so much computer memory for a program I won't otherwise use?